So I've been running this bag in matches for 6 months now after buying it from ceylon at deltaoutdoorsman.com. I've had it about 9 months, and it was really frustrating at first trying to figure out how to organize it, but I eventually came to terms with it and it's my precision match setup now. For the year prior, I was using the eberlestock phantom, which is a great pack but considerably heavier and larger.
I've hauled the lo drag from the K&M matches in the FL sand, to the windy OPPS match in western OK, to Rifles Only Bushnell Brawl in south TX and the Ronin match in MS. lots of different types of precision field/sniper matches in lots of different conditions.
It's not perfect, but it's pretty good, and for the price, I'd definitely buy it again.
This is the stock photo from eberlestock's website
obviously, it's covered with molle inside and out to hang crap off. very useful for matches, and especially because the internal storage is kinda small. However, it's pretty heavy compared to a modern ultra-light hiking backpack.
not the best pictures here but this is what I've done to it... mine is the "dry earth" color
I hang a helmet (required in some matches) and/or my hiking boots from the molle with carabiners. Also, my rear bag, which I usually move from the backpack to the belt when a stage starts (the pack usually stays in the staging area while i wear the belt during the stage).
The mag pouch holds 2 ten round AICS mags, and I have another pouch like it on the belt, which I detached from the pack and wear without it. I also put a dump pouch and a kydex mag holder on it. Quick access to a mag from the kydex and then two more if i need them. Not shown are molle pistol holster for my FNP45 tactical and molle pistol mag holders that I can also put on the belt, which is very comfortable to wear.
Fairly quick access to a padded pouch for my PLRF range finder and kestrel on the outside.
The little towels are awesome. I think it's an MSR brand but I don't recall.
The scabbard stays on, but i don't use it much. I usually keep a soft-shell TAD gear jacket folded up and stuffed in the scabbard, and the end of the scabbard is tucked up inside so it doesn't hang out like it does in the stock photo.
The pack stands up pretty easy too. (when propped on the helmet or other object
Inside the pack are two main compartments. Actually, it's just one, but there's a velcro flap you can close to make it two or open it to make just one big compartment. I close it and put heavy stuff (ammo, extra mags, etc) in the top. You can see it holds 200 rnds of 308-sized rifle ammo pretty easy, with extra space. There's also a zipper pocket on the flap that I put all my dope in, ear pro, pen and paper, sharpie, mildot master and other admin kit stuff. Behind that are 2 long hard dividers that extend into the bottom compartment for laptops or similar sized items. And behind that are two built in pouches for 2 liter water bladders.
In the lower compartment, I usually keep a shemagh, kneepads, my blue kit (in the GP molle pouch attached to the flap), gloves, my lunch and whatever else i need.
Stuff I really like about it:
1. the angle of the upper compartment allows me to wear the pack and still bend my head way back, which is necessary to get into a good prone position, especially wearing a helmet. (i was completely unable to shoot prone wearing the phantom)
2. it's about the perfect size
3. padding is awesome
4. very sturdy, well made, zippers are great and lots of attention to detail like the padded loops on the zippers
5. LOVE the padded handles on both sides and top. very, very very useful
6. liner on the inside
So the stuff I don't like about it:
1. i don't need the hard laptop dividers and they're kind of in the way. no way to remove them easily.
2. i hate having two bladders instead of one because when i drink from them, they always make my load uneven.
3. when the scabbard is empty and the pack is heavy, it will flop around a little bit.
4. the lower back pad (shown in last pic) is awesome but doesn't zip off on the lo-drag. it zips on their other packs. this means that you have to slide the belt out instead of unzipping the pad and pulling it straight off, which in turn means that you can't attach any molle stuff to one side of the belt.
5. lo drag doesn't come with a rain cover like some of the other eberlestock packs. (though to be fair, i think it's cheaper than the other packs)
6. haven't figured out a way to easily attach the spotting scope and tripod. The leupold mark 4 compact spotting scope itself fits in the lower compartment ok, and I can put the tripod on one side of the pack and cinch it down with the compression straps, but on a long walk, i don't like having my load unbalanced.
as always, packs are a work in progress and my load will probably look completely different next year... but this is working for me now.
I've hauled the lo drag from the K&M matches in the FL sand, to the windy OPPS match in western OK, to Rifles Only Bushnell Brawl in south TX and the Ronin match in MS. lots of different types of precision field/sniper matches in lots of different conditions.
It's not perfect, but it's pretty good, and for the price, I'd definitely buy it again.
This is the stock photo from eberlestock's website
obviously, it's covered with molle inside and out to hang crap off. very useful for matches, and especially because the internal storage is kinda small. However, it's pretty heavy compared to a modern ultra-light hiking backpack.
not the best pictures here but this is what I've done to it... mine is the "dry earth" color
I hang a helmet (required in some matches) and/or my hiking boots from the molle with carabiners. Also, my rear bag, which I usually move from the backpack to the belt when a stage starts (the pack usually stays in the staging area while i wear the belt during the stage).
The mag pouch holds 2 ten round AICS mags, and I have another pouch like it on the belt, which I detached from the pack and wear without it. I also put a dump pouch and a kydex mag holder on it. Quick access to a mag from the kydex and then two more if i need them. Not shown are molle pistol holster for my FNP45 tactical and molle pistol mag holders that I can also put on the belt, which is very comfortable to wear.
Fairly quick access to a padded pouch for my PLRF range finder and kestrel on the outside.
The little towels are awesome. I think it's an MSR brand but I don't recall.
The scabbard stays on, but i don't use it much. I usually keep a soft-shell TAD gear jacket folded up and stuffed in the scabbard, and the end of the scabbard is tucked up inside so it doesn't hang out like it does in the stock photo.
The pack stands up pretty easy too. (when propped on the helmet or other object
Inside the pack are two main compartments. Actually, it's just one, but there's a velcro flap you can close to make it two or open it to make just one big compartment. I close it and put heavy stuff (ammo, extra mags, etc) in the top. You can see it holds 200 rnds of 308-sized rifle ammo pretty easy, with extra space. There's also a zipper pocket on the flap that I put all my dope in, ear pro, pen and paper, sharpie, mildot master and other admin kit stuff. Behind that are 2 long hard dividers that extend into the bottom compartment for laptops or similar sized items. And behind that are two built in pouches for 2 liter water bladders.
In the lower compartment, I usually keep a shemagh, kneepads, my blue kit (in the GP molle pouch attached to the flap), gloves, my lunch and whatever else i need.
Stuff I really like about it:
1. the angle of the upper compartment allows me to wear the pack and still bend my head way back, which is necessary to get into a good prone position, especially wearing a helmet. (i was completely unable to shoot prone wearing the phantom)
2. it's about the perfect size
3. padding is awesome
4. very sturdy, well made, zippers are great and lots of attention to detail like the padded loops on the zippers
5. LOVE the padded handles on both sides and top. very, very very useful
6. liner on the inside
So the stuff I don't like about it:
1. i don't need the hard laptop dividers and they're kind of in the way. no way to remove them easily.
2. i hate having two bladders instead of one because when i drink from them, they always make my load uneven.
3. when the scabbard is empty and the pack is heavy, it will flop around a little bit.
4. the lower back pad (shown in last pic) is awesome but doesn't zip off on the lo-drag. it zips on their other packs. this means that you have to slide the belt out instead of unzipping the pad and pulling it straight off, which in turn means that you can't attach any molle stuff to one side of the belt.
5. lo drag doesn't come with a rain cover like some of the other eberlestock packs. (though to be fair, i think it's cheaper than the other packs)
6. haven't figured out a way to easily attach the spotting scope and tripod. The leupold mark 4 compact spotting scope itself fits in the lower compartment ok, and I can put the tripod on one side of the pack and cinch it down with the compression straps, but on a long walk, i don't like having my load unbalanced.
as always, packs are a work in progress and my load will probably look completely different next year... but this is working for me now.
