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Range bag decision


Justinmac13

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I am in need of a new range bag and only see three options for a backpack style. The DAA large/med which look nice and are at the top of the list, a gps range back looks pretty nice but not much cheaper than the DAA, the Ernie hill, but I have ruled that one out due to opinions of someone that has one, The shooters connection seems to always be sold out. What are your thoughts and do you know of any others that should be considered.

Edited by Justinmac13
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I am in need of a new range bag and only see three options for a backpack style. The DAA large/med which look nice and are at the top of the list, a gps range back looks pretty nice but not much cheaper than the DAA, the Ernie hill, but I have ruled that one out due to opinions of someone that has one, The shooters connection seems to always be sold out. What are your thoughts and do you know of any others that should be considered.

I switched to the large DAA and it is by far the best bag I have used. I'm not a youngster anymore so I cut the straps off and carry it on a cart. It is very well laid out and will hold a shit ton of gear. I had a specialized insert made for the top compartment to keep everything organized.
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I am in need of a new range bag and only see three options for a backpack style. The DAA large/med which look nice and are at the top of the list, a gps range back looks pretty nice but not much cheaper than the DAA, the Ernie hill, but I have ruled that one out due to opinions of someone that has one, The shooters connection seems to always be sold out. What are your thoughts and do you know of any others that should be considered.

I switched to the large DAA and it is by far the best bag I have used. I'm not a youngster anymore so I cut the straps off and carry it on a cart. It is very well laid out and will hold a shit ton of gear. I had a specialized insert made for the top compartment to keep everything organized.

Thank you sarge, I read a lot of your posts and will probably go with your recommendation

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The shooters connection backpack is sold out for good reason. It's a great value. Mine has been very durable and the compartment configuration works well. Backorder it and tough it out til it shows up.

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Honestly -- Maxpedition Falcon III would hold everything I need. I'm still using the slightly smaller Falcon II. A friend of mine carries one of their Versipacks as a range bag -- he may have another bag with supplies in the car. The only other thing I bring to the range and leave in the car is a Sears toolbag with spare parts and Glock-wrenching tools, in case I need to replace something.

Lower Front pouch holds Glasses; the upper holds some medications, a CED 7000 and molded ear plugs. The full size compartment behind that holds knee pads at the bottom, a mag gauge stuffed in on the side, and hearing protection on top. The full size compartment closest to my back holds 5-6 boxes of ammo, a mag loading tool, a pouch with six mags, and a pair of individually sleeved guns.

Once the guns come out and the mags move to the belt, there's plenty of room to stuff water bottles and lunch in there....

Some versions of the Falcon II are on closeout for less than $100; the Falcon III looks to have picked up a couple of inches in size in each dimension....

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I've been using the GPS backpack and really like it. I have the "handgunner" model, not the tactical one. I immediately removed that stupid foam gun divider thing and just use gun rugs, can fit more stuff in it that way. I was using the big Midway range bag before this and can fit pretty much all my junk in the GPS bag. My only complaint is no pouch for a water bottle.

Not sure why you say not much cheaper than the DAA, isn't it half the cost? $100 vs. $200? I wasn't going to shell out $200 for a range bag, but I'm sure the DAA is nice too. The large DAA does look huge though.

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I am in need of a new range bag and only see three options for a backpack style. The DAA large/med which look nice and are at the top of the list, a gps range back looks pretty nice but not much cheaper than the DAA, the Ernie hill, but I have ruled that one out due to opinions of someone that has one, The shooters connection seems to always be sold out. What are your thoughts and do you know of any others that should be considered.

I switched to the large DAA and it is by far the best bag I have used. I'm not a youngster anymore so I cut the straps off and carry it on a cart. It is very well laid out and will hold a shit ton of gear. I had a specialized insert made for the top compartment to keep everything organized.

Thank you sarge, I read a lot of your posts and will probably go with your recommendation

I appreciate your confidence but don't just take one guys opinion as gospel. I like to carry lots of stuff when I shoot. About the only thing I leave in the truck is spare gun and tools/parts. I like to have gun case, ammo, cmore batteries and wrench, rain gear, lube, muffs, glass cases, timer, squib rod, rule book, overlays, knife, rag, lunch and drinks with me during a match. The large DAA backpack allows me to do that easily. BUT, it really can't be carried, at least not by me. As a matter of fact I cut the straps off of it so it is forever a cart only bag. Heck, I even have a built in seat and umbrella for shade on my rig. I have a rather large footprint at matches. ;)

But on the other end of the spectrum I know a few guys who shoot Glocks and just keep their mags on the belt all the time. They put glasses and muffs on at the car and just carry a small bag of ammo.

So I think it matters a whole lot how you want to operate at matches.

Any of the bags mentioned in this thread will more than get the job done.

Edited by Sarge
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Whatever you buy, DON'T GET A BLACK ONE! Stuff gets lost in there and you'll swear that it's gone. Had a friend that was "sure" he'd lost or misplaced a suppressor (can), ordered a new one and 3 months later the old one showed up in the bottom of a BLACK shooting bag! :roflol:

Alan~^~

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Whatever you buy, DON'T GET A BLACK ONE! Stuff gets lost in there and you'll swear that it's gone. Had a friend that was "sure" he'd lost or misplaced a suppressor (can), ordered a new one and 3 months later the old one showed up in the bottom of a BLACK shooting bag! :roflol:

Alan~^~

Lol, sounds like a logical story to tell the wife. I'd leave the part out about finding the old one.

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Whatever you buy, DON'T GET A BLACK ONE! Stuff gets lost in there and you'll swear that it's gone. Had a friend that was "sure" he'd lost or misplaced a suppressor (can), ordered a new one and 3 months later the old one showed up in the bottom of a BLACK shooting bag! :roflol:

Alan~^~

I lost a Glock that way, LOL. It was retarded. Took an hour to find it.

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I use the medium DAA backpack big enough for me for a day on the range , can take two guns + the ammo for them ( 300/400 rounds).

Spare parts , mag brush , toolkit , 14 mags ear muffs ,shooting glasses and still have room to spare .

And is small enough to realy use it as a backpack , i have mine for more then two years now and still looks great .

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When my son got into the sport I bought the Midway Shooters bag. About 50 bucks if I remember right and it works really well for us. We haul it around in a wagon and it carries all we need for him to shoot Lim and me to shoot SS. I keep his ammo in the bag and mine in a Dillon Border Shift. Works really well and didn't cost an arm and a leg.

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I am curious why you guys want/are using a backpack style? I like a regular bag with a good shoulder strap and just wonder why a backpack would be preferred? Are your stages waaayyyy far part or is parking a mile away? Not at all trying to be smart, I am wondering what I am missing.

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I am curious why you guys want/are using a backpack style? I like a regular bag with a good shoulder strap and just wonder why a backpack would be preferred? Are your stages waaayyyy far part or is parking a mile away? Not at all trying to be smart, I am wondering what I am missing.

In my case 5-6 years of carrying a heavy should bag in my previous occupation left me with back, shoulder and neck issues, that I've worked pretty hard to eradicate and don't want back. So a backpack distributes the load better.....

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If you plan to carry it as a backpack I think the daa med or the gps tactical (probably lean a little towards the gps). If you're going to use it with a cart then the DAA large is awesome (and I'd get their matching cart too, they work great together).

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