maxpedition fatboy "manpurse," detailed review

[clovisc]

okay -- i was bored. and hugely impressed by my new maxpedition fatboy... a great, small sling bag that i'm sure you spydie fans and gear heads would really love. so here's a detailed review... if you want, just skip to the end to see the huge list of stuff i carry in this little bag...

-jason.

i bought a MAXPEDITION FATBOY VERSIPACK because i wanted a small sling bag to use as a compliment to a backpack... something in which i could store knives, flashlights, medical necessities, and other small items for easy, rapid access in situations where it might be annoying or difficult to go digging through a backpack.

...something that has lots of pockets and compartments, so as to keep my gear highly organized...

...something i could perhaps attach to a bicycle, or use as a small grab-n-go bail-out bag...

...and oh, it would be great if i could use it to carry bottles of water...

...AND... it’s gotta stand up to 2.5 years of hard abuse as i work on an aquaculture assignment for the peace corps in rural zambia...

... zambia... where there‘s a substantial rainy season. hmm... guess it’s gotta be waterproof, as well!!!!

sound like a tall or unrealistic order? yes, indeed! yet the MAXPEDITION FATBOY VERSIPACK fit the bill to a T.

self-conscious critics have accused the fatboy of being a “manpurse” or a glorified fanny pack -- but you can be sure that with the fatboy’s no BS, utilitarian design and militaristic colors (khaki, black, or OD green -- like mine), the only stares and comments you’ll get are jealous ones. if you are a man who finds himself needing a small bag, you will be hard pressed to find anything less dorky or more masculine than the fatboy.

but those are just my own aesthetic opinions... what does the general public think? to find out, i loaded mine up with gear (see below) and took my fatboy to that haven of nervous, paranoid, and ordinary everyday citizens (yes, i’m trying to say “sheeple” without saying “sheeple”), the suburban supermarket. walked in, walked around... no one noticed me or gave me any kind of “looks.” in fact, the fatboy, even loaded to the max as it was with knives, “tactical” flashlights, and other pieces of un-suburban equipment, did such a great job of being low-profile that an elderly man accidentally bumped into it. a young, male cashier threw a passing glace at the fatboy as i left, but i could tell by his facial expression that he thought it was cool. so i went across the street to the drug store to try again for more “looks”...walked around there... still didn’t get anyone’s attention.

so yea... the fatboy passes the “sheeple test” with flying colors.

next up -- the water test. maxpedition claims its products, built from superior grade, heavy duty nylon and coated with dupont teflon, are extremely water resistant... which sounds like a challenge to me. i simulated rain by sprinkling water on the fatboy, and watched the water droplets roll right off. then, i dumped a cup of water on the thing. once again, rolled right off. only the smallest amount of water was absorbed into the surface of the nylon... and the stuff is so thick that it would be hard if not impossible for water to get through. plus, the fatboy’s main inner compartment is protected by a waterproof, tent-style cinch bag, which is then covered by a flap two layers of nylon thick! nope -- water isn’t getting inside there!

i tried the same two water tests on my old, trusty jansport backpack -- also allegedly water resistant -- compared to the fatboy, the backpack sucked up water like a sponge! guess i’ll have to upgrade to a maxpedition backpack before i face zambia’s rainy season...

as far as durability goes... the maxpedition is as solid as a bag could possibly be. the stitching and quality of materials leaves absolutely nothing to be desired. there’s no question... this is the kind of bag that you can throw out of a plane, run over with a couple trucks and tanks, kick through gravel, bury under the ground for a while, throw off a cliff.... and still keep (ab)using for years.

okay -- what about carrying gear? the fatboy has a large main storage compartment containing two mesh keeper compartments. i use mine to carry two twenty ounce bottles of vitamin water. or, if hydration isn’t a concern, i can use the main compartment to carry my spyderco sharpmaker, my solar battery recharger, my CD player, and a whole lot of other small items.
there’s also a large rear storage compartment suitable for a handgun (if you carry one, which i don’t...) -- i filled mine up with survival essentials. there’s a front storage compartment with a mesh keeper inside, where can i store all my medicines, essential oils, and a flask... with room to spare. in front of this compartment is a small pocket suitable for papers... mine holds the boxes for my medicines, some medical info, and 10 tea bags. covering the main and small compartments is a flap that buckles securely shut. a zipper in the flap allows you to store more gear inside... mine contains playing cards, dice, two folding knives, and a few survival essentials. another small compartment on the fatboy’s side gives me plenty of room for batteries, a back-up flashlight lamp, my sewing kit, and a few other small items... again, with room to spare. there’s a sheath with a cover that fits a large folder or tactical flashlight very neatly... it’s covered in high-quality velcro. i looped the sheath that came with my inova X5T flashlight through the fatboy’s sheath’s cover, where it now happily and securely hangs without interfering with my access the fatboy’s sheath’s contents. (yep -- sheath on a sheath!) the fatboy also contains a cell phone pouch (large enough to hold my cell, as well as another folding knife) with two pen pockets. the cell phone pouch buckles shut... i keep my compass fixed to the webbing beneath the buckle, for easy access and secure storage. there’s also a little clip for holding your key ring.

anyway -- whew! LOTS of compartments... and that’s without adding any of maxpedition’s modular expansion components!!! the fatboy includes webbing that allows for malice clip attachment of all sorts of additional features... waistpacks, rollypoly expanding bags, radio holders, and sheaths -- the choice is yours! or, use the webbing as a place to clip flashlights or knives, D-rings, etc. speaking of D-rings, the fatboy’s got one... a perfect anchor for a maxpedition cocoon mini carrying case.

i was amazed --the fatboy held more gear more safely than a bag twice its size... AND it kept it all FAR more organized!

so what’s it like carrying around THAT much gear concentrated in a little bag? surprisingly, the bag’s extremely comfortable shoulder pad, and the soft padding located where the bag touches the body, makes it feel like the fatboy isn’t even there! this one is NOT going to rub your skin off, that’s for sure! if you’re worried about the fatboy moving around your body as you run, walk, or bike, you can use a strap to anchor the bag to your belt... a very useful, thoughtful feature not found on other bags.

i was happily surprised to discover, as well, that i could use the shoulder and belt straps to fit the fatboy securely in place on the front of my bicycle, where it stayed without falling or even drooping the slightest! a VERY useful bonus, as my peace corps assignment requires me to ride a bike 100 km or more a week.

in summary -- this bag will surprise you. this bag will amaze you. this bag will do more than you ever thought a bag this size could do... and it’ll probably do it for a couple hundred years. the value for the price is incredible, and the materials and construction are the very finest! shortly after handling the fatboy, i decided that i’d be upgrading my backpack to a maxpedition baby condor ASAP.

here’s a list of what my fatboy contains... probably will change a bit when i leave the states for zambia, in a month.

MAXPEDITION FATBOY CONTENTS:
2 pens
sunglasses
cell phone
spyderco salt I, SE
compass (hung outside of bag on strap)
spyderco chinook II CE in integrated sheath
inova X5T in the sheath it came with, hooked around the top of fatboy’s integrated sheath
surefire C2 flashlight clipped in modular webbing
folded up medicine boxes
list of 68 uses for eucalyptus oil
assorted small papers
12 ear plugs in case
two spools of thread
two glass eye droppers
6 sewing needles
6 lithium batteries
replacement surefire lamp
small scissors
3 dice
pack of playing cards with a different famous painting upon each one
small sharpening stone
spyderco native I S30V, PE
spyderco native I S30V, SE
condoms
emergency whistle
200 index cards in high visibility colors
3 bandanas
30 ft paracord
4 medium glow sticks
3 packs of fish hooks, maybe 30 total
fishing sinkers in various sizes
emergency space blanket
emergency rain poncho
keys
LM squirt
flask of scotch
bottle of tea tree oil
bottle of eucalyptus oil
tylenol PM
neosporin
two different emergency inhalers
emergency respiratory illness pills
3 months supply of allergy medication
10 individually packaged bags of vietnamese tra kho qua gohyah tea ( “good for liver and bile” )
small digital camera bag secured onto carry strap
mini maglite in sheath, secured onto carry strap

...and that’s not even counting the main compartment, which i use to carry not one, but two 20 oz. bottles of vitamin water!!!!!!!! with room inside to spare! and i still have room to attach modular components!

[anorexicpillow]

http://patrolling.rantmedia.ca/download.php

episode 7 for a complete run down of what to carry in this gas bag also in this episode is the matsucom personal computer watch, a talk about police and a rant about controlling your wants. enjoy:P

[Jurphaas]

Hi Clovisc - where did you buy it?
Isn't it very heavy right now?
Jurphaas.

[clovisc]

hi jurphaas.

i got mine at www.tadgear.com . just put in an order for a baby condor backpack, a couple rolly poly bags, and a cocoon pouch, too...

i've been carrying the fat boy around and wearing it while i ride my bike for a couple days now, and amazingly, when i'm wearing it, it almost feels like it's not even there! even with all that stuff crammed inside! it's a combination of a great shoulder strap, and the angle at which it the strap sits on my shoulder.

took it to quite a number of "sheeple" type places, and have gotten nothing but compliments.

[UK KEN]

Hello All

Another excellent option for those who need to carry less or keep the weight down is the Maxpedition Thermite Versipac. It is made of the same materials as the Fat Boy and after a year of regular use in some pretty "hard use" situations shows virtually no signs of wear. The carry options are the same with the added extra of being able to use it in a low leg position though this may be too tactical looking for some.

There is a multitude of pockets and compartments all fitted with very strong zip and Velcro fasteners. Though the Fat Boy is a great product, once mine is packed with my "survival essentials”, it is quite heavy enough to be comfortable for long term carry.

I bought mine from TAD Gear also and would highly recommend it to any prospective buyers.

Cheers, Ken

[Mr Blonde]

Thanks for the review, I also have a Fatboy and it's great for holidays.

I love the maxpedition stuff, and will order more. Toolshop.de is a good local(European) source for the stuff.

Wouter

[UK KEN]

Hello All

Here are a few snaps of my Maxpedition Thermite Versipac and my sons smaller bag.

Had to get the pewter skulls for my lad having seen them on Samo's bag!

Regards, Ken

[samosaurus]

That's a cl glow-ring you have there Ken!

sam

[UK KEN]

Samo

Greetings sir! The glowrings are realy useful when it comes to trying to find your bag in the dark. They make life easier when camping. I take an extra one with me when I'm staying in a strange place to hang one the toilet door In that way even after a drink or two I can find my way to the most important room in the house without crashing around the bedroom trying to find a light switch.

Ken

[pjrocco]

I just ordered one of these.

I have been looking for something pretty compact but with good storage space. I think this one will do me well.

Thanks for the detailed review.

[clovisc]

thanks for reading, guys!

you'll love it, pjrocco. it might fit your need for a smaller pack very well. if you use the modular expansion capacities and attach a "rolly poly" bag on the outside, you can carry your water around in it while leaving the main, inner pouch free to carry your sharpmaker, or other goodies...

if you're worried about it looking too militaristic, just put a couple buttons or patches on the outside.

let us know what you think of the bag when you get it!

-jason, aka clovisc

[Thomaz]

Please, send us some pics. Regards from your friend from Brazil.

Originally Posted by UK KEN

Hello All

Another excellent option for those who need to carry less or keep the weight down is the Maxpedition Thermite Versipac. It is made of the same materials as the Fat Boy and after a year of regular use in some pretty "hard use" situations shows virtually no signs of wear. The carry options are the same with the added extra of being able to use it in a low leg position though this may be too tactical looking for some.

There is a multitude of pockets and compartments all fitted with very strong zip and Velcro fasteners. Though the Fat Boy is a great product, once mine is packed with my "survival essentials”, it is quite heavy enough to be comfortable for long term carry.

I bought mine from TAD Gear also and would highly recommend it to any prospective buyers.

Cheers, Ken

[UK KEN]

Thomaz

Great to hear from you, I hope that you and your family are well Thank you for the dog training video. What pictures are you interested in my friend?

Ken