Slingbag/Gearslinger

Kit, Clothing, Tools, etc
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dangerman
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Slingbag/Gearslinger

Post by dangerman »

I'm in the market for a new EDC bag. I've got a cheap but cheerful Mountain Warehouse 20L bag at the moment, does the job but it's not brilliantly made and I doubt it will see another year. The stitching around one of the inside pockets had already come away before I'd bought it, got it home and found it that way. Which is a pain because I would have kept one of my little EDC kits in that pocket. The rain cover almost ripped itself apart today in the wind. Bit pointless having a protector like that when the material material of the bag relies on it. My battery bank is yet to prove is survived the rain. Glad I didn't have my tablet or laptop in the bag.

I ride a motorcycle regularly and recently got onto the gearslingers from maxpedition. I don't want to look like American army man, but I like the look of these Sitkas when in black. Think I'd get away with it with my daily wear, even in work. I love the idea that, without removing the bag, I can access all the stuff in it while still sat on the bike. I can also unhook the bag when it's time to take it off (very handy when you've got lots of bike kit on). There are also replicas for around £30 - anyone had any experience of these? Has anyone got any negative experiences of the proper ones?

Maxpedition fanboys seem to have taken over all the reviews on the whole t'interweb and they all can't be that perfect. Also, the s-type bags are apparently for left handed use, and the other for right. But I'm right handed, if I got an s-type, would it really make that much difference do you think?

There is a used s-type Monsoon on eBay at the moment for £87 that got me wondering. I also saw a sitka recently that I put a spontaneous bid on - sad I didn't win it now.
I love motorcycles like a fat guy loves cake. I also love cake.
MBJ
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Re: Slingbag/Gearslinger

Post by MBJ »

Hi here,

I've been trying to imagine what sort of bag you mean but I've been struggling. Perhaps it might help if you post some images for people to view? Cheers.
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Jamesey1981
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Re: Slingbag/Gearslinger

Post by Jamesey1981 »

I have a maxpedition condor 2 rip off, a very cheap one, it's not too bad to be fair, few things though, it's nowhere near as waterproof as a real one, with the real stuff I have it sheds water pretty well, the rip off soaks it up like any other cheap bag. The molle is a bit hit or miss, some parts will fit standard molle, some bits won't, so if you're going to use it then that's something to think about, the straps are all a bit short, presumably to save costs, so if you're particularly big then they may not be long enough, especially if you need to use it while wearing armoured bike gear, (I really hope you do wear armoured gear, if it wasn't for armoured leathers I would be in a wheelchair at best but most likely not here to post this, had a very nasty accident thanks to Mr Magoo in a Volvo 240 estate)
Finally, all the buckles and clips were complete crap, I have loads of them lying around anyway as I like modifying gear, but if you don't then factor in the cost of replacing at least some of them before you can trust it.
The maxpedition will last if it's anything like their other gear, but they are a big name which you do pay for, so whether it's worth the extra money to you is your decision, but there are a couple more companies that make similar gear and charge a bit less, been a while since I was looking at that type of bag so I can't remember any names, but if you search YouTube for three day assault pack reviews it will throw up some other company names that might be worth looking into, whether they've done the crossover strap thing yet is another matter though.
That is not dead which can eternal lie, and with strange aeons even death may die.
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Plymtom
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Re: Slingbag/Gearslinger

Post by Plymtom »

Ooo more bag talk, I've been there with the cheap stuff, though my EDC is a belt bag which can be had as part of a rucksack set up I found http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/50L-Molle-3-A ... 1397659506 The detachable set of pouches has a belt included and is worth the price of the crappy bag just for it and the other detachable pouches, I plan on getting the family one each as an evac bag just to have spare belt bags ( they don't last forever and these are by far the best I have ever come across in the 15+ years I have been using belt bags)
I'm now looking at a Rush 72 as a main bag but want some sort of modular system in it or add ons, I cannot afford a separate bag nor the duplicate kit in them for every occasion, nor do I particularly want to go down the MOAB route because that in itself will lead to carrying doublers ( not that 2 or more of some items is terrible), like everyone here I've been experimenting (never with a completed kit) and pondering for years, no doubt like many here have several cook systems, tents, sleeping bags, bivis, you name it, never that eureka moment.

The key here is I (and I imagine all of us) want to avoid the situation where I/we go off doing something and find something missing or a favourite item packed in the wrong bag, I think we all will find ourselves saying I wish I had a ....... or an extra..... but who wants to be kicking themselves?
I have a strategy, it's not written in stone, nor can it be, this scenario has too many variables, everything about it depends on those variables, being specific is not possible.
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dangerman
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Re: Slingbag/Gearslinger

Post by dangerman »

That bag looks the business for £17.49 Plymtom, although it is a bit ugly. I like all the little pouches in black. The appeal to me, if the quality is actually ok, is that all those pouches can just go inside the bag while the full capacity isn't being used, but if needed, they can be stuck on the side. But I wonder how convenient the molle attachment system is. Although, it's a bit big for an everyday carry bag, which is what I'm in the market for.

The Sitka looks like this:

Image

And swings around to the front with easy access zips like this:

Image

I think, on this occasion, I'm prepared to pay for the name. I'm not expecting a maxpedition to fail and that's why I like it, I worry that my current bag might fail while I'm out. This would be an utter pain in the arse.

Regards wearing armoured gear, I admit that I often don't wear armoured trousers, but I always have my jacket. I would like to be always protected, but life just isn't worth living getting out and into full leathers twice a day just to go to work. I'm considering buying some armoured over trousers which I think might fix some of the problem.
I love motorcycles like a fat guy loves cake. I also love cake.
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Jamesey1981
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Re: Slingbag/Gearslinger

Post by Jamesey1981 »

Molle is pretty convenient, certainly more so than the old ALICE system, it can be a bit fiddly to weave the straps through if your hands are cold or if either the pouch or bag are very full, but it's a nice secure system that I haven't had any problems with if it's done properly, and even if you don't use molle straps or have gear that isn't molle compatible you can often still attach it with grimlocks for example, I use them to attach my first aid kit that I keep in a maxpedition FR1 combat medical pouch to various non molle bags or non molle webbing, I can usually make it fit by choosing whichever molle bits on the back of the pouch line up with attachment points on the bag, you could do the same the other way around.

Have you tried the armoured jeans? I used to wear them sometimes, they're not as good as leathers because the armour can move, but they're better than no armour and they generally have Kevlar woven into them which will lessen the chance of serious road rash. They're more comfortable to wear all day than you'd think and they don't look armoured at first glance or force you into the weird kind of protohominid stance that race leathers do!
Don't know if they're still available, haven't been on a bike in years, but worth a look, might be more convenient if you can get away with jeans for work.

I would say the most important thing is a back protector anyway, when I had my accident I split mine right across the middle, but it took the hit so my back didn't and I got away with three cracked vertibrae rather than a properly broken back (among other things, but that was the injury that I was really lucky to survive).
I live in a seaside town and the number of people I see that will end up in real trouble if they bin it makes me cringe a bit, saw one guy last summer on a Hayabusa with no shirt or gloves, shorts, an open face lid and flip flops, there's a man that's going to learn the lesson the hard way.
That is not dead which can eternal lie, and with strange aeons even death may die.
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Plymtom
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Re: Slingbag/Gearslinger

Post by Plymtom »

dangerman wrote:I think, on this occasion, I'm prepared to pay for the name. I'm not expecting a maxpedition to fail and that's why I like it, I worry that my current bag might fail while I'm out. This would be an utter pain in the arse.
Absolutely that's why I'm going for a name, My son got one, the 5:11 Rush 72 so it's been around the place for long enough to both prove itself and that I like it, Maxpedition are a great name too, quality gear, that cheap thing was mainly for the belt bag as I said, the pouches are handy too but I would have paid that just for the pretty decent belt bag, the bag itself will come in handy for such as hotel bags even BOB where transport featured so it was only to and from the vehicle it got much use, I feel something like that the straps would hurt, then fail all too quickly, I do have a cheaper, smaller version which sees more use and is standing up to it - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/30L-Molle-Mil ... PzH_hACecw now don't laugh too hard, you can tell it's made in a country where the people are a wee bit smaller framed than the likes of me :roll: the waist belt is effectively well above the belly button so it got left off ( not that it went around me so not only are they smaller,they aren't as well fed either) the shoulder straps - yes a bit Dolly Parton in Lindsey Lohan's Bra :lol: I got it for admin/FAK type stuff and it's alright like it's larger brother for to and fro from car to under the bench at the range, but recently I went for a little walk with my son wearing it and didn't enjoy it, my age and mild Arthritis is enough to cope with without the discomfort of a crap bag ;) it doesn't hold enough anyway I have to take another one with bino's ear defenders, extra layers and other stuff, so one decent bag will hold all I need, modular for activity based use, I may even go so far as making myself a bag drawer with dividers ( most likely ice cream cartons or old tupperware superseded by the new clippy stuff) so as I can keep what goes into the loverly zipped sections organized when not needed, yet easy to access as per intended activity, one bag to rule them all :D

There are loads of decent quality bags out there, and some good points to cheapies too, I've been getting by on existing stuff for £30 for a year or two, prior to that I have had (still do) a few from Aldi (could have been Lidl) which are more walker/camper based but good value and fairly sensible proportions, now it's time to invest.
I have a strategy, it's not written in stone, nor can it be, this scenario has too many variables, everything about it depends on those variables, being specific is not possible.
TeeDee

Re: Slingbag/Gearslinger

Post by TeeDee »

I'll just throw in my thoughts on this one if Its ok?

I'm not a fan of these style bags - Now please don't get me wrong they do look super gucci and I like my gear as next as the next tactical armchair shed Ninja.

But....

.... The way these bags are designed and worn I can only see throwing the loading and center of Gravity AWAY from the body causing some potential excessive leaning as the weights migrate further away from the physical COG.

Also single straps - I've had a smaller Maxped Clone with the single strap , I also thought this was gucci and looked the bee's Knees. What I did find was that the pack would bounce around off of the shoulder and just swing in its own pendulum like arc throwing my natural gait off. Or on stopping and bending forward it would swing forward into the way.

Just some ideas to think upon. I prefer an old school backpack with single entry.
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dangerman
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Re: Slingbag/Gearslinger

Post by dangerman »

You're probably right about the centre of gravity, I'll have to assess how much of a problem is when I get it though. I'm not intending on putting a shed load of weight into it, and I'm not planning on using it for hiking (although I do walk a lot). I'm just after it to be comfortable for every day use and be able to access it easy without taking it off.
I love motorcycles like a fat guy loves cake. I also love cake.
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dangerman
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Re: Slingbag/Gearslinger

Post by dangerman »

Right, little update on this one. Maybe it will be of use to someone browsing the forum one day.

Bottom line is that single strap bags are a pain in the bottom. They're good for the reasons I thought, they are great when riding the bike, they swing around and make stuff accessible. I've had two now, the Maxpedition Noatak and the Monsoon.

The Noatak was too small, I kept a packable backpack in the front pocket as well as some carrier bags. They got used way too much and that showed I needed more space in the bag for extras. The size was perfect for the weight though, because when I upgraded to the monsoon I realised that adding the extra weight made the bag very uncomfortable. The waist strap did nothing to even out the load, the burden sits solely on my shoulder and it a massive problem when using it for more than, say, an hour.

I've got the monsoon in use at the moment as a kind of secondary EDC bag, because every day I now use a £5.99 packable messenger bag from Decathlon. Holds most of the things I need as a true EDC but I can throw the whole thing into the maxpedition if I know I'm off somewhere else, maybe for a longer stay.

My advice to anyone who was in the position I was last year looking at this kind of thing would be to stick to a traditional back pack and not a sling. But also definitely get one of these decathlon bad boys to accompany it...

Ok I can't get the image thing to work but it's the QUECHUA ULTRA-COMPACT HIKING SATCHEL - mine is in manly grey.
I love motorcycles like a fat guy loves cake. I also love cake.