edc backpacks

[Evil D]

5.11 Rush Moab 10 for almost 5 years now. I can't really give much opinion on other bags because this is my first and only unless you count my old Jansport backpack from high school that still gets used to haul ammo and gun stuff to the range. I prefer a sling bag because it's easier on my shoulders. I really don't carry them as much as they lay in the passenger seat on my vehicle, but for 5 years now I haven't left home without it. It did start to come unstitched in one spot on the sling, but I figure after the use I've put it through it was acceptable and easy enough to sew up.

i’ve never really liked sling bags because it hurts my shoulder more to carry over only one instead of distributing the weight (i also play guitar and my left shoulder gets knotted up sometimes). but, thinking about it, my backpacks are always too small because i always want to stuff more into them. maybe if i had a smaller pack that would be more uncomfortable when overpacked, maybe i’d stick to actual edc items. i can always have a larger bag with everything else that i leave in the car. now you have me looking at a sling bag.

Well that's a fair point, they are less comfortable if you really weigh them down. I do tend to have a lot of crap in mine, but mine really spends more time in the passenger seat of my work truck than it does on my back. If I had to carry it more often I may look into the Rush 12 which is a standard backpack. That second strap is always a pain for me to get my second arm into, I like how easy the sling bag is to get on and off, and I really like how you can spin it around to your front and get into it without taking it off.

[ladybug93]

5.11 Rush Moab 10 for almost 5 years now. I can't really give much opinion on other bags because this is my first and only unless you count my old Jansport backpack from high school that still gets used to haul ammo and gun stuff to the range. I prefer a sling bag because it's easier on my shoulders. I really don't carry them as much as they lay in the passenger seat on my vehicle, but for 5 years now I haven't left home without it. It did start to come unstitched in one spot on the sling, but I figure after the use I've put it through it was acceptable and easy enough to sew up.

i’ve never really liked sling bags because it hurts my shoulder more to carry over only one instead of distributing the weight (i also play guitar and my left shoulder gets knotted up sometimes). but, thinking about it, my backpacks are always too small because i always want to stuff more into them. maybe if i had a smaller pack that would be more uncomfortable when overpacked, maybe i’d stick to actual edc items. i can always have a larger bag with everything else that i leave in the car. now you have me looking at a sling bag.

Well that's a fair point, they are less comfortable if you really weigh them down. I do tend to have a lot of crap in mine, but mine really spends more time in the passenger seat of my work truck than it does on my back. If I had to carry it more often I may look into the Rush 12 which is a standard backpack. That second strap is always a pain for me to get my second arm into, I like how easy the sling bag is to get on and off, and I really like how you can spin it around to your front and get into it without taking it off.

if i were to carry a sling pack, i think i’d empty my pockets and add a few other items and leave the rest of the space in case i pick up something while i’m out that i need to carry also.

like i said about my backpacks, i always overload them and don’t leave space. small backpacks are never big enough. something too small for all the extras i don’t need to carry all the time paired with something big enough for everything makes more sense.

[Evil D]

5.11 Rush Moab 10 for almost 5 years now. I can't really give much opinion on other bags because this is my first and only unless you count my old Jansport backpack from high school that still gets used to haul ammo and gun stuff to the range. I prefer a sling bag because it's easier on my shoulders. I really don't carry them as much as they lay in the passenger seat on my vehicle, but for 5 years now I haven't left home without it. It did start to come unstitched in one spot on the sling, but I figure after the use I've put it through it was acceptable and easy enough to sew up.

i’ve never really liked sling bags because it hurts my shoulder more to carry over only one instead of distributing the weight (i also play guitar and my left shoulder gets knotted up sometimes). but, thinking about it, my backpacks are always too small because i always want to stuff more into them. maybe if i had a smaller pack that would be more uncomfortable when overpacked, maybe i’d stick to actual edc items. i can always have a larger bag with everything else that i leave in the car. now you have me looking at a sling bag.

Well that's a fair point, they are less comfortable if you really weigh them down. I do tend to have a lot of crap in mine, but mine really spends more time in the passenger seat of my work truck than it does on my back. If I had to carry it more often I may look into the Rush 12 which is a standard backpack. That second strap is always a pain for me to get my second arm into, I like how easy the sling bag is to get on and off, and I really like how you can spin it around to your front and get into it without taking it off.

if i were to carry a sling pack, i think i’d empty my pockets and add a few other items and leave the rest of the space in case i pick up something while i’m out that i need to carry also.

like i said about my backpacks, i always overload them and don’t leave space. small backpacks are never big enough. something too small for all the extras i don’t need to carry all the time paired with something big enough for everything makes more sense.

The Rush 10 does seem bigger than most sling bags. It's narrower than a full size backpack but also fairly deep front to back. One of these days I'm going to empty mine out on the floor and take a picture of all the crap I managed to carry in mine. I'm almost embarrassed to admit it but most days I would be lost without mine, it has saved me on numerous occasions when I would have forgotten something that I keep in it. It basically serves the same purpose for me as a bug out bag on a daily basis.

[ladybug93]

i currently carry a kelty hiking bag as my edc backpack. it’s got a lot of pockets and i keep it mostly loaded as if i were hiking, but i really don’t need all that stuff at work or just walking around. i just want a bag that will let me empty my pockets and still be big enough to hold a water bottle, a wind/rain jacket, and some documents if necessary. the moab looks like it would handle my camera as well, but discomfort will make me have to make choices that i don’t make with a backpack and i’ll be better off for it.

[sok]

I have been using an Outdoor Products Quest Backpack for about five years. The front zippered pocket fits my 9.7" Ipad perfectly. I use it all the time and it has held up great. I throw it in the washing machine from time to time.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Outdoor-Prod ... k/51036937

[z4vdBt]

Also made in the U.S. - Arktype.

[Pokey]

I’ve been using a Mountainsmith WAZEE 20 for the last several years. It looks like it could use a trip through the washer. :eek:

[knivesillustrated]

[JD Spydo]

I hope I'm not getting off the subject but I was in a local retail store the other day (Target) and I was looking at several newer backpacks. I was mainly looking at the ones in the size range that students and some professionals commonly carry. The price tags on these newer backpacks literally had me dropping my jaw. And I didn't see even one brand of backpack that I even recognized. They were in the price range of $49.99 and all the way up to $125. And people on the forums in the past year or so have been complaining at how Maxpedition are ripping off the buyer :confused:

I haven't got to price any of the newer Victorinox or Wenger licensed backpacks that have in the past been some of my personal favorites. I wonder why the prices on these newer backpacks have catapulted so high? Also since the onslaught of A#2*%n and other predatory online retailers there just are not hardly any specialty shops that sell high quality backpacks and related items anymore

Is it a result of this recent prepper/survivalist craze? Or is the supply-demand factor just going completely crazy in that sector?

[ThomC]

I hope I'm not getting off the subject but I was in a local retail store the other day (Target) and I was looking at several newer backpacks. I was mainly looking at the ones in the size range that students and some professionals commonly carry. The price tags on these newer backpacks literally had me dropping my jaw. And I didn't see even one brand of backpack that I even recognized. They were in the price range of $49.99 and all the way up to $125. And people on the forums in the past year or so have been complaining at how Maxpedition are ripping off the buyer :confused:

I haven't got to price any of the newer Victorinox or Wenger licensed backpacks that have in the past been some of my personal favorites. I wonder why the prices on these newer backpacks have catapulted so high? Also since the onslaught of A#2*%n and other predatory online retailers there just are not hardly any specialty shops that sell high quality backpacks and related items anymore

Is it a result of this recent prepper/survivalist craze? Or is the supply-demand factor just going completely crazy in that sector?

I think there's a lot of different factors driving the prices : new materials, labour being not so cheap mostly everywhere, tariffs, taxes...
I look at my backpack like I look at my knives : a tool I'll use everyday, so I need it to be reliable, sturdy, and well-made.
I've decided to go for a Vanquest bag (former Maxpedition crew), because it has a lot if not everything I'm looking for in a bag.

A lot of 'tacticool' or military brands have a lot of thought, development and design going into their bags, not unlike Spyderco if you boil it down to the essentials.
Granted, some brands have absolute garbage for premium prices, but EDC bags are still a niche item. You're not going to buy an Eastpak if you want something comfortable and versatile.

With the EDC craze and community expanding, manufacturers are trying to offer more products. I think it's up to us to sort through it, but I'll agree that it gets a little confusing sometimes.
We have a lot of resources to help us find what suits us though.
I'll also recommend checking out a basic sporting goods store, because those we have here make some more than decent bags for good prices. Not homemade, but well designed.

[ladybug93]

i ended up going with the 5.11 moab 10 that was mentioned above. i got a good deal on it at a local store (when the clerk rang it up, it was on sale, surprisingly).

i’ve been carrying it for a few days and really trying to force myself to get used to using it. one of the main reasons i got it was to empty my pockets, but pockets are really more convenient than putting everything in a bag that’s on your back. so far i like it, but i think i need to be more selective with what i’m carrying in it. it’s not too heavy, but it’s not as light as i’d like it to be for carrying around all the time. i just need to dial in the right balance of this goes in my edc bag i carry everywhere and this goes in my backpack i leave in the car in case the need arises.

and, to be clear, i’m not talking about crazy overboard prepping stuff... just real everyday items.

[JD Spydo]

I hope I'm not getting off the subject but I was in a local retail store the other day (Target) and I was looking at several newer backpacks. I was mainly looking at the ones in the size range that students and some professionals commonly carry. The price tags on these newer backpacks literally had me dropping my jaw. And I didn't see even one brand of backpack that I even recognized. They were in the price range of $49.99 and all the way up to $125. And people on the forums in the past year or so have been complaining at how Maxpedition are ripping off the buyer :confused:

I haven't got to price any of the newer Victorinox or Wenger licensed backpacks that have in the past been some of my personal favorites. I wonder why the prices on these newer backpacks have catapulted so high? Also since the onslaught of A#2*%n and other predatory online retailers there just are not hardly any specialty shops that sell high quality backpacks and related items anymore

Is it a result of this recent prepper/survivalist craze? Or is the supply-demand factor just going completely crazy in that sector?

I think there's a lot of different factors driving the prices : new materials, labour being not so cheap mostly everywhere, tariffs, taxes...
I look at my backpack like I look at my knives : a tool I'll use everyday, so I need it to be reliable, sturdy, and well-made.
I've decided to go for a Vanquest bag (former Maxpedition crew), because it has a lot if not everything I'm looking for in a bag.

A lot of 'tacticool' or military brands have a lot of thought, development and design going into their bags, not unlike Spyderco if you boil it down to the essentials.
Granted, some brands have absolute garbage for premium prices, but EDC bags are still a niche item. You're not going to buy an Eastpak if you want something comfortable and versatile.

With the EDC craze and community expanding, manufacturers are trying to offer more products. I think it's up to us to sort through it, but I'll agree that it gets a little confusing sometimes.
We have a lot of resources to help us find what suits us though.
I'll also recommend checking out a basic sporting goods store, because those we have here make some more than decent bags for good prices. Not homemade, but well designed.

I also went to a really nice thrift store we have in our town. It's a lot better than most thrift stores and I have scored a lot of great items and merchandise for pennies on the dollar. They usually have a lot of backpacks, fanny packs and other utility luggage type items. But this evening they were stripped down to nothing. Also there are no tools that would come in handy in a survival situation like Machetes, axes, saws ect. They have all disappeared off the shelves.

That might be one element in rapidly rising prices. I also discovered that if I want to buy another Aquarain Water Filter ( a high rated unit) that I have at least a 2 to 3 month waiting period. And that's if you put half down. I'm very glad I got a lot of prep items when you could get them easily..
All the markets seem to be changing quickly right before our eyes. And anything you could use in a survival situation is either gone or cost a fortune compared to what it costs just one year ago.

[JD Spydo]

Maxpedition has a really nice looking line up of backpacks and other related accessories>> but their price tag is rather lofty. If I do find any backpacks that are significantly better that the Victorinox gear that I've had really good luck I'll immediately check them out>> barring a price tag that is out of the ozone layer.

Like I said earlier OFF GRID magazine seems to have information on new backpacks in most of their more recent issues. Some of the brands I never heard of before but it seems like they go for high quality items.

[knifemovieguy]

Some good shots from Gullfoss waterfall in Iceland and Tenerife mountains
Edit: mistaken the thread

[Trav64]

Some good shots from Gullfoss waterfall in Iceland and Tenerife mountains
Edit: mistaken the thread

Love that boba patch!

[Trav64]

i have tried multiple backpacks from camelbak to maxpedition to hiking day packs. i’ve yet to find the perfect bag for my edc. what’s everyone’s favorite and why?

Still looking for solid packs myself, seems luke thread has a lot of great options to check out