Login
Quick Links
| Latest News |
| Magazine |
| Downloads |
| Newsletter |
| Bushmoot |
| Resource Links |
| Forums |
| Events |
| Competition |
| Partners |
Partners
| Bushcraft Ventures |
| Bushcraft Expeditions |
| Dryad Bushcraft |
| Greenman Bushcraft |
| Wildside Survival |
| Woodcraft School |
| Woodsmoke |
Site Blogs
| Write New Blog |
| View My Blogs |
| View All Blogs |
| View Bloggers |
| Maxpedition Jumbo Versipack Review |
|
|
| Written by Mikey P | ||||||
Page 4 of 4
|
||||||
Bottle HolderOn the left-hand side of the main compartment is an ingenious pouch that will hold either a one-litre Nalgene (or similar) bottle, or 3 x 30-round magazines for your assault rifle, depending on whether you are thirsty or really quite annoyed. I plump for the bottle (I’m more likely to die of thirst in the Rheinland-Pfalz than engage the Taliban in combat), which is secured using a drawcord that closes round the bottle neck, and a Velcro strap that goes over the top of the bottle. The strap can be adjusted in length using the toggle/cord inside the main compartment.  Figure 5 – Folded-flat Bottle Pouch
The ingenious bit is that if you don’t want to use the bottle pouch, and perhaps want to reduce the profile of the whole bag, the pouch closes like a bellows, flat against the main compartment (see picture). The Velcro strap then attaches to the former bottom of the pouch, and pulling the toggle inside the main compartment draws the whole thing securely to the side of the main compartment. When I first got this, I carried out the pocket-in-then-pocket-out action about five times, sporting a look of satisfaction and amazement that only a bloke can truly do properly. Much to the exasperation of Mrs. P, I might add. |
||||||
StrapThe key to this style of bag is the shoulder strap; the bag will succeed or fail on the design and comfort of the shoulder strap. Maxpedition have chosen (wisely) a wide (2”) strap, adjustable in length through a sliding buckle, and with a well-padded piece that can be moved wherever you want on the strap, secured using three Velcro strips.  Figure 6 - Strap Pad, Adjustment Slide and Velcro Attachments
The strap doesn’t attach directly to the back of the main bag compartment; there are wider pieces of material that take the weight away from two single points, spreading it across the top of the bag – and it really works, too. Where the straps attach to the material, there is a direct sewn attachment at one end, and a large plastic buckle at the other. This means that the strap can be completely undone in a fraction of a second and this is very useful for looping the strap around an object to stop it falling/rolling away – or getting nicked by an opportunist thief. The straps are securely bar-tacked to the bag material. A couple more things: there is a snap-link at the non-buckle end of the strap, which again can be used to attach keys, a lanyard, whatever. Finally, just where the straps attach to the bag material, there are more MOLLE-style webbing loops. I have used these to clip a mobile phone or a small PMR radio directly to the bag. You could also attach another small pouch – I’m possibly considering the ANEMONE[1]. On one side, I have put another GRIMLOC carabiner (you can never have too many GRIMLOCS, in my opinion). On the other side, I have a radio pouch[2] (Maxpedition CP-L – see the photo in the summary) for my Midland Alan 42 CB but the pouch would fit any of the more powerful PMR radios, or even something like a military PRR or PRC-349. Can you tell I’m in comms?
[2] http://www.maxpedition.com/store/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=8&idproduct=179 |
||||||
| Rear (Padding and belt loop) & Underside
Finally, the rear of the bag has three well-placed pads, which protect the body just at the points where most pressure is felt when the bag is on.  Figure 7 - Rear of Bag with Pads and Belt Loop
There is also a really nice touch with a Velcro-strip belt loop that can go round your belt when the bag is on. This keeps the bag in place behind you and stops it from swinging round when you lean forward or bend over. Brilliant.
Figure 8 - Bottom of Bag with Webbing Loops and Bottle Pouch Drainage Hole
The underside of the main compartment has a strip of webbing, forming three loops. This means you could hang stuff off the bottom of the bag, like a poncho or small, rolled tarp. |
Practical UseI like it when my possessions have more than one use. For example, multi-tools make me radiant with happiness. Another example: a small, woven Paracord fob helps me find and get my penknife out of its sheath when it’s behind my back and I can’t see it. It also unravels to become 2 x one-metre lengths of Paracord. As George Orwell might have said: ‘One use bad, two use good, more use even better’. Well, he might have done. So, I wanted a bag I could use around town (shopping or tourism), out on a day hike, for short Bushcrafting trips, and also to act as a ‘go bag’ in the top of my military bergan for ops use. Well, I tried it in all situations – just for you guys! |
Tourism/TownWe’ve just had a nice little break down in Bavaria, not far from Salzburg. I used the Jumbo to carry a water bottle (it was in the mid-30s all week), a small windproof, multi-tool, Zippo lighter, small first aid kit, pencil and notebook, snacks, guidebook/map, and a medium-sized digital SLR camera (Nikon D70). Mrs. P has termed it my ‘Tactical Handbag’ but this didn’t put me off, no sir. As I had the bag in tan colour, it was unobtrusive and inconspicuous. I wore it mainly just looped over my left shoulder – strap over left shoulder, bag on left side (see picture). This looked better in town and made it easier to access my camera and water. Although there is a left-hand carry version, it actually doesn’t really matter which bit is at the front in my configuration. 
Figure 9 - Same-side Carry I carried it around for about six hours on a long, hot and tiring day and it was comfortable on the shoulder, the pads on the back of the main compartment relieving pressure and letting the air flow. I also carried the bag like this on a couple of other sightseeing days too. So, tick VG so far… |
Day Hike
I got pretty sweaty where the strap was and on one side of the small of my back where the bag leaned against me. But it never became uncomfortable due to the excellent padding on the bag and strap. The CCW pocket was very useful for the map – easily accessible, even when the bag was secured behind my back.
|
Show/Hide comments
Karl.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/23369630@N06/sets/72157603828929332/
Show/Hide comment form
Latest Reviews
| Web-tex Warrior Cooking Unit (15.11.2008) |
 Review on the Web-tex Warrior Cooking Unit, in this review John tells us what he thinks of this military type cooker, mug and bottle system
|
| Thatchreed: Catering Size Group Nesting Set (06.11.2008) |
 Review on the Thatchreed Catering Size Group Nesting Set, in this review John tells us what he thinks of them
|
| A new Generation of Headlamp (18.07.2008) |
 Such is the lure of these shiny objects on the male psyche that a
number of dedicated collectors’ forums exist, inhabited by the
silhouetted forms of men squinting at light meters, bathed in the
brilliant glow of their own personal supernovas, mumbling incoherently
about Lux, Lumens and thermal runaway.
|
| Caldera Cone - Initial Review (09.06.2008) |
|
I've been playing around with various Pepsi can stoves for a while now and was intrigued when I saw how many reviews this little stove was getting, light and efficient what more could you want???
| Tilley T3 Hat (04.06.2008) |
 How many hats are guaranteed for life with a no quibble agreement? The
T3 is! How many manufacturers insure the hat against loss or damage?
The T3 has a 2-year, all perils 50% deductible policy attached!
|
| Gerber Multitool (02.06.2008) |
 The jungle is a harsh environment for such an item because the tool was
wet or the majority of the time. However, it stood up very well with
little sign of rusting or corrosion even after coming back and allowing
it to stand for a while.
|
Most Popular Reviews
| Fallkniven F1 knife (05.04.2007) |
 The F1 is a basic fixed blade knife with a 'drop-point' 3.5inch blade (made of VG 10 stainless steel) and a man-made (Thermorun) handle. Originally designed for use by Aircrew of the Swedish Defence Forces as a survival knife, as any survivor will tell you a 'survival-knife' is the one you have with you at the time, so the F1 is designed to be small & light enough to be carried at all times but robust enough to withstand the abuse it would encounter in a survival situation within the Arctic Circle...
|
| Bushman UK Knives (23.03.2007) |
 I rate these knifes very highly. Both in design and construction
|
| Karrimor Sabre 45 Rucksack (12.12.2007) |
Sabre 45 is probably the rucksack that others are marked against in the bushcraft market. I was very interested to see what all the hype was about and if the real thing lived up to it all! |
| Maxpedition Jumbo Versipack Review (03.07.2007) |
 I was intrigued by Spamel’s thread on the Snugpak Response Pak – or their other types of ‘grab-n-go’ bags - and what people carried in them. I’m a bit of a bag junkie, partly because of my work (military) and partly because of a quest to be able to carry the right equipment for the right job in practically any situation. I guess the ‘Holy Grail’ is effectively a bag that you instinctively grab, without thinking about it, before you go off for an adventure.
|
| Fire Steel (23.03.2007) |
 The sparks that come off the steel, burn longer and hotter than anything I have used before. Sometimes they can sizzle away at 3000 degrees centigrade for a second or more,
|
| BCB Crusader Mess TIn with Lid (05.07.2007) |
 The mess tin is a solid stainless steel and relatively lightweight cooking vessel. It comes with a well fitting lid, which is a bonus compared with the old aluminium version which came without a lid. It saves precious fuel and makes your water (or whatever you are preparing in it) come to a boil significantly faster.
|
another note from a devoted fan, the Alpkit titanium mug fits in the pocket with the nalgene bottle (just)
also, a silva compass fits into the pocket on the strap below the key clip.
love those bags.