Explorer Tactical Messenger Bag

I put some padding in this and it is now my camera bagIt is sturdy and well madeThere is enough room in the main compartment for a dslr and one long lens with a standard lens on the dslr (Note I use a 4/3 camera so please make note of that.I love the color and all the other external pockets as well as a place to use for a map or thin notebooks (The kind you use a ball pointwith).It has a nice long cross body strap that is good and thick and is attached to bag by a wider piece of the stiff fabric that makes up the bag itself.This really insures a nice long wearing strap.This is a great choice for just about anything from carrying smaller books to school or daily hiking needs or work stuff or lunch.I am hoping to have this for a good long time and I am going to use the heck out of it.

The media could not be loaded. I must have spent over numerous internet searches AT LEAST several days at several different places looking for a bag that would not be so overwhelmingly big I'd never carry it or use it or otherwise too small what would be the point. I'd actually used a tool bag that came with some of our battery operated screwdrivers and trimmers -- but everything would get all jumbled up and if it tipped over in the car everything fell out -- plus I'd never actually carry it around with me with the tool bag logo on it!I recently took a waist pack with me on a four week trip and that got me thinking about a "real bag" that could carry more than a camera and what nots around. I did finally find one on-line place with lots of selection but boy were the prices "dear"! Also checked the local shops in town, but nothing compared to features and value I found with this product.This Explorer was well liked by many people in the reviews and there was only one other that seemed to be as well mentioned, but it cost significantly more and I could see little difference besides a "brand". I had some trouble trying to figure out if what I needed to put into it would fit from other peoples' mentions. I basically read all the reviews with particular attention to what they said they put in the bag and then took an educated so to speak guess it would work.The "messenger" part of the description in my mind would mean it would take large envelops and file sized material -- but it does not take papers as large as files. If it did it would be perfect, but it is CLOSE TO PERFECT and I don't routinely need to take a stack of files with me -- so I decided to put it to work and see what I thought after several weeks. Several weeks are up and I really like it! For one thing I can keep all the stuff I'd need to collect in one place. Saves me running out of the house to only have to come back in for something I'd forgot to pick up and take with. Now I can drop off the bag when I come home and just pick it up the next day; about all I have to do is charge the cell phone in between coming back in and going back out.A few loose threads from sewing (you can probably see from the pictures if you look close) but nothing serious, nothing left unsown, and I have not taken scissors yet to trim the few threads. I saw no tears or thin fabric, and I have not tried to be overly gentle with it and it seems to have held up fine. The fabric when you first get it is stiff, but it gets acclimated and flexes very quickly. It is not so thick to be bulky and it adapts to what you put into it very well. It comes rather compressed but fills gracefully -- they made a good selection in my opinion with their choice of materials. Workmanship with the unit I got seems very high quality.I like the fact that there are side and front and top compartments. For me I use the big deep "central" compartment for things I don't need all the time and the side and front and top compartments are where I place within things I may need quicker -- like while traveling in the car (or reaching for keys to get in, looking for money, reaching for the camera to take a shot as it is happening in front of you.It is very well thought out -- perhaps one of the hardest things is determining where to most logically put everything for the best access! It has loops and velcros all over, many I've never yet found a use for but I like that it will have some capacity to adapt and have MORE than I need rather than too few parts.I use four varied colored little plastic pencil holder devices within the big main cavity to keep things organized. There is a sleeve inside that main big cavity that is designed to pull up and over to help waterproof which I do not use but I think it is a fine feature to have. Inside that main cavity I have a pencil holder which has my check books and a pen. Another has my endorsement stamps and a small calculator. Another has a small bottle of hand sanitizer, eye drops, and smell neutralizer. Another has our pamphlets and business cards. Then not in a holder I will throw in my shopping coupons and any mail I might pick up from the post office. I normally also have a kindle in there -- it fits easily.Toward the back -- the side that is closest to you when you wear it, there is another nice pocket that to me is more hidden and away & I like that for better security. There I put a money belt which can also hold a drivers license or passport, and my wallet if I don't want to have it on me, and I have a small "ziplock" bag for condiments (salt, pepper, etc.), and a small drawstring pouch that has pills like for cramps, bezocaine (for sea food allergies or over here if you step on a centipede) and some milk enzyme pills and emergency pills for our dogs. Also noteworthy is that it can take a nice sized "coin sack" that I can grab if I need loose change or some loose bills I keep in there [like for yard sales or thrift shops].On the left side it has a nice side pouch that works well for a hard case for sunglasses, then there is a zipper case that I put in a spray bottle of muscle spray and it is lined with a plastic liner which is good, then forward of that are several holding straps that hold four various pens or markers that are easy to get to when you need them.On the right side is a plastic lined cavity that has a hole in the bottom -- for cold drinks to sweat and drain. It has a nice drawstring to close the top closer which I like. I have yet to put a drink bottle in there but it is very handy to "toss" things in and get them out again -- like your house keys, your cell phone, and for the last few days a tube of muscle rub.On the very top is a zippered flat compartment. I put two sets of spare keys in there in case I need them. This is easy to access being right on the top, when you get home and need your spare keys you know where to go for them!On the very front, when you have the top cover in place over the main cavity -- there is a nice zippered compartment that is fairly narrow and flat and I have found it priceless to put receipts into that. Before getting this bag I developed the habits where I'd wad up or toss receipts into the car to have them blown around. Putting them there I remember where they are and I don't lose them. Plus this compartment is right in front, easy access, and the papers get zipped in to keep them secure -- you can't deduct them receipts if you lose them!With the main cavity uncovered, right above the buckle, is exposed another nice sized side cavity. Big enough for an inhaler, a medium sized brush, and some breath spray. And the fact that it gets buckled in when the bag is closed up means they won't fall out when you aren't needing them and moving yourself around.Behind that they have craftily added in another nice interior pouch, this time adding into the mix a mesh divider. It fully zippers closed and has a key keeper inside. I use the mesh for keeping screen cleaners -- (for eyeglasses and sunglasses) and the front portion is "spare room" that I'm sure could come in handy on a long trip.So you have a top compartment, top flap compartment, then under the flap two front compartments, then a nice back compartment, then a very deep main compartment, two side compartments and on the left is a zippered compartment and looped pen holder. Many of these are plastic lined -- and the whole thing buckles or pulls up to be secure enough to take on an ATV or roller coaster, etc.It is not too big to feel like a briefcase or suitcase, not too small to not accomplish anything, just about perfect! If while traveling in the car we round a curve -- it tends to stay put, but on the occasion we do round a corner fast, and it topples, everything is kept in it's place.People don't seem to pick you out when you carry it over your shoulder, it blends in well. It travels easy and feels natural enough on your shoulder -- I do think it takes some getting used to as far as the weight or "balance", I think that is just a matter of time for you to get accustomed to it. The strap is very adjustable you can position it lower or higher according to your taste.I wanted something I could travel with and take with me a nice HD video camera, spare batteries and memory cards. I checked for this ability as soon as I got the bag home -- both our HD video cameras and 2 spare batteries and extra memory cards will fit in the front pocket comfortably. I wanted a bag where I could get to my camera without needing to unbuckle it and make such a big fuss that my subject would be made nervous, or take so long I'd miss the shot. You can get to your camera with a "scoop" and be up and filming in a matter of seconds...Yet if you need to go into an area where they are shooting water at you you can secure and protect your camera just as quick!This bag passes all my tests with the exception it does not really take file sized folders -- but it is close enough to be scored in the high 90's -- a well earned "A" in my grade book!I'm glad to take the time to give some insight into my experience with this very adaptable bag; hopefully others can understand what fits and have less trepidation and not need to spend so much time investigating that I had to do prior to my trying it out!I'd get it again!

Went on a big tour abroad that involved a bunch of repacking and moving. Did not want a big bag to haul around. Just something big enough for day touring. This one fits the bill. Has so many pockets it was easy to stay organized. Sunglasses pouch, secure water bottle pouch. Many notepad, camera, cell phone pouches and even a larger main weatherproof compartment I kept an iPad in and some lightweight nylon clothes. Still much smaller than a day backpack.Built very sturdy. Can see why a pistol shooter would want this pack. Totally satisfied. Can't beat the price.

The pack is very nice in size and design. It fits over the shoulder and holds the pack very close to parallel with the ground. The interior space is nice, I can fit 2 days worth of summer clothes in it and a 12oz water bottle in the side.The construction of the pack is ok but when I filled up the main compartment the interior lining ripped after the first use.

I carry this thing every day and it is great, but has one or 2 problems. First of all it is a bit smaller than it looks. I can fit lunch in it and that's about all. Second, the stitching on the zippered compartment on the front came apart and I lost some stuff without noticing.After having reenforced that one area (the rest if the bag is built tougher) and having attached a little MOLLE pouch I can't really complain about this bag any more. I don't plan on replacing it any time soon.

Fantastic bag! Same quality as a maxpedition but definitely cheaper. It even has a magazine strap on the back to hide an extra mag in the sleeve. Perfect for edc and not excessively large like some bags. Cinch center keeps things dry and not a ton of pockets which I like. It's minimalistic but carries a lot of stuff. My coworker who has a maxpedition is jealous bc he paid 3 times as much for his bag as I did mine and the quality is outstanding. Highly recommended!