MAXPEDITION FALCON-II 23L BACKPACK (REVIEW)

“FINALLY”!

When I started the YOMPNOTES project back in 2016 I thought that MAXPEDITION was one of the biggest most influential companies in the industry and right at the beginning I had my eye on this, iconic piece gear and all I can say is “FINALLY”! I’ve got my hands on the MAXPEDITION FALCON-II 23L backpack and it does not disappoint.

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What an awesome backpack this is.

First impression before it’s decompressed are that it’s quite small but then you release the compression straps and it almost seems to inflate to become a backpack thats altogether more capable of carrying everything you could need with plenty of room for everyday unplanned items.

FALCON-II OUT IN THE WILD.

SO LETS TALK SIZE.

IT'S SMALL BUT MIGHTY.

I like its dimensions. (9” wide x 18” high x 10” deep) I liked that it’s has a narrow footprint, easer to navigate trains‘n’planes but can be expanded out and away from your back with ample support from that iconic 2 into 1, Y configured load-lifter strap.

COMPRESSION.

FALCON-II COMPRESSION AT FULL STRETCH.

MAIN COMPARMENT COMPRESSED.

FULL COMPRESSION, FRONT COMPARTMENTS STIIL 100% ACCESSIBLE.

This is one of the few packs I’ve seen of this size that really takes compression seriously. There’s the already mention load-lifter at the top, a pair of quick release compression straps either side and two more to the base of the FALCON-II all of which have a generous length for strapping extra gear as well compression.

 

COMPRESSION, 2 INTO 1, TOP OF THE PACK.

BASE COMPRESSION / UTILITY STRAPS.

Also worth consider that although this is a small pack I think it’s very capable of carrying weight so could be a good choice for rucking, maybe thats a subject for another post… maybe.

CARRY SYSTEM.

CARRY SYSTEM.

For a low volume backpack I think the carry system is over engineered but you have to know… I love over engineered!

SHOULDER STRAPS LOAD LIFTERS.

1" STERNUM STRAP, COLD WET HANDS ARE GONNA THANK YOU.

The shoulder straps are wide and well padded with all the MOLLE and D-rings you could need or expect. In additions, at the top of both straps, there’s a horizontal, 1” elastic strap, this runs under the MOLLE giving you the option to run a hydration hose or manage comms cables.

ALL THE MOLLE, D-RINGS & UTILITY STRAPS YOU COULD EVER NEED.

Further down the shoulder strap there’s a second 1.50” wide webbing strap which could be used for clipping need to grab gear or in my case, to run my hydration hose.

The shoulder straps have an excellent 1” sternum strap, this is great because the 1” quick release buckle is much easer to use with gloves or cold, wet hands than the standard issue 0.5” option we get on most backpacks especially ones of this size. As I said earlier “Over engineered”.

Adjustment for the shoulder straps is via Duraflex Ladder Lock Buckles and for once the strap adjustment has a big thumb sized loop at the end! That’s a long heavy day hike god send right there, really appreciate that.

 

1.5" WAIST BELT, SEE ABOVE : )

WAIST BELT TRI-GLIDE ATTACHMENT POINTS.

To complete this excellent carry system, the MAXPEDITION FALCON-II has a 1.5” wide waist belt with a Duraflex, quick release, dual adjust buckle. This is removable via a simple tri-glide buckle securely sewn the backpack.

POCKETS ‘N’ COMPARTMENTS.

The MAXPEDITION FALCON-II does not lack in pockets or compartments let’s get onto that.

COMPARTMENT No1.

COMPARTMENT No1 - GREAT FOR EYEWEAR.

This is to top the front of the pack, it’s a good size and position for optics sunglasses and other eyewear. It has a single YKK zipper. To its exterior there’s 2 rows x 5 columns of NATO pat MOLLE.

COMPARTMENT No2.

COMPARTMENT No2 - DATED ADMIN SECTION BUT USEFUL NEVER-THE-LESS.

This is below the first and is much larger being a good space for notebooks and tablets.

The interior has a basic and in my view dated admin; 3 pen slots, a key keep directly above a slightly lager pocket that maybe your keys could slip into, (quite liked this) behind the admin is another pocket A5 note book size.

This compartment has a dual zipper and 3 rows X 5 columns of MOLLE.

The middle row has a hook ‘n’ loop field behind it. I thought this was a creative way to incorporate a hook‘n’loop field without making it too overt, nice!

COMPARTMENT No3.

COMPARTMENT No3 LOVE THOSE SIDE-BY-SIDE MESH POCKETS, GREAT FOR A PHONE AND CHARGER.

The next is much larger and is situated directly behind the first two compartments.

The interior again is pretty basic but dose include a good sized slip pocket and 2 side-by-side mesh pockets.

I really like this as I can carry my phone and a power pack and charge-up as I go, this compartment also work well for me as a dump‘n’run.

COMPARTMENT No4.

COMPARTMENT No4 - REALLY LIKE THE DEISGN OF THIS.

COMPARTMENT No4 - ZIPPER, MESH POCKET.

BIG ENOUGH TO FIT YOUR 15.4" LAPTOP EASILY.

This is the largest and big enough for a 15.4" laptop or to pack gear for a weekend or short trip.

It does have the feel a small suit case given it’s an open flat clamshell config.

Large mesh slip pocket to the front and smaller mesh pocket with zipper pull closure to the back, simple.

But on closer examination there’s more going on with this compartment.

COMPARTMENT No4 - INTERIOR DETAIL.

To the back there is gusseted feature which I think is intended to give the hydration compartment behind it some capacity for a large 3L bladder.

HYDRATION PORT.

HYDRATION BLADDER SWING LOOP.

THE ABOVE IN USE.

EXTERIOR HYDRATION PORT WITH SECURE HOOK'N'LOOP CLOSURE.

At the top of compartment No4 is port for a CAMELBAK hydration hose to pass through, then up through a second port to the outside of the pack. In-between these two ports is a webbing loop that can be used to swing your hydration bladder from. This can be pushed back through the first port giving us the option to use either this compartment or the last compartment (No5) to house your hydration bladder.

COMPARTMENT No5.

COMPARTMENT No5 - PARTIAL PLUSH / HOOK'N'LOOP LINED

MIL SPEC DRAINAGE GROMETS.

COMPARTMENT No5 - MORE HYDRATION PORT OPTIONS.

THAT SWING LOOP AGAIN.

As we’ve seen from the above, this last compartments works with No4, sharing ports and features to facilitate hydration capabilities, indeed it has a pair of mil spec drainage grommets at the base, just incase of mishaps and spillages. But again there’s more going here as well. The back face wall of this compartment plush lined with hook ‘n’ loop or rather a material that can be used in that way.

HOOK"N"LOOP READY FOR CCW ACCESSESORIES.

The front of the compartment has the inside of the gussets feature mentioned earlier, that in my experience allows us the use a full 3L baffled hydration bladder without creating that annoying bulge into your back that we all know and love : ) there’s also 2 more bars of hook ‘n’ loop inside the gusset, I think this could be for CCW duties as they’d be perfect places to mount a Universal Pistol Wrap a Dual Mag Wrap. Although compartment No5 can only be accessed from the left, so makes it difficult for right handed people, unless I’m missing something which I might well be.

MORE MOLLE EXTERIOR.

We’ve already talked about the MOLLE fields on the front compartments of this pack but there’s more.

To the left and right of this really quite awesome backpack are 5 rows x 2 columns of NATO pat MOLLE. Above this is a swing loop which will be handy gear from then secure using the MOLLE or compression straps. Next there’s a rear example of 1 row x 13 columns of vertical MOLLE that raps around the base of the pack, so in short there’s going to be a carry option for you to strap any gear you need to.

CONSTRUCTION.

The attention to detail with regard to carry options is match by this backpacks no compromise attention to construction. This isn’t a subject I usually cover but MAXPEDITION do love their high performance fabrics, threads and materials; 1050-D, water abrasion resistant ballistic nylon, high tensile webbing, high tensile thread, paracord zipper pulls, double stitched, bartacked and-X" stitched for strength. YKK zippers and all treated with Dupont Teflon. For more detail you’re going to have to visit the MAXPEDITION site LINK HERE.

CARRY HANDLE.

BIG BEAUTIFUL & COMFORTABLE CARRY HANDLE.

I almost forgot that the MAXPEDITION FALCON-II has an excellent carry handle. It reminds me a lot of the GORUCK offering which in-turn has its roots in milspec rucksacks with a much larger volume. It’s constructed of two types of nylon webbing, one strong the other comfortable and I’ve tried it, it’s quite possible to carry this pack, loaded with my RUCKING concrete block, quite comfortably, for a long period of time, using this very carry handle. Impressive and just nice to use.

PARACORD ZIPPER PULLS, WHAT ELSE?

SECURE THEM ZIPPER PULLS.

IN CONCLUSION THEN.

Gonna keep this simple, short and sweet. The MAXPEDITION FALCON-II at 23L is small in size but massive in duty. Having a huge capability in both load size, complexity and weight. Quite frankly I think it’s perfect, I’m sorry it took me so long to get one.

Also I really like the grey stitching : )

FIND OUT MORE VISIT:

• MAXPEDITION.COM

• MAXPEDITION FALCON-II 23L PACKPACK

FEATURED NOT MENTIONED:

• CAMELBAK CRUX 3L RESERVOIR

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