Sandpiper of CaliforniaLong Range Bugout Backpack

This is not written to be a negative review. I simply wanted to raise the attention to people before they make a purchase on this. This bag is HUGE.I originally owned the SOC BOB (black) and I have owned it for years. It has flown with me, carried textbooks and gear, etc. FANTASTIC BOB! No joke. SOC makes awesome gear and it's make in the USA. I wanted to upgrade (because I'm a stupid materialistic American). To be honest the side pockets were what intrigued me since my BOB didn't have any and my middle and small pockets were filled with gear (always EDC everywhere you go).I traded in and got this pack. My... god... it's massive. I mean I'm staring at it now and it's almost as large as my laundry hamper, and it's sitting on the floor leaning against my book shelf. When I have it fully up and on my shoulders, strapped down, any gear that is not strapped down inside you will feel around your bum. That's how low it will hang. And I'm 6ft 2in. I truly love the pack - no joke. I do. But looking back in hindsight it is actually too much for what I wanted, which was just some added pockets to my already great BOB. I cannot however, let my wife know this as she will cut my head off for getting rid of a perfectly good BOB to "upgrade."The one thing that king of bugs me about the LR is the waste strap. I weigh in at 200lbs and with the waste straps fully tightened WITHOUT going over the thick cushion parts of the belt (same foamy material as the thick part of the shoulder straps), it does not tighten fully on my waste. To get it tight I have to tighten the straps OVER the thick foam to get a tight fit. It is obviously meant for someone wearing a bit of gear.It truly isn't a big deal for me though as I just use this as my EDC/BOB/Work Pack. I removed the waste straps and folded them up into one of the small side pockets (... oh what purpose they serve now...). That way if I find myself wearing a kit I can pull them out and hook them up.So... I love the pack. But with me and my big head/ego, it is too much for me. I wish I had kept my BOB or at least tested this thing out before I purchased it.It is damn tough though, and the straps have been improved in design and stiching.

I currently work in an active combat zone (Afghanistan), and when its time to take a little R&R I needed something that was a little bigger than what I had, a BP that is durable, look nice, various compartment pockets, for extra stuff and travel friendly. A few years back I purchased a Bug Out back pack from SOC, this time I wanted to see what the other sites had to offer....I honestly looked at other makes and brands from these sites, none of them seem to have what I was looking for, needles to say I went back to SOC and found just what I want it. Its a little bigger than the Bug Out BP, has all the bells & whistles insofar as accessory pockets & compartments, in the environment in which I work, this back pack is design to give you the satisfaction you're looking for in bp. So take it from this ole retired US Marine, the Master Guns says ....don't waste valuable time looking around, grab this BP, you'll be glad you did ...Bet on it.

The packs design is great 5 stars but the reason I have given it 3 is due to its overall quality. When the pack arrived I had to go though the pack with a knife and cut off all the loose strands of threat. I have had a 3 Day Bug Out Pack for a couple years that I have taken on deployments before and it has held up extremely well. Once this pack came in I was disappointed that the same quality that was in that pack was not in this one. SOC has clearly let their standards of quality drop quite a bit with this pack.Quality issues aside, I have been using this pack for the last month or so downrange and it has some pros and cons. I am a bigger guy and this pack rides nice on my back with average load (laptop, first aid kit, hydration pack, pens and that kind of stuff). It is a bit bigger than the picture makes it out to be but that is what I was looking for with this pack as I plan to ship my suitcase home and travel for 4 days back to the states with just this pack. I feel like it will be able to handle the load very easily. The main area of the bag as a slot for a hydration pouch with pass though at the top of the pack and loops on the shoulder straps for it. It also has straps inside to hold down anything you need to keep in place (laptop, clothes, SOC Q Folder etc...) The next section has 2 large zipper and mesh pockets along with enough space to slide a standard binder or notebooks in with no issue. Its quick and easy to get to, for me I have my travel documents in there because they are easy to get too. There is a smaller zipper that runs along the front of the pack opening another pocket for any documents that you may need to get to quick. Lastly is the front pocket with organizers in it for pens and that sort of stuff with MOLLE rigging on the front. I have some basic stuff in the pouches along the sides, shemagh, watch cap, and stuff that wouldn't really go well with being in any other spot.For me the best part about this pack is how big it is and how well it rides on my back. The worst part being the lack of quality zippers, it is more noticeable on the smaller zippers. They stop when trying to zip them open and closed and when I received the pack they were actually separated and it required some work to line them up and zipper them closed to get them to work again.