Green Guru Gear | Upcycle Review | 2019
At last year’s 2018 Interbike I got a chance to check out Green Guru Gear (https://www.greengurugear.com), a company that is totally into upcycling. They convert waste that would otherwise end up in landfills, such as old bike tubes, used wetsuits, billboards, climbing ropes, and other materials into cool cycling products.
By keeping these materials out of landfills, the folks at Green Guru Gear help save the environment one bag at a time.
Green Guru Gear History
The company was founded in 2005 and currently is located in a small warehouse in Boulder Colorado. Most of the recycled materials are shipped to the warehouse to be sorted through and ideally transformed into something really cool.
Where Do Green Guru Gear Get Their Materials From?
In general Green Guru Gear obtain materials mostly from “recycling stations.” Think of your local bike store or outdoor shop where they have recycled areas for customers to drop off used merchandise. Green Guru is working with companies like REI and bike shops to get used bike tubes. They work with organizations like Outward Bound to obtain old climbing ropes for bracelets and zipper pulls. Patagonia and Sea World provide the company with used wetsuits where they can be transformed into laptop sleeves and beverage Koozies.
Green Guru Gear Hipster Hip Pack
At Interbike we were able to obtain the Green Guru Gear Hipster Hip Pack, which is commonly known as the dreaded FANNY PACK. YES they are coming back in style and who were we to complain. I mean fanny packs are extremely useful and we aren’t ashamed at wearing them. Heck, I was a fanny packer probably before many of you were born and I will be a fanny packer until the very end. Green Guru adds the Hipster twist to the name, but we all know it’s a fanny pack.
What makes these packs a little different from traditional fanny packs is they are designed not only to fit around the waist, but to also attach to bike handlebars. The color combos Green Guru uses are fun and energetic.
The Hipster Hip Packs are built in Colorado from upcycled industrial tent fabrics, climbing ropes and durable materials. They are water resistant and designed to last.
The Hipster Hip Packs retail for $40 and right now if you order Green Guru ships them for free, not a bad deal.
Features:
- Light loop
- Loops for belt, to strap on a bike, or to attach to a backpack
- Zippered pocket
- Universal hook & loop mounting straps
- Made in Colorado
- Built in the USA
- Limited Lifetime Warranty
- Retail: $40
- Weight 4.9 oz
- Dimensions 8.5 L x 3.5 H x 3.5 D in.
Materials:
- Upcycled Colored Nylon Fabric
- Upcycled Bicycle Inner Tubes
- Upcycled Climbing Rope
- Nylon Teeth with Zinc Zipper
- Nylon Fabric
Green Guru Gear Hipster Hip Pack Review
We absolutely love the upcycle concept of the Hipster Hip Pack and the Green Guru Gear company. The 2 velcro straps make attaching and removing the Hipster from handlebars a snap. The dual pocket helps organize hipster essentials. I would have used the Hipster during Interbike if I had found the Green Guru booth sooner. It would have been perfect to hold business cards and keys.
I did find the belt a little too big for my wife’s waist. I think we will end up cutting some of the webbing so that it will fit better and then sew it back. That should do the trick.
Other that the fit issue, the bag is awesome.
Check out Green Guru Gear (https://www.greengurugear.com) for other cool upcycled products including backpacks, panniers, cycling accessories and more.
