MAXPEDITION Octa Versipack

I own a LOT of tactical bags, including about a dozen different Maxpedition bags for various purposes. I have the Falcon II for traveling overseas, a laptop bag for work, multiple Fatboys for various field work (and carrying a backup pistol) and several smaller packs from multiple brands. These smaller bags get the most use as my "workout" bags, and by that I mean a small bag that will hold my essentials--cell phones, wallet, card case, knife, pepper spray, keys--while I'm dressed in my workout clothes and going out to exercise at the track or gym.For the past few years I had used different variations of Maxpedition compact bags or tactical messenger bags from another brand, but they never quite fit the need correctly. They also reminded me of carrying a purse, which I didn't care for, and as the straps were always slippery against my UA clothing, I had to wear them cross-body and it wasn't very comfortable.A cop buddy of mine had been carrying his Octa Versipack for years as his off-duty pistol rig and would always be wearing it cross-body with the pack up in front across his chest so he could access his firearm quickly. The idea of buying a "fanny pack," however, had always seemed distasteful to me as something only old men or dorks would do so I never considered buying this Octa until the day I saw it for under $50 on Amazon and had a bunch of credit I was itching to use up.I am SO glad I did. This is now my official workout bag and the rig I use the most out of all the bags I own.PROS:1) Typical Maxpedition construction, so you know it will last forever. I have 10yo Max bags that I've beat to hell all over the world and they still look relatively new and have never failed me.2) PERFECT size for me. Holds my Otterbox-cased iPhone, my work phone, keys and eyedrops in my main compartment. The middle compartment is the perfect size for my wallet and card case. Smallest outer compartment is perfect for car keys. One of my biggest gripes with the other bags is that the thing I'm most often accessing from the bag is my car keys or wallets, and they were always getting jumbled around with my other gear. Not anymore.3) Phenomenal placement of pouces/loops. I can hold my Mace police-model pepper spray in the top pouch (where you see the flashlight in the picture), and strap my ZT folding knife into the loops on the backside, with quick access to both.4) Love that the main compartment has two zipper, both with laces. For those using this as a quick-access firearm rig, this means you can switch which side the main compartment opens from. If I were carrying a firearm in my Octa, I would remove the laces from the non-functioning zipper so there would be no confusion as to which to pull on in an emergency situation.5) One of the things I absolutely love about wearing this cross body with the rig up front is that I can wear this comfortably while driving and it doesn't impede my seatbelt. For me, that means I don't have to take it off and on while traveling around town. For those planning to be armed, this would make it an ideal carry method while driving as access to a pistol carried in a traditional concealed holster (3:30-4:00 for me), while seated, can be quite difficult.CONS:1) The only real gripe that I have is the mesh divider inside the main compartment. It's really too large and just flaps around. I'll probably end up cutting it out as it serves no discernable purpose for me.2) Not a grip, but the bungee cords that came attached to the top pouch (flashlight/mace) area also served no purpose for me, so I removed them and stuffed them in the front small compartment.CONSIDERATIONS:1) If you're going to wear this around your waist, this should be no issue as I imagine the adjustable size of the straps can accommodate a very large person. If, however, you're planning to wear this cross-body like I do (rig up front, left side facing up), keep in mind that this requires me to extend the straps to their longest length in order for the rig to sit comfortably just below my rigcage. I'm 5'8, 175lbs, 30-inch waist, wear a 42S suit jacket. If you're a much larger individual, you may have some difficulty wearing this rig cross-body.2) Carrying my mace in the upper pouch and my knife in the rear loops, both are very much visible in the manner I carry the bag. This is not an issue for me because it's perfectly legal here and also because I don't care if I scare some snowflake at the grocery store, but YMMV.3) This bag screams, "COP!!!"OVERALL:You can't possibly go wrong with anything from Maxpedition, but this bag has turned out to be astonishingly functional. Also, the Octa has been around for ages, so my only regret is that I didn't purchase it sooner. Even at the usual Amazon price in the $65-range, it's absolutely worth buying. I may get the tan version just for fun.

I use this Octa Versipack at my job as a transporting paramedic in a rural community. We have a high call volume of motor vehicle accidents, including ATV and motorcycle wrecks on remote logging and forest roads. Other bags cannot stand up to the rigors of the job, lack the water resistance of the Maxpedition fabric, and usually just have one large pocket to dump everything into - so you can't get the piece of equipment you need quickly without dumping out your entire kit. The Octa is rugged, and has 7+ separate sections to compartmentalize your gear for easy access. There is also a covered slot on the top where a full-sized pair of trauma shears in a sheath fit securely. The rear pocket easily holds a pair of extrication gloves, and a full-sized stethoscope fits in the center pocket without getting bent out of shape. The elastic loops in the front pocket are great for a spare pen, small flashlight, pocket calculator (for pediatric drug dosing calculations) trauma bands, etc. The additional storage areas inside the center compartment hold an N-95 mask and multiple pairs of medical gloves, and there is still room for your stethoscope and trauma shades. The extensive MOLLE type loops on both ends and all across the back are great for customizing with additional tools - I have a seatbelt cutter/window punch strapped onto the back of mine, but would work great for penlights, hemostats, tape, etc. Wide. secure strap fits over my shoulder and across my chest and stays on my back even while hauling patients on backboards, would also work great in hospital setting as a fanny pack. This is by far the most rugged, versatile, and useful field pack that I have found in my 13 years on the line - highly recommended!

This is everything I was looking for. I desperately needed a pack I could wear around the gym and while running errands. This has turned into my everyday pack. It's proven quite durable. The strap itself is really wide and provides great support. The pockets on this this pack are great too. Just enough without being overkill. I carry my keys, wallet, phone, pens, note pad, key card, small flashlight, pocket knife, multi tool, and chapstick, with room for more. The material itself is quite durable. Typical quality from maxpedition.Let me address one thing as well, one reviewer noted that it's probably not the most waterproof bag out there and he is probably correct. The zippers are pretty big, which means that the flaps that should shroud the Zipper are agape. I have not tested this, but it seems reasonable to assume that under the right conditions somethings inside the bag will get wet. To me this is not a huge sticking point. Nobody makes a pack that has everything. I dont plan on wearing my pack in torrential rain, which is likely the kind of rain it would take to get your stuff wet. So I'll sacrifice a bit of waterproofing to get durability, comfort, fit and finish.

Extremely durable, with a variety of colors. Loads of pockets to hold all you need especially when you have on running shorts or jogger pants. I sling it over my shoulder which is vary comfortable and versatile. Anything that Maxpedition makes is very functional