From Typical Travel Backpack to Military Tactical Bag - 7 Reasons Why You Should Consider Having Tactix Backpack for Your Next Vacation

In this article I am going to be talking about why I think tactical bags are great for travellers. Being in the military I use this style of bag for work but I also use them for everyday life and travel. Because I don’t want to wear camouflage bags when I am not working I own a couple of black tactical bags; the Viper Tactical Recon Extra Pack and the First Tactical Tactix 3 Day Backpack and so I will be referring to these.

Organisation

When I am out and about with my sons (aged 4 and 2) I often need to carry lots of things for them like drinks, spares clothes, snacks, nappy changing supplies, toys, sunglasses, hats… the list is endless really and so I find tactical bags really useful because they have lots of pockets and compartments. I use my Viper bag when I take my sons out for the day and I am able to organise and separate all of their things  using the 4 main compartments and the 11 internal pockets making it really quick and easy to find what I want when I need it.

The First Tactical backpack is no exception, this bag has 11 external compartments and 24 pockets and compartments inside those, as well as the plethora of compartments and pockets this bag has a really cool feature with the inside of the main compartment being lined so that you can attach velcro pouches to it, the bag comes with 3 of these pouches and they sell more in a variety of sizes. I like to use these like packing cubes to keep all my clothes organised while I am travelling.

Flexibility

Rather than having lots of various sizes of bags for different lengths and types of trip I find that tactical bags offer the flexibility to use one bag for a variety of trips.

I used my First Tactical the other weekend and managed to pack all of these things in here easily which was enough clothes for me and my 2 sons for 3 days including toys, snacks, nappies, books, teddies, and even a small duvet. This was not even a struggle to close and I think I could probably have taken enough for another day or 2 if I really wanted to.

But on the flipside if I want to go away for a few days and only use hand luggage then I can half fill my First Tactical backpack, do up the compression straps and it will easily meets the dimensions for budget airlines.

Customisation

Most if not all tactical bags come with some sort of webbing attachment system which is designed to work with an MOLLE compatible pouches. There is a grid on the bags which you weave the straps on the back of the pouches through and this provides a very secure attachment while allowing you to place the pouches wherever you like. These pouches come in a variety of shapes and sizes and allow you to make a bag that is setup perfectly for you and your needs.

The webbing on my Viper bag has the traditional style of webbing whereas my First Tactical bag has the more modern laser cut system. This makes the bag lighter and stronger while giving you greater flexibility with where you position the pouches, I also think this makes the bag look neater and more stylish.

Durability

Being designed for military use they are made from strong and hardwearing materials, which means you can stuff them full of kit, throw them around and they will still last you for years without looking scruffy and old.

Style

Now this one is obviously subjective and down to personal tastes but I really like the look of tactical bags and much prefer them to traditional types of bags.

Practicality

If you are a practical person like me then tactical bags are what you need. They are covered in straps and clips for hanging things and have all sorts of features you won’t find on other types of bags. The Viper bag comes with locking clips and multiple compression straps. The First tactical bag has grab handles on the top as well as both sides and a couple of rather unique features like the back support which has been designed so that it can be removed and used as a snow shovel, a paddle and a leg brace.

Comfort

These bags are designed for carrying heavy kit all day and so they need to be comfortable. Obviously the more you spend then the more padding, support and adjustment you will find and this shows with the First Tactical bag which has a strong breathable back support with adjustment for the yoke and the height of the straps, whereas the Viper bag just has the standard length adjustment on the back straps.