Maxpedition Falcon II Backpack Review

I never thought much about buying a pack. I did however, put some hours into choosing the Maxpedition Falcon-II Backpack.  I started to focus on a cheaper pack that seemed to get good reviews, but it was hit or miss on the quality of two key items (straps and zippers).  I like assurance and if I'm going to spend $80 on a no name pack then I can easily justify the $110 for the widely known Maxpedition.  The quality is unmatched at the same price point based on what I found during my research.

My goal was to get a mid size pack that I could mainly commute (on bicycle) to work.  I also wanted to use it for day hikes and as a carry on for plane trips.  Size was a factor in my selection.  My old Longshot 70 was coming in about 1100 cu in of space.  I needed just at little more space for my haul to work.  I also own a TAG Chaos 3-day Assault Pack.  It's a little big at nearly 2000 cu in of space with limited compartments.  The Falcon II comes in a 1520 cu in and has a three compartment "stack" that can be cinched down if not used.

If money wasn't an option I would have chose the LBT-1547ARev Ranger Backpack.  Regardless of the size this is a perfect solution for just about all my tasks, but at $337 the Falcon II is a good 90% solution.

I wasn't sure with this pack in the beginning.  When I opened the Falcon II from the packaging it showed some signs of abuse.  Several of the pull cords on the zippers were frayed or crimped.  I replaced the worst ones with some paracord and cleaned off the dust.

Another issue I had was sometimes on the middle compartment the zipper would separate.  These YKK Zippers are self repairing, but I don't like to resort to that every time I go into a pouch.  Good thing is its covered by warranty if it gets worse or continues.    

After about a month of using the Falcon II I'm finding that I'm pretty happy with the purchase.  Following initial adjustments the pack now fits me like a glove.  I'm tall and have a narrow body frame.  The width and height of this pack allow me to take advantage of that when positioning it on my back .  I can haul a good load and not even notice it.  The narrow design makes it so it doesn't catch on anything (like in the isle of an airplane).  All my gear is finding a spot in the spacious 1520 cu inches.  Stuff I access more often is easily placed in one of the several organization panels that each compartment has.   The clamshell design is great for accessing deep into the bag at a moments notice.

It also has an area to carry a 100ml bladder and route for tubing in the compartment closest to your body.  I've read that a 100ml is a tight fit, but it can be done.   

I purchased two accessories for this pack which have enable me to utilize some of its features.  First was the  Maxpedition Universal CCW Holster.  A large loop field in the bladder compartment enables you to carry a weapon deeply concealed.  The loop field can be utilized for anything with Velcro, but the holster is a perfect addition to this pack.   The second was the Camelbak Bottle Pouch.  It's nearly identical to  the Maxpedition 10"x 4" Nalgene Bottle Holder, but its about half the price.  It hooks onto the molle with just a few snaps and can fit a standard Nalgene bottle.  

I have yet to be rained on or hike a long distance with this pack (coming soon).  Those are the only two areas I can't comment on, but several other reviews have.  I recommend you check those out for their perspective until I can get them in this review.

Bottom Line:

Pros
- Perfect size for my purposes (travel pack, daily bike commute, weekend hiking and geocaching).
- Compresses very nicely.
- Great build quality.

Cons
- Lots of straps (needs some form of management).
- Came with frayed zipper pulls.
- Zippers sometimes separate.

Verdict:
This pack has a narrow width that fits my body well.  That was an unexpected plus I had not considered when choosing the Falcon II and probably my favorite feature.  The compartmentalization is good for the setups I need (daily commuter, traveler and day hiker).  The main compartment compression straps can cinched down on any load and make it feel secure no matter the size.  I believe that system contributes to the "glove like" feeling you get when this pack is adjusted properly.  The build quality is as good as you've read about.  I think I may have gotten an oddball pack with my zipper pulls being damaged.  They were easy enough to fix I'm not going to make too much of a deal abou it.

I'm happy with the purchase and intend on getting several years use out of this pack.  This will be a part of my EDC and will serve as my wife's BoB if ever needed.  

Note: This is a "living review" posted after about 30 days (94 miles of commuting) of use of my Falcon II.  I'll be adding to it as I use this pack.  Please come back every once in a while and see what's been updated.