COVRT 18 Backpack

Comments about 5.11 Tactical COVRT 18 Backpack:

I am not military or LE, I simply want a backpack that doesn't advertise itself as "I'm expensive, think about robbing my owner" when travelling in foreign countries. I currently own 2 different Northface bags (typical school "book bag" types) and an Osprey Stratos 24. The Osprey is better than the Northface bags but I feel conspicuous using it - my mistake really...should only be used for hiking. Size wise, this bag looks the same as the Northface

I got the 5.11 Covrt18 bag (navy) a week before I traveled to 3 islands in the Caribbean. The bag is good looking without standing out in any way. It has the standard laptop case which is fine. This bag really stands out in 3 ways from my perspective:

1) Spaciousness of main compartment
2) Weight distribution/comfort
3) Size and organization (ie functionality) of additional compartments

I stored passports, 4 days of clothing, a Canon DLSR, 2 books (1 was 1100 pages), 3 phone chargers, camera charger, snacks, earplugs, headphones, writing paper & pens. I carried this onto the plane and was able to fit it under the seat(aisle seat) with minimal shoving.

The main compartment is surprisingly big. I was able to put clothing on all 4 sides of my camera without feeling like i was crushing it. It has 2 grommeted holes on the bottom, which at first I didn't like - thinking water would get in - but I quickly realized I'd never put my bag down in a puddle. The holes let the lint and cruft fall out vs my other bags which require periodic upside down shakeouts. The holes are smaller than a dime so you can still toss your change wherever is easiest.

I don't understand why this bag is so comfortable compared to the others I own. Yes, the shoulder straps are cushioned but thats never bothered me. Rather, the weight seems to be better distributed? I don't feel like I need to walk hunched forward slightly and frankly forgot I had it on when standing at the airport for 6 hrs.

The northface bags have 700 zippers, straps, openings but I hated them. The Covrt18 makes perfect sense - the 2ndary compartments don't 'black hole' your stuff when you need to get things out. The arrangement makes it easy to recognize which compartment you're opening. My 2 favorites are the very top compartment, lined with soft material. Perfect for sunglasses, cellphone, keys, earbuds, gum & other things that you may need to pull out frequently. The other is the 2 overlapping square compartments on the outside - perfect for throwing passports in one and paper/notes in the other.

I've only had it for 2 weeks now so I can't comment on durability but have no reason to question it. Yes it is slightly more expensive than other bags but when I add up the 3 I've purchased prior to Covrt18, it's close to $200 spent trying to find the right bag. Buy the right one first.

Comments about 5.11 Tactical COVRT 18 Backpack:

Use it every day as a work out bad at gym. Has enough pockets for everything!

Comments about 5.11 Tactical COVRT 18 Backpack:

This is a great bag! I bought it as a daily carry bag. I use it 7 days a week for everything from going to work to geocaching in the woods. It is normally on the fllor board behind my drivers seat and is in and out of the car typically 3-4 times a day. I carry a ton of stuff in it and have yet to fill it up. I carry pens, note pads (large and small), muli-tool, fixed blade knife, first aid kit, snacks, water, hat, flash light (full size stinger), GPS, chargers, portable video/still shot camera, a pistol (Small J frame or Glock 23), etc. I have not found any signs of wear on the bag yet.

I have yet to fill this bag up. It has tons of room, lots of organization options. I like it enough I bought one for my wife to use for school. I will add a review for it after she has used it a while lugging her books around with it and see how it holds up.

Comments about 5.11 Tactical COVRT 18 Backpack:

I initially purchased this bag since I felt weird always carrying around a large military style backpack, especially for trips overseas. What surprised me was how great this bag is for regular use.

First off, this thing has more features than a Swiss Army Knife. This is the first backpack where I've had to actually read the card for all the features, and then actually had to watch the demo video on this site just to figure out everything this bag has.

Secondly, even without all the cool features like the roll down pocket, or the ability to carry a Camelbak type water pouch, it's an overall all good bag. It handles large and reasonably heavy loads much better than I expected from a civilian style bag, and even with a lot of weight it's still very comfortable. The weight distribution is exceptional. It really is surprising how much stuff can be jammed into the COVRT 18.

Third, it looks pretty sweet. Very stylish looking bag that blends in very well.

Fourth, unlike most overt military style bags this one is well within carry on luggage size restrictions.

Fifth pro, the seperator in the main compartment, plus the mesh pockets, and all the other pockets on the bag really help with organization. It's so much better than throwing a bunch of stuff in one compartment and hoping to find it later.

There's really only two downsides. First is that it is a bit on the expensive side, but that said it's well worth the money. The other con is that that the velcro attachment system on the straps is pretty nice, but there isn't much in the way of products available for it. I'd like to see more products along the lines of the COVRT tech sleeve offered to compliment the bag.

Also, since I haven't gotten to really break it in I can't comment on the durability of the item.

Overall, the COVRT 18 is a fantastic backpack for every day use, and I look forward to using it for travel.

Comments about 5.11 Tactical COVRT 18 Backpack:

Great Bag, I recently bought this bag and it is amazing, its able to fit my macbook pro, 5 thick school books, plus a thick hoodie and light t shirt, along with the trivial stuff like sun glasses, a great product, I AM PLEASED!