For years now I've kept a "bug out bag" packed and ready to go. It seems only prudent given that I live a few miles from a nuclear power plant, and even closer to a liquid natural gas storage facility. If need be, I can bug out by land or sea, but either way, I have to have my bag packed and ready to go. A short while ago, when my oldest son was visiting, he expressed the need to upgrade his Bug Out Bag (B.O.B.) and I handed him mine (empty of course). I immediately set about picking up a new one and, thanks to the folks at WTG Tactical I ended up with a Condor Tactical Gear OD Green 3-Days Assault Pack.
Going into my pack selection I knew exactly what my two primary concerns were: overall size and wearing/carrying comfort. Color didn't matter to me aside fromt the fact that I didn't want a bright color like blue, red or yellow (yes, lots of public safety packs and bags are being made in those colors now). Black, OD Green, camo, ARPAT, MARPAT, Multi-cam... whatever. The Condor 3-Day comes in Black, Tan, OD Green, ACU and multi-cam (although there is a significant price hike for the multi-cam variant).
I needed a bag big enough to haul my gear, that wore comfortably for miles upon miles of carry. The Condor 3-Day looked like it would fill my need, and it was recommended by the owner of WTG Tactical, so I figured I'd give it a try. At a price of only $77.99 I felt like, even if it wasn't the absolute best pack I'd ever had, I wasn't being ripped off to find out. That's an amazingly good price for a pack this size.
What size might that be? The pack measures 22" tall by 17" wide by 11" deep. It has two side pockets that measure 9" x 5" x 2.5" as well. Overall the thing has over 3,000 cubic inches of storage space. Compare that to other "3-day assault packs" and you start to realize just how big this is. It readily compares to full-size combat packs meant for much more than three days of use.
My other two requirements, beyond size and comfort, were a waist belt to help off-set the load distribution from my shoulders, and MOLLE attachment webbing on the outer surfaces. I knew prior to selecting a new B.O.B. that I would be attaching my Hawk Spike from K5 Tactical, and quite possibly a fixed blade knife OR a 1-quart canteen pouch OR a surplus entrenchnig tool (e-tool). MOLLE webbing on the outer surfaces was mandatory.
Well, I got the pack home and started loading it up. Since it's easier to attach MOLLE pouches on an empty, and therefore more flexible, pack, I first attached the Hawk Spike sheath/pouch and then the entrenching tool pouch. After that I began sorting my gear to go into the various compartments, pockets, mesh pockets, etc. Inside the main compartment there is a separated hydration pocket/section that can hold two 3-liter hydration bladders. I only have one to put in my B.O.B. so I went ahead and got that put in and ran the tube where I wanted it (over and along my left shoulder strap).
Organization almost proved TOO difficult due to the choices created inside the pack's structure. The main compartment is pretty big, and after I had the hydration bladder installed I could start stocking that main area. The second compartment has three map/document pockets, two radio pockets, and penholders that also serve well as light-stick holders or thin flashlight pockets. On the outside back face of the pack there are two more large pockets: a bottom pocket (12.5" x 6" x 3") with three elastic closures, and a zippered mash pocket. I already mentioned the two side pockets (above).
I finally got everything organized the way I wanted it and had room left over to put in my change of clothes, an extra hat, gloves, and two more pair of socks. I still had some room left over but was concerned about weight versus comfort so I held off putting anything else in the pack at that time. Putting on the pack, I adjusted the shoulder straps, the sternum strap and the waist belt so I got the fit as comfortable as I could manage. The "body contour" shoulder straps and the foam-padded back panel did make the pack feel far more comfortable than some others I've worn (can you say "ALICE pack?").
Within a week of receiving it and loading it, I knew I had to go for a hike with it to see how the load would ride/shift, and to make sure I tweaked the fit of the shoulder straps and waist belt for movement. I ended up doing about nine miles with the pack, taking a short break about every two miles. My pace wasn't killer - the nine miles took me a little more than four hours. Some of the terrain was wooded, small hills and trails; other parts of the hike were on sandy paths (that's just not comfortable on your calves).
I couldn't find anything to complain about as far as the pack was concerned. If I start to see any early signs of wear and tear, stitch failure, etc. I'll update you. For now I give this pack two thumbs up.
Stay safe!
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About The Author:
Lt. Frank Borelli (ret) is the Editor In Chief for Officer.com, and has 30 years of military and civilian law enforcement experience. An instructor since 1989 and having delivered training across the country, he stays active in police work, training, and writing. Frank has had five non-fiction and two fiction books published along with two research papers of specific interest to the law enforcement and/or military communities. All can be found / purchased on his Author Page on Amazon.com linked above. If you have any comments or questions, you can contact him via email to [email protected].
