Helikon Tex Raider

A useful EDC-sized bag. The Helikon Tex Raider Backpack is ideal for anything from a day’s hike to a tactical deployment.

On the outside, at the rear, a beaver-tail panel can be used to hold your bike helmet, or climing helmet – even a sack of spuds if you need to. If you don’t need this functionality every day, the beaver-tail can be rolled down and stowed in the rolled position, neatly clipped to the single row of MOLLE with the clip provided. Also on the rear face of the pack is a small, zipped soft lined pouch, large enough to fit an iPhone7. Above this pocket is a hook and loop field with the Helikon Tex logo embroidered into it.

The sides of the pack each have two rows of MOLLE webbing above a small waterbottle pouch, allowing you to access your hydration with a simple backward reach.

The main compartment of the pack is accessed by a large zipper running around the circumference of the pack, opening to abouit half way down the sides. Inside, at the top, a handy key loop is easily to hand, with a soft-lined full width pocket against the wearer’s back, sized to hold a Macbook Air or equivalent (27cm wide by 35 deep). Against the outside face of the pack is a zipped, mesh lined pocket, leaving a useable volume of about 20 litres in the main compartment.

At the top of the bag is another zip, concealing a deep pocket down the backplate of the pack, with pen pockets. You’d just about fit an A5 pad in there. Also in this pocket is access to the stiffener bar – a metal bar running up the centre of the back plate, giving rigidity to the pack.

At the shoulder-side of the pack, padded mesh panels make this a comfortable pack in use. The back plate feels quite stiff, even aside from the stiffening bar. At the base of the back, sturdy cordura replaces the mesh in the wear-zone where this pack will contact your belt-line.

The shoulder straps areof lightly padded cordura, with only strap at the top, allowing excellent articulation. A height-and-length-adjustable chest strap, adjustable waist belt and the ususal adjustable shoulder straps complete the product.

All in all, a very useable day sack.