Vanquest Falconer 27 vs Maxpedition Falcon II - A New Middleweight Champion?

[@JulyFourth1776]

Nothing can beat my maxpedition gyrfalcon. I love it!

[@CunoWiederhold]

Great review! I love the "examples" you provide instead of a simple narrative. Two great packs, I have a Vanquest Mobious 2.0 and Maxpedition Vulture II, so I know the quality of each. Tough decision, but I I do lean toward full "clam shell" design and making use of otherwise wasted space. Both bags are built like a tank! For me, depending of usage, I'd be happy with either, I guess it comes down to price. I think if you have small loose gear and or cabling it may be more advantageous to go with the Vanquest with all the extra keepers and pouches. Ironically, I am considering one of the same two model and brand packs, so, thanks for this comparison!

[@minecraftmanyak]

id still go with maxpedition

[@billrom795]

Hollywood does a 100% predictable review He made it clear from about :30 that vquest was the winner. Hahaha. Maybe not free bag, but $$$$

[@Quality_Guru]

Great review from 3 years ago. The Falcon 2 (currently at close out pricing) is half the price of the Vanquest. You can purchase a lot of internal organizers for 100 dollars. Vanquest looks impressive, but there is now a Falcon 3 available. I will have compare the two.

[@Literarycat8]

I don't know. I've been using Maxped bags for years now, and I have two Falcon II (OD and Tan). I've taken both on trips--on vacation and on duty, and I've never been failed. (I have ripped a molle on a Malaga though; I think it's the pistol, extra mags, water bottle and handheld computer that did it). In any case, you did a great job of doing a comparative analysis of the finer points of these bags. I have never felt the material of Vanquest---I've never even seen a Vanquest here in the Philippines! (although I believe it's made here; not sure though). I put my bag through some really rough shit (Oakley and TNF have both failed me), so it would be a hard-sell for me to see if anything can beat Maxpedition. I'm just saying. If Vanquest would send me a Falconer 27 with option to buy, I'd put it through the ringer and validate your take on it. Thanks for the great review, as always! :)

[@zZKableZz]

I always imagine Maxpedition is designed around using their gear pouches and putting those inside the bag.

[@brucehartsell7863]

Thanks and I always enjoy your vids. I know I can always depend on you to review gear extensively and expose any flaws. Keep em coming my friend.

[@themodernminuteman143]

Excellent video. The side-by-side comparison was very helpful.

[@HarleyWood23]

Glad I could help. Thanks for watching.

[@kumaquattro]

Really enjoyed your review, great comparison . Thanks

[@tjzulu1]

You'll never go wrong with either of those bags....however, here is where we differ in opinion. I own many Maxpedition bags and pouches and the stiching on everyone of them is perfect and IMHO better than the stitching on the Vanquest bag...and the zippers are stronger on Maxpedition bags....

[@chasewhite5872]

Thanks for the thorough comparo. It's tough here in California because there aren't many stores that carry either of these bags, so I rely on these types of reviews when ordering new crap

[@joelohms2629]

This is the first video of yours I've watched.It was well done and very informative.

[@GearReviewDepot]

Two great packs for sure but I do feel vanquest is pulling far ahead of maxpedition lately. I really like the vanquest items I have. I plan on picking up some more soon. Great video!

[@vanquestgear]

***** Thank you for your kind words.

[@GearReviewDepot]

+Vanquest Gear Thank you for putting out some very well made gear at a fair price. Much respect.

[@duckymomo9580]

+Vanquest Gear Vanquest has done a great job at making a great outdoor bag that blends in with most schoolbags, has a bit more space and a LOT more organization then the Maxpedition... However, the Maxpedition has tons of M.O.L.L.E. straps that you can attach organizational equipment to, expanding the amount of cubic inches the pack can contain. Also, Harley made a bit of a mistake, the amount of cubic inches on the falcon 2 is actually 1520 not 1400, still the falcon 2 is still beaten in size by about 130 inches cubed. The BIGGEST difference for me are the buckles, I find that the Vanquest's are a little less sturdy than the Maxpedition's solid buckles, I say this because my waist strap buckle got stepped on in the field by a fellow army cadet and just snapped... Also I had trouble with the button on the waist strap. Vanquest makes GREAT gear and I hope to see more of it, if they keep at this pace they have a chance to outrun their last competitor but first they need more M.O.L.L.Y.! Both are great, but for these two backpacks I'm going to have to side with the Falcon 2, more customization variety, more compression ability and better handle... Sorry Vanquest! PS: Not my KZbin account, I'm at a friends place!..

[@Robert-ug5hx]

I have used all of name brand packs , all of them are well made and each one has benefits over the competition. they are all nice 5.11, maxpedition, and vanquest several others

[@mangeusedecigognes3592]

Maxpedition is the Best... at 100%. I have Maxpedition Backpack Falcon III and it’s the best Backpack i never had. No surprise with Maxpedition... And all you need is here. You can buy eyes clothes... !!! 👍🏽

[@learningtobeprepared4866]

I really enjoyed this review. Excellent job!

[@duckymomo9580]

+Vanquest Gear Vanquest has done a great job at making a great outdoor bag that blends in with most schoolbags, has a bit more space and a LOT more organization then the Maxpedition... However, the Maxpedition has tons of M.O.L.L.E. straps that you can attach organizational equipment to, expanding the amount of cubic inches the pack can contain. Also, Harley made a bit of a mistake, the amount of cubic inches on the falcon 2 is actually 1520 not 1400, still the falcon 2 is still beaten in size by about 130 inches cubed. The BIGGEST difference for me are the buckles, I find that the Vanquest's are a little less sturdy than the Maxpedition's solid buckles, I say this because my waist strap buckle got stepped on in the field by a fellow army cadet and just snapped... Also I had trouble with the button on the waist strap. Vanquest makes GREAT gear and I hope to see more of it, if they keep at this pace they have a chance to outrun their last competitor but first they need more M.O.L.L.Y.! Both are great, but for these two backpacks I'm going to have to side with the Falcon 2, more customization variety, more compression ability and better handle... Sorry Vanquest! PS: Not my KZbin account, I'm at a friends place!..

[@SierraKilo76]

Great Video. Thank you for investing the time. Is there more MOLLE on the bottom of the Vanquest? I'm in the market for a new every day carry bag (backpack). And I cannot find one that suits my needs. I love the Vanquest because of the abbility to organize the interior. Especially with the velcro and MOLLE inside, because I found that most of the time fixed in pockets come only in two sizes: to big and to small. And the Falcon's overall size is just that little bit to small for me, especially in width. The Vanquest has that covered. Big, really big, minus for the Vanquest and dealbreaker so far: 90% of the time my backpack is not loaded to the max, I just need that "reserve space". My actual backpack has only one compression strap, and this is not enough to keep the bag small. It just doesn't work to the point where it is not really usable for me. I'd rather buy the one I have right now again, even it is lacks the organisational parts, because it served me well for a decade right now (beeing not only used but abused) and is only about half the price of a Vanquest or Maxpedition. So as soon as Vanquest updates the Falconer with an additional compression strap, maybe even in a Y- or X-shape, they can have my money. PS: The compression strap is not only for the reason mentioned. It is also to lessen the load on the zippers. In my opinion a zipper is the first thing to fail. It will fail, no matter how good it is. Even YKKs fail, they only fail later than others. So the straps take some of the load of them which makes them last longer, which is even more important with those long zippers of the Falconer.

[@stubbenno1]

I do not know if anyone said it, but if you hang your Falconer 27 in a tree, it is just to turn around the backpack so you can access the large compartment. Is not such a big problem ;) Great movie!

[@synevan8754]

HaHaHa! Good Point!

[@rubiconoutdoors3492]

I love the Maxpedition Monkey Admin pouch. It goes on every pack I own. For that reason alone I would chose the max. Vanquest looks equal quality just diferent setup.

[@kellergibson5643]

It is a good review mate. Allow me to suggest one of the things that I did not like about Vanquest Falconer 27 and that is the amount of velcro that they have used. For a daily thing it is ok but for hunting or military purpose it make too much noise and it can give away your location. ;)

[@arlenewolf5260]

Good Review. I am a gear and bag junkie. Both good packs. I also think VOODOO Tactictal makes a comparable bag. Just picked up a Maxpeditiion Typhoon for one of my EDC bags & I got a 511 Rush12 for a car bag. I currently EDC a Fatboy.

[@awdsvx]

Great in-depth comparison of these two bags. Props to the Vanquest Falconer 27.

[@texaslonestarrider]

Great review!

[@milanmarca]

Great review. Thanks for the info.

[@acrscott]

A full clam shell design allows any loose items to fall out when undone, only the zippers are holding the weight of contents when half way open to get something out.. good for a suitcase, bad for a bag.

[@rodrigo591ify]

acrscott And... if you've got it open, shit suddenly happens, and you gotta get out of there or find cover, you lock the top compressor and can haul that pack without things falling off even if you didn't zip up everything, truly great design.

[@awesome3213]

time for falcon 3 review

[@SONofLIBERTY]

Hey bro nicely done. I'll agree 100% with you. I've had my eye on some Vanquest gear fro awhile now. It's funny as SOON as you flipped that first compartment open I said "aaahhh medical" hahahaha. One thing I'll say is I Like the feature of the rubber layering at the bottom of the maxpedition bag. If Vanquest does that it will be the icing on the cake. The bottom of a bag takes so much abuse over time. Nicely done. Next time you got gear for sale holler at me. I'd like to have a company like that reach out to me for some gear testing. I do have some things in the works with Trigger Time TV though so I'm really excited about what that could bring and perhaps future testing for Frank Proctor.

[@HarleyWood23]

Thanks man. Just keep producing great content. They'll come find you.

[@rubiconoutdoors3492]

I got to say at the 200$ price point you are also have the mystery ranch 2 day assault pack as an option. As im finishing this comment I just heard you say 2015. Lol its 2022 now

[@hystericaloutrage2280]

Good job sir! Thank you!

[@RAYANDERS-w4t]

THANKS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@2alphacpa374]

Thank you for this review. It was extremely helpful. I have a falcon II and I really like the bag. However, after your review, I'm very interested in the Vanquest Falconer 27. Can you elaborate on the quality of the buckles? I've read that the zippers are the same as the maxpedition products but the buckles are not of the same quality. How close are they? How good are they? The bag looks great but if you're using the bag and a buckle breaks the bag instantly becomes near worthless. Also, if a buckle breaks (even if its due to being stepped on or something to that affect) will they fix this for free? Thank you for your help and thanks for the review.

[@georgeseriani2482]

Vanque st just makes the best products.

[@borisscott9156]

Thanks for the review. My main problem with my Max bags is that they're so small. The Falcon 2 and Typhoon almost feel like they're made for children, especially the Typhoon. That extra 250ci is a step up I think, even without the extra organization. On the other hand, the Typhoon makes a fantastic, almost indestructible, range bag. OT Question: Without malice, what sport is there in killing over bait? I'm not being critical. I'd really like to know.

[@HarleyWood23]

Boris Scott It's the off-season and we feed them during the off-season. It's not legal to hunt over bait in my area. BUT, I don't begrudge those who do, as long as they're eating what they kill. If the meat is feeding their family I don't give a crap how they obtain it as long as it's legal and ethical.

[@879doogie]

great review of this pack. how would you compare the vanquest falconer to direct action dragon egg?

[@markmackin2746]

Hey man, very good video comparison review of these two packs. You touched on most everything but the type of zippers and the buckles. Are they of the same quality as the Maxpedition? In my opinion Maxpedition is the gold star of outdoor and tactical (3-Day or Bugout) packs. I'd like to see them get into designing a larger internal frame, multi-day or expedition type pack at about the 80 litter range. Borrowing some idea's from the large military packs of Granite Gear, and Mystery Ranch. OR.., maybe that's something Vanquest should do. ----If you could, talk about those zippers and buckles. Thanks, good job.

[@duckymomo9580]

+Mark Mackin The zippers are both YKK, the buckles however aren't as good on the Vanquest in my opinion...

[@markmackin2746]

+Ducky MoMo, ---Thanks for the intel brother, appreciated.

[@code-dredd]

*Maxpedition:* _Creates Falcon_ *Vanquest:* "We're better". _Creates Falcon*er*_ *Me:* A bold move. Let's see if it works out for them.

[@fede1233]

That front compression strap keep save the zippers

[@michaelhodges8312]

I think I'll stick with my Maxpedition F2.

[@slaureto]

Great review, how stiff is the Van compared to the Max? I can't really stand the extreme stiffness of the Max.

[@HarleyWood23]

Great question. The Falconer isn't near as stiff.

[@kylenorthcott2479]

Very easy for a company to come behind the best and try to copy or improve. I will still go with Maxpedition.

[@HarleyWood23]

I might have agreed Maxpedition was the “best” back when this video posted. Having their new Entity pack now, and seeing was Vanquest is doing now, I wouldn’t agree.

[@kylenorthcott2479]

I can respect your opinion. I have not had a Vanquest pack. I just know that my experience with Maxpedition has been stellar. Just ordered a Maxpedition Riftcore. I will let you know what I think. I will use it for my every day carry and I travel about 150 day per year.

[@williamconfer9784]

nice review.. very through..Bill

[@SimpleAdventuresLLMSX]

wow! that maxipedition is quite expensive for its size. how's the stitching and overall on the maxipedition? I was going to purchase the 3v gear bag but I saw a couple of reviews on the 3v gear taticle bag that it has bad stitching which threw me off.

[@HarleyWood23]

The stitches on the Vanquest and Maxpedition are perfect. I reviewed the 3V Gear bag and the stitching wasn't great. See my review here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jZ_coIWqbbqVoq8

[@SimpleAdventuresLLMSX]

+HarleyWood23 good thing I didn't order the 3v one then. I'll go ahead with the vanquest

[@MrHomolka]

I received two defective 3V bags. Stitching was one of the issues!!

[@UrbanArmed]

Great video bro. My laptop bag came in, looking forward to trying it out. I didn't know you are in middle GA bro, I'm in Atlanta. Cheers.

[@HarleyWood23]

My deer camp is near Macon. I live in Marietta and work in Atlanta. Small world

[@UrbanArmed]

+HarleyWood23 ha, that's awesome man. I live and work in Brookhaven / Chamblee.

[@HarleyWood23]

What do you think of the bag?

[@UrbanArmed]

+HarleyWood23 Ah man I freaking love it. 2 days so far and it's the perfect size. I have a 15" MacBook Pro ans just put it in the main sleeve area then use the back one for my notepad and ipad. Works great. Will do a video on it as well sometime after using for a while. I've been using the HSGI Armordillo Discreet LAptop bag V2 but they stopped making it. I like this one because it's a bit smaller and I like the Ghost Grey as well. I'll definitely be getting some other gear from these guys.

[@Bladefreek]

On my falconer 27 the zipper pulls on the main compartment did not come with any. Did you have to attach them separately? I have the black multi-cam and my bag didn't come with any pulls. On all of the other compartments it came with just 550 pulls.

[@HarleyWood23]

No sir. It came with those rubber ring pulls. Let Vanquest know. They'll make it right.

[@vanquestgear]

Jacob Tubbs Jacob, all Falconer-27s should have two of those ITW zipper pulls on the main compartment, and we apologize for not catching that before sending out your FALCONER. Alex has sent you two of those zipper pulls today, so please let us know how they work out for you. Again thank you for your support! James @ Vanquest R&D

[@HarleyWood23]

How's that for customer service. Thanks Vanquest.

[@Bladefreek]

Yes, thank you Vanquest Gear

[@arlenewolf5260]

The lower compression on the Maxpedition doesnt do much. The purpose of the compression is as a safety for your zippers (so you do not bust them) Shock cord ALWAYS Sucks because it ALWAYS deteriorates (then that portion of your bag is a waste).

[@AROTTWEILERR]

maxpedition gyrfalcon now has excelent egg box padding on the rear so bear that in nind gear lovers

[@juanfv89]

It might be a problem if i use a tactical bag in the airport?

[@HarleyWood23]

Juan Fv No. I fly with them all the time. Never had an issue

[@dalecarpenter8828]

what material maxpedition uses that 1000 stuff its tough stuff

[@SONofLIBERTY]

How did you do the cover for this video? It's AWESOME. My skills suck

[@HarleyWood23]

Thanks man. Just some photoshop work.

[@TsiRoadkill]

For almost twice the price I would expect it to have more to it.

[@trever812]

Have you tried amazon for these bags? I got my Falcon 2 for 130$. Might save you some money! By the way, love your channel!

[@HarleyWood23]

Thanks man. I actually bought my Falcon on Amazon too. In the video, I referenced the MSRP prices. Mostly since the Vanquest bag is so new and hasn't fallen in price like the Maxpedition one. Thanks for watching.

[@trever812]

Oh ok, No problem!

[@ritesideofthefence5857]

Great video , thanks for sharing. Are you aware that Vanquest are ex-employees of Maxpedition.

[@chrisloofe5795]

Why aren't you posting as many videos

[@HarleyWood23]

Hey Chris. Summer is actually a really busy time for me. I try to average one a week, but that has been harder lately. I also buy 99% of all the gear I review. I've been buying some expensive items lately and it takes longer to save up for them. Thanks for reaching out.

[@dalecarpenter8828]

your not competing when it cost twice as much .

[@Ayrton4everrr]

I think the Vanquest is 1000 Cordura and the Maxpedition is 1000 denier nylon

[@micknorris3675]

Great review! I've been looking for a new bag and have watched quite a few product review bags, hands down your review was thorough and the most interesting. The Vanquest looks like a great bag, all the storage and organization is awesome. Whats your thoughts on it being used to carry enough gear in to sustain yourself for a few days? My bags need to be the everyday notebook carrier to the pack your gear you are headed out the door to some place fun (typically the location is not fun).

[@kingsoutdoors4379]

I'm still Rocking the Falcon 2....... I have no reason to ever need another pack until it fails..... But it won't..

[@SirThunderPants]

That Maxpedition is obviously of better construction.

[@justwantobeready]

The Vanquest Falconer 27 cost 70.00 more on Amazon than the Maxpedition Falcon II. Not really the same price point guess you get what you pay for. Vanquest makes very nice gear.

[@HarleyWood23]

Probably because it's so new. It'll come down in a few months. $70 is steep, but it it comes within $25, I'd say grab one.

[@justwantobeready]

I will.

[@uvadinm]

vanquest forever

[@alextercero2430]

nice

[@richthesparky9303]

It is a shame that Maxpedition would use cheap plastic buckles. I may replace mine with a steel buckle. However, I must say that I will in no way endorse or recommend Maxpedition. I will have no other choice but to tell anyone in my industry that the buyer should be aware that cheap parts are in no way. supported or covered. I will not buy Maxpedition again. It just is not worth the money. Cheap parts and no support.

[@BlueAbyss71]

Da nehm isch do lewa minn Turnbüttel fa zwee Mak füftsch.

[@WalterWhiteFromTheBlock]

> 2016 > 480p

[@booserobert]

over $200.00 get real...little pack...

[@vanquestgear]

HarleyWood23 First of all, thank you for such a detailed video and giving the Vanquest Team much constructive feedback. Great suggestion on the top handle; we will consider placing it on the backside in a future revision if it doesn't throw off the balance too much. Regarding the 2" double-lock buckle on the waist strap, you can actually bend down the little center latch to defeat the double-lock mechanism so it's easier to open when wearing gloves. I am glad that you liked the MOHL (pronounced "mole" for short) adapter panels. We will be offering a few different varieties using the same material. Maxpedition makes good products, but according to their site, they use 1050-D nylon on their products, including the Falcon-II (bit.ly/1wQcZrb). Although much more costly, Vanquest has always used genuine CORDURA since day-1 for better durability (see Jarhead6 torture test: bit.ly/1pRuhdE). Again, thank you for providing a really comprehensive comparison video to the gear community! -Vanquest Team

[@centermass3454]

+Vanquest Gear You should add water bottle pockets to the outside for a pair of Nalgenes and better quality buckles, that would be great. Any specials on this bag coming up for Black Friday ? How about a Harleywood23 discount code?

[@Obs00]

I don't own the Vanquest bag, although that may change after watching this review, but my thought is that the centered carry handle appears to be a advantage when hanging from a tree. With the excellent retention and organization capabilities of the front pockets you can let them hang open for easy access to items within. While they are open you still have the ability to easily access the main compartment from the opposite side. With the hook and loop capabilities also in the main compartment you could essentially have a double sided easy access kit hanging from a tree branch. This would not be possible with the rear placement of the carry handle on the Maxpedition bag.

[@joseromanhernandezgomes7902]

Maxpedition utiliza naylon 1050 balístico y si no me equivocó es más fuerte y recistente que el naylon 1000 cordura si estoy mal les agradecería la corrección

[@Delta121488]

Falconer 27 is really LOUD with all of the Velcro.

[@rustyjocsen5260]

I dont like velcro...limited life...i really dont like velcro....

[@Lucky13Twice]

I have both these packs and the Maxpedition is by far the best pack and in my opinion there is no comparison. I doubt you are sending this Vanquest back. Trying to throw in a negative like being at the airport and looking tactical is just lame.

[@HarleyWood23]

That Maxpedition looks just at Tactical.

[@dalecarpenter8828]

its about 120.00 to much

[@bradfrancis3495]

25 L compared to 23

[@bozairsoft1368]

Could u do a subscriber giveaway??

[@2alphacpa374]

.

[@Lucky13Twice]

The Maxpeditoin is rated atCapacity: 1520 cu. in. and not the 1400 you stated, need to brush up on your math skills. Funny you said Vanquest is hot on Maxpedition heels, they stopped manufacturing the Vanquest Falcon 27 because nobody would buy it.

[@HarleyWood23]

you're embarrassing yourself dude. Here's a screenshot directly from Maxpedition's page. It says 1,400 cu. in. www.screencast.com/t/aqJn84Ceoy Maybe you should worry about your reading skills instead of my math skills. I get it, you're a Maxpedition fan. I am too. Quit being a troll and at least be respectful with your disagreements.

[@andrewkeeton3627]

Ha this makes maxpedition look like garbage

[@daginn896]

I had both, gave the Vanquest away. There is so much I like about the Vanquest, but it just did not pack well in my opinion.