First Tactical Unisex Tactix 1-day Plus Backpack Tactix Backpack 1Day Plus (pack of 1)

A large very well constructed pack with many useful features. This is a large pack that can be a challenge to set up in a configuration that fits you best. I wrestled with the adjustable back harness for quite a while before I got it just right. The zipper pulls are a little weedy, especially for the number 10 YKK on the main compartment; however, easily fixed by moving things around, the plastic pulls are better suited to the smaller number 8 / 7 zippers. As others have mentioned the hardware is very good and the attention to detail is very pleasing – if you like well-designed and well made things you’ll love this bag. I do feel it is an acquired taste in terms of carry (the back straps are quite wide and particularly smaller torso / frames will appreciate the excellent chest strap to help compensate for the wide straps). This style chest strap (outdoor backpack) is seldom seen on technical style packs and it is a welcome break from tradition. The fabric and stitching is all top notch; and my usual reservation about lots of exposed ‘proofed’ outer fabric is countered by much of the pack fabric being lined. The main problem with non-lined (exposed) proofed fabric is that the proofing (e.g. polyurethane coatings) inevitably fails with abrasive wear and flakes into the pack – re-proofing is a pain and it is difficult to achieve a good results without stripping the remaining coatings off. This pack has taped seams for the vast majority of the pockets, the only exception being one small unbound area in one of the front pockets. The seam taping is a big part of keeping a pack in good shape for years. Overall I’m happy with the design and functionality of this pack. I do have reservations about the weight of the pack (all that durability has a penalty). It can take a lot of equipment, but that just piles on the weight and that is probably the biggest limiting factor of this packs volume – practically you can comfortably carry less because of the relatively high starting weight. I think I can ultimately live with it because it is nice to have the extra volume for rain shells and insulation without having to squash everything down into a tiny stuff sack. I will keep this review updated as my use of the bag increases. I am currently using it with an osprey rain cover (small) which fits nicely into the bottom zipped pocket. Like others I would like to have seen another compression strap on each side – this is a big pack that needs to be volume reduced at times. It is hard not to love this pack; it’s a big friendly whale of a bag that with good packing will easily make a cracking 72 hr. bug-out bag.