Review: Zombie Outbreak - Trekker pack

Here is the second of the Zombie Outbreak packs that I was sent by Global Gear, a follow up of the Hydro-Bugout pack  I reviewed a little while ago.

This time it is a slightly larger and feature rich pack, the Trekker.

The first thing that struck me about this pack was the range of attachment points, it is simply covered in PALS/MOLLE loops, loop-fields, shock-cord loops, and that is before you even get to the compartments.

Made of the same cordura-like fabric as the Hydro-Bugout, one of the things that I noted with this pack was the significantly better stitching and finishing. The MOLLE loops were even and cleanly spaced, the loop fields were heat-sealed and the webbing was all seated much better.

I gave this one a bit of a workout at a recent indoor lazer-tag event, where i loaded it up with my gear, change of clothes, bottle and the like.

This 30L, 33cm  13"(W) x 53cm (21") x 13cm (5") pack is backed with a breathable mesh and features contoured shoulder straps with both D-rings and webbing loops for attaching accessories. The adjustable pectoral strap will slide up and down a fair way to give you a comfortable carry, and the webbing all mounts to the pack by secure looking construction. 

I liked that the drag-strap poked through the opening of the front flap, and was mounted to the back, rather than the top of the pack, it gave me better balance when picking the pack up, I felt.

The front of the pack features a very large flap, that covers over 1/2 of the front, and has a number of pocket (i'll talk about those a bit later. The whole thing covers the front of the pack, except for the interesting cut-up where the drag strap pokes out, and presumably where you could get grab-access to the internals of the pack without exposing it all, or run hydration tubes or comms lines.


From the side you can clearly see the five rows of two channel PALS/MOLLE webbing, along with the dual fastex-style buckles making up twin compression straps on the sides, allowing you to really cinch up the pack to keep it tidy.

You can also see just how far that front panel will extend, this being an unburdened and only lightly stuffed demo, if needed, that front panel could be buckled down way to the bottom of the front, giving you serious compression and packing minimalism.

I had a problem with the ends of the compression webbing coming loose and falling out of the buckles, mostly I assume because they weren't under tension, but also because of the way they were finished (a diagonal heat-cut, rather than a hemmed tab, but this was a minor inconvenience, as I didn't use them much.

The front panel features a pocket right on top,
with a "back-opening" zipper closure, and is itself topped with both a 2 row, 4 channel PALS/MOLLE field, but also a sizable loop-field for affixing patches (as I've done here with one of my TAD patches.

Below that, a zippered pocket opens up to fill the bottom of the flap. On top of that however, is an interesting addition. A shock-corded set of webbing-loops, over the top of another loop-field, and all of this is over a tube-like opening that runs horizontally below the middle set of loop-filed seen here under my "Zombie-Hunter" patch.

The whole front panel is closed and locked down by the really large buckle, which feeds through the front loops of the bottom of the pack.

Under that front flap there is another set of two-row, four channel PALS/MOLLE webbing, this time all loop-field equipped, below which are two more pockets opening up into separate compartments at the bottom of the pack.

The male section of the main front closing buckle is seen here, and this has webbing that feeds through yet another set of loop-field PALS/MOLLE straps, although these are broken up by the extra-wide buckle-strap, giving two sets of three by two loops.

The two main compartments open up beyond these.

The "front" compartment is the bigger of the two, with a full width, top to bottom space. It opens via double ended zippers, and will open all the way to the bottom when needed.You can see here the shiny backing of the fabric used throughout this pack. I don't now what it is, but it feels like some kind of thread-impregnated vinyl.

The internal materials (such as that seen in the large panel-pocket here) has a lightweight tent-feel to it.






The "back" compartment features a padded and hook-and-loop tabbed laptop compartment / hydration pouch/ plate carrier pouch.

This whole compartment only opens 3/4 of the way, ensuring that you don't spill all your needfuls, or that it is not dragged open by the weight of the forward compartment and pockets.

The twin sets of compression straps also act in your favor here, holding the pack open, whilst still giving you access, even when bulky items may hinder zipping it up.

All in all this is a decent pack. I liked the various options for mounting accessories, and the range of pockets throughout the outside, to stow smaller items, without having to open up the main compartments. The large over-flap was an interesting addition, and could almost certainly work like a beaver-tail to stow larger items.

Review: Tactical Tailor - MALICE 2 pack set

Here's the third installment of reviews for KitUp!'s David Reeder, and the inestimable Casey Ingles of Tactical Tailor. I've been so pleased with the other kit that they sent me, I've been somewhat hesitant to begin on this next review, given its magnitude.

However, it's just too awe-inspiring to hold it back any further, so here we go.

I've always wanted an ALICE pack. Since childhood I remember putting it on Birthday and Giftmas lists. 

The combination of metal frame and hefty pack have been of great interest to me, from my earliest camping days.

So, without further ado, let me introduce to you the MALICE 2 kit from Tactical Tailor.

This MODIFIED All-Purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment pack is jam packed with improvements over the standard "lowest-common denominator" issue pack, and I'll get to those points as we go along.

Probably the first thing that strikes me about this pack is that it is BIG. With a main compartment capacity of 53L (3276 cu") and a whopping total capacity of 75L (4556 cu") That is a whole lot of ruck!.

Here is what it looks like when I filled it up, and threw it on. See lower down for what I filled it with. Lets just say a LOT.

As you can see, this is some serious pack! The kit itself comes in four distinct parts; the main pack body which constitutes all the storage, the Super Straps which are the heavily padded shoulder straps, the Super Belt which is the padded hip/kidney belt and the frame These all come together to form the MALICE2 -kit-. Each are available to add to, upgrade or replace a standard ALICE pack component.

I'll be honest, in that I needed the provided instructions to put it together, as there's no shame in RTFM.

So here's what I can tell you about all the parts:

The frame is built from light weight metal tubing, just like a racing bike, which is reported to give a 30% reduction in weight compared to other  pack frames. This frame is welded, rather than riveted, like the older issue-frames,  while increasing strength and rigidity over the issue ALICE pack frame. Apparently one key issue with those frames, apart from being flimsy, were the popping of rivets, leaving metal ends flapping in the breeze, ore more accurately, finding nice solid fleshy places to jab. Yeah. No thanks! The welds are really solid, and there is NO flex, sway, or signs of weakness in this frame. Rock-solid quality, powder coated to a smooth finish.

The frame also has a crossbar, which in fact rather than just joining the uprights, bends away from the body, creating a  space between the pack and your body. This is ace for not only keeping an air-flow gap, but also keeping the bulk of the pack up and off. The spacing of the frame also lends itself to go around standard sized (10"x12") back hard armour plates, something that hadn't occurred to me, but a brilliant idea!

The Super Straps are reported to be twice as long as issue straps, a real bonus if you are already bulked up with a plate carrier, warm clothes, and allows the use of a cool item like the MysteryRanch Cinch Straps to fix it snugly over a plate carrier. They  are made with 3/4" thick foam padding for added comfort under heavy loads. They are also are contoured rather tan just straight, to fit your shoulders and feature an adjustable sternum strap which helps distribute weight and keep it loaded tight to your body.

The Super Belt is much the same, except it utilizes 1.5" padding to maximise a comfortable ride of the pack. It features a big dual-adjusting front fastex style buckle and side ALICE style webbing attachment points to allow additional modular gear to be attached directly to the belt. Mounting the belt to the pack was a snap with the two adjustable buckles which just cinched it on tightly, this apparently replaces the 'ratchet' style attachment system on the issue kidney pad, which sounds like a nightmare!

The main pack itself as I said, is HUGE. The whole thing is made of 1000d Cordura, and features extra reinforcements of all  the high stress areas of the pack. The seams and all the finishings are top-notch.  

The main compartment is 53cm  (21")  tall, 35cm (14") wide and 28cm (11") deep. That might be hard to picture, but see below, for a good indication. You'll know when. That single main compartment has drainage grommets in the base, but is essentially a big open sack. For more compartmentalization , look to the outside! 

The front of the pack features two 6" x 7" x 4" and one 8" x 12" by 4" zippered pockets and on each side there are additional 7" x 10" x 4" zippered pockets. That's five big pockets lining the top of the pack. Below them are three more deep clip-fastening lidded pockets. I was able to stuff a set of cargo pants into each of these side pockets, rolled up, to give you an idea of their capacity and my Platatac Harry 1.2 Softshell Jacket in the middle one. We're talking a whole lot of storage here... Below the top row of pockets are two twin ALICE webbing loops, to give you even more modular attachment options, like for a canteen or e-tool.

You really CAN fit a whole lot in this pack.

Inside the top of the main compartment, in addition to the standard draw-string closure, is the additional Storm Flap modification, which sits inside the main closure, and adds an sphincter-like extension around the inside of the top of the pack to help keep things secure and dry. This also features a draw-string closure and really improves the packing security, easy of access when needed, and keeps the elements off your kit.

This is in addition to the built in flap that covers the whole of the top of the pack, secured with two long fastex-style clips on long webbing straps. That cover itself features another pocket, a
zipper closing 8" x 12" x 4" Claymore pocket. There is also a heavy duty 2" Nylon webbing carry handle at the top of the pack

Tactical Baby says RUCK UP!

She also objected strenuously to me trying to get her back OUT of the pack, and wanted to go for more rides. Considering she spent several hours worth of walking at ConFest in my Light Field Pack, I shouldn't have been surprised.

This is a serious mountain of a pack. 

Lightweight on its own, a heavyweight when used to its full capacity. The additional padding on the shoulder and hip belts are with no doubt a stunning improvement over previous offerings and I shudder to think what those old frames must have been like. The construction of this setup is without reproach, and I can see it lasting a lifetime. It truly warrants the "M" for Modified in its name but could just as easily stood for "modern".  This is a modern pack with classic lines, with rock-solid modern materials and construction philosophy.

Review: Tactical Tailor - Concealed Carry Sling Bag

This is the second item in my series for David Reeder of KitUp! and Casey Ingels of Tactical Tailor, and I am thrilled to be getting my hands on another pre-release item, which made it's way over the Pacific to me here in Australia. Due to be released later in March, hopefully this review will stir your interests and imaginations.

I'm always keen to include inconspicuous items to my repertoire, both in my EDC, and how I go about lugging it. Recent air flight trips reminded me that having a high density and easy to store carry-on bag is very desirable. My trial of the Zombie Outbreak Hydro Pack was a good experiment, but when it comes down to it, I want something rock solid. I am happy to say that the Concealed Carry Sling Bag by TacticalTailor is that. Made predominantly from a 500d Cordura, in blue-grey and black, this is a sporty looking pack that has a sting in its tail.



This is an ambidextrous pack, with a single central main padding shoulder strap, with twin detachable straps, with an interesting styled clip at the end of each, anchoring to a ring at the end of the shoulder strap. Each of the detachable straps features a long webbing, sufficient to create a "third leg" style wrap around connection, to keep the pack stable on your back when running, climbing and generally adventuring.

The shoulder strap is heavily padded with a breathable mesh covering, giving both really solid padding, broad coverage over the shoulder and a wide attachment to the body of the pack, giving a very stable connection. The top of the strap to pack connection also features a very sturdy carry handle. It appears to have a Helium-Whisper compatible loops down towards the strapping end, but I don't have anything compatible to test that out on.

Another nice feature is that both detachable straps have a padded "wing" for where the webbing would otherwise dig into your kidney, both of which have webbing stitched in, not quite PALS/MOLLE proportioned, but certainly compatible, if you wanted to affix an accessory. Topping it off, there is a pocket behind the wings on both sides to stow the detached strap, if not being used as a "third leg" to get rid of dangling cords for a more streamlined fit.

Inside the main compartment, which has double zipper pulls, each with a hefty cord pull-assist, which works to give out a full opening compartment, which as you can see can fit a variety of goods. When filled, this compartment nicely fits the depth of my Zombie Squad Nalgene, so that makes a good guide for how much stuff you can lug in this section.

Inside the front compartment, which is fitted with a long daisy-chain of webbing loops running vertically over it's surface, and sporting another two cord-fobbed zippers for closure, you'll find the first of two hidden surprises is pack had to offer. Fitted to the loop field that makes up the entire of the back surface, is an adjustable pistol holster. This hook-backed panel loops around on itself to give an adjustable width, and has an accessory strap to accommodate the length of your pistol. Off to the side of the panel is an elastic loop to hold a spare magazine. I've not decided what I will use this holster for, not having a pistol to carry, myself, but I'll be sure to find something to use it for. This compartment easily holds a Nalgene bottle, with some spare room at the sides.

At the very back of the pack is where the real secret lies. Behind a very inconspicuous zipper, blended right in with the seam of the grey Cordura and the meshed-foam backing is another cord-fobbed zipper, (one for each side of the bag for true ambi action) is the final compartment, held snug against your body, for the concealed carry win.

Again as with the front compartment, this has a broad loop-field panel, encompassing the entire back, and comes with a very thorough admin panel, but this can be fitted to the front compartments panel, swapping out to suit your needs. Currently I am keeping my iPad in is compartment, until I can think of a better use for it, but as it is, it's a very secure and stable storage pocket, with a billowing inside backing to accommodate your packing needs, without giving away your secrets.


Here is that admin panel, showing off its five internal elastic webbing loops, for pistol magazines, flashlights, multi tools or a variety of other chunky items. On the outside, two more wide elastic loops run lengthways, each topped out with a second, narrower elastic bang, sectioned into two, ideal for pens, glow sticks and markers. Finishing it off is a zippered pocket, giving you a very versatile and being hook-backed, modular piece of accessory to suit your needs and loadout.



Lastly, here's a shot of me having slung the bag from back to front, showing off how level it rides. From here I could quickly access all three compartments with a yank of the cord-fobs, and get at my needfuls. Ideal in a travel situation, ideal in a hazardous situation. When I'm hauling a big load on my back, but still want access to my iPad, papers, food or EDC kit, this functionality, being able to have a comfortable, slung pack at my belly comes in very handy. Whilst a bit too small for my comfort as an everyday pack, (because I haul a lot of junk around) my partner Omega was quick to snaffle this one up as an out-and-about pack, that wouldn't weigh her down, be too "hooah" looking and tough.

This sling bag is all of that. And more.

Review: Platatac Light Field Pack

Time to have a look at some of the big-bags!

When I started doing more camping, whilst in Calgary, I got my first "big" backpack, (which I may dig out and go over, some day soon). Whenever we traveled as a family as I was growing up, we had a policy "pack only what you can carry" so I got pretty good at packing well, and also lugging heavy bags. A better bag means better packing, as well as easier carrying.

Having learned these lessons, I have frequently loaded my EDC bags to such a point that they became unwieldy, leading me to downsize from my Crumpler Messenger bag, to my faithful and very versatile Platatac Bullock Echo but there are times when you really do need to haul a bunch of stuff, either bulky items, or in high quantity. When this is the case, a little day pack just wont cut it. You need a proper backpack.
This is the Light Field Pack from Platatac, and it does the job!

First up, like almost all of the Platatac bags, this one is made from the rugged 1000d Cordura I've come to expect. Slick and hardy, no rough finishing, just an all over, well put together package with quality materials. The pack comes in two main components; the main body, and the removable helmet cradle and internal organiser.

The front of the cradle has 6x8 PALS/MOLLE, including a 4x2 loop field for name-tape, patches and the like. It has Fastex style buckles to connect to the compression straps on the main pack in three different locations, top, middle and bottom.

The strap-side of the pack is a sculpted, heavily padded and well fixed set of straps, with built in D-rings, adjustable and movable sternum straps and well placed, Fastex-style clips at the base of the traps for both quick release, but also comfort when wearing.

Here's a side view, showing off the 35L  capacity of the main pack, as well as the extensive 5x8 PALLS/MOLLE channels. The compression strapping is maintained on the sides by sets of Web Dominator clip. The flap at the top right of this picture is an access port, for hydration tubes, cables or running line. 

You can also see the triangular "wing" that the shoulder straps connect to the pack via on the bottom right, as well as the helmet cradle. My OpsCore style bump helmet fits nicely in the cradle, but I've also used it extensively as an "extra cargo spot" to carry my bundled kendo keikogi which is both bulky and needs airing, after training, I can tell you.

I've found that I have been able to rapidly adjust the tension of the compression straps to fit my load with a quick pull and readjusting of the leftover webbing via the Web Dominators. The nylon eyelets the webbing runs though doesn't interfere with the PALS/MOLLE channels, which is great for those who like their pouches as much as I do.

The inside of the fully openable main compartment is also fully PALS/MOLLE lined, for all those pouch-addicts I just mentioned. As well as a 3/4 length zippered pocket on the inside, the outside of the  main compartment flap also features a deep zippered pocket, and another, very large loop-field, for more patches, ID and the like. 

You can see here that I have stored my kendo armour in the main compartment, with the big helmet, gauntlets, chest-plate and groin plates wrapping the lot up. It was a tight fit, but once the pack had loosened up, I have been able to cart my whole kendo setup (baring the shinai/bokken) in one bag, with a drink bottle attached by PALS/MOLLE to the outside. 


Inside that main compartment there are a vast array of options as well. On the right side, a very large zipperable pocket, good for documentation, maps, briefings and the like. The bottom of the pack features another of the zippered pockets, good for tools and other heavy items. The back face includes a third zipperable pocket at the mid-line. 

As well as the zippered pockets, there are two elasticised hydration pockets, one at the back, and another on the left side. loops throughout the internals give a variety of dummy-cord, or shock-cording options, as well as acting as hanging points for hydration bladders. I'll be fitting a bladder to mine, to take the place of that externally attached bottle holder. 1L just isnt enough water for me after training, and the added weight going in isn't an issue. It will get lighter before I get home, that's for sure.



There was one more zipper, hidden away at the bottom of the back of the inside of the pack. By turning the pack inside of itself, you gain access to the built-in, moldable lumbar support.

This stiff plastic body has a reinforcing aluminium bar, inside a nylon sheath. This can be molded to offer the best support to the pack, and it also gives the whole thing a considerable amount of rigidity, making for easy packing, unpacking, and sitting up, when being accessed.

Drainage holes throughout the pack ensure that unexpected (or deliberate) dunks don't leave you hauling 35L of bilge around with you either. Stitched or grommeted, I'm glad they're there.

 

Another great hidden feature is the hip-belt pad, which as well as featuring a 3x4 PALS/MOLLE surfacing, and deep padding. The hip belt will clip together to give a very stable belt, perfect for long hikes with a heavy load. For those times when you don't need this kind of extra support, and don't want all the extra real-estate hanging out in the breeze, they have their own little pockets, which are hook-and-loop closing. When tucked up they are hardly noticeable and certainly don't add to bulk, or take away from storage space in any appreciable way.

Here's the inside of the helmet cradle, showing off the webbed "hinge" between the PALS/MOLLE attachment and the front flap. This forms a very useful "bucket" that you can drop your helmet, or other cargo into, secure in the knowledge that it will stay put, and you wont loose any little items"out the sides" between straps as you might in a open-bottomed beaver-tail. 

You can see here the three sets of compression clips, as well as one of the multiple loops for running a retention cord, or shock-cord through. Loads of extra features!

Here's the inside of that helmet cradle front-panel. "The Office", as Sam from Platatac called it.

On the inside of the lid, are two mesh-lined, zipperable pockets, one running the whole length of the panel, the other, midway.

On the bac of the compartment, two more zipperable pockets, the lower of the two being bellowed for easy stuffing as well as three elastizised pockets at the bottom.

This is a serious admin pouch, and there is plenty of versatility to cover all your gadget storage. I have carried my iPad, chargers, pens, paperwork, and food in this section, but be aware, having a helmet in the cradle will press up against the contents... pack wisely!

As with the rest of the pack, all the zipper pulls are threaded with paracord, for ease of grip, and deadening the metal-on-metal clinking.

Here is the whole pack from below, you can see the grommets on the cradle, both inside and out, as well as the sewn-in drainage eyelets of the main compartment.

You can also see the PALS/MOLLE connectors of the cradle piece tot the main pack, with four tabs, in channels 1, 4, 5 and 8. Bear this in mind if you plan on trying to swap the cradle onto any other packs.

Lastly, check out the 3x8 PALS/MOLLE on the bottom. This pack is BUILT for accessories!


Lastly, I wanted to give you a few shots of the pack on me, whilst bearing a load.

DEPLOY TACTICAL BABY!

Sitting happily in the back of the pack, with two sets of compression straps securing her, Tactical Baby was comfortable enough to be walked around for a while, until asked to stand up and wave.

At no point was the pack unstable, or did I feel any way at risk of spilling my precious cargo, (although I made sure I was over the bed when she stood up)

She just held onto the built-in drag handle and I have my very own Pink-Yoda ,

This is a serious pack, good for times when you need more than just a day-pack, but not quite the kitchen sink.

If I had any gripe with it, it would be the way I was using the bottom compression straps when I wanted to open the main compartment, they held it shut beyond the zipper pulls a little, but not so much as that I couldn't easily unload, just not "flat".

It is thoroughly dependable, comfortable to wear and haul loads in, even in the muggy Melbourne summer, slings on and off easily, without snagging and is filled with features.

Review: Tactical Tailor - Hydration Joey Pouch

I was very fortunate to have one of my articles snapped up by David Reeder of KitUp! and he then put me in touch with Casey Ingels of Tactical Tailor to do some reviews for them. I of course was overjoyed to be part of the team, so here we go. 

First up, in quite the pique of humor, the guys thought it would be funny to have me look over the Joey Hydration Pouch. For those of you who don't know, a joey is a baby kangaroo  so, it's a perfect name for this little pouch. Here is what I can tell you.
Made from 1000D Cordura, and in coyote brown here, this pouch fits the Source 0.75L bladder that comes as optional extra through Tactical Tailor.

The double zipper closure gives not only very secure storage, but also gives considerable protection to the contents as well as giving easy access. Paracord zipper pulls eliminate metal-on-metal tells and drain holes at the bottom of the pouch ensure you don't scoop up too much of the wilderness as you are adventuring, without exposing the bladder to significant risk.

 The back of the pouch is a close stitched 5 row, two column PALS/MOLLE region, which arrived with two 5" MALICE clips giving you a variety of attachment options.

I fed mine through the 3" loops, to give it a belt-wearable test, but it would do just as well lashed to the side of a daypack, or chest-rig.
The entire body of the pouch is wrapped in three rows of PALS/MOLLE to make the pouch even more useful, as a platform

 
The lid of the pouch has a panel from under which the hydration tube can escape, left or right, but the brilliant thing about this pouch is that it not only fits the 0.75L Source pouch, but also a 1L (32oz) Nalgene bottle.


Here is me out testing the pouch. As I said, I wore it on my belt, here lashed to the d-ring of my Triple Aught Design Amphibious shorts via the hook-and-loop retention strap on the source drinking tube.

This setup has allowed me to go for my run, drink as needed and drop the tube, without it slipping and slapping all over the place, or letting Tactical Baby get too good a grip on it as she slipped through before taking me down in classic hapkido fashion (I presume).

For times when lugging a whole 3L bladder is just too much effort, when considering the need for a bag to carry one, like the Platatac Bravo and only a small volume is required (or for those weight conscious expeditions) this is a dream come true.

Between this and my ITS Skeletonized Bottle Holder I don't intend to go thirsty any time in the city, ever again. This is an extremely well put together pouch and certainly lives up to the expectations of something named after Australian wildlife.  Stay tuned for more from Tactical Tailor ....

Review: Zombie Outbreak Hydro Bugout pack

Following on from my Zombie Outbreak Grunt Plate Carrier review, is another item in this line, again, thanks to Global Gear for sending them my way. This time I'll be showing you a daypack. This is the Hydro Bugout Backpack and here is what I can tell you about it:

Styled closely to that of the Maxpedition Typhoon or the Maxpedition Malaga from their Gearslinger range"

This is a smallish pack, measuring in at 30"W x46"H x 5"D with a storage capacity of 25L and happens to be loaded with features. One of the first things you notice about this pack is that it has some serious compression strap options. The front strap arcs over the top of the pack via two straps forming a v-shaped yoke over the front top external pouch, then connects to a webing strap that runs the whole length of the pack, with a Fastex style clip closing the two ends, and a D-ring pull toggle to assist in compression. The v-straps have sliders to adjust their tension as well.



The backside of the pack shows off the adjustable, and removable shoulder straps, a feature I really like, as it gives a whole new dimension to modularity and storage, carriage and orientation of the pack. At the top side of the straps, two close d-rings give a friction-feed closure to the shoulder straps, via the thick and heat-sealed webbing straps, before meeting the closed-cell padding of the harness. The front side of the shoulder straps feature more webbing, with PALS/MOLLE loops here and there, and more d-rings for attachment options. A light sternum strap, again removable, and can be relocated to best suit your needs.

The bottom of the shoulder straps is a more traditional tri-slide type buckle, but is seated on reinforced triangular flaps, giving a nice secure mount to the back, without pinching or pulling the pack. A wide belt with adjustable and removable straps finished off the mounting options. It's also good to note that the back is of a breathable mesh. The last notable feature of the back is the hydration bladder pocket, with a broad hook-and-loop closure and an internal webbing loop to hook a bladder to. I have had trouble fitting a 3L bladder in it, it simply isn't tall enough.




This is the top, front pocket, which is both surprisingly deep, and compressible, is a double sided zipper closing accessory pocket. The front of the pouch features a loop-field backing which has a single row of five channels of PALS/MOLLE loops. However, because of the stitching, only three of these rows are available. The loop field, being bisected by the MOLLE loop webbing, is only just wide enough to carry a nametape.



The front bottom pocket is even more spacious, holding my 1L Zombie Squad Nalgene bottle with plenty of space to each side, for more accessories. Again, as with the top pocket, it features twin zippers and deep sides, and has the main compression strapping running over the top of it. This poses something of a problem, as it limits the ability to get into the pocket to some extent. The front of the pocket features two of the same strips of PALS/MOLLE as the top pocket, this time backed with webbing bands instead of the loop fields of the top pocket. Two short compression straps mount to the bottom band, and allow you to really bind the pack, cinching it in tight.

This is the first and front of the two big internal compartments. It is a fully unzippable pocket, allowing it to be opened flat, and emptied fully, easily. You can see the utility pocket, with it's twin pen holders, and a single deep utility pocket. This is a good shot of the material used in the bag, it is a heavy, plasticized fabric, quite rugged, and whilst not a Cordura type of finish, it seems to hold up to wear well, and presumably adds some significant waterproofing.

The stitching is also clearly visible, and is of quite reasonable quality. The internal seems are all taped, which is great, as it lends considerable survivability to a pack like this, especially if things are constantly being stuffed in, and hauled out roughly...

Inside the second main compartments , which this time does not quite unzip all the way due to the bottom compression straps riding slightly over the base of the zipper, is deeper than the first compartment, and also has the additional bonus of two large pockets. The first sits against the back of the first compartment, and is made of mesh, and is deep enough to hold my iPad comfortably, and securely. The second is against the back of the pack itself, and is zipper closed, but only runs about a third of the depth of the pack, presumably to not eat into the hydration bladder space.

Here is the whole pack, stuffed full of blankets, books, bottles, clothes, and showing you the V-straps of the top compression straps, as well as the two additional single row, double channel PALS/MOLLE loops that are found on the side of the pack. The top seam also features webbing loops for dummy-cording or running a hydration bladder tube which I always like.

You can also see the drag-strap type of heavy rolled webbing handle at the top of the pack, and perhaps under that you can make out the mysterious elastic webbing square. I had initially thought this was the feed-hole cover for the hydration tube, but there was no slit for that purpose. It is also covering a square of loop-field, again, with no clear purpose that I can discern. A mystery, but not an unpleasant one.

Here is my typical load out, when I was teasing carrying it around. It packed quite nicely, and I was please with not only how each compartment filled out.


Lastly, I'll leave you with this: some might call the ultimate test of a daypack: here the Hydro Bugout is stuffed under my Virgin Australia Airbus 330 seat...

I like this little pack, it is well put together, full of features and carriage options. Certainly a good bug out bag option. I think I will be loading it up and putting it in a easily accessible location for the whole family.