I try very hard to avoid either effusive praise or overly harsh criticism of gear since most of what makes gear good or bad is personal preference. However, I have been sufficiently impressed in two instances and sufficiently disgruntled in one that I thought I would share my thoughts. First the bad, just in case you get to the point that you can't read any more. Also, I have no vested interest in either company. In March, I purchased a Maxpedition Jumbo K.I.S.S. Versipack for EDC. I liked the features as described, including the concealed compartment that is big enough for a 5" XD45. It is organized well and I can carry a few books and an iPad in the main compartment, a basic first aid kit in the front compartment, spare magazines, trauma shears and a flashlight in a side compartment, and a water bottle. In the concealed compartment, I have my XD and a 20 round box of ammo. All good so far. The problem is, the nylon fabric is literally coming apart. There is a grab handle at the top, which is where I usually grab it. Go figure. Just below the left side, the nylon has pulled apart. I first thought the stitching on the seam failed, since that is usually a weak point. Nope, the stitching still looks amazingly strong. But the fabric has pulled apart. Not good. I have been on Maxpedition's web site this morning, and there is precious little related to customer service. I will let you know how I fare with that. On to more pleasant topics. I have recently acquired two packs from Sandpiper of California. I was given the first, a Three Day Elite Bag and decided to use it to replace a pack that I had used pretty hard for several years that was moving quickly towards the end of its lifecycle. I was impressed. Very impressed. I own or have used a LOT of gear packs over the last twelve years, and none comes even close to this bag. A lot of thought was put into its design. It has one particular compartment that has three pouches that attach with velcro. You can pull out the pouches, fill them, and then put them back in whatever order suits you best. I used these for three tiers of first aid. Top is for minor wounds, middle for more significant. The bottom has Quikclot. This bag is a TARDIS; you can just keep putting stuff into it. It also has aluminum back stays to distribute the load. I have to admit that I have not yet carried this pack any great distance, but just putting it on shows it to be more comfortable than any other pack I can think of (including ALICE, MOLLE, ILBE, etc.). I usually don't pay for packs, and I didn't pay for this one, but on the strength of this bag's design and function, I went to their website and bought... The Long Range Bugout. Okay, it's expensive. Especially for a guy who doesn't usually pay anything for this kind of gear. But it is worth it. The thing is huge without being bulky. And it is actually called a bugout bag. It has most of the same design features as the Three Day Elite, except for the wonder compartment with the pouches that attach with velcro. And it is bigger. When I say bigger, I mean BIGGER. Almost 7000 cubic inches. I could load it up with anything I wanted and then put two of my kids in there just to top it off. It also has straps that allow the user to compress the main compartment if less room is needed. My only piece of advice would be to make sure you can haul what you pack, because with a pack this size, you could overload it. That's all I have for now. If anyone has a good recommendation for an EDC bag, let me know. I might be turned off of Maxpedition for good since this was my first time to use their products. It's a shame since it seemed like it was going to be a good pack.
Find a good seamstress, and have her put a Back-Patch across the area that is getting stressed, out to maybe +75% of the separation, using some heavy RipStop Nylon fabric. "A stitch in Time, saves Nine"..... YMMV.....
They told me today that it is covered by warranty, so I'm feeling a little bit better. We'll see how difficult the process is.
Definite system failure. If they don't fix it, a group called Black Tyde Tactical on Facebook sells almost the exact thing for $33. I think I've also seen something very similar on Sportsman's Guide. Let me/us know how this turns out. EDIT: Black Tyde Tactical is on the Monkey too. I don't think they have a web store yet.
Thanks for the kind words. We have great feedback on our bags. If I can help the OP in anyway ease the pain of what he went through, PM me. Ill see how I can help. Our web site is in progress. But, you can purchase from FB with paypal account. BTT
took a look at the site - looks nice. Will have to check back in a couple of weeks with the mid month paycheck
I own alot of Maxped items. The customer sevice was great. Fortunantely for me it was only one item I had an issue with and I called them up and they said send it back. Within a week I had a new bag. Call em. I bet they stand with their work without hesitation.
I've got several products of theirs and they have withstood years of abuse. I've had to deal with their customer support just once and they didn't give me any they just said "We're really sorry, please send it back" and they gave me a good replacement lickity split. When you make as much product as they do, statistics are going to catch up. I think you were the unlucky recipient. But it sounds like they are doing right by you now that you've given them a chance to.
I'm not a fan of any tactical gear that uses velcro. its just so noisy. how are you going to quietly pull a pistol out with velcro? not a fan. i dont even really loike snap close pockets. i do like the plastic zippers for this kind of gear.
Someone posted we had no web site. At first, we didn't. Our web site has been up for a year now. Sorry, business took off quick and been busy. Here is the web address if it helps. www.BlackTydeTactical.com
My everyday bag is a Maxpedition Falcon and it has been abused and abused but still is in exceptional condition.
I found the web site : https://www.blacktydetactical.com/istore/ OK , I see it was posted , and I was on Page one. DUH Sloth Edit add: I got mixed up on the pages
