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Best daypack? Field test of the Beretta Tactical Backpack

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Looking for a lightweight, but sturdy daypack to become your Get-Home or Bug-Out bag? Or how about a comfortable carrying pack for day hiking or short trips?

This quality Beretta day pack can make hauling your gear much easier.

by Leon Pantenburg

Disclaimer: Beretta supplied the product for this review. No one, except for my wife,  had any input into the contents. This is my opinion, and all I ever promise in any review is a fair shake.

A good pack can make or break a hike or outing, and is one reason I have so many different versions. These packs range from my trusty external frame Kelty Tioga 5500, which has been carried for a couple thousand miles, to small daypacks designed for kids that will haul a water bladder and snacks. Different packs work best for different situations, so your pack can also be a very effective way of organizing equipment.

The Beretta daypack features MOLLE gear attachments. This pack has two add-ons.

For frequent use on short trips, a well-designed daypack can’t be beat. It needs to be big enough to haul your necessities, but not so large as to be heavy, bulky and unwieldy. You should have your Ten Essentials survival gear along whenever you get off the pavement, and leaving rain gear behind is taunting the rain gods. You also need water and food and all sorts of individuals things. So I was very interested in the Beretta Tactical Backpack.

Here are the specs:

  • Imported
  • Made of 600D Polyester PU Coated DWR Material
  • YKK Branded Zippers / Stitched with 3ply Nylon Thread
  • Laser Cut Exterior MOLLE System
  • 2 large Compartments/ Padded Back
  • Dimensions: 11″x9″x19. 3″ / Capacity: 29L

The Tactical Backpack features 2 large interior compartments that provide ample pocket space and storage options.

How it all played out.

My wife Debbie carried the Beretta Tactical Backpack on a flight home to Mississippi from Oregon in June. To my surprise, she gave it a lukewarm review.

While it fit in the  overhead bin on the airplane without a problem, she said, Debbie wanted more pockets on the outside. Debbie travels frequently in her job as a marketing strategist, and when she is in the air, she is generally working on her laptop. So Debbie’s work daypack needs outside pockets, and a unit that zips completely open for easy access. The Beretta doesn’t come with that, and for her business needs the tactical is not the best choice.

But it works well for me. What I look for in a daypack that will go outdoors was not what my wife wants in the urban jungle. I generally like tactical gear, because it is by definition rugged and tested under extreme conditions. Tactical gear refers to the equipment used by the police and army. They can range from flashlights, bulletproof vests and even knives. Military tactical gear can also be useful in everyday life. If you can get tactical gear that doesn’t look like it is, that is a good start to blending in with the crowd with a “gray man” persona during a disaster.

The MOLLE system lets the user add or subtract pouches as needed. This is very handy.

MOLLE compatible: I have MOLLE  attachments on a lot of my gear, and I like the concept. MOLLE is an acronym for Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment. It is used to define the current generation of load-bearing equipment and backpacks used by a number of NATO armed forces. MOLLE allows the user to pick and choose which items to attach, and you are not constrained to the pack’s pockets.

This works out very well for me. When I go swamp rambling, I can attach a holster and magazine holders, canteen holder and Junglass machete so all are easily accessible. In the city, you can remove all the MOLLE gear and there is nothing to attract pickpockets or undue attention. One of the strong points of this pack is how easily it can be adapted for your specific needs in special situations.

This is a daypack that can work quite well when you have to blend in with an urban crowd. There is a velcro place to attach patches. I would suggest placing some popular computer game avatar on that. What gamer is going to have stuff that might attract a predator?

Color: The Beretta comes in black or coyote (brown). These are tactical colors, and that’s fine. But for an urban daypack that won’t attract much attention (think grey man) a more unusual color scheme, like plaid or something like that,  might be a better choice. Urban camouflage should be designed to help you blend in with the crowd. An overtly tactical pack might be a clue to the predators that you have stuff they might want. And MOLLE gear hanging all over the outside of the pack would be sure giveaway.

Disguise your tactical Bug Out or Get Home daypack so it looks more like a kid’s school book bag. That’s better urban camo.

Suspension system: A very important feature is the suspension system. If the pack doesn’t ride comfortably, you won’t use it. That could result in the pack being left in the car at the trailhead along with all your survival gear.  The shoulder straps and harness fit me well and are easily adjusted. I’m 5’10” tall and normally weigh in (before the pandemic quarantine) at about 187 pounds. I’m the average-sized American male, and the pack fits me very well. My wife is an average-sized American female, and the pack adjusts well to her frame.

There is no waist belt, and this pack doesn’t need one. I’ve carried mine, fully loaded, for several miles at a time, and it rides quite comfortably.

So do you need one of these daypacks? I find that mine works out really well for day hikes and other other outings where you might want to add or subtract gear. It rides well and comfortably and is lightweight and sturdy. This day pack is a keeper.

BerettaUSA.com

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