Vertx Overlander Tactical Backpack 45L for Conceal Carry, Hiking, Camping, Overlanding, Travel, Work, Rudder Green (VTX5023)

This is my go to camp bag. I have about 13 Vertex bags for different applications and they all hold up better than previous bags that I have had. I like the size of the Overlander versus the outgoing Gamut Overland because of the extra capacity. I can have my hammock, underquilt, sleeping bag, rain fly, and mess kit all in the main compartment. the semi rigid frame and larger hip straps does a much better job of distributing the loads. definitely would recommend this bag to anyone that needs a pack that is larger than a daypack, but smaller than a full sized excursion backpack.

It’s a little big but, has a lot of space including for camping and traveling. The zippers are really durable. Sits comfortable on the shoulders and it’s great product for the price.

Background: 6'1 200 lb male, Upper Midwest.Backpacks tend to fall into 2 categories: comfortable for long wear but heavy, and light but uncomfortable for long wear (due to less padding). This backpack, while not having the weight of a cinder block, is decidedly NOT in the latter category. However, it's so comfortable and adjustable you could easily wear it for hours, and its utility makes it exceptional regardless of whether you're carrying. More on the latter later.I use it daily to shuttle 2 - 3 laptops, a Wi-Fi hotspot, lunch, and soda. I've had it for about a year it hasn't shown any signs of wear. The zippers are big and butter smooth.Both the shoulder straps and hip belts are wide and padded. The hip belt does a fantastic job of transferring the pack's weight to your hips as it should, with the shoulder + sternum straps ensuring the pack stays upright for said load transfer. Unfortunately the hip belt isn't detachable, so if you don't like it you can't switch it out as you can with the Outdoor Vitals KotaUL (the closest comparable *travel* pack).The design is very tech forward and much preferred to the numerous, Uber-TryHard ruck-type backpacks that make their wearers look desperate to appear tough. Vertx's clever Tactigami Velcro system makes the the pack widely reconfigurable. As much of the pack's interior is Velcro loop, you can even adjust the mount location of the laptop sleeve AND its retention strap. This is a feature I've never seen in any other pack, ever.Although I hope never to have to use it, I got the matching Level IIIA (L3A) Premier Body Armor insert because I take this pack to work, work incidents are a thing, and most US mass incidents use pistols whose rounds L3A is effective against (L3A is completely ineffective against rifle rounds). I've seen some YouTubers claim it makes the pack heavy but IMO if you find this pack + insert heavy you're either too small for it or need to start lifting for your own health.Now for some limitations. While this is a commuter pack, it is NOT a travel pack. For one, there's a risk it might not fit into many overhead compartments as it's long and wide. I think there's a way to remove the internal frame, but doing so is cumbersome and still leaves the thick, relatively stiff pack padding behind. Also, the hip belt can't be removed. If you're looking for a travel pack like this, the aforementioned KotaUL is your ticket. 2nd, I don't think the impression that you may be carrying is one you want to give at security checkpoints.There are also quite a few YouTubers promoting this is a CCW pack. My take on that is while this is easily the best high volume pack for that, you definitely want to practice using it for that purpose as dismounting it from fully engaged hip, shoulder, and sternum straps isn't quick. That issue is common to all packs with this config, so it's not a strike against this one. Also, if the pack is loaded to full capacity it's likely to be unwieldy. If you're going to use it for quick pull, make sure you see before they see you and you've dismounted or completed the pull before engaging. Another option might be to put place yours in the upper compartment and train the muscle memory to retrieve it from there without removing the pack. However, doing so means only your back gets armor coverage. I do think the body armor feature is useful for covering your center of mass. Basically, this bag won't turn you into Frank Castle. You'll need to practice if you want that.My main beef with this pack, which cost it a star, is both the lack of explicit DWR in the specs and customer service who were unable to provide the DWR capabilities of the material. Apparently Vertx thinks you're more likely to get into a firefight than encounter rain, which is probably more indicative of the general impracticality of US "EDC" culture than anything else. That said, I have worn it in rain to no ill effect to the electronics within.A smaller beef is the compression straps interfering with the volume of the water bottle pockets, but I won't ding the pack for that because that's the result of the pack minimizing the straps that trail around it while maximizing what those straps can do.Bottom line: this is a solid product that serves both geeks of all kinds very well. Just don't use it for air travel and practice if you truly want to incorporate it into active self defense. I highly recommend it.

Tactical and durable without looking tactical unless you want it to. Pile inside allows for pouches with hook backing to stick in place allowing for customization. Recommend users be 5’10” or taller or have a long torso because it’s a long pack without a great way to shorten it.

Great product, well made.

I'll try to keep this brief...bottom line, this is a great BOB/Go Bag/72 Hour bag. It has tons of great design features, and it really feels like the manufacturer was purposeful in their design.I ended up buying another $100 or so worth of the Tactigami accessories, and while they don't come cheap, they turn this bag into an extraordinary performer.Favorite features:- Concealment panel is great. The full hook and loop back lets you position a holster/magazines wherever you want. The padding on the outside of the panel is fantastic- I experienced not hot spotting even with a full size pistol and two magazines inside.- the front porch has MOLLE attachments if that's more your style of if you want to use pouches/attachments from a different pack.- Zippers are very smooth and the quick pull tabs are a great feature for easy access.-Exterior pockets are stretchy and can accommodate various shapes/sizes inside.I liked it so much that I replaced my current bag. Obviously, the price is reflective of the quality, but if you're looking for a great pack with plenty of tactical features, you can't go wrong with this one!

This is an excellent pack for the beginner and seasoned outdoorsman alike, with durable rugged construction and robust features. Every zipper on this bag is ruggedized, and you wont find a strap that isn't double stitched, the attention to detail is on part with many well known outdoor equipment brands.I grabbed this in black, and it is true to the listing. Each compartment is thoughtfully laid out with endless customization possibilities, including a few light duty stretch pockets to allow for quick packing of items like wet shoes, easy grab items, or other gear you may want to be near fresh air while on the go.The straps are wide and comfortable, with more than ample padding for a 40-65lb load. The waistband is great at transferring the load to your legs to reduce back strain when hiking with a significantly packed bag. The external load connection points are plenty for a nice sleeping mat, several bottles, a tarp, or other outdoor gear you may bring along for a trek in the great outdoors.I am incredibly impressed with this pack, bravo Vertx!

I've been using this as a range bag for about five months now. It fits my SBR SCAR 16 in the largest pocket, as long as the stock is folded. It also fits our hearing protection, eye protection, ammo, and a sidearm. I've also been dumping our spent brass into another pocket so that I can clean and reload it at home.It has held up nicely. I haven't noticed any breakdown of the latches or zippers. It's also quite comfortable to wear.It's a bit too large to be carried onto a plane, but you could definitely check it easily.