Carrying and caring for the PDW

[OlongJohnson]

The Gamut Checkpoint I picked up on the 7/4 sale (30% off direct from Vertx) arrived last night. It looked huge when I took it out of the box. Then I put it on, and with my 6'4" frame, it actually looks quite reasonable. I like it so far. It will be much larger than it needs to be for what I'm going to carry in it. Will be spending some time getting it set up.

I need to replace a Swiss Gear laptop backpack. Got the current equivalent, and for nearly twice what I paid back in 2014 or 2015, it's garbage. Like so many other companies and products, Swiss Gear has apparently gone down the rathole of marketing craptacular Chinesium knockoffs of its own products as if they are the real thing. (See my avatar.)

I picked up a Vertx Ready Pack 2.0 on the Black Friday 30 percent off sale, thinking it might do the job with its more traditional exterior pocket. It doesn't have nearly as many internal pockets/pouches as the typical laptop bag, so I was kinda floundering on how to organize everything, and the size was smaller overall. I got it loaded and tried it around the house for a bit. It turns out the lack of integral internal organization isn't the deal breaker. It's just too small. The main shoulder straps don't fit my shoulders/chest right, and because they are quite stiff, they can't adjust themselves to wrap and accommodate my shape. They end up creating uncomfortable and awkward hot spots.

Just to check, I pulled the Gamut Checkpoint out of the closet and wore it for awhile. It fits great and is super comfortable.

Ready Pack 2.0 is going back. I've ordered a Carhartt backpack off Amazon and will see how that goes as a laptop bag.

Just figured I'd leave this data point here for other tall guys.

[vandal]

It's so easy to get enamored with a bag based on a YouTube video where you don't get a frame of reference for how big the person demoing is.

I bought a GR1 21L when Craig was showing it off for his Rattler... somehow forgetting that what fits fashionably on Craig looks like a postage stamp on me. I finally asked my teenage daughter "Is this bag too small on me." "Oh yeah."

The GR1 26L is a much better size for me (and my equipment, although it's not much in the organization department).

On the other end of the spectrum, the Checkpoint is about as big as I can go without the bag looking out of place on me.

I'm 6'4 220. It's nice that bigger bags don't look out of place on me, but then the temptation is to load them up and weight becomes an issue.

Just figured I'd leave this data point here for other tall guys.

[Cool Breeze]

I have used a Vertx EDC ready pack for a number of years. I really like the organization actually and I think it looks like a very attractive "business" backpack in black. However, I've been trying to replace it recently because it is just so small. I like the second long compartment and I've attached an additional admin pouch to the molle which helps. That being said, when you max out the main compartment (say with a PDW), it basically makes second long compartment useless as it pushes into that space. I wish Vertx would make a Gamut-size edc ready as I don't enjoy the look of the gamut at all.

It would be nice to have a dedicated slim PDW compartment and another long compartment for actual normal everyday things. I thought an Eberlestock Lo Drag without the scabbard extended might work but at 22inch tall, its pretty conspicuous (even in black). A North Face Surge doesn't exactly fit the bill but its compelling nonetheless.