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Old 09-10-2010, 07:08 AM   #11 (permalink)
Walt
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Location: North Carolina
Looks like a great general purpose pack. Kelty has always made great stuff. My only objections to it are;

1) The external side and back pouches cannot be removed. I like my modular pack to be completely modular so I can add/remove pouches to suit the needs of the day.
2) The molle system is set up on pre-existing external pouches. Attach a pouch to a pouch and its not all that stable, meaning it will be swinging all over the place unless the pouch you attach it to is stuffed full.
3) The retention straps on the main external pouch look cool and I have several packs with them, but they don't seem work any better than the regular compression straps located on the sides of most assault packs. Instead, their main purpose is to provide a bit of a cavity outside of your pack. Anything you stuff in cavity is held in there only by the tension of the straps. Simply put, you cant put anything in there that you cannot afford to lose. (I use mine to store trash that I'm packing out, sandals or wet socks.)
4) The Kelty is made of Kodra as opposed to Cordura. From what I understand, Kodra is a South Korean knock-off of DuPont's Cordura. If memory serves, the Kodra is slightly lighter, the Cordura has better abrasion resistance.

If I were shopping around for a pack that was going to see use on campus and at work, I would go with one of the "classic" 3-pouch assault packs with the smooth sides and back. That way you can customize your kit to suit your needs.

I really dig this pack from Diamondback. The dimensions appear to be just a bit smaller than the Kelty, though you have to remember that the 2500cu of the Kelty includes the external pouches.

Diamondback Tactical 3-Day Assault Packs - Diamondback Tactical ? U.S. manufacturer of tactical gear, ballistic body armor, plates and protective apparel

Oh, and the D-back is $50 cheaper, meaning you can spend that extra $50 on a mix of large and small molle pouches.
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