Maxpedition EDC bags w/ a focus on the Sitka

[AStone]

I'd like to discuss several Maxpedition products with a goal of finding an EDC bag that can carry a rain shell, a vest, medium first aid kit, a few toiletries, extra knife, water bottle, a small emergency kit, at least one meal and some trail mix, a cell, perhaps an ipad, and - of course - a handgun.

It will be an EDC for both (small) city and in the wilds. In the wilds, it will carry much of what it does in the city (sans cell and ipad), and will carry a different handgun, but be capable of fitting into the top of a larger (45 L = 2750 cu in) day and a half pack or 65 L expedition pack that will also haul other camp gear.

The idea - that has evolved as my system during several decades of major walking and biking - is that I need the same EDC stuff in the city (for day-long excursions) and wild, so why repack it when moving between the two. Just put the EDC bag into the top of a large pack with what's needed for the wild (2 - 3X as much for me, including hammock, sleeping bag and pad, more food, cooking gear, extra layers including long johns and fleece hat, chopper knife, fire-making materials, etc, etc), get to the trail head, and start walking. The EDC can effectively replace the removable "top pocket" of a traditional trail backpack - most of which are poorly designed in terms of organization for small items. (I've got two with removable pocket picked out; here's one; benefit = exceptionally good waist belts; I write that based on two decades of experience with their packs).

Once I arrive at base camp, I can use the EDC pack for day-long excursions away from camp
as I do for those excursion away from the apartment in the city. Same idea.

My current top contender for this task is the Maxpedition Sitka Gearslinger.
I've read every review and watched every video review of it ever written or video'd,
from well-done to ... well, painfully lame. I know it almost as well as if I'd looked at one in a store.

I've carried a single strap sling before, but with less than 10 lbs.
However, the Sitka is FAR better engineered and padded.
With reasonable restraint for load, it'll work.

But I'm also considering other options. One is to find a smaller EDC pack for all but rain gear, warmth layer and water, something that will keep all other EDC items organized, then put the whole thing into a small day pack (with appropriate rain gear and layer for a season) or a larger trail pack.

When I searched this board for information,this thread by Cosmoline came up,
and it contains some useful information, but it's too old to post any longer.

So, I thought I'd start a new thread.

Opinions?

Thanks in advance.

Nem

 

[Owen]

I haven't messed with that bag, but every piece of Maxpedition gear i've used has been excellent. I have a few Rolly-Polys and a Monsoon

The monsoon won't easily fit into another bag because of its wide and flat profile. It does do a good job of lugging a 17" laptop.

 

[AStone]

Thanks, Owen. It's good to get more good feedback on the Maxped quality. Almost every reviewer I read or watched - > 95% - agreed. I did buy one of their small bags about 2.5 years ago - the Fat Boy, IIRC - but I returned it because it was smaller than I expected and needed, not due to any quality issues; it was very well-made.

I recently wrote to Maxpedition asking some technical and size questions, and received a stellar, courteous and professional response answering my questions in a very detailed way. Excellent customer service even before I'm a customer.

I also agree that the Monsoon is too big for me. That's the one I started my research with, but realized after watching several vids that it would be too big to do what I want.

Plus, I'm trying to stay sane with size so I don't overload a bag. The single strap/sling idea has merit, but too much weight will make it a misery for more than an hour or so.
_____

PS: I've considered picking up one of these so I can upgrade my first aid kit from a smaller pouch. I think it will fit inside the bottom front pocket of the Sitka, but I need to query them about that.

Alternatively, maybe I can just use one of the pockets on the Sitka itself for toiletries and save a few ounces. I'll buy the Sitka (or something) first and see how it works out, then add other stuff as needed. I hope very little else is needed; I like the clean lines.

 

[jeepnik]

I looked at the varios gearslinger models and decided they were larger than I needed for EDC. I went with the Versapak FatBoy (the smaller of the sizes). It holds decent sized handgun, flashlight, glasses, meds etc. And, it isn't so darned heavy I end up leaving it behind, which can happen if you overload yourself.

As to quality, MaxExpeditions products are top notch.

 

[AStone]

I hear you on the size, Jeenik. I'm an oddball when it comes to EDC. My day trips away from home are often all day in inclement weather, so I tend to carry a fair amount: toiletries, first aid, emergency kit in case the world as we know it ends while I'm away - - and always at least a rain jacket. Often it includes a book and lunch. I just couldn't get all that into a Fatboy. For those more minimalist than me it would work great.

 

[Kingcreek]

I carry a Maxpedition Malaga. Very well made and versatile. I guess I would call it a mid-size pack in their gearslinger line.

 

[AStone]

Thanks, Kingcreek. The Malaga is on my short list of considerations. It is slightly larger capacity.

My gut-level sense is that it would not fit into the top of my larger pack as easily as the Sitka because of shapes - and the Malaga doesn't have a dedicated, sown-in water bottle holder like the Sitka, which is very important to me (yes, I know one can add a Rolly Polly to the Malaga, but it's not sown-in).

But I could be wrong. I often am. :banghead: (I've been wrong twice this year already! )

What kinds of stuff do you carry in your Malaga? And do you ever use it's switchable shoulder strap position (right v left) option?

 

[OpticsPlanet]

If you liked the Fatboy, but it was a bit too small for you, they make a Jumbo Fatboy.

http://www.opticsplanet.com/maxpedition-jumbo-versipack-sling-pack-jumbo-versipack-0412.html

They also make a mirror image for wear on the opposite side:

http://www.opticsplanet.com/maxpedition-jumbo-s-type-versipack-pack-nylon-jumbo-s-type-versipack-0413.html

I like wearing it on my left side, especially if I'm out of Illinois and carrying concealed on my strong-side hip.

Before I started working in the industry, I called Maxpedition to place an order (this was roughly 8 years ago) and Tim Tang, the owner of Maxpedition answered the phone and took my order. He certainly seems like a hands-on guy.

Mark H.

 

[Cosmoline]

I picked up a Sitka for cheap a few months ago and I really love it. It has more usable space than most day packs, and is easy to flip from front to back and back. The water bottle holder is great, and it's just a darn useful supplement to the backpack and fatboy. For travel or little trips where you may buy some stuff but may not, it's great.

A few down sides--

--It doesn't feel good with heavy loads. With more than 15 or 20 lbs the single strap starts to become a nuisance. It still functions OK, but starts to weigh down. That's fine for errand runs of a few miles by foot or maybe 12 by bicycle, but beyond that I would not advise loading it down with ammo and such.

--The back pockets are easy to leave open, and will just let everything fall out. The zippers go around the sides as well, so those back pockets will fall completely open if you forget to zip them back up. I would never stow a wallet or keys in one!

--The extra straps tend to get in the way. There are several optional straps on the thing that don't have any easy way to be folded up, so they tend to flap around and get caught on things.

But for quick excursions, travel and shopping, it's a fantastic bag.

 

[Kingcreek]

I have the external add-on water bottle holder. I took some of the straps off because it was overkill and made it look a little too tactical looking for urban carry.
I carry a fixed blade Mora for fruit or cheese etc, a G2 with Malkoff M60 lamp, small first aid kit, eye drops, sunglasses, a handgun in a universal holster (usually a kahr cw9 but sometimes a Glock 23) spare mag or 2, 4oz Fox Labs PS, iPad, chargers, adapters, usually a book or magazines, sometimes a light vest or pullover. Plenty of room for a change of shoes, socks.
Basically it is a day pack and adapts to anything I need from an urban tour (even overnight if I pack light) or a weekend hike or just my usual commute to and from work. I don't switch the straps, just the habit of right side shoulder but easily goes over my neck and add the accessory strap to stabilize if I want both hands free or I'm on the bicycle.

 

[AStone]

Cosmo and Kingcreek, thanks to you both. Very useful info.

 

[AStone]

Here's an update.

I acquired this knife today. (See post 21.)
It came with two ways to attach the sheath to molle.

So, I'm ramping up my efforts to acquire a Sitka.
The ESEE will ride on the sling.

An Izula 2 is next.

 

[DAdams]

Bags Man

I purchased a Sitka a year back for the express purpose of a GHB (get home bag) for vehicle purposes. I frequently travel on business where others do the driving we travel in their vehicle and just in case all my emergency gear is in my Jeep.....it's nice to have a few things along that just might come in handy under many circumstances.

I went to Phoenix and Sedona recently and started packing the RedHead I had won in a sporting clays competition and as I was stripping gear out of the Sitka and putting it in this pack it occured to me that I may as well try the Sitka for some of the day trips we were planning. The first trip was an 8 mile day hike on the National and Mormon trails. It suitably carried the gear my wife and I needed for the day and I found it quite comfortable. I'm guess I had 6-8lbs in it and much of that water, which depleted throughout the day.

The next day trip was some scrambling around the Papago Park area and it was nice to be able to really cinch the Sitka in tight, really tight.

We did some day hikes outside Sedona, Fay Canyon was our favorite and the Sitka came through admirably. These were hikes where water and food was more of interest than clothing as there was no rain in sight and the temps were in the mid 80s.

This is how it is set-up for the GHB configuration. I hadn't removed all the packaging yet (inventory purposes) on much of the stuff and there is still room to spare for wind and rain pants, sox and some light weight hiking shoes.



The largest bag in the next series of photos is the Mountain Smith frame pack
28x16x8 and 2746 cu in. It's more well suited for a smaller person like my wife who will be humping this if necessary. It is set-up for a sleeping bag and pad.



The Swiss Gear Bag I put in as another size reference. It's what I carry on business and you see them all over the airports and overhead compartments.
It is notable that it is slightly larger than the Sitka, but not as well compartmentalized nor set-up specifically for CC.



I have added a couple of small organizers to the Sitka hence it looks a bit different than the standard.

The green Maxpedition is a Jumbo VersaPak. It has the CC carry compartment, shoulder strap with straps and a small waist band strap.



The RedHead is a standard day pack with two shoulder straps good ventilation and an adequate hip suport system and it is set up for a hydration pak which I haven't installed yet. It's not yet field tested but soon will be on a forthcoming trip to Jackson, WY in September.

The Lowe-Pro is a camera bag large enough to accomodate a full sized camera and a couple of lenses. I don't use it for such any more but do carry it around town as it carries nicely a small semi-auto, knife, sun glasses, cell phone and a few other essentials.

Lastly, the Nite-Ize Pock-Its is a "man bag". I usually take it on the boat since it is just the right size to keep essentials handy if I am going ashore. Most of the time I shoulder sling it. I have worn it on short hikes and an L Frame snub will fit in nicely. Seen with K Frame.

I have one other day pack, a Kelty I have about worn out but still like.

This was the long way around Nem to give you a feel for the Sitka. Not too small an not too large.
One thing that occurred to me was using the Sitka as a "front pack" while wearing a backpack. This obviously for pack mule mode and would require some engineering.

 

[Gryffydd]

I can second everything Cosmoline said about the Sitka. I really do like it, but the other down side I should mention is that it does best with flat loads. Lots of round/bulky stuff quickly cause it to sit oddly or make small pressure points that aren't terribly comfortable. A full water bottle in the side pocket can also throw it off balance a bit.

That said, it's a perfect compromise between a waist pack like the Fatboy and a full backpack.

 

[AStone]

Gryffydd, thanks for the tips. When I'm packing, I'll think 'flat'. That makes sense.

DA, great review. Thanks for taking the time. I need to read it again when I'm fresh (I'm not now ... long day) and look more closely at images. I may have some questions after that.

 

[AStone]

Here is the best overview of the Sitka that I've found.
(Except for the last 2 mim, 20 sec of edc gear review.
Mine are very different, arranged differently.)

I'll purchase a Sitka within two weeks.

 

[AStone]

I just placed my order for a Sitka.

ETA: next Wednesday.

First impressions and review forthcoming ...

 

[Manny]

I've been carrying a Sitka for at least 1.5 yrs as my EDC bag and its by far the best bag I've found for the job. Still looks like new after daily carry and it's the easiest bag to keep with me constantly that I've found.

I often shuttle semi trucks in for repairs to our shop and it allows me to keep needed items with me with a minimum of fuss. Even in a crowded pickup cab it can sling around to carry on my lap, and being able to access items without removing the pack is a huge plus.

I like to keep the weight at 12lbs or less for the best comfort, though if needed you can pack more for short distances.

I hope the Sitka lives up to your expectations and meets your needs.

 

[AStone]

Thanks, Manny. Good to read of another satisfied owner.

As you probably know, it gets mixed reviews. More positive than negative by far, and I saw only one who had an issue with quality. Most don't like it because they think it's going to behave more like a regular backpack, and as you know, it doesn't. But that's not a problem with the bag, but with expectations.

Fortunately, I've carried a single sling before. Very, very different: single large compartment in the shape of a small closed hammock with a super wide fabric sling. No molle, no pockets, just one space with a zipper. Probably about the same capacity as the Sitka. Kind of a hippie thing that I bought in some mall store on a close out rack.

I loved it. Carried it for years until the zipper finally broke. I learned that weight is crucial for comfort.

Fortunately, I can easily carry what I need for EDC in 8 - 10 lbs. If I'm bringing home takeout and beer, it may temporarily go above 12.

I can wait to get it. I'm already making 3 piles of my EDC gear that will go into it, stuff that's previously been scattered in different bags, some of which I just couldn't find a good way to carry in my fanny pack or backpack. I suspect the organization of the Sitka will solve that.

Nem

 

[AStone]

It's here.

First impressions.

1. Wow. Well built. Excellent quality. Will wear out sometime in the 22nd century (unless well maintained). Not entirely sure yet it'll work for me. Early impressions suggested it would slip off my shoulder (narrow they are), but more experimentation taught me that loading it will keep it on my shoulder better (weight pulls down). MUCH experimentation with the sling/strap system has already occurred; 1/4" can make a huge difference in how the load carries. (No surprise there; see 'sensitive dependence'.)

2. If you want to learn how to pare down to the essentials that you need for EDC, including what you need to survive a night in the woods in 30F precipitation, get yourself a Sitka. Needs to be around 8 lbs, including the 2 lb Sitka. It will teach you to count ounces and answer this question for each item after careful deliberation: "Do I really need this?" Corollary: "Could I get by with half as much?"

3. It will teach you how to explore your pack - pockets, flaps, straps, zippers - and optimize and arrange what's in the pockets and sub-pockets - that's pockets inside of pockets (both weight AND bulk) - how to arrange the zipper pulls (on the side, which is the 'top' when in front), and space them left to right so that you can instantly determine by feel which pocket you are about to open (how far) in poor light, and know what might fall out and be lost if you open it too far (which means you need to know what's in every pocket with a mental map even before you open it).

4) Be creative with space use, including novel ways to tuck stuff into empty Molle straps, and clip stuff on.

5) Be willing to use the 'water bottle holder' for a 'rain parka' holder and find
another place for the 16 oz water bottle (which is not an efficient use of a 32 oz space).

That's my first impressions. More after further experimentation ...

 

[AStone]

Second impression: day 2.

I spent most of last night and a lot of today exploring how to pack it.

I'll eventually post a list of what's in it.

Suffice to say, a lot. I'm guessing it's around 10 lb now, with 16 oz of water. I want to cut it to 8. Probably too much food (might take out the sardines and half the peanuts) and there's redundancy in micro multitools. I don't really need those three allen wrenches either; they're bike tools better left at home.

On a long walk this afternoon - the first outside of the studio with it - I noticed that I spent a lot of time pushing the strap back up on my shoulder because it has a tendency to slip off, unlike a two strap backpack. That's a negative.

The positive is, the organizational structure. The bag has a TON of pockets. Unlike my fanny pack (450 cu in) and regular hiking pack (35 L), this thing really has a space for everything. Takes a bit of experimentation to know what goes where - camp towel and bandana in this space, fleece hat here, SAK in this pocket, first aid kit over here along with ankle sprain bandage and blood absorption pads, liquids in tiny bottles under this elastic band, rain gear over here (though today, I wore it). ESEE 3 strapped to the molle.

As I walked, I adjusted this strap, then that one, then my posture.
I'm getting used to it. Not sure it'll be my EDC bag forever, but for now, it's working.

Last night - and again tonight - it hung next to my bed as I slept,
ready to leave should the necessity arise, with all the gear
I want/need (maybe plus a little bit) if the world crashes.

Life is good, no?

 

[hso]

I took a WFA course last weekend and will make some changes based on it.
I was very glad I had a my standard overnight load in my 2,000 cu-in pack during the 2 days of the course because it drove home what would end up being used for all the wilderness injury/disaster hands-on we performed. I can probably drive the volume down to 1000-1500 cu-in and have what is needed for being stuck overnight in a bad situation. I don't think that a sling bag would serve because of the small size and I've been convinced that you need more than you think you'll need if you prepare to care for someone overnight in the wilderness (urban or otherwise).

 

[AStone]

Yeah, I hear you.

This one is mostly about day stuff - and even that is iffy, I'm learning - with a last ditch/in a severe pinch overnight. It certainly wouldn't be a comfortable night, but might be survivable with fire.

But I'm quite sure that 1000 - 1500 would be a much more reasonable goal.

I got in another day's experience with the Sitka today, including a multi-mile bike ride with a lot of walking (on trail and in Walmart/Home Depot). Will update that later. I feel like I'm honing in on what'll fit, and getting a better sense of comfort (or not).

 

[AStone]

Carried the Sitka on another round of errands on the bike today.
(Because I do not own a motorized vehicle.)

It's starting to grow on me.
NOT the most comfortable pack I've owned.
It DOES start to weigh your shoulder down.
Motivates shoulder exercises,
especially shoulder shrugs.

But the trade off is organization and accessibility.
I've never before been able to find this many items so quickly.

In a pinch, I can carry food from the grocery
and/or items from the hardware.
I just need to be very adaptable to do so :
fresh corn strapped under the top strap
with the new duct tape held on by the same strap.
Fish made it back fine, but the muffins were a bit crushed.
They'll eat fine, especially with coffee.

Creativity is necessary.

But the best part of the day with it was this:
I found that it fits into the top of my expedition pack,
orientation the same as if it were in front of you:
that is, side up, with access to all pockets.

That means I can carry this with 8 - 10 lbs,
the put it into the big pack with another 40.

That rocks all by itself.

And with no motorized vehicle,
it's important for getting to
where I'm going next ...

 

[AStone]

After an hour long
aerobic bike ride
with it tonight
at midnight,
I'll add this.

If this pack had a waist belt
equivalent to a Gregory pack,
it would kick a...