Review of the Maxpedition Mongo Versipack... er Diaper Bag

It came in the mail! I think this purchase makes me a "gear whore", but its full of marshmallowey tacti-coolness, and because I used a coupon code, the wife let me get a few Milspec Monkey patches. I'll do a quick review of my Maxpedition Mongo Versipack, and the Milspec Monkey patches.

I bought it as a diaper bag... ok, ok, so... I could have bought a cheaper more traditional diaper bag, but I saw this one.... I'll let you decide by the end of the post...


This is the bag with patches on. It looks big enough to be a good day use bag, it has several thousand pockets, and all the stitching/materials/construction looks to be top quality. I like the heavy shoulder strap and the big zippers are a plus

It also has about three pockets which have hook and loop velcro type panel linings, this lets me attach my pistol holster in several well concealed, easy to access while wearing places. (Pictures further down)

 The main cargo pocket, I haven't decided if I like the drawstring closure for the opening...

 Nice, if not overly built, phone pocket. This pocket grips my phone tight... like a tiger

 Bags with good concealed pistol pockets are few and far between, this bag excels at having a few dedicated concealed pockets. My personal requirements for these pockets are as follows:

- Must be quickly accessable
- Must fit my full size pistol
- Must have a holster or a place to velcro a holster (I like my weapon mounting to be rock solid, its not a fruit roll-up, its a loaded weapon, we don't need that bouncing around)
- Must be separate from the other pockets (In a duress situation no one ever wants to say "Oh please wait a moment while I fish my gun out from my mobile McDonald's ball pit"  Your keys, strings, doodads, fruit roll-ups and friendship bracelets do not need to reside with your loaded weapon)

The back padding looks comfy, and it has a useful waist strap (no bouncing around when you're on the move), we'll see how it does when it gets hotter. You can also make out the water bottle pocket at the bottom of the picture. It would fit 3 or 4 P-Mags pretty well in a pinch. 

The bag has velcro like panels on the outside. So, I had to have some patches...
All from Milspec Monkey (Morale Patches) they have some more "Not safe for work patches" that would go nicely on my bug out gear...

- Space Shuttle Door Gunner
- Certified Man Bag (PVC rubberized)
- Classic "DTOM"
- American Flag (PVC rubberized)

All in all, it looks to be a pretty rugged piece of kit, if it survives the first few months of up-coming baby use then I'll post some "After" pictures and list my thoughts. Here's to hoping...

Robinson Armament XCR-L 5.56 Review/Breakdown

I picked up a "used" Robinson Armament XCR-L in 5.56, I say "used" lightly because it looks to be factory new... I'd wager that the previous owner never fired it, judging from the serial number and internal components its a newer model by a few years than my other XCR.

This rifle lets me add some redundancy to my other rifle setup. The internals, upper and lower receiver and barrel are all compatible. Useful if you plan to take a Carbine course and need two similar rifles or if one rifle breaks apart and you don't have time to wait for a replacement to arrive in the mail.

I'll be ordering some parts and accessories to bring this rifle around to a more "tacti-cool" look

Here it is in its factory fresh form.... not much to look at yet...

 
From the tip to tail, I'd like to replace the original A-2 Flash hider, originally designed for the M-16 rifles, it keeps the enemy from seeing the burst of fire when the rifle is fired at night or when lying prone it keeps the blast from stirring up a cloud of dust.

The M-16 bolt recoils in a linear fashion, using direct impingement (using the hot escaping gasses from the round to push the bolt rearward), resulting in recoil that is almost straight rearward, with very little muzzle flip. The XCR uses a piston system (using hot escaping gasses to push a piston that pushes the bolt rearward) and so you gain a bit of muzzle flip from the momentum and inertia from the piston pushing the bolt. This is an acceptable trade-off given the reliability of the piston systems (Think AK-47, another piston system)

So all that being said I want to replace the A-2 with a suitable compensator/flash hider, giving me better muzzle control i.e., faster follow-up shots. Thinking about going with the Battlecomp 1.0 (kinda pricey)

Monolithic Railed Upper, the assembly at the far right is the gas adjustment valve, use it to tune the rifle to the ammo you have on hand. More gas to push the piston in colder weather or with less powerful rounds, less gas with powerful rounds and hotter weather.

Since the upper is Monolithic (all one piece with the barrel bolted in vs. having an upper receiver, that holds up a hand guard, and barrel) you have a very stable platform to mount optics, iron sights, lights, etc....

I'm going to put some ergo rubberized rail covers on the exposed rails, one to protect the rails from getting beat up and two to protect my lilly white hands from becoming shredded slaw salad while I shoot.

That little nub on the bottom of the upper on the left hand side is the barrel retaining bolt, allows me to change out the barrel of the rifle in about 5 min, not sure that I would ever need this feature, but just try doing a barrel change-out on your AR-15/M-16 while your hiding in some muddy ditch in the zombie apocalypse...
 

Upper meets Lower, pretty standard here, easier to use than your standard AR-15, put a new mag in and use your index finger to push down on the paddle just behind the magwell along the trigger guard. Same for locking the bolt open (you don't need to drop from your firing stance) just push the paddle up with your index finger. Clearing a malfunction has never been easier or faster.

I'll swap out the pistol grip for something more ergo, and I'll try to get some iron sights and an optic for the top rail.

Folding Stock, Magpul MOE telescoping stock. Easy to fold the stock for placement in a bag or on your back. I'd like to draw attention to the fact that there is no buffer-tube assembly for this rifle, don't try folding your AR-15 stock...

Mags, this is the cruddy mag that came with the rifle, most people overlook the mag, and its one of the most important parts of the rifle (if you can't get rounds into the rifle, you have just bought a very expensive highly complicated single shot rifle/club combo).

This mag looks like it was assembled by angry beavers, placed into a washing machine full of hammers and spray painted by your 7 year old cousin. I won't name the manufacturer, it would probably work if it was all I had, but I'm going to retire it and replace it with a new P-MAGs, or rebuilt Aluminum mags with enhanced Magpul followers (Seriously, at least try some of the Magpul enhanced followers, makes mags load and cycle as smooth as silk, and who wants to see their end because of a $2 hunk of plastic). 

Simple setups for simple people, how many parts does your rifle have...can you reassemble them in the dark, or a muddy ditch...

Lower, notice the simple setup and lack of the buffer tube and assembly. The part I don't like is the rubbery buffer pad (Horse-shoe shaped piece on the far right, below the hole); it isn't necessary for operation of the rifle, and I'll most likely take it off, before it gets smashed into little rubbery pellets inside the rifle...nuff said.
 

Some old Ergo Rubberized rail covers and a Tapco VFG (vertical forward grip) I'll put them on until I get some better options.

That's all for now, I want to take a moment and say that I like a lot of AR-15 setups, I just prefer the XCR more... Don't take offense if you are an AR-15 user, it's an excellent platform and has a lot of benefits going for it (a lot that the XCR doesn't have). I just setup my gear how if feel best suits me, and I'm no expert. With any setup ensure that you are proficient with its care and feeding, and always observe the rules of firearm safety. 

I am in no way paid by any of the companies you have seen represented here. I had to pay my hard earned cash just like everybody else and this gives me the option to say what I want, how I want....

Light Fighter Gear

I've been working on my light weight gear setup, I want a modular setup that allows me to move un-encumbered, something I could hike in. We'll do the final test after the world ends....

Gear

- Tactical Tailor Mini-Modular Assault Panel w/ three mag carrier

- Gear Sector single point sling

- Fast Mag carrier

- 5 Magpul 30 Rd P-Mags

- Robinson Armament XCR-L (150 Rds)

- Kimber Eclipse Target II (24+1 Rds)

- Blackhawk Serpa holster

- ITS Tactical IFAK

- Benchmade Osborne fixed blade fighting knife

- Blackhawk Nite-Ops Gladius

- Double Mag pouch 1911 (Gov't issue stamped ENS-1943)

- Benchmade Osborne folding knife

.... Ohh and ignore the chickens in the background, it's too hard to be tacti-cool when those dirt turkeys are scratching around underfoot... we'll just think of them as zombies.....

Bug Out Bag Exploded View

BUG OUT BAG

I put together this Bug Out Bag for emergency situations. You can't plan for every scenario, but you can cover the basics, Security, Shelter, Water, and Food. My bag is a work in progress, I am constantly changing the gear I pack to better suit my needs. I don't think a Mad Max TEOTWAWKI (The end of the world as we know it) scenario is very likely, but with any breakdown of society (Storms, floods, fires, riots, chemical spills) there are difficulties to overcome. I think any rational person can see a scenario where they are forced to leave their home with little or no warning. Even if you are evacuating your home only to stay with friends and family, you will need some belongings.

If the need arises I plan to Bug Out, I think there is some merit to stockpiling food and gear, but I think that in any long term scenario your home will become more of a target rather than a safe-haven.

In any situation I think we can all agree that it would be foolish to assume that everyone will behave and be calm.....

I wanted to catalog my bug out bag items, its a handy way to have a reference of what you have stored away in there without disassembling the pack every time and so my wife wont kill me for exploding my gear in the living room.

First we start off with the bag, its an older Kelty Redwing, I scavenged a Camelbak bladder and hose to fit in the hydration compartment. I like this bag because it has a semi rigid frame and a full size hip belt (My previous bag fit all my gear but it lacked the stability of a bigger pack). It weighs about 30 to 45 lbs, depending on the configuration. Its' comfortable and has a little extra room for more gear, plus the compartmentalized pockets keep everything accessible and distribute the weight.

Next, we take a look at the organizer pocket, I use this pocket for misc items, and things that are handy to have at the ready.

Below you can see:
- Chemical light stick (When Murphy's law strikes, it will be in the dark)
- Fero-magnesium fire starter
- Box cutter
- Wetwipes (Toilet paper is good.... wet wipes are better, and have you ever taken a sponge bath with wet toilet paper.... I didn't think so)
- Waterproof document case (Useful for passports, birth certificates, social security cards, etc...)
- Pens/Notebook (Leave notes for family, start a checklist, record directions, start a fire with the paper)
- Pack of survival fishing gear (Hooks, sinkers, line, all sealed in plastic)
- OC/Tear Gas Spray (I've been tear gassed, and I've been OC sprayed... neither is an event that I want to repeat. The combination of the two effects is a very strong deterrent for most aggressors. Keep this in a plastic bag until you Bug Out, you don't want to contaminate your gear)

And then,

Medical Kit, this is a basic kit, you may need to add or remove items depending on your setup. There are various other first aid items in other places in the pack (redundancy) this kit is just a quick and ready package that fits in the first zippered compartment for easy access, I also have a separate container for pills and assorted medicines. The goal here is basic first aid, I have a full trauma bag (not pictured, perhaps in another post) for stitches, fever, diarrhea, etc.

- Carabiner
- Imodium
- Waterproof medical tape
- Micro-pore paper tape (Excellent for small cuts and abrasions and blisters, it allows the skin to breathe unlike band-aids)
- Pepto-bismol (You never know what you may hafta eat!)
- EMT Shears (These shears will cut almost anything, you can snip a penny in half if necessary)
- Cuticle Snips
- Folding mirror (Good for signaling, can also be used to see to treat yourself in the case of back, dental or other hard to see places injuries)
- Lighter (will sterilize metal objects like needles for removing splinters)
- Mil-Surplus compression bandage (Camouflaged! Plenty of good uses)
- Safety Pins (Useful when wrapping bandages, replacing lost buttons, torn clothing, etc...)
- 4 pairs of latex gloves
- Tweezers
- Pen
- Mil-Surplus first aid dressings
- QuikClot (Very dangerous if used incorrectly, use only in the worst case emergency of major hemorrhaging)
- Triple anti-biotic ointment

And then again
General supplies
- Shamwow!
- Scrubbing Sponge
- Silverware
   - One large cooking spoon
   - 2 forks
   - 2 spoons
   - 1 small spoon
- Assorted zip ties (These are a must have item, you can fix and make almost anything with zip ties and duct-tape)
- 3 tea candles
- Coffee filters (good for filtering muddy water, wrapping leftover food, or starting fires)
- Dust Masks
- Packable one liter water/wine/liquor container
- Plastic resealable bags
- Clorox wipes

Some more

General supplies cont.
- 1 Pouch of emergency drinking water (Best used for first aid to irrigate wounds)
- Siphon tube (Can be used to suck water from hard to reach places)
- Water treatment tablets
- Waterproof match case w/ matches (Bottom of case has an included flint)
- Salt and pepper (hot-sauce and other small condiments are also excellent)
- Can opener/corkscrew/bottle opener
- Wet Fire fire starters
- Opinel folding knife
- 2 Sterno cans
- Pill case
- Dish washing detergent
- MRE condiment pack (I have tons of these laying around from old Military MealReadytoEat's, each one may have a different assortment of goodies)
   - Matches
   - Hot-sauce
   - Toilet paper
   - Coffee/tea mix
   - Chewing gum
   - Moist towelette
   - Salt
- Cotton bag to contain everything

And some more

General supplies cont.
- Mil-surplus Arthropod/mosquito repellent (This comes as a paste and it is very strong, use it sparingly, it has the added bonus of being a tick repellant)
- Shampoo/body wash (You could possibly Bug Out to a friends house, it's nice to bring your own toiletries)
- Hand sanitizer (Works excellent as a fire starter as well)
- Dental floss (much stronger than thread for clothing/pack repairs)
- Sunscreen (Ever tried to carry a pack with sun burned shoulders?)
- Lip Balm
- Large safety pin (Use it to attach a lanyard to your gear)
- Nail Clippers

More

General supplies
- Tooth brush
- Toilet paper
- Disposable razors
- Bar soap
- Wet-wipes
- Cotton swabs
- Cotton bag to contain everything

And more

General supplies
- Crank radio (I really like this compact radio because it has a flashlight and USB charging port)
- Folding saw
- Small Trowel (Dig latrines/roots/water/hot coals)
- Generic Sandals (Good to have around camp while your shoes/feet dry, or if you happen to Bug Out without shoes)

Yep, there's more

General supplies cont.
- Plastic drop cloth (Shelter building)
- SOL emergency bivy sleeping sack
- 2 Nylon rain jackets
- Tent stakes
- Heavy duty sharpie
- 4 Hand warmers
- Super-glue (Good for everything from repairs to gluing cuts closed)
- Reflective blanket
- Extra AA batteries

Still going

General supplies cont.
- 50 ft of para-cord (So many uses that I'd hafta start a new post)
- Lock and key
- Vice Grip pliers
- Rubber dipped work gloves
- 70 ft of all purpose nylon rope
- Sewing kit
- Fishing bobber
- Duct-tape (Blisters, waterproofing, ripped clothing repairs, shelter building, perhaps I need another roll...)

Yet another

General Supplies
- 8x10 Tarp (Perfect shelter for two, can also be rolled up to make a makeshift pack)
- Stainless steel pot

Quick access supplies, I keep these in an easy to reach side pocket, if the power is out I want a ready light source to rig my gear with.
- Chemical light sticks
- Mil-Surplus waterproof stuff sacks (If I need to bug out in a hurry, I can take this sack around the house and fill it with food, gear and necessaries. If I fill it with gear and air space before I tie it off it will float my pack in water)
- Compressed towels
- Insect repellant band

Now on to some of the exciting stuff

Last Ditch Bug Out fanny pack. If you can only carry one thing, and you need to ditch the rest of the Bug Out Bag, this fanny pack pistol combo may not be tacti-cool, but it is practical. It will leave you with some standard survival items and a throw away pistol (The first rule of gun fighting is "Don't get into a gun fight", but should you break rule one, default to rule two "If you get into a gun fight.... Bring a gun!")

Last Ditch Fanny
- Compass w/ instructions
- Leatherman multi-tool
- Headlamp, Princeton-tec Byte (Something may be wrong with mine because the batteries keep dying)
- Quikclot sponge (Much safer to use than the Quikclot powder that was listed above, just put it on the wound, or poke it into the hemorrhaging hole)
- MRE condiment pack
- Smoked oysters
- Jetscream whistle
- Heavy duty can opener
- Wetfire fire starters
- Pen

Pistol. This beauty is a Russian CZ-52, with a U.S. made modified firing pin (eliminates the reliability issues with the original Russian design), It fires a sub-machine gun 7.62x25 round. It is a roller lock, single action only pistol and the holster carries an extra magazine and cleaning rod. With the improved firing pin it is a reliable semi-auto, and should you need extra ammunition there are 50 extra rounds in the Bug Out Bag.

My Light-fighter gun belt setup
- Covered double mag pouch
- Blackhawk Nite-Ops Gladius flashlight
- ITS Tactical IFAK
- Blood chit belt clip
- Benchmade Osborne fighting knife
- Kimber Target Eclipse II .45 1911
- Blackhawk Serpa holster
- Heavy nylon duty belt

Kimber Target Eclipse II .45 1911
- Adjustable Tritium target night sights
- Wilson Combat slim wood grips
- 3 Magazines loaded with Hornady Critical Defense

Gun belt in detail
- ITS Tactical IFAK
   - Quikclot combat gauze
   - 2 HALO chest seals
   - Mojo-dart decompression needle
   - Israeli Bandage
   - Gauze pack
   - Heavy duty latex gloves
   - Airway
- SOF Tourniquet
- Blackhawk Nite-Ops Gladius
- Benchmade Osborne fighting knife

Bug Out Rifle
- Robinson Armament XCR-L 5.56
- Magpul collapsible folding stock
- YHM flip up forward iron post sight
- A.R.M.S. flip up rear iron peep sight
- Magpul AFG
- EOTECH holographic sight
- Surefire combat light

Thats all for now. Ill try to post pics of my Light Fighter setup soon.