In my previous articles “Selecting an EDC bag” and “Putting together your EDC bag“, I talked about the different types of bags you could use for an EDC bag as well as the type of items that you should always have on hand. Although the bag I’m going to review below isn’t large, it still has more than enough room to carry your main essentials that should be kept with you on a day to day basis. The point is to keep everything as compact as possible.
Recently I was searching for a pack that wasn’t too big or too small which I could easily take everywhere with me, regardless of what I’m doing or where I’m going. It’s purpose was to become my get home bag so it had to be rugged, versatile and extremely portable. I did find a few other bags that could do the trick but The Day TLS Lumbar pack by Mountainsmith stood out from all the rest. The unique design, features and portability of this bag are amazing which in my opinion make it a perfect EDC bag. Also, the fact that Mountainsmith has a well known history of manufacturing excellent and long lasting products helped me to come to a final decision. All you have to do is look at all the reviews and testimonials they have received from many of their customers. Some of them are still using the same bag they purchased when Nintendo and Duck Hunt was a hit.
Portability:
Trust me. When I say it’s portable, it’s portable! This handy pack features a lumbar control point pad which securely positions the pack and supports it against your back and on your hips. If you are going to be carrying some extra weight and want the added support, you can buy the strapettes (shoulder harness straps) separately. These handy straps simply clip into the existing plastic buckles found on the back side of the bag. You can see them in the main photo at the very top of this article.
The bag comes with a removable shoulder strap allowing you to carry it on your side like a laptop bag. There are also two standard carrying handles that are built into the top of the pack as well allowing you to carry it like a lunch bag. The waist belt can be tucked away into the back side of the pack so you don’t have to worry about having any straps hanging down and getting in the way. So whether you want to take this thing with you for a hike in the woods, on a bike ride or simply bring it along to work in your car, you will be able to do whatever you want with ease and comfort.
Durability:
The quality of these bags is outstanding. The bag is made of three different high strength materials making it extremely durable and rugged. The zippers are built to last – if you ever manged to break one of these I’d be very surprised. They don’t snag either and work like a charm. The belt buckle is very hefty and sturdy so you don’t have to worry about it ever coming undone at the wrong time. Again, just check out some other reviews and you’ll find that people have been using the same bag that they purchased years ago. Mountainsmith products also come with a lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects so you can feel confident that you will receive a pack that will not fail.
Features:
This pack is about 13″ x 12″ x 8″ (33 x 30.5 x 20.5 cm) in size, has a capacity of up to 14 Litres (854 cubic inches) and will fit anyone that has a waist size between 26″ and 52″. It can comfortably carry up to 15 pounds of gear and supplies. The main body is made of 450d ReForge™ PET RipStop body fabric and the inside lined with 210d RipStop Liner.
There are two water bottle holders, one on each side of the pack which is great because one water bottle never seems to be enough. The holders are made of 420 denier Duramax™ Nylon which is perfect because one, it is extremely durable and there is an elastic built into the top which allows you to snugly fit almost any size water bottle, up to 22oz. My military grade water bottle is actually 38oz and I can still fit it in without any issues. You can see it in one of the pictures above. If you don’t want to use one of the holders you can use it to store other gear just as easily.
The waist belt features two small pockets, one on each side, that are covered with “power mesh”. This mesh also has an elastic feature which lets you store smaller items securely for quick and easy accessibility. These pockets are perfect for storing your flashlight, multi-tool, small container of pepper spray, camera, phone or any other important tools at a hands reach.
There are a few different compartments, one on the front of the pack, a padded sleeve inside which you can use to store your first aid book, a tablet or anything else that’s fairly flat and needs the extra protection. There is a zippered interior pocket which you can use to organize your smaller loose items such as a lighter, extra batteries, fire starter, knife sharpener, glow sticks, etc. There is one last compartment which is on the very back where you can store other flat items such as passport for quick access. I use it to store a bunch of large black garbage bags, aluminum foil and some other smaller flat survival items. Finally, the main compartment has a decent amount of storage space which is more than enough to keep a spare change of clothes and all your basic survival gear items nestled inside.
The pack also has many adjustment settings enabling you to securely fasten it to your back to help with load distribution and eliminates the worry of it being too loose or uncomfortable. There are two compression straps located at the bottom of the bag which you can use to strap on extra gear. And finally, there is a reflective elastic cord on the front of the pack that you can use to easily strap on other loose items.
This is yet another great product by Mountainsmith and I highly recommend this pack to all of you who are looking for a compact, portable and versatile bag! Remember that when you’re out selecting your EDC bag, quality is extremely important. Don’t skip out on quality for a cheaper bag, it’s just not worth it.