Exactly what I expected/ wanted
wedding dress Maxpedition Monsoon Gearslinger Foliage Green
I pre-ordered one of these when they first came out and wasn't disappointed. It was my first Maxpedition purchase, and I ended up buying a Rat wallet for the belt, and a (discontinued) pouch that was a Barnacle next to a sheath. I put that one on the side opposite the water bottle.
If I had a criticism it would be that, the modularity is addicting! You'll probably end up with a few different Maxpedition pouches because they work so well together. I found it essential to have more small/mid size item storage for the bag. It doesn't have a lot of mid size compartments, though the belt zip pouch is great for your wallet, and there is a nice zipper pouch on the inside. The concealed hydration pocket is very handy. The water bottle holder is one of the main reasons I got the bag (and the waiststrapit REALLY takes the weight off my shoulder).
I added a camera pouch to the front strap and it is so comfortable taking it out in that position. I have hiked for 5-6 hours and not felt any soreness, even with 12-15 pound loads.
The compression strap system and front flap is ingenious. You could actually use the two different sections of the compression straps (bottom, and sides) for carrying discrete loads in each area. Carrying a Frisbee is essential to me so this works perfectly secured behind the front flap. You can still fit the jacket, and yet attach a pocket to the flap as well.
You can have so many different load outs with this pack. I stuff oranges, apples, water and heavy stuff inside the inner slip pocket. These weighty items end up riding perfectly on the small of my back, aided by the waistbelt which I wear snugly. The bag is very comfortable, though I have to tighten the shoulder strap nearly all the way. I use the waistbelt almost all the time, as there's usually more than a few pounds of gear, water, and food inside. When there aren't a lot of items inside I can cinch it down very small and tuck the waistbelt away.
It looks spectacular. I got the black and I love it. I can even take it on business.
I bought an FR-1 for the inside and relocated the Rat to the FR-1. The Rat ended up getting in the way of my left arm when it was attached to the waistbelt.
The Monsoon does not hold rectangular items as well as some other bags, but I found a Saunders slim case/clipboard that fits great and holds my essential music papers. You can stuff a surprising amount of gear in here with ease, and the teardrop shape drops the weight into the small of your back. When you need something, just loosen the shoulder strap and swing it around. It is an amazing design IMHO, very futuristic, and looks SICK!.
UPDATE: Still loving this bag. I put a 5x7x2 Horizontal GP Pouch - Low Profile attached to the back flap, and it fits PERFECT. It adds some much needed small item organized storage (and another outer zipper pocket), and is very easy to get to. It does not get in the way of the bag's functionality at all. In here I put ibuprofen, Band-Aids, lip balm, snack bars, fruit, trail mix, sunglasses.
I also added another 5" sheath on the side, near the belt zipper MOLLE.
When hiking, I slip a Four by Six onto the bottom of the shoulder strap to fit my compact binoculars when I need them. These two pouches are great added to the Monsoon!
I still have an M-2 fastened to the shoulder strap at all times, across the top of my chest, for my camera, phone, pen/pencil, and batteries. The M-2 is a thick pouch and sticks out a little further from my chest than I would like. I may replace it with a Barnacle or Anemone someday...or not
I usually throw the FR-1 (mini first aid, toiletry, and survival kit) into the bag for camping or overnighters.
I have another LED Lenser sheath that I can fit on the belt MOLLE next to the other sheath when I need another flashlight. I also have a Victorinox sheath that I sometimes add here.
With this loadout, I have like 7 pouches attached to the Monsoon, and there is room for more! It looks pretty intense in the city, so I only add the Four by Six, LED Lenser, and Victorinox sheath if I need them.
A Maxpedition Janus will arrive in a few days, and I can add that one too when needed. When not threaded into the strap on the Monsoon, I plan to use the Janus with a standalone 2" shoulder strap for EDC: Phone, wallet, sunglasses, knife, lighter, pen, pencil, ibuprofen. I will not use the extension strap on it with the Monsoon because the Monsoon strap is already really long.
Category Article silver heels
I debated a long time over spending this much on a backpack. I am glad I did. I have owned it for almost 2 years and have put it through some hard use on a daily basis. There are no signs of wear whatsoever. I've hauled books to school and its awesome for bus travel being able to sling it to the front and not have to take the pack off when you sit down. It hauls my 15.4" laptop just fine. Though its a little difficult taking the laptop out at airport security. There's not a ton of room in it, but its not made for a 2 week amazon adventure. Perfect size, much more cubic inches and I would make it to heavy. I could not be more happy with my purchase. I hate the fact that I'm sold on expensive gear once again. I wish I could afford more of their stuff. Maxpedition if you are reading this please send me some free stuff. Don't care what I will take anything. Foliage green please. :)
After using OGIO, Targus, Adidas, Oakley backpacks, I have to say this is truly the best built and thought through. Great piece of gear. It reminds me of a Blackhawk line of gear that seem to be build to military specs, i.e. very reliable and with a usability in mind. Took it for a 10 day trip to Chicago. Carried all the stuff the family needed through out the day: water, jackets, camera equipment, umbrella etc.. Strap is great. Additional, around the waist belt is very useful too. Highly recommended.
I had carried around cheap wal-mart and other brand backpacks for years, for school and everything else and up until the point when I had received my Maxpedition Monsoon gearslinger, the best bag I had is what came with my HP laptop! This bag is so much more than you'd ever need, if the size is right for what you use it for. I've used it for a couple of day-hikes/overnight hikes, and it has easily held all of my gear that I needed for the trips! The bag is spacious, tougher than hell and is fairly comfortable, even with it fully packed! Another friend of mine who I turned on to Maxpedition gear, recently had purchased one to use for carrying gear he normally wouldn't be able to carry on his motorcycle. He absolutely fell in love with the bag, and now uses it everyday! I would highly recommend this product to anyone who is looking for a tougher-than-nails bag, that is worth every penny!
I have been using this pack for about 9 months now, first for University and then over the summer for some outdoor adventures. It performs great for both, and still looks brand new. It fits some books and my macbook along with lunch and mac power supply/mouse for school, as well as a host of smaller everyday items. No issues there. Put the cell phone holder on the strap also. It's right there, and I can feel the vibration with the ringer off.
As for outdoor use, the Monsoon was ideal for a day trip to summit a mountain. Also hiking, mountain biking and just trekking around. The waist strap is invaluable for these activities. My camelback fit right inside, saving me hauling a Nalgene around. Hook and loop attachments route the camelback hose right to where you want it. Plus I got several interested compliments on the thing's appearance.
The concealed carry option is also a bonus. My Sig rides in it's pocket without issue. I got the holster and mag holders and they velcro right in there. The gun does not create an annoying lump that can be felt pressing into your back at all.
In all a great purchase. I have since purchased 3 other Maxpedition bags for rangebag use, computer use and camera use.