EDC Bags, Pouches, & Loadout Photos

[Mudinyeri]

The Mudinyeri EDC Kit is based on the Maratac Diplomat EDC Pocket Organizer. I recently picked up a Maxpedition EDC Pocket Organizer giving me the opportunity to compare the two.

First the basics.

Maratac Retail Price: $10.00 (for a 'limited' time)

Maxpedition Retail Price: $22.99

Maratac Description:
* Compact 5” x 7” x 0.75” size (actual measurements - 5" x 7" x 5/8")
* Drops into pants cargo pocket or backpack/bag
* Full clamshell opening main compartment with single zip
* Inside left: Slip pocket; key ring; elastic organizer with 5 divisions
* Inside right: Slip pocket
* Front exterior: 2” x 3” loop field for patches; color-coded U.S. flag patch included; mesh slip pocket with hook-and-loop closure
* Back exterior: Handle; attachment webbing
* MOLLE/PALS compatible with included attachment webbing

Maxpedition Description:
* Compact 5” x 7” x 0.75” size (actual measurements - 5 7/8" x 7 7/8" x 7/8")
* Drops into pants cargo pocket or backpack/bag
* Full clamshell opening main compartment with dual zips
* Inside left: Slip pocket; key ring; elastic organizer with 9 divisions
* Inside right: Slip pocket; tie-down loop; elastic organizer with 6 divisions
* Front exterior: 2” x 3” loop field for patches; mesh slip pocket with hook-and-loop closure
* Back exterior: Oversized handle; attachment webbing
* MOLLE compatible
* Attach using two 3" TacTie™ Attachment Straps

Comparison Photos

Front View - Maratac on Left, Maxpedition on Right

Rear View - Maratac on Left, Maxpedition on Right

Open Comparison - Maratac on Left, Maxpedition on Right

Comparison of Zipper Pulls - Maratac on Left, Maxpedition on Right

Maratac Interior

Maxpedition Interior

Initial thoughts:

The Maxpedition version is slightly larger and seems to be made of slightly heavier material. If you're looking for a true pocket carrier, it may be a tad too large.

The Maxpedition unit has bi-directional zippers, but the ends are just knots. The Maratac has a lighter-weight pull cord but has a plastic cord end which gives it a little more finished look and feel.

There are more elastic organizers in the Maxpedition unit.

The key ring on the Maxpedition is a bit thicker and is attached to a non-stretch cord. The Maratac unit has a smaller hook attached to a longer cord with a good deal of elastic stretch.

If you intend to attach the Maxpedition unit to MOLLE or PALS webbing, you'll need to buy additional attachment straps. The Maratac version can be attached to MOLLE or PALS webbing or your belt without the need to purchase additional straps.

Bottom Line: For less than half the money, the Maratac organizer seems to be a bargain unless you absolutely need the additional 7/8" of width and length of the Maxpedition organizer.

 

[DHonovich]

Re: Review: EDC Pocket Carriers

Thanks for sharing your comparison of the two EDC pocket carriers. I completely agree that going with the Maratac over the Maxpedition seems like a no brainer.

 

[Mudinyeri]

Murse, Man-bag, Messenger Bag, Briefcase ...

... show yours off!

After nearly 16 years, I finally wore out my first man-bag. Back when I bought it, the terms man-bag and murse didn't exist. It was an all-leather bag, in basic black, made in the traditional messenger style. Unfortunately, the company succumbed to the pressure of reduced expenses and heightened competition over the years. Their bags are now made in China and sold by Wal-Mart. That just wasn't going to cut it as a replacement for a bag that lasted 16 years and probably covered close to 1.5 million air miles with me.

The search was on! I looked at leather bags. I looked at "fabric" bags. I covered the spectrum. I ended up with a Maxpedition Larkspur (look for a review coming soon). It's an excellent basic bag with some really neat features like loop lining (as in hook and loop) on both sides of the main internal compartment so you can put the kinds of admin panels and pockets inside it that accommodate your needs ... and not those of some designer who's never done your job.

For reference, here are a few stock photos of the Larkspur:

 

[DHonovich]

Re: Murse, Man-bag, Messenger Bag, Briefcase ...

I have yet to own a "murse, man-bag, messenger bag or briefcase" but that Maxpedition Larkspur looks like one I would wear if I did. Let us know how you like it. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Rossignol]

Re: Review: EDC Pocket Carriers

Nice work on the side x side!

Guess it would depend on whether or not the size is an issue.

Are both made in the US?

 

[Rossignol]

Re: Murse, Man-bag, Messenger Bag, Briefcase ...

Hmmm, if it has the name man-purse in it I likely wouldnt use it at all.

Ok that said, I have considered getting a Maxpedition pack, but it wouldnt be the kind of thing I'd be using every day.

 

[Mudinyeri]

Review: Maxpedition Larkspur Messenger Bag

Recently, my messenger bag/brief case gave out on me. I'd carried it for nearly 16 years and probably more than 1.5 million air miles. To say I was attachéd (pardon the pun) would be an understatement. I would have liked to replace it with the very same make and model. Unfortunately, the fine Italian company that originally made my brief case has moved its manufacturing to China and begun distributing through Wal-Mart in order to compete in contemporary times. As a result, the quality of the bags now produced by the same company has gone down considerably.

Those facts initiated my journey to find a replacement bag. After much searching and considering, I have arrived at the Maxpedition Larkspur.

Maxpedition makes two messenger-style bags, the Larkspur and the Gleneagle. The Gleneagle is a monster of a bag in which you could carry a Chinese gymnast or your own “little person” for midget bowling. I didn't need anything that big so I settled on the Larkspur.

Larkspur Basics:
MSRP: $117.99
Main Compartment: 15.5"(L) x 4.5"(W) x 10.5"(H); fully lined with loop
Front Pockets (2):  7"(L) x 1.5"(W) x 9"(H)
Sheath Pockets (2):  1.5"(L) x 1"(W) x 6.5"(H)
Lid Sleeve Pocket:  15"(L) x 10"(W)
Max. shoulder strap length:  62"
Max. waist belt circumference:  68"
Adjustable 2" quick release shoulder strap
Adjustable and removable 1” waist belt

The design of the Larkspur looks pretty basic from a distance, but there are a few unique things that set it apart for me.

First, the Larkspur and its counterpart, the Gleneagle, are the only messenger bags that I'm aware of that do not require you to open the flap to access the pockets inside the bag. The top of the outer flap has a zipper that provides access to the internal compartments of the bag without having to open the flap. This is particularly nice if you decide to carry a small laptop or netbook in the flap pocket like I do. Maxpedition advertises this as an enhancement for concealed carry. If you prefer not to carry your weapon on your body I guess you might find the feature useful for concealed carry, but I doubt you're going to be able to open the top zipper and pull your weapon from the bag in time to respond to an emergency situation.

Larkspur Flap-top Zippered Opening with ITW Tac Toggles Added

Second, the Larkspur has long, slender “sheath pockets” on either end of the bag. I've seen a number of reviews from people who found no practical use for these compartments. A couple suggested that one could carry their high-capacity magazines or silencers in them. While that's tempting, I travel by air quite a bit and the TSA tends to frown on high-capacity magazines and silencers in one's carry-on luggage.

Unlike those left scratching their heads for non-magazine/silencer-related uses, I knew exactly what to do with these long, slender compartments. The charging cable for my Droid and power cord for my netbook went right in - perfect fit!

Larkspur Left-hand Sheath Pocket

Larkspur Right-hand Sheath Pocket

Another feature of the Larkspur that seemed to elude the comprehension of several reviewers was the "pocket" on the back of the bag that was open on both the top and bottom. Rather than sewing it shut as I saw one owner do ... I slipped it over the pull-handle of my carry-on roller bag. Eureka! My messenger bag and its contents were now more secure than ever before when carried on top of my carry-on roller bag. Notice how nicely the handle of the Larkspur lines up with the handle of my roller bag. The “pocket” measures 8” high X 8 7/8” wide.

Larkspur Back “Pocket”

One feature that I found that I didn't need was the "belt" on the back of the Larkspur. Obviously intended for bike messengers, the belt could be utilized to cinch the bag around one's waist so that it wouldn't flop around during strenuous activity like riding a messenger bike. Since I don't typically ride a bike through airports, I found the belt to be superfluous and removed it.

Larkspur Waist Belt

Larkspur Waist Belt Removed

Another nit that I have to pick about the Larkspur is the hook and loop closures on the front two pockets. They are amazingly strong! Now, normally, one would think that was a good thing, but these closures are so strong that they're actually difficult to open. They also make a lot of noise for a relatively long time when opened. That gets you some odd looks in airports and on planes. I suppose if you were carrying boxes of ammo in these pockets, you might want the extra strength. With anything lighter the strength is unnecessary and somewhat annoying.

Larkspur Front Pocket Hook & Loop Closure

I came up with a solution that reduced the amount of hook & loop engagement and (hopefully) will serve as a deterrent should anyone decide they want to take a look at what's in my Larkspur.

Larkspur Front Pocket Hook & Loop Closure Reduction

The front pockets are a nice size for carrying medium-sized items like a hard cover book or your Mudinyeri EDC Organizer.

Hardcover Book in Larkspur Front Pocket

EDC Organizer in Larkspur Front Pocket (note that the organizer can be turned on its side)

Because the Larkspur doesn't come with a pad on the shoulder strap, I ordered Maxpedition's 2” shoulder pad at the same time I ordered the Larkspur. The pad is well-made with a non-slip surface and a good amount of padding. I'm quite happy with its comfort and performance after a couple trips.

Larkspur with 2” Shoulder Pad

One of my general complaints about Maxpedition gear is that their zipper pulls are usually just knotted paracord. I have yet to purchase a Maxpedition item that had nice, plastic cord terminators – or anything even better – on its zippers.

As mentioned above, I added ITW Tac Toggles to the outside zipper on the flap. I also added paracord pulls, plastic terminators and Tac Toggles to the inside, main compartment zipper.

Larkspur with Added Paracord Pulls, Plastic Terminators & ITW Tac Toggles

I've added a couple other modifications that make any bag, including the Larkspur, a bit more functional and convenient in my opinion.

Larkspur with ITW Grimlocs and Web Dominators

I'll close with a few more pictures of the Larkspur. If you're interested in a Larkspur, and have any questions, please feel free to ask.

Larkspur Main Compartment Interior with Maxpedition Hook & Loop Admin Panel

Larkspur Main Compartment Loop Field

Larkspur Lid Sleeve

Larkspur Lid Sleeve Pocket with Netbook Padded Carrying Case

 

[Rossignol]

Re: Review: Maxpedition Larkspur Messenger Bag

Nice write up Toby, good pics too! I appreciate your review!!!

 

[DHonovich]

Re: Review: Maxpedition Larkspur Messenger Bag

I think I found the messenger bag I am going to order! Thanks for posting up a thorough review of this Maxpedition Larkspur Messenger Bag.

 

[Mudinyeri]

Re: Review: Maxpedition Larkspur Messenger Bag

I think I found the messenger bag I am going to order! Thanks for posting up a thorough review of this Maxpedition Larkspur Messenger Bag.

Don't forget. I have the goodies to help you customize it. I stock all the stuff I used to customize mine.

 

[DHonovich]

Re: Review: Maxpedition Larkspur Messenger Bag

I think I found the messenger bag I am going to order! Thanks for posting up a thorough review of this Maxpedition Larkspur Messenger Bag.

Don't forget. I have the goodies to help you customize it. I stock all the stuff I used to customize mine.

Excellent!

 

[Rossignol]

Re: Review: Maxpedition Larkspur Messenger Bag

Cool, You keep the ITW stuff too?

 

[Mudinyeri]

Re: Review: Maxpedition Larkspur Messenger Bag

Cool, You keep the ITW stuff too?

Yes, I have the Grimlocs, Web Dominators and Tac Toggles in stock.

 

[m24shooter]

C&C: EDC Organizer and Fatty Organizer

Front of EDC on the right. I remove the handles on these things.

EDC opened.

Front of Fatty. It retains the mesh pocket.

Rear is the same; again I remove the handles as they are worthless to me.

One of the big differences: the depth. The Fatty has more room than the EDC.

Another big difference that I really like: the tool holders are organized differently. The right side works much better with this orientation if you don't have a lot of tools that require the full height of the organizer and the elastic loop on the spine is handy too.

A nice modification. While the sleeve pocket on the left side remains (log book pulled out to show this), the right side pocket is now zippered (black parts bag pulled out to show this). I really like this over the original EDC Organizer as I really didn't like two sleeve pockets that were so deep you could lose small items in them and the horizontal tool orientation works much better.

I will probably get another Fatty and switch all the contents of my EDC over to it as my EDC toolkit could use a little extra room and I wouldn't have to shove things into the outside mesh pocket.

 

[Mudinyeri]

Re: C&C: EDC Organizer and Fatty Organizer

I'm liking that Fatty, M24. Are you carrying it in your Larkspur? How does it fit?

 

[Sn3aKyGuY]

Re: C&C: EDC Organizer and Fatty Organizer

These are pretty nice. Throw a couple of 5.11 slick sticks on them and you could attach it to any MOLLE bag or vest for a quick attach/detach. Thanks for the review.

 

[m24shooter]

Re: C&C: EDC Organizer and Fatty Organizer

Mud:
No, I'm not running it in the Lark. I put this with my rifle stuff. But it does fit in the outside pockets just fine. It fills them out a little more, and is just about the right size for laying it in horizontally. I tested the fit after I got it and realized how much more I like this over the EDC Organizer.
Sneaky:
Thanks.

 

[m24shooter]

5.11 Tablet Platform Case

I just got the 5.11 Tablet Platform Case for my tablet. I needed something smaller than my laptop and bag now that I'm back in grad school, and it is a lot easier to haul this from the office to the car to home when I don't need everything that I carry in the laptop bag.
The case is labelled as being for an iPad in one place and a tablet in others. It fit my A200 ok, but larger tablets would have a problem.

The tablet case can be opened from the top or the end.

The back has an ID loop panel and PALS webbing.

A200 tablet on top of the case.

The side flap opened. The closure patch doubles as a card holder.

Top and side flaps open.

The fit is pretty tight, but there is just enough room to fit a small note pad behind the tablet.

Contrasting color fleece-lined internals.

Lots of PALS webbing if you want to use it. I think pens is about all I'm going to put in there. Without pouches on the outside, the case can be used as a base for my tablet at a desk or behind the wheel.

The top mounted grab handle.

The side pull tab and pen/stylus sleeve. The pull tab is used when the case is in a sleeve pocket on other bags or luggage.

The write bar is used on signature blocks on forms.

 

[Rossignol]

Re: 5.11 Tablet Platform Case

That is great! I could def be interested in using that over some other stuff I've seen that looks like it should be in a purse!

Thanks M24!!!

 

[SHOOTER13]

Re: 5.11 Tablet Platform Case

Nice review...thanks for sharing !!