Brian.Evans
Registered Member
- Joined
- Aug 20, 2011
- Messages
- 3,267
First, a huge thank you to everyone who commented in my "New Ambulance Duty Bag" thread. Lots of good suggestions over in that thread. I will probably end up getting an LA Police Gear bag sometime in the future, but mostly because I'm a gear junkie more than because I need it.
I ended up getting a Maratac Mid Range Bag in black. I would have rather had a different color, but at least if I de-patch it and take off the side MOLLE pouches it could pass as a laptop bag without too much trouble. In my opinion, it will make a great airplane carry on or a car bag for traveling. I could easily get a spare change of clothes, toiletries, and a book in there and have room to spare. The MOLLE attachments on the back, sides, and top make it very modular. The side pouches are made by SpecOpsGear and are pretty well made. They also make large pouches that could mount to the back and nearly double the carrying capacity of the original bag. I left them in because I like the extra stability and protection they afford, but by taking out the included ABS plates, a person could easily overstuff the main pouch and outside pocket and get more gear inside. Maratac says they will easily carry 70 pounds worth of gear. I believe it. I wouldn't want to do it (ouch! my back!), but I think it would easily do it.
On to pictures! Please forgive some of the crappy quality. Sometimes I had to turn the flash on to show certain features, but it doesn't look very good. Crappy indoor lighting.
Front of the bag. Name tape from Kuwait, Medic patch from either Kuwait or Iraq, I can't remember. You can see the red wrap on the main zipper, and the red fobs with which I replaced the original black string pulls. I went for a Stryker look here. Anyone in EMS knows that on anything that Stryker makes, anything that is red moves. Plus, I like the red on black look.
Side 1. Custom patch designed by me and hand embroidered by a little old man in Kuwait. Photon light, green, that was on my IBA in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Back, with strap stowed. I won't use the shoulder strap much, but I want to be able to use it if I need it. Stowed with Velcro tape. You'll see more of the small shears and Skeletool next.
Back, strap deployed. There's the shears and skeletool.
Side 2. I suppose a person could even add another small pouch here, but it would get unwieldy rather quickly, I think.
Now for the open pictures. Also, let me reiterate, I'm a paramedic, not a photographer.
Front pouch open. I'll store my ipad in here. I need to find a small piece of foam or similar to pad the very bottom of the pouch, as its not padded, only a single layer of nylon there. I just want more protection for my ipad, if I was storing admin stuff in here, it wouldn't be an issue.
Ipad, with Griffin Survivor case. Love the case, btw. Totally awesome.
ABS stabilizer on the inside of the rear of the pouch. I didn't try it, but I have seen that an uncared ipad will fit in this little pouch.
Inside the main pouch. I still have enough room, and the main area isn't completely stuffed, just full.
Everything in there.
The little pouch has my chargers and the WP2 charger I use for my 18650 batteries for the PD32 I carry on my belt. Also, I can use one of the 18650 batteries, and plug a USB charger into it and charge my devices, which is awesome.
Inside the main pouch. Just FYI, the inside is not velco, it is just slick nylon.
Inside pouch ABS stabilizers. Easily removed, but I like them in. They aren't anemic either, they are about 3/32" thick.
Top flap. I like this style better than the flap over style, but ymmv. Big Velcro area and some additional MOLLE.
The zippers are connected, and the connecting piece is long enough that it will unzip quite a ways without unzipping the other side.
The end of the flap has Velcro closure, but it got annoying when I was testing/playing with it, so I blocked off some of it. Originally I blocked off all of it, but decided I wanted some closure there. If I ever need additionally security, I'll take off the blocking.
Bottom of the bag, showing the handles wrapping around the bottom of the bag.
Admin pouch. Not finished yet, but close.
Other small pouch. Bad picture, but you get the idea.
So there you go. Let me know if you want different/additional pictures or have any questions or comments.
I ended up getting a Maratac Mid Range Bag in black. I would have rather had a different color, but at least if I de-patch it and take off the side MOLLE pouches it could pass as a laptop bag without too much trouble. In my opinion, it will make a great airplane carry on or a car bag for traveling. I could easily get a spare change of clothes, toiletries, and a book in there and have room to spare. The MOLLE attachments on the back, sides, and top make it very modular. The side pouches are made by SpecOpsGear and are pretty well made. They also make large pouches that could mount to the back and nearly double the carrying capacity of the original bag. I left them in because I like the extra stability and protection they afford, but by taking out the included ABS plates, a person could easily overstuff the main pouch and outside pocket and get more gear inside. Maratac says they will easily carry 70 pounds worth of gear. I believe it. I wouldn't want to do it (ouch! my back!), but I think it would easily do it.
On to pictures! Please forgive some of the crappy quality. Sometimes I had to turn the flash on to show certain features, but it doesn't look very good. Crappy indoor lighting.
Front of the bag. Name tape from Kuwait, Medic patch from either Kuwait or Iraq, I can't remember. You can see the red wrap on the main zipper, and the red fobs with which I replaced the original black string pulls. I went for a Stryker look here. Anyone in EMS knows that on anything that Stryker makes, anything that is red moves. Plus, I like the red on black look.
Side 1. Custom patch designed by me and hand embroidered by a little old man in Kuwait. Photon light, green, that was on my IBA in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Back, with strap stowed. I won't use the shoulder strap much, but I want to be able to use it if I need it. Stowed with Velcro tape. You'll see more of the small shears and Skeletool next.
Back, strap deployed. There's the shears and skeletool.
Side 2. I suppose a person could even add another small pouch here, but it would get unwieldy rather quickly, I think.
Now for the open pictures. Also, let me reiterate, I'm a paramedic, not a photographer.
Front pouch open. I'll store my ipad in here. I need to find a small piece of foam or similar to pad the very bottom of the pouch, as its not padded, only a single layer of nylon there. I just want more protection for my ipad, if I was storing admin stuff in here, it wouldn't be an issue.
Ipad, with Griffin Survivor case. Love the case, btw. Totally awesome.
ABS stabilizer on the inside of the rear of the pouch. I didn't try it, but I have seen that an uncared ipad will fit in this little pouch.
Inside the main pouch. I still have enough room, and the main area isn't completely stuffed, just full.
Everything in there.
The little pouch has my chargers and the WP2 charger I use for my 18650 batteries for the PD32 I carry on my belt. Also, I can use one of the 18650 batteries, and plug a USB charger into it and charge my devices, which is awesome.
Inside the main pouch. Just FYI, the inside is not velco, it is just slick nylon.
Inside pouch ABS stabilizers. Easily removed, but I like them in. They aren't anemic either, they are about 3/32" thick.
Top flap. I like this style better than the flap over style, but ymmv. Big Velcro area and some additional MOLLE.
The zippers are connected, and the connecting piece is long enough that it will unzip quite a ways without unzipping the other side.
The end of the flap has Velcro closure, but it got annoying when I was testing/playing with it, so I blocked off some of it. Originally I blocked off all of it, but decided I wanted some closure there. If I ever need additionally security, I'll take off the blocking.
Bottom of the bag, showing the handles wrapping around the bottom of the bag.
Admin pouch. Not finished yet, but close.
Other small pouch. Bad picture, but you get the idea.
So there you go. Let me know if you want different/additional pictures or have any questions or comments.