Sometimes, it’s the simplest things that make the best way to organize your gear. That’s definitely the case with the UTTy, a strap-and-hook storage system that lets you stash gear vertically for efficient use of space.
Billed as a “versatile and portable gear organization solution,” the contraption was originally designed as hanging storage for hockey equipment, allowing players to store the voluminous amount of gear they have in just a single spot. Using multiple hooks in a vertical arrangement, it accommodated everything, from skates and shin pads to neck guards and helmets to hockey sticks and more, all while using nothing more than a strap and a set of hooks. More than being useful for storage, though, it also served as a way to air out sweaty gear, making it practically indispensable for anyone who played the rink-based contact sport.
The UTTy consists of a four-foot strap with a hook on one end, so you can hang it on a whole host of objects, including wall hooks, beams, tree branches, clotheslines, and more. The entire length of the strap is filled with even more hooks at strategic sections, with each section getting a heavy-duty two-pronged hook each, so you get a generous selection of fixtures to hang objects from. Since it’s originally designed for hockey, the lowest hooks are meant to hold shoes, the ones above it are meant to hold shin pads, the topmost hook is designed to hold the helmet, and so on, allowing you to organize your hockey equipment based on where it fits on your body. It’s clever.
What makes it special as a storage solution, of course, is its applications beyond ice hockey, as the same hooks can be used to hold, literally, anything. Campers can use it to hold equipment, bags, and supplies, for instance, while also serving as a place to hang wet clothes after you return to camp from a day of fishing. Students can use it to hold clothes and accessories in the bedroom, while serving as a place to stash backpacks, jackets, and hats in the living room. Granted, seeing all that gear piled vertically isn’t pretty, but it sure gets the job done.
The UTTy comes in two variants: one with eight hooks and one with 12 hooks, with the former designed for those who want a more streamlined storage and the latter specifically designed for hockey players. All the hooks are removable, by the way, and can be positioned anywhere across the strap, so you can customize the layout exactly to your needs. And yes, you can even throw in more hooks on a single strap, although they caution not to overload it beyond 75 pounds.
Both variants, though, are the same four-foot length, which is just the perfect size to fit in many closets, allowing you to use it as a way to maximize storage, whether you’re organizing stuff at home, in a college dorm, or in a hotel room. Construction, by the way, is mildew-resistant polyester for the strap, so you can hang your sweaty gear on there without worrying about things getting nasty.
The UTTy is available now, priced starting at $35.