Hazard 4 Switchback

Hazard 4 Switchback Sling Bag

The collective experience review from the urban trekker.

We at Shifter Life love offering multiple views on a single product so that every aspect can be viewed before anyone makes a serious purchase.  Let's face it, money is money and before one takes the plunge into the tactical gear market for their everyday lives, you have to make sure it suites you.  With the Hazard 4 Switchback, I am offering you the view of an urban crawler that needs to have his basic essentials with him.  The real-world dimensions of the main compartment are 18 inches tall, 10 inches wide and 4.5 inches deep with a stretch limit of 7ish.  The admin pocket 9.5 inches by 9.5 inches with a plastic map flap.

In my opinion, Hazard 4 is a company that designs a lot of niche items, for example their Hazard 4 Evac Plan B being purpose designed.  The Hazard 4 Switchback is no different.  As a person who loves messenger bags, the "sling" Switchback bag was not an uncomfortable transition.  Almost like putting on a new pair of underwear, new and yet very familiar.  With the added dimensions of the Switchback being a bit of a departure from my standard use bags.  It is more like one of those hiking backpacks, but with a mindset towards organization.  My load-out with the Switchback was a little more robust being that I had more storage space to take advantage of.  The items include: Samsung 10.5 Tablet, Kindle, a pair of Skullcandy Bluetooth headphones, first-aid kit, an elastic of cords, plugs, chargers and a spare pair of ear buds, portable power-bank, light sticks, para-cord, police issued pepper spray, assortment of pens and markers, passport, religious charms, emergency blanket, flashlight, paracord bundle, paracord survival bracelet, ziploc bags, tissues, nasal spray, fruit snacks, granola bars, meal-supplement bars and a pack of mints.

The extra room made packing a lot easier for me, being that I am not looking to pack clothes or outdoor items.  The main compartment of the Switchback is cavernous with 2 slotted areas where you can tuck in a kindle on the top sleeve and perhaps some other items in bottom.  The space threw me off on the bag.  But, once I situated the items I was looking to carry with the copious amounts of netted pockets, hidden pockets, zipper enclosures and admin pockets, the bag sat amazingly comfortable on my shorter, squat frame.  Hazard 4 took a step in redistributing the weight one carries on their back.  Other companies would design their admin pockets or smaller compartment sections at the bottom of the bag causing more weight displacement onto the lower portion of your back causing unavoidable lower-back fatigue.  Hazard 4 places the weight onto the top of your back and shoulders, giving a very natural feel to moving gear on long distances and times.  This feature alone is a sale point in my opinion.  Even though I am not carrying a heavy load, once roaming in the city with the gear I had stated above, it eventually would weigh down on my back if I was using a regular bag.  With the Switchback, it was a piece of cake.  The other thing that stands out to me and may seem quite normal to some, the bag has cinch straps at the critical places.  My load-out may not have stressed the bag in any means, but having the ability to cinch it down to make everything snug was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G.

FIT 8.5/10 - The bag felt amazing as I roamed through the West Village of Manhattan in the heat and in the earlier autumn temps.  The padding that is known on Hazard 4 bags indeed helped with airflow to keep me cool.  But, with a heavier load, I foresee the sling bag format straining the shoulder.  And, being this is a left shoulder bag only layout, switching shoulders is not an option.

FUNCTION 9.5/10  - Storage.  Compartmentalization.  Stash Pockets.  The bag is a tribute to the anal-retentive if you ask me.  Those that like to hyper-analyze where they store their things for which function or use will love this bag.  It has SOOOO MANY ways to load your things.  Why did I take a .5 off?  Because, I HAD TOO MANY OPTIONS.  Yes, there can be too many options.  I lost things in this bag that I needed and eventually found them several days later when looking for another item.

TACTICAL 9/10 - It works as a bug-out bag if you ask me.  It functions well with molle covering the bag for customization for mission purpose and a water-bladder compartment with a zipper enclosure makes this thing a very viable option if one would like to use it as a 24 hour assault bag.  But, extended walking patrols may prove questionable in the sling format.  It would be a perfect road bag, or if you are a person that likes to take long trips on a motorcycle or ATV, this would be a great choice.  As an urban crawler, I got stopped by NYPD several times to be searched and questioned.  It DOES get some attention.

I worry about the
durability of this.

BUILD AND FINISH 9/10 - The model I got is made of 1000 Denier Cordura.  This thing is like a tank with great stitching that is still hanging in there.  My only gripe is the male side of the sling being connected to a piece of cushioned fabric on the bottom and side of the bag.  It has a decent box stitch, but I am worried that, being a stress point, it may wear and cause a catastrophic failure.  Other than that, I really see this bag standing up to the test of time.

STYLE 7.5/10 - As a modified sling bag, you have to really understand it before you truly like the looks of it.  It is like a hot girl that is slightly off somewhere and you can't place it to where the fault is.  The bag is a great looking bag.  The Switchback can attract those that like a bag covered with molle, straps dangling and the tough aggressive tactical look that screams "COME AT ME, BRAH", but it can also turn some off to it.  As a urban crawling living in fascist NYC, the less attention I can get the better.  But, granted, when some guys asked me about the bag while taking the train to and from, they all have told me they dug the look of the bag.  Utilitarian but very stylish.

Yavor and I had spent countless hours talking about this bag before pulling the trigger and each buying our own bags.  I know he loves his for what his life demands.  As a guy that doesn't live on the road and doesn’t really dig camping, this bag is a bit of overkill.  I like the bag for what it stands for and what it offers to that niche market of consumers.  It has great quality and thought to it.  If you need a different look to a 24 hour bag, or a hiking bag check the Hazard 4 Switchback out.  www.hazard4.com/

Pat - Shifter Life - Gear Reviewer

Kabar TDI and Kabar TDI Law Enforcement Knives

Several months ago I had to retire my Gerber knife that a good friend of mine had given to me.  It had seen a lot before it got to my hands, and I cherished it.  It was a standard folder with a serrated and flat blade combo.  It served me well.  But, I decided to move on.  One of the many troubles I had with the Gerber folder was that I always dropped it somewhere.  And though it always found it’s way back to me, the complications of losing a knife is always looming.  So, I decided on a belt-holstered knife.

I searched Amazon, I am quite addicted to it, and scoured it for the best deals and did corresponding reviews and notes from customers and professionals.  I ended up with the Ka-bar TDI.  The original, as seen above on the left, was the smaller of the two.  For under $40, I decided to pull the trigger and buy it.  It came with the belt clip already on it.  I have to say the knife felt great,  With what felt like a very sturdy, solid but LIGHT plastic grip handle, it was easy to pull in and out of it’s sheath.  The small one caught the eye of my fiance and she said she wanted it for self-defense in case her pepper spray didn't work.  She has given me praise for how handy it was.  As a barista, she can process boxes at her work with ease and didn’t have to worry about the knife jumping or slipping and cutting her like standard box cutters.  With her taking my knife, I decided to order another original TDI and a larger one for comparison.  When they got here, I have to say, the larger one was formidable.  It felt more like a combat knife than a self-defense knife.  It was heavier in relation to it’s smaller sibling.  I wore both knives for a total on two weeks a piece through my daily life.

Being that I live in NYC with ridiculous laws about guns, a knife seemed like a good alternative.  The TDI knives were meant to be worn like guns.  Which led to their shape.  I wore both knives, independently, on the back-right of my waist.  The larger one bumped into me a lot and made it look that I was obviously carrying something.  The original TDI was smaller and lent itself for my everyday carry without being bother some.  I ended up relegating the larger knife to my chest rig and promoted the smaller TDI knife as my everyday carry.  The blade is kabar quality with great fit and finish.  Seriously, take a look at them if you are looking for a different fixed blade option.

Chrome Industries Kadet Bag

I guess I can call it the minimalist bag with big ideas.  But, let's get some basics out of the way first.  The bag I bought was 1050 denier nylon, there is a truck tarpaulin material version.  But, being that I don’t really like the sheen finish, I stuck with the nylon.  It has real-world dimensions of 14 inches long with a stretch limit of 15.5 to 16.  5.5 inches tall with a stretch limit of 7.5 inches to 8.  Depth of 4 inches comfortably with a stretch limit of 7.  There is a length-wise slotted pocket with two pen slots and an outer zippered pocket with an opened space within.  There is also a padded sleeve-like area for a bike u-lock which inside of this sleeve, it extended almost the entire dimensions of the bag.

Now, with my review, I looked for a bag that helped me with my travels into NYC.  I always wanted to bring everything with me, including the kitchen sink.  But, as of late with growing age and experience in not needed a 1/10th of what I carry, I decided a minimalist way of looking at bags was needed.

I have always fancied messenger bags for their ease of use and the way most of them are built with the user in mind.  Some companies tend to just slap together a bag with some straps and send it off into the world like a very lazy college sending off ill-prepared students into the job world.  But, Chrome Industries really took the time to keep the user in mind with their selections in materials and designs.  USER-FOCUSSED.  That made me bite the bullet with buying this small minimalist messenger sling.  Let me get this straight, this bag is a big departure from the bags and slings I usually buy.  It has no molle attachments.  No hidden compartments.  No "tactical" element involved.  Then again, having a tactical mindset doesn’t necessarily demand tactic gear.

FIT:  8.5/10 - I took this bag on it's maiden voyage during a 15.5 mile hike in NYC with my fiancé's family.  At the first hour, I was struggling bad with a nominal load of a Samsung 8.0 tablet, a kindle, a battery pack, a pack of tissues, a maxpedition pouch with cords, emergency blanket, a lighter, a mixed length of paracord, carabiners, hand sanitizer, a led flash-light, a pack of tic-tacs, a monkey-first self-defense chain slipped into the u-lock sleeve and a light-stick.  I wore the bag high on my shoulder and it was just tortured.  But, once I stopped fighting the bag and loosened the straps to where I saw everyone else on the inter-web wearing it, the bag became a dream.  It became an extension of myself.  Usually, with my other slings or messengers or tactical bags, I feel like I have a giant panda clinging to me, leaving the maneuvering around crowds quite difficult.  But, with the Kadet, I felt like a nimble troll dodging around the masses in Manhattan.

FUNCTION: 9/10 - For a minimalist day bag, it forced me to carry what I needed.  With NYC being on security lock-down, I couldn't carry my usual arsenal and still expect to take my woman's family into tourist spots.  So, I carried only what I needed.  The main compartment had a great design to where when you zipper it open, it becomes a half-clamshell mouth which prevented any spillage while moving.  Several times this came in hand when looting around for mints or getting a battery pack.

TACTICAL: 2/10 - Being a messenger bag, there were no real tones or looks to the tactical side.  Did it offer a level of "No, Mister Police Officer.  I Have Nothing On Me And Am Merely A Civilian" look?  Hell yes it did.  I blended with the crowd.  No molle or tactical pouches to make me a subject of involuntary police search. 

BUILD AND FINISH: 9/10 - The bag is great.  It is made of great material with rain resistant zipper enclosures that sealed on top of the YKK zippers.  The cinch straps can be a bit bigger, but I guess if doing so, it may add bulk and weight.  It definitely could use an admin zipper pocket in the main compartment, but that is just me being picky.  But, the Kadet looks to be a long-lifer in the way it is made and stitched.

STYLE: 10/10 - I love the seatbelt buckle.  It got me looks and it functioned great.  The seatbelt fabric strap was even more comfortable, almost creating some sort of nostalgia when wearing it.  Making me feel like I am wearing my seatbelt in my car.  The EVA foam padded shoulder strap was stylish and functional in a minimalist way.  Just a banging bag to get looks while still functioning in it's intended purpose.

When I got the bag, I had reservations for cutting back what I could carry with me when I was on the run in the city with my girl.  This made me pick and choose the necessary things and none other.  With the stylish looks of what comes with Chrome Industries designs and rugged materials, they designed a  minimalist bag that can keep up with you.  I definitely recommend this bad boy.  At $80 MSRP, you can search the web for slightly cheaper pricing, but it be worth every penny.

Check out their website!  Great job guys!  www.chromeindustries.com/

Pat - Shifter Life - Gear Reviewer

Direct Action Gear Messenger - SMALL

Small, but capable.

This is the Direct Action Messenger Bag SMALL.  It was the very first selection I had made from this lesser know company in the States.  I chose it because I needed something small and rugged for going out to Manhattan with the fiance.  I previously had several messenger bags by Timbuk2, but their latest offering for 2015 has left me wanting something made with better care.  Here, is the result of the Amazon searching.

The bag measures in with real-world dimensions of 12 inches wide, 10 inches tall with a stretch limit of 12 inches and a depth of 4 inches with a stretch limit of 5, but that makes the bag very tight and bulky feeling for the sizing.  The bag is made of 500 cordura and like it’s bigger brother, A LINT MAGNET.  After running the larger of the two bags, I decided to give this one a chance.  I loaded it with a simple load-out expecting much more tighter spaces of shops in the East and West Village of Manhattan.  I needed to be able to carry things that kept me in my comfort zone.  Those things were: Samsung 8.4 pro tablet, 10,000 MAH battery pack, Sol Republic Tracks Wireless, charging cords, Kindle, Gerber multi-tool, pepper spray, flash light, two glow sticks, hand-sanitizer, survival paracord bracelet and some small knick-knacks.

The bag is outfitting with Direct Action’s AMAZING LASER CUT MOLLE.  It really gives the minimalist look without giving up on the tactical aspects.  It has a main compartment that is of plush hook-n-loop fabric.  There is a protected tablet compartment and also a velcro secured compartment for the smaller and easier to lose things.  On the flap is a zipper map compartment and a top access zipper.  There is a small canvas drag handle, but it seemed a little flimsy for me.  The most helpful compartment is the back zipper compartment where I kept my battery pack and multitude of cords and also a small wallet of back-up cash.  The bag was just thought out well.  Giving you enough of the stock options and letting you choose the premium add-ons.

The bag is a laser cut molle masterpiece.  With front, sides and the flap being molle, it opened the door to what I can add to the bag.  But, I kept it simple and just added two small molle pouches that carried my multi-tool and a can of pepper spray.  But, what concerns me is the slightly smaller-in-width strap.  Unlike the larger messenger bag, the smaller Direct Action bag loses a half an inch.  That half inch makes a big difference in how the bag feels when you have it loaded up.  It digs into your body a little more, but it is something that shouldn’t be the deal breaker if you are looking for a small tactical bag.  Like the larger bag, i ditched the stock shoulder strap which is made up of a water-proof, grippy rubber.  The bag itself has this on the bottom and it actually extends pass the seems and goes up the bag a few inches which gives me a lot of confidence if I accidentally set this bag into water.  But, the shoulder strap is not for me.  I need movement and the ability to slide about.  Which is why I added a Hazard 4 strap to it.  But, this is all personal preference.

The bag functioned well and held up for my intended purpose for it.  Something small and not bulky.  Loaded out with bare essentials, this bag was easy to use and kept up with my needs.  It is a basic starter bag with the option to grow with your needs until you step into a larger bag.  But, for this looking for a simple bag that they can carry with a tablet and headphones and tour a city?  This is the bag. 

Check them out at http://directactiongear.com/

Pat - shifter life gear reviewer

Timbuk2 Classic Messenger 2013

2013 Timbuk2 Classic Messenger - SMALL

My love affair with messenger bags started when I was a sophomore in high school.  It all started with the Manhattan Portage messenger bags.  A friend had bought an extra by mistake and gave one to me.  I left the world of Jansport and my eyes were open to the world of possibilities for the first time.

Timbuk2 is a company based in San Francisco and was established in 1989.  The company has been offering great bags for the bike messenger.  Hence, messenger bag IMHO.  I have bought many versions of the classic messenger and the one I fell in love with was the 2013 Classic Messenger bag.  During the time of the purchase, Timbuk2 was offering their bags in a ballistic nylon and the interior was line with a water resistant material.  With real world dimensions of 14.5 inches wide, 8 inches tall and an expandable depth of 8 inches, this bag offers a lot of carry options.  Along with the spacious accommodations, the bag offers a slew of organizational pockets, sleeves, Velcro pockets and stash pockets making you feel like you have a personal assistant that helps you with your gear as you move from one destination to another.

I love this cam-bubkle

Now for my experiences with the Timbuk2 Classic Messenger 2013.  Like I have stated before, I have had many experiences with the Timbuk2 line.  I even have a 2015 XS messenger that I am not quite thrilled with.  I feel the apex of their design was the 2013 design.  The 2013 really offered that fine line between functionally light without giving up structural durability for extended carry.  The buckle/cam system they had for the 2013 model was GENIUS.  I freaking love the buckle/cam.  It allowed for easy on/off and adjustments.  The later editions of the bag ditched the ballistic nylon and went after codura.  Which, in my mind wasn’t a bad move, but the codura they used was much lighter and thinner than the ballistic nylon.  But, that is ultimately down to preferences.

My load-out for the Timbuk2 2013 Classic Messenger was: Samsung 10.5 Tablet or a Surface RT, 6 inch Kindle, spare battery charger, small first-aid kit, Gerber multi-tool, light sticks, mints, assorted pens, pencils and markers, emergency blanket, flashlight, religious charms, passport, lighter, monkey-fist, maxpedition pouch filled with charging cords and ac adapters, Sol Republic Jax Bluetooth ear buds, police issued pepper spray and a carabiner with miscellaneous length of paracord.  All in all, my usual load-out when I am running a regular load.

FUNCTION 9.75/10 - Let's face it, it is a messenger bag with lots of options to how to store your items.  It can be worn in two different ways; high on your back or on the hip.  Both ways, the bag yields a level of usefulness that exceeds a standard backpack if you are inclined to carrying your load on one shoulder.  You can swing the bag around and access items quickly if you wear it high on your back.  Or, have easy access when you have it on your hip.  The hook and loop section of the bag keeps the flap securely closed.  Some may worry that having it on your back may allow access to your bag without you knowing.  Trust me, if someone is sneaking into your bag, you will feel them doing it.  I had a great time with this bag and fully exploiting the features that it comes standard with.  The only thing I changed was the stock shoulder pad.  I swapped it out for a Hazard 4 messenger pad and retention strap.

TACTICAL 2/10 - As a civilian oriented bag, it leaves little to none in the tactical imagination department.  There is a drag handle or grab handle on the side of the bag where I attached a molle pouch for my Gerber multi-tool and my self-defense EDC tool.  But, other than that, everything needed to be stowed within the bag.

BUILD AND FINISH 9/10 - I have had the bag for several years now and it has held up without problems.  There are some stress wears on the hook and loop.  Also, the stitching on the front facing admin pockets is starting to fray a little, but nothing to worry at all about.  The critical point of the bag, the strap, has good box stitching and has showed ZERO signs of wear. 

STYLE 10/10 - You have to love messenger bags as much as I do to give this bag a perfect score in the style department.  In NYC, Timbuk2 bags are everywhere.  They compete, in my opinion, directly with the Chrome Industries bags.  Seemingly to whoever can out-hipster the other.  The bag has tons and tons of usefulness and it remains in my starting line-up for bags I depends on.  Probably top 5.  It lends the ability to take a moderate load into the city for the day.  It can be a get home bag.  It has the versatility that some tactical bag companies can take lessons from. 

What can I say?  I just gave you guys a naughty glimpse of my love affair with this bag.  If I had to change a few things, it would the inclusion of some molle.  The ability attach additional pouches or elements can make this bag from amazing to amazingly perfect.  If you can snag a 2013 Timbuk2 Classic Messenger, I would advise you to.  It truly is an amazing bag.  Go to www.timbuk2.com and see their selections for the current models.

Pat - Shifter Life - Gear Reviewer

The Quest

Let's play make-believe, shall we?  Let us imagine a scenario that would push our comfort zones.  Let us imagine the most wildest of things that can happen to us, that would push us to this uncomfortable edge.  A bio-chemical attack.  A terrorist attack.  A mass power-outage.  An active shooter incident.  Localized climate event.  But, the sad reality of it all, none of these things are now "make-believe".  These things are very much a reality.  These things are very much, albeit a very sad, a common occurrence now.  So, let's play the game.  If you were stuck in any one of these scenarios, and not being in direct 100% mortality radius, how screwed are you?  With whatever you have on your person.  With whatever you have in your bag.  HOW SCREWED ARE YOU?  Getting yourself away from said catastrophe or having to rough it out where you were, how long can you rough it out?  4 hours?  8?  12?  24?  48?  I asked my fiancé the same question in regards to her ever revolving starting line-up of purses, and seemingly every purse she has is loaded down with junk, and she answered simply that she was 'fucked'.  So, with all this in mind, I embarked on my quest.  I guess this quest for the perfect bag has been an obsession of mine.

The evolution of my obsession started way back when I was a kid in Queens.  I had my dad's fanny pack slung over my shoulder playing war with my friends.  I was the medic, even though I never saw myself as the medic type.  Armed with a stick as my rifle, my friends and I would advanced on an imaginary pill box, tossing water balloons as grenades onto a wrecked car serving as said pill box, before rushing against our imaginary foe.  When a fellow soldier would fall from some sort of sniper fire, I would drop to a knee and sling the fanny pack around, pulled ripped pieces of paper towels out to heal my fallen comrade.  It was here at the early stages of my life, my obsession with having the perfect bag was born.  After confiscating the bag from my father, I would beg my mom to sew additions to it, reluctant and yet giving in to my constant begging, she would make a few pouches and attached them to the fanny pack.  In said pouches, I would have a pack of mints as medicine and some wood blocks as extra ammunition.  At that tender age, that was my perfect bag.

Through the evolution of my life, my needs for the perfect bag didn't really change, in fact, I think it just merely evolved.  What is the perfect bag?  Well, I would have to assume that it would change per person for their needs.  Born and raised in NYC, I have always wanted a bag where security was at one of the top fives in desired traits.  Moving to Syracuse, NY for a portion of my life, yielding the need for a bag that can get me home safely if my car was stuck on the side of the road in a snow storm or, if I needed to spend the night in my office.  Travelling around and going across the border to Canada, yielded the desire to have a bag that fit the function of tactical flexibility and the invisibility of a normal bag where border agents weren't going to get intimate with my insides looking for drugs.  Moving back to NYC during the age of ISIS terror scares, helped evolve my needs again.  I needed a bag where in any situation, I was prepared for what was thrown at me.  Stuck in a subway?  I got myself light sticks, the ability to attach lights and make my way out.  If the call was for me to hunker down before being able to go home, I would have enough calorie driven snacks to keep me going with the ability to keep fluids with me for a day or two.  I needed the security of the bag to not be able to be pulled off of me without a fight or stuff stolen from it in tight quarters.  All in all, I needed a bag that can step up to whatever I need it to.  If the shit were to ever hit the fan, I would like to be able to grab my bag, my rifle, my dog and run.

My "go-to" bag.  Vanquest Skitch 12

Is it paranoia?  Perhaps it is, if you can imagine us all in a situation where we weren't ever worried about something happening, then it can be paranoia.  I remember vocalizing one day in the newspaper office I worked at about my search for a great bag that can fit my needs.  My co-workers at first thought it was just a silly thing for a guy to keep searching for the perfect bag.  They would say I was paranoid.  None of the scenarios I had in my head would ever happen.  But, then again, having a slightly heightened awareness of your surroundings or the possible dangers around you isn't silly or a state of paranoia.  I liken it more to the condom.  Yes, the condom.  It is always better to have it and not use it, than to need it and not have one at all.  It only takes ONE to ruin your life.  That last statement may be offensive to some, but you have to take it with a grain of salt or with a chaser of realism.  We are all comfortable being sheep lead to the slaughter.  But, when the sheep are finally at the slaughter house, they panic and it is all too late.  We all know life can be that jerk that takes us to slaughter.  The difference is, are you a sheep that willingly accepts the situation or are you a sheep that will go kicking and screaming until the end?  Maybe, just maybe you can be that sheep that slips away.  The more prepared one can be, the better.

So, with that in mind, what am I rambling about?  The Quest for the perfect bag for you should be cued to every person's needs.  It could be a backpack.  It could be a sling bag.  It could be a tactical assault bag.  Or it can even be a messenger bag.  The fact that if the bag suites and fits your life, then get it.  Be prepared.  Be ready for the situation.  How am I prepared?  Most of my bags, I have more than one, has an LED flashlight, a fire starting device, paracord, light sticks, a multi-tool, an edc self-defense tool, a monkey-fist, a Mylar blanket, pain killers, bandages, charging battery and tissues.  That list right there is my baseline.  I building my bags with most, if not all of that, in it.  Everything beyond above list are additives to the day at hand.  If I am running a light day with my fiancé in the city for a day of shopping, I use my Chrome Kadet bag and build the bag to be lightweight and handy.  If I am heading away for a few days, I would take my Chrome Mini Metro or my Hazard 4 Switchback or even my Direct Action Messenger (LARGE) and build it to have everything I need with me.   If I have to bug out, run and gun, I would use my Hazard 4 Plan B, load it out with a water bladder, ammunition, 48 hours of rations and get the hell out of the city.   Mission specific builds.  Or, to not sound like a paranoid prepper,  situation specific builds.

For all of you that have made it this far in my rambling article, go out and get that perfect bag that serves all your needs.  It may be more than one bag, but get one that you can depend on.  The reviewers of Shifter Life will continue to share what we experience with the bags we buy in our quest to find the perfect bag that fits the situation at hand.  Be prepared.  Don't be that chump without the condom.

Pat - Shifter Life - Gear Reviewer

Vanquest Skitch 12 with GT Cobra Strap

The Vanquest Skitch 12 with GT Cobra Strap
came ready to work

The first bag from a military style bag company that took the time to think.

Bold words coming from a desk jockey  But, let me clarify my statement with I am merely looking at this from the point of view of a city-trekker that has spent hundreds of dollars on bags trying to find the right one that can fit my life.  If you have read anything on our Tumblr page, or have seen anything on our Instagram page, you know that we are looking for that perfect bag that can shift to our lives.  And, in my eyes, the Vanquest company has finally been the company that produced a line of bags that meet my requirements for the daily grind.  The Skitch 12 is the smaller of the two bags, with the Skitch 15 being the larger of the two.  The Skitch 12 is a messenger style bag that takes a lot of elements that are popular in the messenger style bag world and moved it over to a more handy package with a few tactical elements added.  I think the main idea for this bag from Vanquest is just a different carry option that allows for CCW option while taking advantage of the messenger bag's handiness.  Let's face it, we all have that friend that walks around in the Maxpedition Fatboy-style bags and we all know he is carrying his daily carry in the thing.  This Skitch 12?  It looks like I am going to work or to the neighborhood Starbucks to write my next review.

My Skitch 12 is in the wolf gray trim.  I chose that because everything else that I own is decked out in black.  A little bit of change is nice.  Also, from the one and only non-black bag that I owned was a gray one.  This Skitch 12's wolf gray did exact what that tactical bag did.  In certain lights, it changes colors.  Wearing a bit of brown or greens and the bag seemingly adjusts to that color.  I think they should change it from 'wolf gray' to 'tactical gray', because the shifting of colors is nice.  The interior of the bag is 210-D RIPSTOP nylon in high-visibility orange, a 1000 denier weather treated Cordura wraps the entire bag nicely as the exterior.  The bag sports high-level quality YKK zippers and all the bells and whistles that you would come to expect from a high-end military bag.  If this were a vehicle, I feel it would be like the 2-door Jeep Wrangler with some off-roads tires.  Almost perfect for as a bug-out vehicle, but missing the extra set of doors.  That may be the Skitch 15 bag.  But, all in all, this bag is already showing signs of crushing into my top-5 list of bags I'd prefer.  The real-world dimensions of the bag are 16.5 inches wide, 9 inches tall at the shortest setup and 6 inches deep with a stretch limit of 9.5.  Stretching the bag out at the depth, may make the bag a bit bulky and odd to handle though.

FUNCTION 9.85/10 - The function.  Wow.  What makes the Skitch 12 such a versatile bag is that it is a bag that can lend itself to different layouts.  Not only can it extend in depth, it can extend in height.  This is definitely a cue from the messenger bag world.  The roll-top flap lends itself for you to place taller items into the bag and still carry it with confidence and security.  The layout of the bag has strategically placed hook-and-loop panels and the securing straps have a very long length of reach giving maximized usefulness.  I haven't tested the bag in it's highest layout, but I push the bag to the limits in depth.  I usually don’t carry laptops, my array of tablets rules my life.  My testing loadout this time: Samsung 10.5 tablet in case, Microsoft Surface RT with keyboard, 6-inch Kindle, Sol Republic Air Tracks headphones, Grid-It Organizer with various lengths of USB cables and chargers, small personal first-aid kit, various pens and markers, Gerber multi-tool, police-issued pepper spray, 2 led flashlights, tissues, passport, religious charms, lighter, plastic bag of snack bars and mints, Mylar survival blanket, spare battery pack to charge all my electronics, light rain-jacket packed into a small plastic tube, various length of paracord, survival bracelet, self-defense spike in Kydex holster and some other things that vary depending on where I would be spending most of my day.  Usually, a clip-on water bottle will be the varying element.  The bag's layout gave some key organizing elements that made my loadout listed above very easy to handle.

TACTICAL 8.5/10 - The overall tactical flexibility of this bag is amazing.  It truly does lend itself to be used in a variety of setups and loadouts.  With the little bits of molle-webbing here and there, it gives you the ability to tack on a few things.  Nothing too big, but big enough to handle any situation. My preference to messenger bags really relate to that opened-mouth cavity yielding to easy access, and with the single strap layout, it give users that option to access what they need in the bag without ever really needing to take it off their body.  Living in NYC where petty theft and subway crimes are starting to increase, having the option to get things in my bag without taking it off is nice.  Also, not to add fuel to the paranoid fire in the masses, having molle to attach a baton sheath or a self-defense tool, or a small knife is pretty badass.  To high-light, I live in NYC where having a CCW is almost impossible, so having the ability to attach a few things that are still legal to defend myself with is very key.

BUILD AND FINISH 9.5/10 - Top notch quality with great stitching.  I have looked over the bag and didn't find anything glaring at me that would cause me a great deal of concern in the future.  The nylon inside of the bad looks strong and isn't that stiff nylon that takes weeks to break-in and then cracks with daily use.  Everything that about this bag screams long-term daily use.  And, it should be, especially if a company is to stay competitive in this market.  My only concern that made me take off the half a point is the strap.  I chose the GT Cobra strap that turns the bag from the standard wear-it-off your hip bag to a bicycle messenger style.  The critical point, the buckles, seem to be made of as composite plastic or abs plastic, but that may lead to a catastrophic failure if the connection point were to snap.  On the website, it states a 500lb tensile strength on the buckle, so, we shall see.  With warranties to back their products, I have the utmost confidence in Vanquest products.

STYLE 9/10 -  Ok, style is a hard one to judge.  We all have different preferences when it comes to a woman.  So, why would it change on preferences with bags?  No one man can agree with 100% certainty that they will like what another guy likes.  I judged the Skitch 12 harshly in this department.  It is, in my eyes, a top-of-the-line messenger bag loaded with all the options one would need in a messenger bag.  But, it looks like a messenger bag.  A bit plain-Jane, but very, very functional.  It won't win any beauty pageants, but it will win 'Miss Congeniality'.  It is too likeable.  The moment you pick up this bag, either in the GT Cobra sling style or the standard sling style, all you want to do it put it on.  It is the cute girl that compliments you while shining on her own account.  If you like messenger bags, this one is for you.  And, dear god, get the wolf gray.  It is BAD ASS.

Test load

My experience with the Vanquest Skitch 12 was an overall delightful time.  I got on and off the subways without much problems with my bag fully packed with my loadout and with the GT Cobra strap, it made the loadout feel like nothing on my shoulder.  It was just handy and made with a lot of thought in mind for easing daily use.  I have always wanted a messenger bag with some military influences, and with the Skitch 12, I got that.  It doesn't stand out like the other bags I have.  It isn't yelling "LET'S STORM THE PLACE!" like some of my Hazard 4 bags that are tricked out with rows and rows of molle.  It is merely that cute girl at the dance that is standing by herself and when you finally ask this girl to dance, you realize that she is an absolutely filthy freak under that plain exterior.  The Skitch 12 is that cute girl.  Want to appear plain-Jane?  Tear off the morale patch and take away the molle attachments you have on.  Want to go all 'operator'?  Slap that stuff back on, add some sure-fire lights on the molle and go hardcore into it.  The bag will keep up with you.  This bag in the short period of the review time has been clubbing and shooting it's way onto the top of my top 5 list of bags I use.  With each and every day that passes and I choose her over the others, she is edging out the competition.  If the messenger bag is your kind of bag, GET THIS BAG or its bigger sibling the Skitch 15.  You will not regret it whatsoever.  Go to www.vanquest.com and take a look at their awesome line-up of gear.  Tell them that Shifter Life Gear Reviews sent you!

Pat Lau - Shifter Life m- Gear Reviewer