MAXPEDITION HEAD-TO-HEAD
MAXPEDITION
HEAD-TO-HEAD ROUND
2
ALTHOUGH THESE PIECES WILL APPEAR A MONTH APART , THE NO-NAME BAG ( NOTEUS ) FROM EBAY ARRIVED ONLY A DAY OR SO AFTER FRENCHIE FINISHED HIS PREVIOUS ARTICLE COMPARING THE VERSIPACK & THE SIEBERTRON COPY . IN THAT CASE , THE COPY WON , DESPITE THE UNDOUBTED QUALITY OF THE MAXPEDITION ORIGINAL . WILL IT BE 2-0 FOR THE COPIES THIS MONTH ? READ ON …
The Maxpedition Versipack Proteus is a pack
which will be familiar to most of you . If it ’ s the original ( and I cannot confirm that ) it is very widely copied . Small in size , with a main compartment , a separate front pouch , two fullheight end pouches and a substantial waist belt , it is designed to be used as a standalone utility pouch or attached to any PALS / MOLLE equipment . It is also fitted with substantial plastic loops to accept a shoulder strap , although none is supplied . For many years Viper have carried a version of this , although it finally seems to have fallen by the wayside as they introduce more original designs .
THE PROTEUS
The Proteus is made from the same 1,000 dernier nylon as the Jumbo Versipack and on the smaller bag the stiffness of that material is really apparent . When I got it , I used the built-in waist band for a while but ultimately the kit-bashing knife came out and it was removed . I don ’ t use waist bags and while the design is fairly good , when folded into the velcro ’ d holder on the back of the bag , that two-inch webbing strap with its two-inch buckle was a noticeable lump . I also felt it impacted on the utility of the main compartment , which is adequate but not huge . Also , the waist strap , although 48 inches in length , simply doesn ’ t work as a shoulder strap , which is what I really wanted . I had qualms about wielding the knife but in the years that have passed , I ’ ve never missed the belt .
Thanks to the smaller size and the heavy nylon construction , the Proteus feels like you could feed it
through a rock crusher - and probably break the rock crusher in the process ! All the fittings are standard Maxpedition , consequently the zips feel slightly oversize , contributing to this sense of invulnerability . For me it is a bag I use to carry what I need with me , it ’ s not a bag for a spontaneous shopping trip – unless
80 March 2021