Vertx EDC Ready

When someone asks me what bag should I get for daily carry use, typically my response is getting a Vertx EDC pack. It is the little bag that could, in my opinion at least. Weighing in at about 1.3kg and with a storage capacity of 25 liters, it really can fulfill multiple roles well. I’m 178cm tall or 5’10” in ancient text, and probably the target height for this bag. The shoulder straps tend to sit wider than I am used to and actually feel quite comfortable.

Basic stats;

48cm H x 28cm W x 21.5cm D (19” H x 11” W x 8.5” D)

CYKK Zippers

Weight: 1.3kg (2lb. 15.4 oz.)

I used this bag for around a year for my everyday carry. And for this, it really excels. It was obviously designed for this as the name implies and does a fantastic job. Everything you could want from an EDC pack is included. The awesome organisation, hydration pocket and bottle pockets, discreet styling, MOLLE, velcro and the list goes on.

The pack sits quite comfortably over your shoulders, it has removable sternum straps and a waist belt. The waist belt can tuck away behind the back padding which just improves the versatility of this pack a little more.

The shoulder straps are comfortable wide and receive no real complaints from me. They unclip at the ends allowing you to take the pack off in a pinch. This pack was designed to work with a weapons system and there are a number of styling and functional add-ons that show this.

Behind the back panel, there is a ‘concealed’ zippered compartment. I say concealed with quotations because the zipper pulls and zip is quite accessible and not really concealed from view. Once you fold over your shoulder straps this section just zips down three sides to reveal a large fairly slim velcro covered compartment. If you were carrying a weapon this is where you would ‘hide’ it. However for the rest of us, it’s largely useless (unless you’ve got velcro pouches), a hydration system could be placed here like a Qore Performance IcePlate. There is an additional zippered compartment used to house the frame sheet, which could be swapped out for a ballistic plate.

The built-in organisation of this pack is outstanding in every way. The main compartment has two mesh pockets, 3 small horizontal pockets and a ton of velcro. The middle pocket has velcro MOLLE which is a bit more BYO organisation but it obviously helps a lot. And the front pocket has the typical admin pouch, pen pockets and mesh pockets galore.

There wouldn’t be many packs that could compete with Vertx when it comes to functional built-in organisation and implemented in such a well thought out way. The addition of velcro pretty much everywhere also makes this pack heavily customisable.

Along with the other organisation, there is also the fairly typical mesh pockets littered throughout the interior. These are quite good for just stashing miscellaneous items, and seem to be quite well made.

The EDC Ready has a number of great features that seem less important at the time but actually turn out to be extremely useful. Take for instance the second grab handle incorporated into the front panel. I have used this handle almost daily when using this bag. The handle allows you to grab the bag at-a-run or simply allow for an easier angle of attack when the pack is laid on its back. If I had my way almost all packs I own would have one of these handles.

The side bottle pockets fit a 32oz / 1L Nalgene which is an essential for me. A small amount of space is eaten up with the full-size Nalgene, but not enough to really worry about.

The main pocket has a laptop sleeve that is designed to accommodate a 15″ laptop. My 13″ Macbook fits perfectly, I’d imagine a 15″ laptop would be a squeeze but would fit none-the-less. The pack has minimal padding on the base to protect your precious electronics. The padding is wearing thinner due to age but I’d still be confident resting the pack on concrete or tiles.

I would recommend using this pack for daily tasks, such as an EDC pack, or simple day trips. I have used this pack for a number of overnight stays and while it was possible it was a tad small. If all you do is 1-day hikes and day traveling this pack will cover all your needs. If you’re after very specific organisation set up then I would highly recommend the Vertx EDC Ready Pack. The number of velcro add-ons you can buy these days would see this pack being extremely versatile.

Wear and tear is excellent given that this pack would be close to two years old now. With at least 1 year of constant daily use and another 4-5 months of weekend carry. There appears to be no tears in the fabric, or stitches coming loose. Overall its been a great pack, with all the internal organisation it makes it hard to move from this to a less organised pack.

A number of really well thought out features has made this pack what I will continue to bench mark future packs on when it comes to admin and organisation. I have really enjoyed carrying this and I can honestly say there wouldn’t be anything that I would change.

As of publishing, you’re able to get 25% off your entire cart at VertX.com using code “theperfectpack” at checkout.