SITE TO STREET: THE LAST PART

THE FINAL TWOFER!

ALL GOOD THINGS COME TO AN END AND SO IT IS WITH THE BAGS FRENCHIE RECEIVED FROM VIPER FOR REVIEW. IN THIS, THE LAST PART OF HIS SERIES, HE LOOKS AT TWO FINAL ITEMS THAT HAVE MADE THE TRANSITION FROM “SITE TO STREET”.

This month I’m going to do a “two in the one” review, mainly because one of them, the Modular Carry Pouch, defies even my abilities to write a full article about it! It’s not that there’s anything wrong with it, quite the opposite, but it simply doesn’t justify several thousand words on its own.

I’ll start with the larger of the two, the Viper Tactical Covert Pack. Once again there is some confusion in the nomenclature - I’m not sure what about this bag is “covert” but we’ll just have to let that slide.

The Covert Pack is a relatively low-profile backpack, my example arrived in Coyote with black accents, although it is also available in all the various colours that Viper offers. In addition to the padding on the back, there is a large “covert” sleeve, accessed at the top. Be aware that this sleeve is open at both lower corners, so don’t put anything small in there or it will likely escape, never to be seen again. They shouldn’t escape as there is a pocket at the bottom of the sleeve that is clearly intended to catch and protect them, but I wouldn’t bet that anything will actually end up in the pocket as it tends to lie very flat to the back of the bag. An odd bit of design if I’m being honest, I can’t help but feel it would have been easier to close the bottom and be done with it... For use off site, this sleeve will just accommodate a 14” laptop but getting it in is a fiddle as it tends to catch on the edges of the aforementioned pocket. It’s also not terribly comfortable when the pack is on your back as it is very rigid. Fortunately, if lugging laptops is your thing, the bladder pouch in the main compartment also accommodates the same 14” device much more easily, and although the broad elastic retention strap is tight, it certainly holds everything securely. Since I received this for review, this is the principal role it has been performing and I rate it highly, I’ll go into more detail why later in the article.

The padding on the back is adequate given its intended use, likewise the straps; although they are fairly lightly padded. There is plenty of length adjustment available and there is the inevitable sternum strap. If you like these, great; personally, I’m not a fan so I tend to dispose of them.

In addition to the previously discussed sleeve on the back, there are two further compartments; the large main compartment and a smaller one on the front. The main compartment is of a decent size - in addition to the bladder/laptop pouch in there, there is a zipped mesh pocket which is ideal for keeping smaller items separate or safe. Above the bladder pouch are two velcro routing ties, along with the opening at the top of the pack for the drinking tube. Two further elasticated loops on either strap will keep the tube under control when not in use.

The front pocket is accessed via two vertical zips, one on each side. It has a soft lining and so could be used to carry a tablet or similar but there is no other internal organisation whatsoever. As a result, I have tossed all the cables and miscellaneous items associated with my work laptop in there. They can be easily accessed and don’t require to be neatly, or separately, stored.

The grab handle is reassuringly solid, as are the three rows of MOLLE webbing on the front should you wish to attach further storage. As with all the Viper bags I have been looking at, the zips and pullers

are beyond reproach. It’s something that shouldn’t require mentioning, yet I have more expensive bags where the zips are frankly a pain in the backside.

There are two mesh pockets affixed to either side, ideal for water bottles if you’re not using a bladder, or small packets of crisps… Finally, there is the nowmandatory velcro patch for… err… patches, plus two elasticated organisers for routing cables.

This is a reasonably compact bag, ideal possibly for a game day but unlikely to appeal to those playing longer weekend games or who want to carry more gear with them. Despite its “tactical” accoutrements, it strikes me that at its heart this is an urban bag first and foremost. As such it performs very well, the smaller size allied to its ability to carry a reasonably sized laptop would make for an excellent commuter bag. Prices currently range from the high twenties to the (very) low forties (in GBP). At the lower end, this is a value for money bag that will serve well on or off site. If you are likely to use it more off-site, the higher prices (circa £42) suggests to me you might be advised to look for a dedicated laptop backpack. That said, it is a reasonably rugged, well-made pack that should return many years of service without too much care being required. Although not sold as a dedicated computer pack, it holds and protects my laptop well and would be even more comfortable if you have an 11” or 13” device. It is also a reasonably attractive bag, despite its name it doesn’t look overly “military”, which may be adventitious if you don’t want to look like an Operator waiting for the “Go” signal whilst commuting!

If it’s organisation you want, then the Viper Modular Carry Pouch may be just what you’re looking for. With four discreet pockets, three of which are zipped, velcro MOLLE loops and a series of internal elasticated loops, large and small, this diminutive bag can handle a lot, especially on the field.

Unlike the Covert Pack above, this is likely to be more at home as part of your gameday loadout. It’s not a full admin pouch to my thinking, although it has a clear plastic pocket inside the main compartment, but it will keep smaller necessities neat and tidy until you require them.

Let’s deal with the negatives first… because they are few. Size: At 17cm wide, 6cm deep and 22cm tall, this makes for a small bag but a decent-sized pouch. The clearview pocket is internal and is fixed internally. Great for securing anything in it but it means that if you hope to have a (small) map in there, you will always be viewing through the opening to the compartment - you can’t flip it out of the pouch or remove it altogether. This strikes me as a bit of an oversight. If you are going to have a fixed, clear pocket to protect documents against the elements, put it on the outside, even if you have to cover it with a flap to ensure privacy.

For the player, the positives definitely outweigh these negatives. Its size means you will more easily find room on your rig for it. The material is the same rugged 700 dernier Polytech as used on the Buckle Up Sling Pack and should stand up to abuse no problem at all. The front pocket is easily accessed, meaning it is the ideal place for important stuff (like Mars bars), while the velcro MOLLE can be used to attach ID patches, further storage or as a place to stick pens or bits of foliage!

The main compartment should have sufficient volume to hold smaller items of pyro, the larger elasticated loops should be good for securing Mk Vs. The smaller loops would be ideal for things like cylumes, screwdrivers, pen torches etc. and, at a push, you could possibly squeeze three or four M4 magazines in there if you really needed too. The rear MOLLE webbing is well-stitched and secure - attach this to your loadout and it’s going nowhere and the supplied 38mm webbing shoulder strap does its job just fine.

It would make a neat bag - and therein lies the problem. I see this very much as a pouch which happens to have a shoulder strap, rather than a bag that can be attached to a rig. Unlike the Maxi Pouch which is a small but usable bag, the Modular Pouch is mostly small. It’s the only bag out of the four which cannot carry my assorted bits and pieces easily and, for me that defines its utility. Even with the shoulder strap in place, I would regard this as additional storage for specific items that I didn’t want to rig mount for some reason.

It’s not expensive at around £17.00 and for that you’re buying a competent pouch. You are not, I fear, buying a genuine dual-use bit of kit, however.

I cannot criticise it too harshly for that - Viper doesn’t offer it as such - but it does show that there is a size limit you need to take into account when looking for dual-use gear.

My thanks once again to Thatchreed for kindly supplying all the review gear, it’s been a genuinely interesting journey of discovery. Next month, to tie this all up, I’ll look at the one bag that all of these have been competing against in terms of utility and value - the 5.11 Bail Out Bag. AA