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View Full Version : The Manliest Man Bag of Them All: The LAPG Tactical Bail Out Gear Bag


Chris Gohlke
08-20-2010, 03:00 PM
<p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/dht/auto/1280788837.usr10.jpg" style="border: 0;" /></p><p>A lot of us gadget lovers also have a dirty little secret; we tend to have a bag fetish of some sort. I usually buy a bag or two a year, always looking for the &ldquo;perfect&rdquo; bag to carry all my toys and other gear. There are companies out there catering to this need and some decent choices out there, but it is often difficult to find that perfect bag that has pockets, is able to be configured, is priced right, and maintains some manly looks. So, I&rsquo;m going to let you in on my little secret: I&rsquo;ve stopped looking at bags designed for technology and started looking at bags designed for police and military applications. And there a whole new world of awesomeness opened up to me. Today I&rsquo;d like to introduce you to the <a href="http://www.lapolicegear.com/tabaoutbag.html" target="_blank">LAPG Tactical Bail Out Gear Bag</a>.</p><p><MORE /></p><p>Side one has three &ldquo;pen&rdquo; sleeves (two small and one large) and two zippered pouches. The top pouch is approximately 5 inches tall by 8 inches long and has Velcro on the exterior (I assume for you to attach your insignia for military use). The bottom pouch is approximately 3 inches tall by 10 inches long. Each end of the bag features a large pouch which could be used to hold a water bottle. The pouch has Velcro and elastic adjustable straps so whatever size item you put in the pouches can be held securely.</p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/dht/auto/1280790325.usr10.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></p><p><em>Figure 1: &nbsp;Side one of bag and pouches.</em></p><p>Side two has four pouches. The two larger pouches are 3 inches wide by 5 inches tall. The flap is completely removable and height adjustable to allow you to customize their height up to the full height of the bag. The top center pouch is internally divided into a 2&rdquo; x 2&rdquo; and a 1&rdquo; x 2&rdquo; pouch. The bottom center pouch is 3&rdquo; x 4&rdquo;. Behind these pouches is a secret compartment approximately 6&rdquo; deep by 10&rdquo; long. One side is lined with the soft side of Velcro. This is intended as an easy access compartment for a weapon in military/police use, but would also be a great place to stash a Kindle or other small tablet device that you wanted quick access to.</p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/dht/auto/1280790337.usr10.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></p><p><em>Figure 2: &nbsp;Side two and the secret compartment.</em></p><p>The interior is pretty bare bones. You can use it as a big 13&rdquo; x 5&rdquo; x&rdquo; 8&rdquo; compartment or you can use the included divider to divide it in half long ways and then subdivide one half into two sections of a size of your choosing. The divider attaches with Velcro. The entire interior is black. After having purchased a lot of bags, I&rsquo;ve grown to prefer bags with a light colored interior as it makes finding items inside easier.</p><p>The bag has a set of handles that include a button snap to hold them together. They additionally include an adjustable and removable shoulder strap with an adjustable and removable shoulder pad. Overall, the bag is 14" x 10" x 6" and is also available in tan and black if you don&rsquo;t like olive drab. My only complaint about the bag was that it did have an oily/mothball&nbsp;odour&nbsp;when I received it. The&nbsp;odour&nbsp;has slowly faded over the month I&rsquo;ve had it.</p><p>Overall, this bag is outstanding. It is very well made with heavy duty, high quality materials, so I really can&rsquo;t see it wearing out. What would you expect to pay for a bag like this? $50? $75? $100? Nope. It is available for just $19.99 from <a href="http://www.lapolicegear.com/tabaoutbag.html" target="_blank">LA Police Gear</a>. &nbsp;</p><p><em>Chris Gohlke is a Contributing Editor for Thoughts Media. He loves roller derby, poker, RPGs, and Sci-Fi and loves to get his hands on real-life tech gadgets. He lives in Tallahassee, Florida, USA with his wife and three cats</em><em>.</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com//ppct/auto/1240336793.usr1.gif" /></p><p><strong>Do you enjoy using new hardware, software and accessories, then sharing your experience with others? Then join us on the <a href="http://www.thoughtsmedia.com/reviewteam.php" target="_blank">Thoughts Media Review Team</a>! We're looking for individuals who find it fun to test new gear and give their honest opinions about the experience. It's a volunteer role with some great perks. Interested? <a href="http://www.thoughtsmedia.com/reviewteam.php" target="_blank">Then click here for more information.</a></strong></p><p><strong><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com//ppct/auto/1240336793.usr1.gif" /></strong></p>

Lee Yuan Sheng
08-21-2010, 01:42 AM
That's one good price, but doesn't forgive the looks for me. And olive green is a colour I'm very allergic to. :D

Jason Dunn
08-22-2010, 12:01 AM
If I saw someone carrying something like this, I'd think they were about to take out an assault rifle and lay waste to the immediate area. I definitely wouldn't be comfortable carrying something like this personally. :eek:

Chris Gohlke
08-22-2010, 12:17 AM
Hmmmm, wonder if it is a cultural thing, nobody even bats an eye other than to think it is pretty cool. In fact I posted the article on my Facebook and I've got two other people buying one, a guy and a girl.

Jason Dunn
08-22-2010, 01:12 AM
Hmmmm, wonder if it is a cultural thing, nobody even bats an eye other than to think it is pretty cool.

Could be - might be a personal thing too. It's extremely rare to see military anything where I live.

Lee Yuan Sheng
08-22-2010, 01:50 PM
Could be - might be a personal thing too. It's extremely rare to see military anything where I live.

And it's the exact opposite for me; hence the allergy to olive green colour. :p

Doug Raeburn
08-22-2010, 04:10 PM
And it's the exact opposite for me; hence the allergy to olive green colour. :p

Well, that's why it's available in Black and Desert Tan as well as OD Green... you can get the utility without the military look, if that's your preference. In the other colors, it just looks like a very versatile bag, at least to me.

Seems like not everyone feels the way you guys do regarding color... if you check on the site, Black and Desert Tan are available, but OD Green is back-ordered... ;)

Sven Johannsen
08-22-2010, 08:12 PM
Well, that's why it's available in Black and Desert Tan as well as OD Green... you can get the utility without the military look, if that's your preference.

So, black and desert tan aren't military colors? Certainly black is a bit more universal, but paired with color options of OD green and desert tan, special ops comes to mind before classic evening wear. ;)

David Tucker
08-22-2010, 08:31 PM
I think they're pretty cool but not stylish enough for me to want to haul around. I wouldn't think twice about it if I saw someone carrying one though.

Chris Gohlke
08-22-2010, 09:02 PM
The black bag by itself pretty much looks like a camera bag to me. It is only the photo pairing it with the other colors that gives it the military/police "look".

But, kind of to my original point, doubt anyone is going to make fun of you for carrying a purse with this one. ;)

Sven Johannsen
08-23-2010, 01:30 AM
But, kind of to my original point, doubt anyone is going to make fun of you for carrying a purse with this one. ;)

Especially not if you are packing the 45 and whatever goes with those banana clips displayed :D

Reid Kistler
08-25-2010, 12:45 AM
Nice looking bag, for a great price!

Color selection is not the best (although understandable for their target market).

Would probably order one, IF I could find a good enough excuse to do so...



'The black bag by itself pretty much looks like a camera bag to me."

Camera bag might be the easiest usage to envision - but would worry about weatherproofing & cushioning....