Did a Brand You’ve Never Heard of Just Make the Perfect Active Lifestyle EDC Bag?

It may be designed and tested by and for climbers, but Megabeta’s Convertible Totepack carries a much wider appeal.

Published June 2, 2025

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Updated June 2, 2025

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The outdoor marketplace is full of materials and products designed for one thing that catch on in a totally different sector.

The oldest example is probably waxed canvas, which originated as oiled sailcloth (for, you know, actual sails), before sailors started making water-resistant jackets from the stuff.

megabeta totepack hero — The Megabeta Convertible Totepack is somehow both compact and capable of carrying plenty of daily essentials.

Much more recently, ice climbers have been known to swear by the waterproofing and warmth of Japanese fishing gloves.

On the flip side, a new product from the climbing community might solve a problem for the rest of us.

Anyone who’s been in a climbing gym knows the odors can be positively eye-watering, leading me to believe this liner could easily shield your CrossFit, running or cycling shoes from your co-workers.

Intended to be the ideal fix for climbers hitting the gym before or after a day job, Megabeta’s Convertible Totepack should appeal to anyone struggling to carry work and workout gear in the same vessel.

Passing the smell test

I will concede that for some people, the best option is simply to lug a work bag and workout duffel, or vice versa.

But for some of us, that is just not realistic or convenient, especially if you are commuting by bike or scooter or motorcycle and truly need to consolidate everything on your back.

megabeta totepack colors — The “smell-proof” compartment for your shoes can be sealed tight with two super-durable YKK zippers.

Lots of bags can suffice here, but one thing I love about the Convertible Totepack — the second Kickstarter project from Portland, Oregon-based entrepreneur and Megabeta founder Jono Sanders — is its unique front pocket.

Lined with activated carbon cloth, this 5L compartment is designated as a “smell-proof” place to stash your climbing shoes.

Anyone who’s been in a climbing gym knows the odors are positively eye-watering, leading me to believe this liner could easily shield your CrossFit, running or cycling shoes from your co-workers.

Sealing the deal

Beyond this protective pocket, the relatively compact pack offers a few other compelling features.

The roll-top design boosts the advertised 19L storage capacity of the main compartment, which integrates a laptop sleeve.

megabeta totepack unpacked — Here you can see everything that can be stashed in the bag, which still maintains a pretty low, stylish profile.

Two external slots, meanwhile, accommodate water bottles and other daily essentials.

When it comes to the actual carry, the comfortably padded shoulder straps feature an adjustable sternum strap (as every pack should) and are festooned with daisy chains for attaching additional gear.

In a climbing context, that might mean securing a chalk bag with a carabiner, but there’s no reason you can’t secure your keys or a lanyarded multi-tool there.

megabeta totepack strap detail — The sturdy straps are padded on the inside for comfort and daisy-chained on the outside for attaching extra gear.

As the name of the product suggests, those straps tuck neatly away into their own zippered slot when the time comes to tote.

That should come in handy when you use this same tote for a weekend beach trip to show off all your hard-earned gym gains. Or you know, a grocery store run.

Availability and pricing

The Megabeta Convertible is fully funded on Kickstarter with a couple of weeks to go. A pledge of $127 secures you a unit, with an estimated delivery of October 2025.

Megabeta Convertible Totepack

$127 at Kickstarter

About the Author:

Now managing editor, Steve has served in a variety of roles with GP since 2019. Having previously written and edited for such publications as Men’s Health, Men’s Journal, Esquire and ESPN, he enjoys covering a range of topics — but mostly those pertaining to cycling, snow sports, pocket knives and motos — and dreams of a utopian world in which everyone’s bike seat is at the proper height.