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Everybody has cables to tote around these days. Photographers like me certainly do. Charging cables, adapters, power converters, and dongles are just a few of the thing I need with me to keep my cameras, computers, tablets, and phones humming along when I’m on the road. If you’re a traveler, your needs are similar as well. I recently got one of ThinkTank’s Cable Management pouches to corral all my cords and get organized.

The ThinkTank Cable Management Pouch

There are 4 different models of the Cable Management pouches, varying by size. The variance in weight is small.

CM5: 5.9” W x 3.2” H x 1.4” D (15 x 8 x 3.5 cm), 2 oz
CM10: 7” W x 3.9” H x 1.6” D (18 x 10 x 4 cm), 2.5 oz
CM20: 7” W x 7” H x 1.75” D (18 x 18 x 4.5 cm)
CM30: 7.9” W x 7.9” H x 3.2” D (20 x 20 x 8 cm)

The right pouch for you depends on the amount of cables you need to tote around. I opted for the CM20. It has a good footprint, I like the square form factor, and it’s large enough to carry some of my bulkier items like camera battery charters.

Whatever one you choose, each Cable Management pouch has a main compartment with a fold-away divider, an outer pocket with two smaller mesh pockets, clear front and back panels for easy viewing, and a grab-and-go handle. ThinkTank also tosses in 3 red cable whips to organize your cables further.

Main Compartment

The main compartment has a fold-away velcro divider you can use to subdivide the compartment into two smaller compartments. I use this with my CM20, creating two “columns” to stow my gear, separating my bulkier chargers and power bricks from my cables.

There is a dedicated zipper access to the main compartment, and the mouth of the pouch opens wide. Accessing your cables is very easy. I also like that the zipper only opens about 1/3rd of the way down the side of the pouch. You can hold the pouch by the handle with the main compartment open and fish out your cables, without worrying about the rest of its contents spilling out.

Outer Pocket

The outer pocket has its own zipper access and has two smaller mesh pockets to stow small items. The outer pocket is great for the things you need ready access to, like your phone charging cable or headphones. The smaller mesh pockets is perfect for photographers. You can have an emergency stash of memory cards, thumb drives, and lens wipes.

Build Quality

We’re talking about ThinkTank here, folks… of course the build quality is excellent. The entire pouch is a nylon poly blend with double diamond ripstop. The stitching is strong – 3-ply bonded nylon – and I’ve tugged and pulled hard on the grab-and-go handle and it is secure! The YKK RC zippers are strong and sturdy. And the entire pouch has a durable water-repellant coating. If the pouch is splashed or hit with rain, you can be confident your cables are secure.

How Much Can The Cable Management Pouch Hold?

That’s the big question, right? What can I fit in the cable management pouch? Of course, it depends on the size you get. I opted for the CM20, the moderate sized pouch. And I fit a lot in there - all the cables and adapters I need for an extended photo trip. I easily took my old “solution'“ of a loose bag of unwieldy cables, adapters, and converters and had them organized cleanly in the CM20 in about 5 minutes. Watch the video at the 6:47 mark to see what I fit into the CM20.

Pricing & Availabiliy

All sizes of the ThinkTank Cable Management pouches are available now. Prices range from about US$20 for the CM5 to about US$30 for the CM30. So they are reasonably priced - and make a great holiday gift to yourself, or the photographer or traveler in your life.

ThinkTank Cable Management Pouches