Nothing says South African quite like an outdoors accessory made to withstand extreme conditions.
The pOcpac range of pocket pouches, which were initially designed as a convenient way to cart cycling spares and mobile phones around on rides, is just that.
Brothers Andrew and Pano Georgeou came up with the concept and have been rolling the products out to South African markets since 2010, and in the UK from 2012. It is currently distributed in 30 countries.
“Before pOcpac, my money and spares were in little plastic bags, which either tore easily or got lost,” says pro cyclist and pOcpac designer Adriaan Louw. “It’s great to be able to keep everything in one place now.”
The bags are made from durable, waterproof PVC and equipped with a zip that locks tight, ensuring that goods stay dry during runs or rides.
It is recyclable to boot, so you’ll have peace of mind that your old one won’t be cluttering any landfills.
“We do thorough research on materials and design before we take anything to market,” says Louw.
“There’s no point in manufacturing something when the market for it is already saturated. We rather take our time developing something that is simple but indispensable and made to a high standard.”
To this end, he says the decision to manufacture locally is largely to ensure that the stringent quality standards are met.
“Manufacturing in China would mean that you’re removed from your product. By keeping things local, we can keep a close eye on the quality and guarantee that consumers buy a product that will last.”
Three distinct pouch types are available to suit specific circumstances. For roadies and mountain bikers, the “Pro” and “MTB” versions offer a slightly flexible case that fits easily into a standard cycling jersey pocket while carrying essentials like CO2 canisters and other bits and pieces.
The Mobi range, introduced in late 2011 to accommodate smartphones, features three different sizes.
It comes with a transparent front which allows you to operate your phone while it’s safely encased, including a strategically placed “window” to allow photography on the go.
It even comprises a separate slot for bank cards and a driver’s licence, should you need to take these along on longer or group rides.
To ensure that the most popular mobile phones are catered for, pOcpac have designed the Mobi 3 for iPhones, the Mobi 3X for Samsung Galaxy S4s and the Mobi Utility for the Samsung Note 2.
In keeping with their motto of presenting simple solutions to common cycling problems, they have collaborated with two European companies to bring riders the eloquently named Ass Saver mudguard (which one attaches to the saddle rails) and Finn smartphone handlebar mount.
“At the moment, we’re researching a lot of options for new products, but we’d rather partner with a brand that has proven itself to be reliable and successful than try rushing our own thing to market without due care and diligence,” says Louw.
He emphasises that they are very old-school when it comes to giving customers what they want.
“We want the brand and the product to be part of people’s lives, not just something that breaks and is tossed away.”
Visit www.thepocpac.co.za and selected retailers to view their range of products.
