Maxpedition Advice

Triquetra

Triquetra

Joined
Mar 7, 2002
Messages
759
I've been considering the Colossus, Jumbo and Fatboy Verispacks or the Typhoon or Monsoon Gearslingers and just can't decide. I want something to carry my everyday PSK plus other daily needs. I'm going to have to quit worrying about looking like I'm carrying a purse. I want it compact enough to have with me always but big enough to carry whatever I need or for the extras that I would take to the soccer and football games. Anyone with experience with any of these or anyone with advice or recommendations?
 
I don't think anyone will mistake a max product for a purse.:D If they do, like I overheard one man telling his sidekick as I was walking into the local hardware store with my field bag. "He's either one brave SOB or one bad MF". I didn't hear snicker one.;)
 
I carry a Fatboy every day and find that it meets all of my needs most days. There are some times when I would like to carry a slightly larger bag, but not terribly often.

We bought a Jumbo for my wife to use as a purse, and I don't think I would want to carry one that large all the time... it's really a much larger bag than the Fatboy.

I would recommend looking for a retailer that stocks the products and going in with some of the EDC stuff you want to carry. See how much of it fits in each bag, and how it fits.
 
Here is an article that my BRO-HEEM, Kenneth, wrote about the Maxpedition JUMBO. I carry one almost every day and I have the older and smaller regular Fatboy as well - that I was carrying yesterday as a matter of fact.

http://www.donrearic.com/maxpeditionken1.html

My Wifey has been carrying a regular Maxpedition Fatboy as a purse for about four years now or so.

The main compartment of the JUMBO is larger, you lose the little cellphone pocket up on the strap and there are a couple other, minor differences but what really makes the JUMBO larger and look larger is the water bottle pocket which fits a Nalgene or something like a one liter bottle of Lipton Green Tea quite nicely.
 
I wanted one, my fiance thought it looked too "Army". Instead she bought me an REI Transit Bag. I carry it all the time, it is a man purse, but who gives a crap. Most folks professional or otherwise find the need to have a bag on most occasions. In urban areas it is the norm for men to carry a brief case or messenger bag on a daily basis. I'm just glad I don't have to lug around two bags like I did in Law School :)
 
I'll probably split the difference and go with the Jumbo Verispack. I think I'll wait and get one of the regular backpacks in place of the Gearslingers. Of course that will be for outdoor use and will give me an excuse to get 2. Which color do you think would blend in more for work and in town use more. I've ruled out the green and camo. Now I just need to decide between the khaki and black. Seems like with the black some of the military attachement blend in more and it looks a little more like a business messanger bag. It's hard for me since I don't think like the "sheeple" and any of them look great in my opinion.

Ps. How many of you carry something like this everyday to regular places like the grocery store, work, movies, kids soccer games, church, etc.
 
I've got a Jumbo Versipack, and I've used it as an EDC bag for a little over a year. It's a great bag. With my lunch, two Nalgene bottles, and a small compliment of gear, it was loaded to the gills each day. It has held up great, but I recently swapped it out of the rotation for something that has a little more capacity.

I guess I'd suggest really thinking of all the ways you think you'll use the bag - and get something a little bigger than what you think you'll need. I had all sorts of grand ideas for the Jumbo V-pack, but after a few day hikes I found that it really wasn't the ultimate bag for me. It's a great bag for just the essentials, but for me that's it. I'll probably put it back into service as a car kit bag.
 
The other strong front runner is the Monsoon. I like it because if has more room available and looks a little more urban. Anyone know how does it compare in capacity/size to the Colossus or Jumbo VP? One review that I read said that the Monsoon didn't work well for smaller folks.
 
I carry my Fatboy every day, pretty much everywhere I go... restaurants, to the office, transit, you name it. I bought mine in khaki because I wanted to stay away from the "I'm carrying a concealed weapon!!" look. I mostly dress in earth tones anyway, so the color works for me. I'm the only male in my department of 14 people, and the ladies all think it's kind of amusing that I carry a purse. That amusement doesn't stop some of them from asking me to carry things when they leave theirs back at the office, though. ;)
 
It all depends on how much gear you want to carry. I have a "Jumbo" and it is the right size. I like the water bottle option which can hold a 1 liter Nalgene bottle. Also there is a back pocket which has velcro so you can use one of their holsters for concealed carry. It is great for light hiking to carry some emergency items, snacks and other necessities. For more gear I prefer a small back pack-daypack like their "Pygmy Falcon".
 
THese aren't versipacks or anything that will hold a ton of gear, but I've been eyeing these pouches for a week or two:

http://www.lapolicegear.com/matapome.html

There is a small, medium and large size and I believe they come with a shoulder strap as shown. When I get the cash, I'd like to get the small and the medium. If needs be, a guy can piggy back them and have more gear storage if needed. Hope it helps some! -Matt-

BTW I carry a "man purse" every day to work, its a samsonite camera bag from Wal Mart. Holds everything I need for now. If anyone gives me crap, I just smile and tell them they're jealous! Works every time. I'm too old at 34 to care if someone is poking fun at me anymore. :D
 
grease-man said:
THese aren't versipacks or anything that will hold a ton of gear, but I've been eyeing these pouches for a week or two:

http://www.lapolicegear.com/matapome.html

There is a small, medium and large size and I believe they come with a shoulder strap as shown. When I get the cash, I'd like to get the small and the medium. If needs be, a guy can piggy back them and have more gear storage if needed. Hope it helps some! -Matt-

BTW I carry a "man purse" every day to work, its a samsonite camera bag from Wal Mart. Holds everything I need for now. If anyone gives me crap, I just smile and tell them they're jealous! Works every time. I'm too old at 34 to care if someone is poking fun at me anymore. :D
Click to expand...

I've been wanting to get one of these too. Not as a main pack but to put the very essentials in and be able to move it from every day pack to hiking pack to camping pack without having to set up several different ones.
 
I decided to go the man-purse/huge PSK route and got a Max Colossus. I alice-clipped a mini-rolypoly (which fits either a 1L nalgene or two .5L commercial water bottles) onto the side. I LOVE this bag. I like the design better, because the main compartment opens away from you unlike the fatboys. I put durn near everything I can think of in it, and there is still room. I have yet to add a wool or fleece hat and a half doz or so zip-ties, but pretty much have everything else you can think of. (Maybe I'll do a thread with my bag and it's contents soon...) I got the khaki version.

My disclaimer... I DO NOT carry this bag with me much at all. However, it resides either in my office or truck. I do/will carry it on such occasions as: any vacation trip with or without family, and excursions into the city (usually only a Dr. appointment), though I'd have to remove the fixed blade and probably the leatherman if I took it downtown to go the museums etc. I'm not sure if they search bags or metal detector/x-ray them. I would also take it on any day hikes.
 
I have a fatboy and a typhoon, and both are great. The typhoon is a little larger, but still very compact for a backpack style bag. You won't go wrong with either one.
 
grease-man said:
THese aren't versipacks or anything that will hold a ton of gear, but I've been eyeing these pouches for a week or two:

http://www.lapolicegear.com/matapome.html
Click to expand...

I have two gear bags set up, and I've been looking at the Colossus as a replacement for the larger one, a County Comm Bail Out Bag. I don't know. I like the Colossus having everything inside but it's handy to have the BOB's outside pockets on a hike for easier access.

The smaller bag, which I carry a lot more, is a Spec-Ops Brand Pack Rat. This one really is a man-purse, but it's so well organized with a multitude of pockets, it also works great as an insert to a larger bag, like a briefcase or backpack, instead of moving all the small gear from one to another.

You might consider one of the many convertible backpacks, that tuck the pack straps away to carry by shoulder strap or briefcase handle. Here's a few of them:

[URL="http://www.actiongear.com/cgi-bin/tame.exe/agcatalog/level4s.tam?xax=31546&pagenumber%2Eptx=1&M5COPY%2Ectx=27483&M5%2Ectx=3674&M2%5FDESC%2Ectx=Travel%20Gear%20%2D%20Backpacks%2C%20Luggage&level3%2Ectx=results%2Etam&query%2Ectx=backpack&backto=%2Fagcatalog%2Fresults%2Etam"]BUGOUT GEAR® BAG[/URL]
[URL="http://www.actiongear.com/cgi-bin/tame.exe/agcatalog/level4s.tam?xax=10405&pagenumber%2Eptx=1&M5COPY%2Ectx=29517&M5%2Ectx=29517&M2%5FDESC%2Ectx=Travel%20Gear%20%2D%20Backpacks%2C%20Luggage&level3%2Ectx=results%2Etam&query%2Ectx=backpack&backto=%2Fagcatalog%2Fresults%2Etam"]5.11 TACTICAL® TWO-DAY TAC PACK [/URL]
Talmid Convertible Briefcase
 
I carried a khaki Fatboy for a long time. It holds quite a bit of gear. I recently upgraded to the khaki Jumbo. It is quite a bit bigger. Holds almost too much... seems like the more space you have, the more stuff you will find to put in it. I really like the Jumbo. It goes everywhere I go. I can easily add to or take away from the contents depending on where we are going. And the khaki is very subdued; doesnt scare the sheeple or attract the law. The black has a bit of a tactical look to it that might get unwanted attention in some areas. Depends on where you are.

I've looked at the Colossus. It is a little bigger than the Jumbo, but does not have a nalgene holder, which I like having. it is also not quite as streamlined as the Jumbo. It is a little boxxy, like a camera bag. Really nice bag if you like the look. Lots of features.

The Monsoon is a big bag. If you want something "not too big" then you don't want the Monsoon. It is the size of a sm-md backpack.

All of the Maxpedition stuff is sturdy and well made.
The wife carries a combo Tactile large and Tactile small for a purse. She loves it. She did go with the black to match her boots.
Females... gotta love em.
 
Is the thermite too small for use as a "man purse"?
I need space for wallet, 2 cellphones, toolkit, small flashlight, small binoculars, keys and a pair of thin gloves.
 
I went ahead and ordered the Khaki Jumbo VP. I decided that if I needed anything much bigger I might as well use one of my backpacks. I think it will be just what I want because one reason for searching for something else is that I get tired of lugging these backpacks around.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top