Drop, formerly MassDrop, has catered to the ultralight crowd for a while now, dedicating one of their communities to it. From time to time, Drop also releases collaborations with manufacturers, including everything from a run of the Granite Gear Crown X60, to Kylmit sleeping pads, and custom mechanical keyboards. These runs are usually tweaked versions
First Tactical is a somewhat new brand in the tactical industry, having entered the market in 2015. Led by Dan Costa, (formerly of Royal Robbins, 5.11 Tactical and others), the company specializes in apparel, packs, knives and other accessories. First Tactical develops products for law enforcement and first responders primarily, but many of their items
If you’ve spent any time at all in the bag-sphere you’ve definitely heard of Jack Barley, Keven Dee, and EVERGOODS. Based out of Bozeman, Montana, the young brand had their first 2017 product launched on Kickstarter and raised $161,000 to bring out their first two packs, the Civic Panel Loader 24L (CPL24) and the Mountain
The Metromonger is a 9L sling bag made by Greenroom136, an independently owned bag company based in Malaysia. Patrick Lim, the founder, designs a series of urban carry focused bags including messenger style and backpack style bags, as well as matching accessories. Some of the bags are also offered as a full customizable product. I
Pad & Quill is a Minneapolis based company specializing in leather and canvas goods. If you know them already, it’s likely because of their luxury iPad and iPhone cases or, more recently, their leather Apple Watch bands. While not exclusively vending Apple-tied goods, P&Q positions itself as a companion company to Apple. Basically, all of
Editor’s Note: The original review was of the Pre-2019 Guide’s Pack, but has since been updated for the 2019 version which fixes some of the original issues we had with the pack. Tom Bihn is one of the most iconic backpack brands in the world. For everything from business travel to backcountry treks, Tom Bihn
Khard 30, Assault Pack 30, Big ‘Ol Kitchen Sink. Call it what you want but the 30 liter pack from Arc’teryx is one of those standard bags to which many others are often compared, so when I got the chance to add a lightly used and pre-loved wolf grey version to my closet, I jumped
Since 1995, Chrome Industries has been a pretty iconic company when it comes to bags. Especially noted for their messenger bags, custom work, and the use of dual-role old school seat belt buckles/bottle openers, Chrome has continued to make bags that are tailored to cyclists and people who commute and spend time out and about
Sometimes it takes an adventure to breathe new life into an old bag. I’ve had the Defy Bucktown in my closet for several months, and used it only sparingly. Primarily, I carry messenger bags or briefcases, and, when I do carry a backpack, have had good luck with the modular Mission Workshop systems like the
Vanquest is a tactical and outdoor gear manufacturer based in Orange County, California. They were founded in 2011 by a group of industry veterans and founding members of Maxpedition. Their products are designed and engineered, but not typically manufactured in the US, like many other US manufacturers. Vanquest is known for their unique look and
The Perfect Pack 