Trav Tac
Trav Tac provides some interesting “tactical” style bags. I have emailed back and forth with (insert name), their vice president, about their products. He has been genuinely helpful in making sure I had the necessary information to do this article. Including sending out one of their “blemished”, and, therefore, unable to sell, Stage II bags to evaluate. I think that having the VP willing communicate speaks volumes about the company.
There was one thing that I thought was unfortunate. For most of us when we see the term “EDC” (or Every Day Carry) we think of concealed carry. More than that we think of something we depend on enough to keep with us on a daily basis. One of the first things the VP wanted me to point out is that this bag is NOT designed for concealed carry. The point was driven even further home in the letter enclosed with the bag. So this really isn’t an EDC bag but a comfortable carry with you everyday bag that some find a use for as a concealed carry bag. I personally see the use of the term EDC in the bags name to be misleading because there really isn’t a good way to carry a weapon designed into the bag. I had previously only seen pictures of their “Stage II Sling Bag, Premium Small EDC Tactical Sling Pack” but was interested to see what they had done with it. The one thing I didn’t tell them is that I had already purchased a similar bag directly from the supplier in China. I thought that it would make a good comparison to their bag. So we have two bags of similar design. Let’s compare them. The Trav Tac Stage II is regularly $42.95 with free shipping from the US. With shipping and handling time you should have it in a few days. The other bag was $13.86 with free shipping from China...which will take about six weeks. The Trav Tac is made of a water resistant backed, Cordura outer shell. It has all the durability of your favorite tactical gear. The other bag is made of Cordura with the plastic backing that you find in some camping gear. Both have sturdy webbing. Both are stitched well with no blemishes. I do, however, think the thread is a bit thin for the job. but only the Trav Tac has a shoulder pad. An upgrade that was really needed if you’re carrying something like a 1911 in it. Trav Tac adds a reflective patch to the Velcro loop moral patch spot. They say it’s for added safety but I really don’t see this as an added benefit. It’s just a way of getting their name more visible on the bag. The other bag just left the Velcro loop section bare for you to put your own patch on. For being such a small bag I think that it holds more than you would expect. Both were able to contain everything I carried in a larger messenger bag and still have an area for a pistol. The basic design of the bags is identical. The inner compartment sizes and materials are the same. The one difference is the elastic tab in the main compartment. The other bag actually has a thicker elastic material and held up better than Trav Tac’s under testing. But to Trav Tac’s credit, I was testing with my (unloaded and verified clear) 1911. I shook the bags to simulate the sloshing around it would do on any given day. The Trav Tac bag kept the pistol in the position I wanted it in during the test...the original failed quickly. So, basically what we have here is, much like every other “tactical bag” company, is another company ordering products from China and giving them a fresh face. The one difference being that they openly admit where their bags come from. Now I’ve got three reasons why the way they do things isn’t a bad thing:
They have the bags made, by request, in an upgraded (900D) material. It’s almost twice as thick as the original bag. The water resistant backing will still be going strong when the other bag’s plastic backer is old and cracking.
The webbing is also twice as thick as the original ensuring all external materials are more durable and will last you longer.
Trav Tac has a rigorous quality control check. This ensures that even bags with the most minor of flaws never see the consumer's hands.
So you are definitely not getting just another bag from China. Even though they are made from the same pattern the Trav Tac Stage II is a far superior bag and well worth the extra cost. Now even though I just said it’s a good quality bag just remember that I do not (nor does Trav Tac) recommend this bag as a primary mode of concealed carry. But wait, I'm not done yet. They are working on a US made, purpose driven bag. In my hopes that this particular purpose is concealed carry here's what I think they should do with the one they sent. The main compartment is, and is not, the logical spot to carry. So how do we fix this spot?
Re-enforce the back side of the pocket. The silky material of the pocket just isn't strong enough to take the abuse of daily carry.
On that Re-enforced panel put Velcro loop section so a sticky holster can be used. This gives you the freedom to use most pistols since there is a sticky holster for all major brands of CCW firearms.
Make this pocket easier to access. I'm not sure about the mechanics of that but then I'm not a seamstress.
Another good option for that same re-enforced panel would be more M.O.L.L.E. webbing. From there you can add an even better holster from my friends at Kinetic Concepts Tactical that attaches directly to any M.OL.L.E. webbing. The Kydex will keep the pistol stable and still. That will help out immensely when it comes to the daily beating the bag will get.
Your other option for those same suggestions would be the snap closed pouch on the back of the pack. Putting anything there will limit you to a compact pistol. Anything larger will leave the butt of the grip visible.
So even though this current version is great for everything but CCW it can be adapted to be a carry bag. We all have issues to overcome in order to remain armed. With some ingenuity, Trav Tac’s upcoming bag can be one of the solutions you're looking for.
