[broke94hatch]

Name: David
Location: Virginia

I know, I know, another backpack question... Like the title states, I am in need of a great well rounded backpack that I can use for school, take on camping 2-3 day trips, and ultimately emergency survival (quickly fill and go type of bag)

I would like the bag to be/have:
-around $150!

-Best quality/durability!

-must have 2 main compartments (I would like to have my laptop separate from other items/books)

-wide enough for binders/books/laptop

-not huge just in case my wife or someone of a small structure might need to carry. (I will be carrying all the heavy equipment of course)

What I've been looking into:
-Maxpedition Falcon II (This bag has the perfect layout for me! But the width is a little to small... I wish I could see it in person so I could stuff my binders in it... anyone with personal experience with the falcon II with school?)

-5.11 Rush 24 (I like it... but not enough compartments??)

-Condor Compact Modular Style Assault Pack (seems almost as good as the falcon... but don't know squat about it's quality...???

Help me! I need a medium sized pack and don't know what to get!!!

 

[Cryptkeeper]

buy a LARGE alice pack /w frame for $26+s/h for camping ,BoB and survival :thumb: or a med alice w/o frame if the large is to big ,or get the large for you and get a small cheapie from cheaper than dirt for school and her

http://www.armygear.net/ag/store/00062.html

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/PACK125-1.html


or buy a walmart cheapie for school for $15-$20


take the rest of your money and buy camping gear. best places to go to get the most bang for the buck is yard sales and auctions :thumb:

maxpedition is a good brand but the falcon is way to small for a survival pack. you need a LARGE pack for camping/survival if its for more than 4 days

 

[broke94hatch]

buy a LARGE alice pack /w frame for $26+s/h for camping ,BoB and survival :thumb: or a med alice w/o frame if the large is to big ,or get the large for you and get a small cheapie from cheaper than dirt for school and her

http://www.armygear.net/ag/store/00062.html

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/PACK125-1.html


or buy a walmart cheapie for school for $15-$20


take the rest of your money and buy camping gear. best places to go to get the most bang for the buck is yard sales and auctions :thumb:

maxpedition is a good brand but the falcon is way to small for a survival pack. you need a LARGE pack for camping/survival if its for more than 4 days

Understood. But I would like to have one well rounded pack for all situations. As far as survival, I meant a pack I could quickly fill with a few supplies and go, I do have duffel bags for large carries.

And I would like a very durable pack because believe it or not, college school books put a crucial beating on backpacks. With one engineering book weighing close to 7 pounds... I have 4 other books of similar weight plus binders, papers, etc.

Also, when the weekend/time comes, I want to ditch the books and use the pack as camping/hiking, day or two bag.

Cheap, crappy, yardsale packs is NOT what I have in mind at all. I figured someone was or is in the same boat as me and had a few suggestions..

 

[Texas Jack]

I have a decent ($30) jansport messenger bag that is flexible in its uses, it has stood up to 3 years in college.

It easily converts to a 72hour bob, it holds midsized 2 water bottles on the outside at each end along with a gab of stuff inside.

What i do is I have the 72 hour kit loose behind my seats in my truck, if somethings happens while Im at school, I will flip the bag to the bob before I drive home. (just a few miles away)

 

[AKpredator]

I would get the Vulture II but the Falcon will be OK as it's pretty well organized and hydration compatible. I attach dump pouches to all of mine to carry things I might need to grab up or scrounge.

These folks are great to deal with. Free shipping for orders over $75.


http://www.lighthound.com/Maxpedition-Falcon-II-Backpack-OD-Green--Falcon-2_p_1096.html

 

[broke94hatch]

I would get the Vulture II but the Falcon will be OK as it's pretty well organized and hydration compatible. I attach dump pouches to all of mine to carry things I might need to grab up or scrounge.

These folks are great to deal with. Free shipping for orders over $75.


http://www.lighthound.com/Maxpedition-Falcon-II-Backpack-OD-Green--Falcon-2_p_1096.html

Yeah, I'm really leaning toward the falcon.

Thanks for the site!

 

[Cryptkeeper]

Understood. But I would like to have one well rounded pack for all situations. As far as survival, I meant a pack I could quickly fill with a few supplies and go, I do have duffel bags for large carries.

And I would like a very durable pack because believe it or not, college school books put a crucial beating on backpacks. With one engineering book weighing close to 7 pounds... I have 4 other books of similar weight plus binders, papers, etc.

Also, when the weekend/time comes, I want to ditch the books and use the pack as camping/hiking, day or two bag.

Cheap, crappy, yardsale packs is NOT what I have in mind at all. I figured someone was or is in the same boat as me and had a few suggestions..

lol i see you havent been to very many yard sales to know : but you can get top quality items for pennies on the dollar.sometimes new and still in the box never used. you just got to be in the right place at the right time ,but hey if you want to pay full price its your money to spend :thumb:

 

[GramercyRiff]

5.11 Rush 72-Hour

Name: David
Location: Virginia

5.11 Rush 24[/B] (I like it... but not enough compartments??)

I have the 5.11 Rush 72 hour bag. May be a little too military-looking for school, but it's a great bag.

 

[jpjester]

I am partial to Mountainsmith. I have an Approach 30 that I use as a mobile office. I carries a heavy load without issue.

Mountainsmith Approach 2010 model

 

[trixie]

i think you got the wrong idea. a good BOG/adventure bag is gonna scare liberal college kids or just be too big, etc.

if the SHTF you gonna run to the dorm, dump your books, decide what to pack, try to make it fit, etc? you need to grab it and go.

 

[broke94hatch]

i think you got the wrong idea. a good BOG/adventure bag is gonna scare liberal college kids or just be too big, etc.

if the SHTF you gonna run to the dorm, dump your books, decide what to pack, try to make it fit, etc? you need to grab it and go.

True, but if shtf, your not always gonna be able to grab the things you've prepared. Things never go as planned, especially in extreme situations... I want to have a pack that is capable of doing so but at the same time accommodate my everyday life.

 

[MArrell]

I use a Swiss messenger bag. Can be bought at target for like 15 bucks. Great for school, great for camping, and great for survival. Heres the thing, if you need to grab and go, and only need a few supplies, this will cover you. Also, if you are running for your life, you want to blend in. Anything military and s00perl33ttactical511blackhawksuperawesomemolleforwin bag will cause you to stand out, and will make you a prime target for robbers and thieves. I learned in the 3rd world that robbers will cut your bag when your not looking and wait for the supplies to drop out while singing and dancing that they just pulled a fast one on you. This will be true here in the US, too.
If the bag is on your back, its not completely in your control, and thats what they look for. If it is on your hip, like my messenger bag, it will be more in your control.

 

[OGK]

Do you care what color they are in?

 

[MArrell]

My swiss courier bag is Black because that is the color of the courier bags that most middle easterners carry when in school. It blends in perfectly in a sea of black messenger bags.

 

[justin_baker]

Try maxpedition packs.
These are some good choices
http://www.maxpedition.com/store/pc/CONDOR-II-BACKPACK-12p106.htm
http://www.maxpedition.com/store/pc/FALCON-II-BACKPACK-12p110.htm
http://www.maxpedition.com/store/pc/PYGMY-FALCON-II-Backpack-12p145.htm
http://www.maxpedition.com/store/pc/Vulture-II-Backpack-12p114.htm

 

[Pat7272]

I carry a Northface Surge:

http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___79925

It carries my 17" laptop, 6 classes worth of notebooks and 2 textbooks at a time. Pluse pens, calculator, flashligh, firstaide kit, few meds, compass and other little stuff. It has a compartment for your laptop charger on the bottom and carries a water bottle on each side.

I find it very useful for an everyday scholastic type bag that has room for the extra stuff I carry.

Hope this helps

 

[sluggyslugworth]

Look into the BlackHawk bags, just ordered one myself a few days ago.

 

[broke94hatch]

Try maxpedition packs.
These are some good choices
http://www.maxpedition.com/store/pc/CONDOR-II-BACKPACK-12p106.htm
http://www.maxpedition.com/store/pc/FALCON-II-BACKPACK-12p110.htm
http://www.maxpedition.com/store/pc/PYGMY-FALCON-II-Backpack-12p145.htm
http://www.maxpedition.com/store/pc/Vulture-II-Backpack-12p114.htm

Yeah, as I've stated, I'm looking into the Falcon II and the Condor II; worried the falcon is not wide enough to hold my binders/college books, and the Condor just not enough compartments.

I carry a Northface Surge:

http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___79925

It carries my 17" laptop, 6 classes worth of notebooks and 2 textbooks at a time. Pluse pens, calculator, flashligh, firstaide kit, few meds, compass and other little stuff. It has a compartment for your laptop charger on the bottom and carries a water bottle on each side.

I find it very useful for an everyday scholastic type bag that has room for the extra stuff I carry.

Hope this helps

This bag looks to be awesome, but will it put up with wilderness abuse of constant setting down and picking up, packing and unpacking? Will the seems hold up

Look into the BlackHawk bags, just ordered one myself a few days ago.

I have been.. but haven't found a good size, everything is either to big or to small... any suggestions I haven't found?

 

[Basic Human Unit]

I have an LL Bean Turbo Transit Pack and I love it. about $70. It's huge, has 2 main pouches, and a few others including a bottom pouch for shoes or whatever. I've never been disappointed with LL Bean durability. My last LL Bean pack lasted me 20 years of heavy use before it bought the farm.

 

[broke94hatch]

Last questions about the falcon two before I make my final decision...

Will the falcon II fit a 3inch, 3ring binder??? Can anyone provide photos of this if you have the backpack??

Thanks members, hope to see some pics soon!