Maxpedition Vulture-II Tactical Backpack

Description

Bullet-proof, bomb-proof, and battering-ram resistant, this bag is a tank.

Getting a pack that fits you can make the biggest difference. Good shoes and a fitted pack with tight straps has quite honestly saved me from going over the edge of a waterfall.

Packed to the gills and then dragged, sometimes quite literally, across a dozen countries, the Maxpedition Vulture II  has yet to let me down. It has been the albatross around my neck as well as my pillow when I’m tired.

The tough water resistant fabric and rubberized bottom make this pack great for the wet if combined with a simple aftermarket cover.

When I first bought my bike in Hanoi, on the big first leg south out of the city, I suddenly lost both bags off the side. Just slipped right off, tumbling down the highway after me in the rain. When I found them in a ditch there was barely a scratch. Not a popped zipper or gouge to speak of.

Bullet-proof.

I’ve only had it become compromised once, by rats

While staying on a remote island off the coast of Cambodia I hung my pack from a rafter with a small cluster of bananas inside. My breakfast.

When I awoke, a hole the size of a golf ball had been chewed clean through. The rat had scaled the chain I had hung it with, then balanced, Mission Impossible-style from the bottom while chewing a perfect hole through the dense fabric.

I’ve added the ‘Roly-Poly’ dump pouch ($15) to the outside webbing. It’s a simple, sturdy bag with a drain grommet at the bottom. Designed to hold seven fully-loaded M-16 magazines, it’s also perfect for a wet bathing suit, sandy sandals, or a big bag of greasy train-samosas.

The bag comes with an available Camelbak pocket and hose port, although I rarely use it. Instead I keep the rather secret flat sleeve as a holder for documents – important papers, checks, and bills of health and sobriety – all tucked away from the mud and grime of the road in a pristine dry bag.

As it comes, the zippers do not lock. A minor drawback that can be easily fixed by purchasing some small keyrings and working them through the zippers. A luggage lock will give a small measure of protection from snatch&grab theft, which is really all you can do. 

Throw in a small braided bike cable, like the Kryptonite, and the bag can be tethered through the carrying handle and locked to a luggage rack. This small paranoid move at the very least allowed me to sleep soundly on many long Indian trains.

– Nick

$145.00Buy From Amazon