Howdy, everyone! Welcome back to another gear review.
I’ve been talking about this item on my Instagram for about a month now. It’s the Condor Venture Pack, item #160 in their catalog. This backpack is more of a tactical backpack, which is a breakaway from what I typically test and review here. But, it has found it’s place within my day to day and it proved to be a good day pack out on hikes as well. So without further ado, let’s dive in…
How I used this pack in testing:
Hike #1 – Initial Testing: On my first venture with this pack (no pun intended) I used it as a day pack on some pretty intense day-hikes. The first hike was around 6-8 miles, round trip. I had the backpack loaded up as a 24-48 hour bag, just to see how well it did with a full loadout. I would venture to say I had between 25 and 30lbs in the pack…Not including the 2L Platypus Water Bladder and Camera Gear that found it’s way into the pack. So I would say I was pushing 30lbs. pretty easily at that point.
With this amount of weight, I was chugging water out of my Platypus bladder as quick as I could to decrease the weight. It wasn’t completely unbearable, but it started to dig and become uncomfortable on my shoulders around Mile 1 and 2.
Hike #2 – Follow Up Test: I came back home and repacked the bag, in order to decrease the overall weight of my contents. I took out a lot of unnecessary stuff and kept the essentials. At this point I was sitting at around 20-25lbs…But this time it included the weight of my 2L Platypus Water Bladder.
I have to say – This weight range was a breeze and this pack excelled on hike #2. The shoulder straps did not dig at all and the pack seemed to ride perfectly. I would not hesitate to use this pack again on short day trips, when carrying this amount of weight.
A quick shot of some terrain that I tested the Condor Venture Pack in.
Overall Thoughts as a hiking pack: Keep in mind, this is NOT a hiking backpack. It does not have the suspension system that, let’s say a Kelty or an Osprey has. This fits more in the genre of a tactical applications backpack. Or an emergency/staying alive (bug-out) bag. Even though the aforementioned genres are better suited for this pack, I had to test it as a hiking bag. Because well, I live near a lot of hills and mountains. So if I get stuck outside – I’m likely going to be on uneven and tough terrain…
So with that said, how do I think it did as a hiking pack?
For the type of pack this is, it did phenomenally. I have used several other “tactical” backpacks/brands as hiking packs and day-packs…And they were horrendous for comfort. Within minutes they were uncomfortable.
The Condor however, when packed sensibly is a joy to carry. I would not hesitate to take this out for the day, or even overnight. And the amount of organization that it offers you as the end-user is incredible while on the trail (more on organization here in a second)…
Size & Organization:
Front of the pack:
Folks, this pack has the best…I mean, THE BEST organization of any pack that i’ve used to date. The front of the pack is jam packed with organizational pockets.
There are 3 main areas: The fleece lined pouch up top (with a velco area for a patch) which works great for items that you need more frequently, a quick access pocket in the very front for flat/longer items and an admin pocket for well…admin types of things (pens, small tools, notebooks, hand wipes, etc).
And don’t think I forgot about in behind the admin area….They put a well designed shove-it pocket here…And I love it on this pack (I typically have a machete and some article of clothing shoved in there). There’s also another large zippered area with velcro attachment for a concealed carry pistol in behind the shove-it pocket. They really thought of it all here.
Back/Sides of the pack:
Everything is well designed all around on this pack. When you flip the pack around you’ll see a well-padded hip belt. A standalone compartment for your water bladder. And a generous amount of molle webbing.
I really appreciate the fact that Condor separated the water bladder compartment, instead of just shoving it inside of the main pack compartment. This is really helpful when packing a lot of gear, instead of your bladder taking up a lot of precious room. (I always run a 2L bladder on my packs)
The only area that I have complaints about is the hip belt. It seems to ride an inch, or inch and a half high for my liking. It it were a bit lower it would rest perfectly on my hip bones and make the pack even more comfortable than it already is. Who knows, this may just be my personal preference or come down to my body type (5’10” and pretty slim)…But I thought it’d be worth mentioning.
Internal Organization:
Oh man – Don’t get me started. The internal organization of this pack is outstanding! The pack folds totally flat when opened up. On the backside of the front panel are 2 very large zippered mesh pockets…Which may be my favorite organizing feature on this pack. The zipper pockets hold a ton of gear. And inside the main compartment is a padded laptop sleeve, and another small mesh pocket. I’ve found that the inside of this pack organizes better than any other bag that i’ve used. I give Condor two thumbs extremely high for this…Seriously, great job guys!
Condor Venture Pack – Internal Pictures
Currently being used as my EDC (everyday carry) bag and get-home-kit…
Seen above is my Everyday Carry/Get Home loadout. In the zippered mesh pockets that are found on the backside of the front panel I keep my smaller items such as: medicines, mints, fire kit, a small knife, water filter, etc.
While in the main compartment I keep larger/bulkier items like a tarp, canteen set, med kit, larger knife, emergency food, etc.
My Overall Thoughts on the Condor Venture Pack:
Where will it fit into my everyday life?
This pack is truly phenomenal and I am extremely happy to have it in my collection. It has served as a great pack for lighter weight hiking/day-trips and has been perfect for everyday carry in my car as well. As for now, I plan to keep it as my everyday carry bag, especially with Winter approaching. I like to carry a lot of emergency gear with me when cold weather is approaching – And this bag will be phenomenal for that.
Late 2016 Update (into Winter):
The Condor Venture Pack has been great as a Winter emergency bag in my car this year. Temps have gotten down into the 20°-30° range so far, and soon it’ll be around 0° on a fairly consistent basis. So, having a heavy duty pack that is able to carry a lot of contingency gear is huge for me.
It’s a fairly large pack for everyday use and you definitely know it’s there when you have to lug it back & forth everyday. So, i’ll likely slim back down in the warmer months. But for now, this is a great pack with a lot of capabilities.
Seen above is my beloved Mora Bushcraft Black, with the Condor Venture Pack
How does it stack up against the competition?
I would put Condor up against any of the other brands that are famous for making high quality/hard-use packs. I have used a ton of Condor gear in the past, and all of it has held up famously. While this is my first backpack from Condor, I know it’s going to hold up just as well. So I would say, save yourself the $40+ and go with the Venture Pack if you’re looking for a pack within this genre
What would this pack be best for, in my opinion?
This pack excels as an emergency or everyday carry bag, for me. The amount of organization is seriously awesome. Which is a needed trait in a bag that you’re going to be carrying around in an urban environment.
And it doesn’t hurt that I know I can hike with this pack and put in some hardcore cardio without it killing me.
Would I recommend it?
Absolutely I would ….Without hesitation! Just be mindful of how much weight you put in it (based on my experiences). If you are planning to exceed 30lbs. You may find it to be uncomfortable. But with 20-25lbs, you’re not going to find a better pack…especially within it’s price range.
Any other standout points for the Condor Venture Pack?
Yes! The Condor Venture Pack is one of my favorites when it comes to looks. Every time I take this bag out I look at it and think, dang this is a good looking pack! It just looks tough and well designed.
The Condor Venture Pack as my EDC Bag
And speaking to value, one more time….
This bag is an absolute bargain at its sub-$75 price point. You will be hard pressed to find a bag under $100, and even some that exceed $100 that come close to the Condor Venture Pack.
Purchase the Condor Venture Pack:
If you like what you see in my review, are on the fence about this pack or just need a new bag within this genre I highly recommend it. You can purchase this pack below on Amazon. And by doing so (through my Amazon Link) I will receive a little bit of a kickback when you purchase….Which helps me out financially to keep doing these reviews.
Meal Time up in the Appalacian Mountains with the Venture Pack
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