Maxpedition Falcon-II Backpack (Black)

My background: I own more than two dozen tactical bags, packs and pouches, the majority of them being Maxpedition--multiple Versipacks, laptop bags, messenger bags, ARG gear, etc., some of which I have been using for roughly a decade. I am extremely active, have taken my Maxpedition bags with me through every form of sporting activity, have used them extensively in the field and have taken them around the world on my regular international travels. Maxpedition gear is, hands down, the toughest stuff I have found at ANY price range. Some of their bag layouts are dated and not always an efficient use of real estate (Fatboy), but they are the only bags that I can honestly say have NEVER failed me, or even hinted at failure. I bought this Falcon II for the primary purpose of being my international carry-on, replacing my Max laptop quad bag that didn't hold enough travel gear. And while I only unpacked my new Falcon II a few hours ago, I can already tell you that this is my new favorite backpack and an amazing piece of work. INITIAL IMPRESSION: Again, I just received it. But again, I've owned Max gear for years. I can spot/feel quality, and this is quality. As always, the bag is stiff and compacted. Max bags generally take a month or two to soften up a bit, but they will never be "soft" bags. The thick, quality material that does not give in. I own a 9yo Versipack that I have beat the living **** out of over the years and it still looks new. Granted, it's covered with white crusty stains--that's my old dried sweat salt, from using it in the field and never washing it. A cop buddy of mine bought his Max bag just before starting the police academy ten years ago, and to this day still uses it. Crams it full of backup/tactical gear, ammo, magazines and chucks it in the trunk of his patrol car every morning and a decade later it still ain't coming apart. SIZE/LAYOUT: This is the area I'm most excited about. This bag is the PERFECT size for me. We've all seen the pics so no need to go into detail about the compartments--there's a main compartment, a middle one, two smaller pouch-type compartments on the exterior and a hidden compartment in the back for hydration or a concealed handgun rig. For my needs, I wanted a backpack that could fit my laptop in it and comfortably accompany me both on the airplane and also out in the field where I may, at times, be moving quickly. This is a long but narrow pack, not at all bulky even when fully extended, and is just the perfect size to combine storage space with maneuverability. I know some guys have said they would use it as an overnighter bag, and I'm confident I could pull that off, but I seriously would not want this as my primary bag if I was going into a situation where there's even a remote chance that I might have to stay out for more than a night. That's when I switch to my Samsonite Airlight shoulder pack and a smaller tactical secondary for my electronic/weapons gear. If/when I carry a firearm I do so in a concealment rig on my body, and I'm not carrying a hydration rig, so the only thing the hidden pocket will be used for--and very effectively--is to hold my boarding passes and other airport paperwork that I don't like to store in areas more easily accessible to thieves (like the outer pouch). To that end, the hidden compartment wonderful. Simply swing the bag to the side and grab my documents. The zipper and layout would be very, very difficult for a thief to access without my knowing. My main concern with the main compartment would be that it fit my 14" laptop in a sleeve, a sweater/fleece and perhaps a couple cans of beer that I always sneak onto the plane. I can tell you now, IT DOES. The middle compartment is perfect for my 10.1" Samsung notebook and Amazon Kindle. This compartment, like the main, is quite tall and surprisingly roomy, so you can fit a surprising amount in there. I took off all the cross-body straps and store them in the bottom of this compartment, just in case I have to use this pack while running. I obviously don't need to be all strapped-in to a rig while strolling through the airport. With the outer pouch pockets, the larger (lower) of the two has an internal panel where I'll probably just store a few pens and a flashlight, plus my medicine kit and toothbrush travel set. It can hold much more. The smaller will be for all of my travel USB cables and chargers or, once I've landed, perhaps a pair of sunglasses. You could probably fit at least two pairs in there. OVERALL COMFORT: This is not a bag meant to carry heavy loads. I would probably be hesitant to load anything more than 30lbs in this pack, as it's simply not built for that kind of payload. The straps are well made and designed, but not thick, padded or robust enough to carry around a lot of weight, and while I have no doubt the structural integrity and materials of the bag could withstand 50lbs of crap in the bag, I doubt it would be very comfortable. This is a light bag for a person who many need to maneuver through dynamic situations. LIKES: 1) Size, layout, expected Max quality and projected durability. 2) There's an ACTUAL, WELL-MADE CARRYING HANDLE ON TOP!! This has consistently been my only criticism of Maxpedition gear--go ask anyone who owns a Fatboy Versipack, or almost any other Max pack. But the Falcon II has about as tough of a handle as you can ask for and it's AWESOME. 3) Fits everything I need as an airline/tactical bag, nothing more, nothing less. DISLIKES: 1) This is not an actual criticism as it plays a functional component of this bag, but there are SO MANY straps hanging here and there. Again, I removed the cross-body straps and keep those in the middle compartment. If you don't have any specialist hardware to tie-up or tie-in all the loose straps hanging about, just get creative and fold, flip or otherwise rig them into any of the many existing and functional loops. 2) This is also not a criticism but a hopeful suggestion. If, like on most other Max packs, they could rig a small side pouch or two on the exterior (yes, I know you can purchase one separately and I do own them), that would be amazing. Somewhere to store my Leatherman or tac light for quick and easy access, or perhaps a small camera or even pepper spray. Small side pouches are always useful and wouldn't take up much space or obtrude much on a pack this slim. I rarely receive new gear and am so excited about it that I spend the next three hours playing with it and writing about it on Amazon, and like I mentioned earlier, this is not my first tactical bag. That should tell you all you need to know. If the dimensions and layout work for you, don't bother having to ponder over this one. Just hit order, and you'll have your new favorite bag.

Just like my other bags (Sitka gearslinger and Jumbo Versipack) the bag is just as well made as I think it gets. Really sturdy high quality stitching, Really good layout of pockets, lots of pouches out there that can be added and subtracted so you can pretty much configure this bag any way you want or need it. Also, it should be noted that I carry concealed and often have my primary weapon on me. By necessity that means a compromise in weapon capability in order to keep it concealed. Maxpedition allows me to even the odds quite a bit because of the flexibility their bags have designed into them. Every Maxpedition bag I have has not just one but MULTIPLE locations with a large velcro panel mounted for concealed carry holsters, mag pouches, flashlight pouches, etc.. Since I ALWAYS have one of my Maxpedition bags with me what I wind up doing is concealing a full sized weapon, extra ammo for it and my primary CCW pistol (which is on me) and a number of other items in the bag. This gives me the option to transition to a more capable weapon than my primary if necessary OR for one of my daughters to go for the weapon in the bag while I engage and cover them. For this bag and my Sitka gearslinger I primarily use the area built in for hydration bladders like the ones from Camelbak. That is an area directly against your back. I am currently carrying a high capacity .45 Sarsilmaz K2, two extra clips for it, two extra clips for my Taurus PT709 Slim, a tactical light, a canister of Cold Steel's pepper spray/foam, and an extra cell phone (one of those pay-as-you-go so I can call 911 or someone if I get robbed). Now, like I said, the area that all of this stuff is packed into is right up against my back when I'm wearing the pack. Even with the amount of stuff I wind up stuffing into my poor bags with the exception of the weight you really can't feel the stuff in that bladder area... it's really well padded. Even after a whole day of roaming around a fair, and trust me, by that point I was cursing every friggin ounce of ammo and guns hidden in that bag... but my back wasn't sore because none of that stuff had poked me at all and my shoulders were fine because the shoulder straps really protected my shoulders... and the material of that bag and the stitching has got to be ridiculously over engineered because while I normally go through a backpack/bag in less than a year NONE of my Maxpedition bags have shown any significant wear. You just can't beat them.

This pack is perfect if you need a Smaller sized well made backpack, about 25 liter I believe. The shoulder straps are very comfortable, I'm 6 ft tall, slim 165 lean build, if I was any larger the straps would be difficult for my arms slip under, esp with my motorcycle jacket, but great for me. I use this for my 24hr rescue job to pack 2 days of clothes. I added 2 of the 10 inch Rollypolys to the sides, see pic, to add a t-shirt or 2 or whatever I need. It's Not Huge but it fits what I need for a couple days, get one if you need a Small/Medium pack to haul your stuff. It's Not cheaply made, they really pay attention to details, it does show quality as the Military Ruck sacks did.

Even though it is advertised as 9.5" wide, my large 10-key laptop, 10.25" x 15" fits nicely in the main compartment with room for plenty of other items. I like the expandable features for depth also. This will be good for domestic travel as well as outdoor activities. *Very comfortable on my back and compact fit.* The well placed waist-belts will come in handy for longer hikes carrying water, snacks and extra box of Buffalo Bore. I am positive that just walking through an airport, the straps would all hang free from one shoulder. The only way I would ever use the side-reach compartment at the very back that is designed for handgun, is for a back-up 45 or 10mm. It would take too many seconds to get to for primary defense. Plus it would be resting in the center of your back with minimal padding: maybe add a stiff plastic card or neatly folded rain poncho as a barrier. But then I would be out there for the Peace and Joy of the outdoors, not fretting over defense against threats of the furry or bald variety, much less carrying something lumpy and uncomfortable.

Got the Falcon for my sister for her birthday as her new BOB pack. Very pleased. Its about 300 cubic inches more than my Pygmy, has a hip belt and doesn't have the bottle pouches on the outside--all of which made her want this one over mine. Everything tightens down neatly and the pack doesn't go beyond her body width--which means it is very easy to wear when maneuverability is important. The color is green gray--greening up under yellow light and graying up under white light. And it is built like a tank. It took a lot of Youtube watching, going back and forth on the website, and careful reading of the reviews to determine that this one is the right one for her--and it worked. Interestingly enough, having the two packs side by side, there isn't a real noticeable difference in size until you flip them to thickness comparisons--where the Falcon expands out a section further than the Pygmy. So if you're worried about the size changing its shoulder to shoulder area, don't be. It's thickness shift not width shift. So it really just depends on how much you want to carry more than configuration. The nice thing about Maxpedition is that if you decide you want some more pack, you can either just buy one up or pick up some pouches or rolly polys and attach. You've got options. Anyway, take the time to pull out a measuring tape and get an idea of what it will look like--then go to Youtube and the Maxpedition website and do some more eyeballing. Unless you're lucky enough to have a store nearby that carries the line up, then go there first. Sure, both sizes require that you choose what you're carrying carefully--they're not a giant pack so space is premium. But the trade up is that you can actually carry these packs over long distances or though rougher terrain without the strain and exhaustion of the large packs. And yes, you can get your essentials in easily if you do some thinking--my shelter is a silnylon tarp, MSR stakes, and bankline--which easily fits into my Pygmy along with my Zebra 12 billy and so on. Maxpedition is worth the price. Just take the time to figure out which one of their line up will best suit you and what you want it for.

Overall, I'm happy with this bag. But there are a couple issues with it, mostly from a design standpoint. I had a good understanding of the product based on the pictures, so it's not the fault of that. But in person, there is just way too much damn webbing on this thing. I removed what I could do without. For the rest, I had to purchase elastic webbing keeper bands for $10 in order to manage the slack of the webbing. At this price point, the bag should come with these guys. Some of that excess webbing is on the bottom of the bag, which is great for compressing all your stuff but it defeats the purpose of the PVC rubber bottom. When removed, this webbing leaves plastic attachment points dangling uselessly, scraping on the ground. So I regrettably couldn't do without the webbing there. From an ergonomics standpoint, I wish there was a bit more width and a bit less depth. The suspension webbing on the shoulder straps is not mounted high enough to be useful for its intended purpose. It would be nice if the air mesh on the shoulder straps was color matched. The quick access back pocket is decent, but the lining is a Tricot and velcro does not stick as well as I would like. The zipper moves along 2 sides but not all the way to the end of either of those sides. The pocket flap therefore "folds over" instead of giving enough slack to access in a meaningful way. All in all, I'm happy. But at this pricepoint, you're competing with Mystery Ranch and similar competitors, so I need to be picky.

I've been using this pack for about four or five months now. It has proven to be just as very high quality as every other Maxpedition product I have ever used. It's of heavy duty nylon construction like all Maxpedition products I'm familiar with. I think this pack is about 1300 cubic inches. It has two large main compartments. The larger one is accessed by a full clamshell zipper that goes all the way around the bag, and inside it has a large mesh pocket inside just right for maps or documents. It also has another smaller inside mesh pocket with zipper for small items. The smaller main compartment has a similar clamshell access, but only about 2/3 of the way around. It also has three small pockets inside for small items. The pack has two cinch straps on each side to compress the two main pockets. Behind the larger main compartment there is a pocket for a two or three liter Camel-Bak or similar water bladder with a hose access port on top, but the pack does not come with a water bladder. There are two utility pockets on the front. The bottom one is fairly large and includes interior organizer pockets for pens, tools, etc. and a key hook. The top one is just a plain rectangle, but roomy enough for sunglasses, Ipods, cell phones, snacks, or similar quick-access items. These two front utility pockets can be cinched down with Maxpedition's trademark Y-strap. The shoulder straps are padded and comfortable and there is a hand strap/haul loop on top. The back is padded for comfort, also. There are two cargo straps on the bottom which would work for a sleeping bag or blanket. There are also MOLLE type web straps on the sides and front for attaching other gear. I've been using this pack for day hikes and weekend trips. It's comfortable to wear and balances well, and its narrow profile makes it easier to move with than a wider pack. It easily holds my poncho and blanket, plus water and food and cooking gear. I still have plenty of room for other items like clothes, hatchet, flashlight, toiletries, first-aid kit, etc. Overall, I think this is a great pack and I highly recommend it.

I purchased this bag as a day-hike pack. After having taken it on several hikes, I must say that I love it! It seems to be tough as nails, it looks great, and fits exactly what I need on a day-hike. I love the color (Safety Yellow), it stands out brightley in the New England forest, and my friends say they have no issue finding me if I get a ways ahead of them. I have only three critisims of the bag, none of which make it less than a 5 star product. First, there is no quick access pocket when you have the Y-strap locked down, in order to access anything (camera, cellphone) you must un-do the Y-strap. Not a big deal really, and I am remedying it by attaching a Mil-spec monkey admin pouch to the front, which should show up any day. Second, the velcro on the front is pretty useless, because it has a molle strap sewn over it. Finally, the camelback pouch could be a bit larger internally. I have a 75oz camelback, and I packed it in there tight enough to pop the water hose off, spilling water out the bottom. I unforunatley had not run the hose in the correct place, so its really not the bags fault. Also the drainage grommits work wonders! the water poured right out the bottom and it dried after an hour or two. These bags are great, just keep in mind its not a particularly large bag, great for day-hikes, and EDC if you dont carry a large laptop.

This is pretty much what I expected from Maxpedition. Makes for a compact get home bag which works for me in the UK. coupled with a bush craft/survival perspective, this bag is exactly what I needed. Super quality and versatile.

Deze rugzak is van uitstekende kwaliteit en heeft alles wat je kan wensen, maar voor mijn lichaamsbouw te klein van formaat. Ik ben 184 cm groot en sportief gebouwd. Vandaar dat ik ben overgegaan naar de iets grotere versie ( Maxpedition Falcon 3 ) Deze is voor mij net iets confortabeler. Maar zoals gezegd. Super kwaliteit en materialen.

Maxpedition products are the best out there I have many backpacks and pouches from Maxpedition so I cannot understand why my recent purchase Falcon2 backpack (black) had such poor quailty paracord zipper pulls that were fraying and falling apart at the knot.I compared the paracord pulls to my other Maxpedition packs and the difference is very noticeable.What happened Maxpedition? Please if you read this could you respond back to me and let me know.The back pack is perfect not the paracord. I expect more from this company.Thank you

Its just a awesome backpack

Very high quality construction and design, not one wasted surface or opportunity for storage or fixing. Easily modified depending on day to day needs as attachments can easily and securely fixed and removed depending on need using the standardised mountings allowing easy and cost efficient use of aftermarket accessories eg water bottle carriers or externally mounted first aid kits or pouches. Expensive, especially in the brighter colours,