HAZARD 4Second Front(TM Rotatable Backpack Hazard

This is the perfect day pack for the field. I'm a Marine (reviewing from my wife's account) and this bag is basically perfect for me. After my previous personal bag fell apart I was looking for a replacement that was more compact that didn't look huge on me as well as fell within uniform regulations and this bag fits the bill perfectly. It holds plenty of supplies without looking big. On one field op I fit 3 days of food water and supplies, including my sleeping gear. I tend to load up bags fairly heavy and the hip strap comes in handy. The material and construction are very rugged. My bag was even ran over by a car and the only thing wrong was the hip buckle broke on one side which I was able to order a replacement from hazard 4 for only about $3. I've had this bag for just over a year and the only thing wearing out are the sleeves on the zipper pulls with are just cosmetic and we're easily reinforced with tape. This is an amazing bag and would highly recommend it.

To start the newer version of the bag definitely has a removable waist strap and it does contain the locking buckle. I'm not sure if other reviews of this product are for an older version or just flat out got the wrong bag but this one has a very well constructed and indeed removable waist strap. That aside the rest of the bag I received had no stitching issues or any flaws. It has a lot of very cool features that aren't really shown on the item listing. There is a zipper expandable side pocket, the entire interior is lined with the fabric that allows hazard 4's dividers to customize internal space, and the laptop\hydration pocket is basically quillted to protect your device. This is my second Hazard 4 bag, I usually stick with 5.11 and maxpedition and I took a chance on a Hazard 4 sling. Liked that one so went for a full size bag. You will absolutely not be disappointed with this bag.

Bought this in 2104 and traveled all around asia with this bag. Went through slums in India, ankor wat in cambodia, and hiked volcanos bali. It's heavier than it needs to be (lots of extra webbing) but it is durable af. It still seems barely used. It feels like one of those backpacks that will finally give out after 15-20 years. It seems more stain resistant than my other backpacks as well.There are straps that always get stuck in the zipper of the top, smaller compartment but you learn to live with it. Often the zippers can be hard to find but seriously, this is a killer backpack. Hazard 4 knows what they are doing. I paid around 150 for it. Would purchase another if this one wasn't still in great condition.

I originally wanted the Switchback but wear my slings on my right shoulder due to an injury on my left and since the Switchback is not ambidextrous I went with the Second Front. Let me first say that the material, build, and features are top notch! I love Hazard 4 products and the thinking they put into their designs. That said the Second Front does not quite work as a pack. It rides too high so when slipped out of one shoulder strap to bring sideways in front of you the zippered areas are not easily accessible unless you were it low which does not feel right. The waist straps are unnecessary and fixed in place. They should be able to be tucked into the pockets many of the other H4 packs have but given the size of this bad I don't see much of a need for them at all. Additionally, the size of this pack is not commensurate with the price. I could be okay paying this premium if it were made in the USA but comparing to some of the competing brands like 5.11 Hazard 4 seems to a bit high. This pack should be in the $139 range IMO, even though it is much more feature rich than the Rush24, you can see in my photos a significant size difference. Even the patrol pack is smaller than the Rush24 and while the admin pocket and molded clamshell case are awesome the rest of the inside of the Patrol Pack is fairly barebones.I really like the design and ideas into the Second Front but it didn't work for me. If it had been about 20% larger with tuckable waist straps and a dedicated pocket with hook and loop for CCW I could see it as a perfect size and solution for an EDC bag.

I got this bag after returning my ORCA Salish 40L bag. Upon opening, I immediately noticed a difference of quality. Its a solid bag. Built well, really easy for strap management, and YES, THE MIDDLE WAIST BELT IS REMOVABLE.This is a good bag for modular usage. I Bought it for a trip to San Diego coming up soon and I need to transport my camera equipment and the main compartment is pretty much perfect. While my own camera padding didn't attach to the walls well, the padding HAZARD 4 provides will probably do the job well.There are a few cons to the bag. But I'm sure these things are fixed with the bigger pack.-There's is no dedicated laptop pouch. Best to buy a laptop sleeve.-As stated, the inner walls are lined with felt which is awesome, but using your own padding with velcro is out for long travel.-The only zippers with a lock are the frontward pocket ones. Which, is good for security, but I wish the rest of the zippers had that.-The main pocket's opening is... awkward? The pocket opening doesn't go from the side, it goes from the corner. There a 4 inch section thats basically the hinge. It makes it slightly weird for access, as does the zipper flap that covers the zipper for the main pouch.-No MOLLE straps on the very bottom of the bag.Overall, I knew after buying the Jelly Roll for my lens that this would be a good choice. I'm very satisfied. If there's anything that happens while on the trip, I'll update this review. As I generally dont review until having the item for 30 days, but in this case I made an exception.