I’m not the doomsday prepper type. I don’t hoard hundreds of thousands of rounds of ammunition, I don’t have steel-reinforced doors on my home or a sweeping bunker complex in the basement. That said, I still think having a bug-out bag filled with a handy assortment of the essentials—medical supplies, a little water and food, a couple guns, ammunition, flashlights, etc.—is sound policy. Would a typical duffel bag work for this purpose? Probably. But when I go reaching for this bag, I have to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that it’s going to perform flawlessly. No broken straps, no busted stitching or zippers. So when I saw the Maxpedition Aggressor™ Tactical Attache, I figured it would fit the bill well. I just had no idea how well.
Initial observations:
You take one look at this bag and you know that the folks at Maxpedition aren’t pandering to the masses, they’re making a specialized product that was born to absorb extreme abuse and keep your stuff intact. I like that. You’ll pay more for this bag because of it, but I’m of the “buy nice and only cry once” school of thought. Even though I may never use it to the extremes it was designed for, it’s nice to know it could handle it if I did.
Components:
I’ve made my own leather holsters for years, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that the quality of the stitching directly affects the holster’s longevity. So I was pleased to find that the Maxpedition Aggressor has not only very robust stitching along all seams, but as much as quadruple stitching in high-stress areas. The bag is constructed entirely of 1000-Denier light-weight ballistic nylon fabric, meaning the only remaining possibility for a weak point would be the zippers. But the ones on the Maxpedition Aggressor seem built to withstand putting your full body weight into closing them over even the most overstuffed compartments. (Not that I did. Okay, yeah I did.)
Outstanding features:
The Maxpedition Aggressor has more pockets than I’ve ever seen on a bag this size. I’m talking pockets hidden inside and behind other pockets. That’s perfect for storing lots of gear—there’s little to no wasted space. They’re easy to access and held shut firmly with short-weave hook-and-loop fasteners. The shoulder strap is padded and comfortable, which is an absolute necessity: Fully loaded with supplies, this bag can get really heavy. After loading up the bag, I found myself truly impressed with how much thought the designers put into its creation—several features I wouldn’t have considered a necessity proved to be surprisingly handy, such as the internal hook-and-loop padded divider (above), the exceedingly roomy cinch pockets on either end meant for water bottles or radios, and the zipper-capture system that adds an extra layer of security, keeping unscrupulous hands from easily getting at your things.
Verdict:
If you’re in the market for a top-of-the-line range bag or bug-out bag, this would be a great choice. If you find that the pockets don’t fit your gear just right, Maxpedition also offers inexpensive hook-and-loop mounted accessories—mag pouches, universal holsters, etc.— to further customize the Aggressor’s interior. This bag is hard to beat.
What’s a ballpark number on price? Looks like a nice bag.
What’s a ballpark number on price? Looks like a nice bag.
JunkfoodZombieThe Maxpedition website has it listed at $195.99.
Great review! I just have a couple questions. What is this bag selling for in stores and is there a larger or smaller model? Thanks and keep the articles coming on here.
Don1974 I believe the Aggressor has a little brother at Maxpedition called “the Operator”—it’s about five inches shorter in length and an inch less wide. Looks almost identical, otherwise.
http://www.maxpedition.com/store/pc/OPERATOR-TACTICAL-ATTACHE-13p70.htm
Nice looking bag. Tons of pockets.
Excellent review!
Nice bag,good for a shooters bag.
Not quite big enough for a bug out bag.
Checked them out at a local gun & sporting goods shop, price is $139.99.
ristin59 Depends on how much you intend to take with you 😉
And thanks for the kind words, sir!
Nice review of what IMO is becoming an indispensable component of one’s overall Preparation. I know a lot of guys who are well stocked in guns&ammo but given little regard to needs of essential gear like a bug-out bag. As you mentioned, some may perceive such as ‘paranoia’ or the like but to each his own. I prefer to have at least a fundamental ability to either quickly relocate or ride out the storm if need be. The world has changed and I am not sure for the better…Nevertheless, “living in denial ain’t just a river in Africa” ;).
MarkWallace I’m all for being prepared for the worst, but there are some that take it a little further down the road than I’m comfortable with/have money for. 😉
…Is that a Ka-Bar poking out of one of the outer pockets, there? I approve. lol
Also, I think I may have found my next range bag. ;]
…Is that a Ka-Bar poking out of one of the outer pockets, there? I approve. lol
Also, I think I may have found my next range bag. ;]
NateGranzowDon1974 I actually have and regularly carry the baby brother to the “Aggressor” and the “Operator” called the “Last Resort”. I am a contractor in ATL so I am always having to find a happy medium between carrying items I need for work like a tape measure, ipad/ small plans, scales, pens, pads, and ID badges and then also find room for other necessities like my carry weapon, and flashlight. As of right now my bag easily carries the following:
H&K USP (Full Size), Extra Mag, Surfire 6P, SOG Multitool, 16′ fatboy tape measure, pocket scale, Rite in the Rain field notepad+ organizer with pens and pencils, 1st gen Ipad in a Saddleback leather case, floss, 3 id badges, a mustache pacifier, my business card holder and a pack of emergency mixed nuts in case I become a Diva on a job site. To be honest the bag has more room left in it but I honestly can not carry any more stuff daily because it is already heavy with the loadout above especially if you are standing up with it slung across your chest all day. Overall it has been a great bag and I have yet to find another manufacturer that makes anything similar.
Gripes: When I ordered it from Maxpedition it came in and the color was off. I ordered the Khaki color and what arrived was more like a blend of Khaki/Foliage. I called Maxpedition about the color variance and did not have a very good experience. Essentially the bag was two toned…some of it Genuine Khaki and some of it was damn near foliage. I took it over to a local store that sells maxped and asked about doing a swap. They gladly called Maxped and asked that they had a warranty item and needed a replacement for it. When the new bag showed up it was worse so I ended up just keeping mine. Not long after this the stitching on the velcro for the long bottom pocket ripped completely out. Called again about this and never got a satisfying result so I just fixed it myself and left it alone.
I like my bag so much that I just wasn’t willing to write it off over those two items, and to be honest no one else makes anything close as far as features go.
Destinee, my bag makes an awesome range bag and it is tiny. Something else it also does well is make a hell of a tactical diaper bag.
Whitten NateGranzow Don1974 “Tactical diaper bag.” Love it. Mine will probably end up being used for a similar purpose 😉