Like most of the products produced by the boys at Motion Pro, you can tell from the moment you take the T-6 Tool Pack out of the box that it was designed by people who ride for people who ride.  The T-6 Tool Pack is more than just a fanny pack to put your tools in; it is a thoughtfully-designed tool belt that makes carrying and organizing your tools on the trail as easy as possible.

The design of the T-6 Tool Pack enables you to fit more tools in it than you probably want to carry, unless of course you fill it with some of the lightweight goodies that Motion Pro also makes.  The center compartments have elastic straps to hold all different sizes of tools and keep them in place and not banging into each other while bouncing down the trail.  The bottom of the main compartment is constructed of a tough plastic material that makes sliding the tools in and out of the elastic straps a piece of cake, and also prevents the tools from tearing into the pack.  There are also smaller zippered compartments inside that are good for keeping your smaller tools and items such as nuts, bolts, master links, and loose sockets from getting lost.  The T-6 also comes with a fold-out tool mat combined with a map holder that is nice for working on your steed in the dirt and not losing all your nuts and bolts, and is also removable if you wish to take it off the pack.  It even comes with solid securing straps that snap together and keep everything closed when you are riding, and double as a carrying strap when you take the pack off your waist.  The large outer pocket is good for carrying larger items and fits an inner tube inside it perfectly.  The smaller side pockets on the outside of the waist strap are good for money or other items you need to get to without having to remove the pack.  The T-6 even has sweet bonus features like a 115 db emergency whistle built into one of the outer securing strap clips, a compass, a little clip in the outer pocket for your keys, and a rain cover that folds out of a slot in the back to keep all your tools dry and your pack clean on those muddy days on the trail.

When you do have to use the T-6 Tool Pack on the trail, its excellent design becomes even more apparent.  The pack is super easy to get off your waist, even with gloves on thanks to the large clips on the front, and in a matter of seconds you can have the pack off, opened up, and tools in your hands ready for action.  Once the pack is opened up you can see exactly the tool you are looking for and get it out of the pack quickly.  The tool mat helps to keep all your tools, nuts and bolts from wandering off or collecting mud; and it is simple to get the tools back in their proper slots and close the pack up when you are done with your trail repair.  Even riders who never wear fanny packs like me are not bothered by the unobtrusive Motion Pro T-6 Tool Pack, which is a testament to its great design.  My only complaint about the performance of the T-6 Tool Pack is in regard to the rain cover, which doesn’t actually keep water out of the pack during rainy weather.  It may be able to keep mud and water from puddles from splashing through the pack, but in a constant downpour, it is definitely not waterproof.  This isn’t too big of a deal since most tools are able to take a little water, just make sure you put anything you want to stay dry in a plastic bag before you put it in the pack if you will be riding in the wet.

The durability of the Motion Pro T-6 Tool Pack is awesome, just like everything Motion Pro makes.  The construction is solid and materials all up to the task, and I had no issues with the pack during our four-day Baja adventure or during subsequent rides.  The plastic liner in the tool compartment ensures that your tools won’t tear the inside of the pack, while the tough exterior is able to fend off attacks from errant tree branches and even multiple soil samples.  Yes, I even crash-tested the T-6 for you guys a few times, all in the name of duty, of course.  My only minor problem concerning durability was with the little strings that attach to the zippers of the main compartment to help you pull the zippers closed easier.  I kept snapping one off when trying to close the pack while cramming all my tools inside it.  I believe I was reaching the limits of the pack’s carrying capacity and putting a little too much stress on the tiny plastic clip that holds the strings on the zippers, so this was more operator error than a problem with the pack.  This wasn’t a big deal either, as I just tied the string back on with a good old fashioned knot and made sure everything was stuffed in the pack correctly before trying to zip it closed.  Problem solved.

All in all, I would definitely recommend the Motion Pro T-6 Tool Pack to anyone looking for the best way to carry some tools with them on their next trail ride.  At $64.99, it isn’t cheap, but nothing worthwhile is in this day and age.  I’m sure you could find something cheaper, or even just pick up a plain-old fanny pack for less than a third of the price, but then you’d also be dealing with all your tools bouncing around on your back the whole time, an uncomfortable strap that digs into your waist the whole ride, and never being able to find your tools when you need them.  And you’d probably just have to buy another one next year anyway once the cheap fanny pack you bought at Wal-Mart breaks, which hopefully doesn’t happen out on the trail.  On our recent Baja adventure, out of the 23 guys in the group, more guys were wearing the T-6 Tool Pack than weren’t, with a couple of them wearing their Baja 1000-tested T-6 packs that looked a little dirty and tattered but still up to the task after many thousands of rough off-road miles.  That has to say something, and to me it says this: If you simply want the best tool pack available for trail riding, then look no further than the Motion Pro T-6 Tool Pack.

Report Card: Motion Pro T6 Tool Pack

Comfort:                    A-

Design:                      A

Performance:            A

Durability:                 A

Value:                        A-

2WheelTimes.com Moto GPA = 3.90