Patrik Orcutt 12.29.22
Direct Action is a model that’s troublesome to search out numerous info on concerning its origins. On their web site, their bio reads “DIRECT ACTION® is a project born from combining great design and manufacturing capabilities with an up-close-and-personal understanding of the specific end-user needs of special operations forces.” Take this for what you’ll, however they’re a Polish-based firm that makes some fairly high-quality gear. In latest years I’ve seen their gear being picked up by increasingly particular operations models within the European Theater. The Italian Army particular forces appear predominantly keen on lots of Direct Action’s choices. Personally, I can’t consider a greater group of individuals to endorse tactical gear than among the world’s most elite warfighters. So, immediately we can be reviewing one of many Direct Action Halifax Backpacks.
Over the course of 2 years, I took the Halifax out on a number of day hikes and for a two-week mission to Romania for a army coaching train. I then EDC’ed the bag for the course of some weeks after which determined that it was a lot too huge for this utility. Overall I’d say I didn’t abuse the bag, however I did use it to carry some gear and checked it at an airport and it got here again in a single piece regardless of the airline’s greatest efforts.
Halifax was supplied by Direct Action for this overview and I used to be allowed to maintain the backpack after the conclusion of its testing. Direct Action has had no enter on this overview.
Direct Action Halifax – Quality and Comfort
While Direct Action is a Polish-based firm, they outsource numerous their manufacturing in Vietnam and this pack is not any completely different. With that being stated the Halifax could be very sturdy and we constructed a bag. The major materials for the bag is 1000 D Cordura. This offers the bag a superb strength-to-weight ratio however I’d have appreciated to have seen one thing like a 2000 D Cordura on larger ware areas to offer it some added energy.
While this pack is designed for laborious army use it has some very considerate quality-of-life options. The again panel has two small columns of Velcro that run up the complete size of the pack. There are then two different-length foam pads you should use so as to add additional cushioning to the pack. One measurement runs the complete size of the again panel whereas the opposite set is a three-quarter choice. These padding choices enable the end-user to extend and reduce the quantity of padding relying on what the bag can be used for. Often when a soldier places on a set of physique armor or a plate provider after which a backpack, the pack can then cling fairly far off the soldier’s physique. Being capable of take the additional padding off may also help alleviate this concern by permitting the pack to be pulled in nearer to the again of the tip person.
Overall the standard of the Halifax is fairly stable and so is the consolation contemplating who it’s being marketed in direction of. I’d say it’s fairly as comfy as related choices from corporations like Mystery Ranch or Osprey however once more this can be a devoted full-time army pack so consolation might haven’t been the first concern when designing it.
Direct Action Halifax – Organization
If you’re somebody who likes numerous modularity in your packs then actually Halifax has you coated. The exterior again of the pack is roofed in laser-cut Molle from head to toe. I’ve to say if a pack has Molle on it lately and it’s not Laser-cut, I’m not . The weight financial savings from old-school Molle is huge whereas sustaining a decrease profile and weight, it’s a profitable combo in my view. On the perimeters of the exterior Molle are two sections of YKK zippers which might be for DA’s elective Zip on panels.
These panels are designed to work seamlessly with the again panels DA makes for his or her spitfire line for plate carriers. The system is similar to choices from Crye Precision who’ve been making zip-on again panels for his or her plater carriers ever since they launched the JPC collection of carriers. While DA didn’t pioneer this technique I haven’t seen another firm embrace it on a backpack thus far. I feel this can be a actually fascinating choice for anybody who has the DA Spitfire again panel because it offers them an effective way to maneuver gear from one system to a different in a matter of seconds.
Below the Molle on the very backside of the bag are two bolstered daisy chain model anchor pants for attaching something you may consider. I used these to carry on to my ice axe and further carabiners or ropes. There is a hidden pocket on the opposite facet of the underside of the bag, this one isn’t very simple to get to and it’s fairly small however I discovered it was large enough to suit the included waist belt.
The prime of the bag has two fleece-lined pockets. One is reasonably giant and large enough for storing ski goggles whereas the smaller one is healthier used for typical sun shades. On the perimeters of the pack are two expandable water bottle pockets large enough to just accept 32 oz Nalgene bottles. Above the pockets is a bit of compression straps with a small laser-cut Molle subject separating them. Running alongside the Molle subject is a vertical seize deal with. I’m an enormous fan of those seize handles as a result of they provide you one other submit to select up the bag if it’s in an ungainly orientation. The handles are a bit skinny however nonetheless very robust.
Getting into the principle compartment of this pack is a breeze because the Halifax sports activities a full clamshell design with rugged YKK zippers. The inside of this pack Is the place issues actually begin to get fascinating! The total inside again panel of the Halifax is roofed in Velcro Molle. This implies that it doesn’t matter what sort of a pouch you wish to mount inside you should not have any points. Want to mount some LBX med pouch utilizing Velcro? No drawback. Want to hook up a Tasmanian tiger Lens pouch utilizing Velcro? Couldn’t be simpler. This is by far my favourite function of Halifax because it simply makes group a lot simpler. The Velcro subject can also be huge, coming at 12” broad and 24” tall glowing for the mounting of many various equipment.
Above the inside Velcro subject is a hook for holding up a hydration bladder with a plastic buckle. Above the buckle is a heavy-duty zipper so you may match a consuming straw by means of it with out having to have your principal zipper compartment open. The sides of the pack additionally function very small flow-through pockets for consuming straws too. Options are all the time a plus. The reverse facet of the inside of the pack has a big commonplace Velcro subject and a medium-sized mesh pocket.
Likes
- Forward-thinking design with the incorporation of recent supplies
- Multiple methods to adapt the pack to your most popular pouch setup
- Allows for integration of different Direct Action items of apparatus permitting for the end-user to spec out the pack for no matter mission they might discover themselves on
Dislikes
- The bag isn’t probably the most comfy when in comparison with its competitors
- Very heavy even with its incorporation of light-weight supplies
- Personally, I don’t discover this bag very aesthetically pleasing
Direct Action Halifax – Wrap Up
In the tip the Direct Action Halifax is a really well-designed bag with only some flaws. The incorporation of recent supplies and forward-thinking design is a big plus and offers this bag unmatched modularity and adaptableness. While all that modularity is nice, catering to a number of kinds of attachment techniques on the inside provides numerous total weight to this bag. Not to say that this bag can also be not probably the most comfy compared to its competitors. Overall I do like this bag however I feel there are different choices available on the market that may do most of what this bag can and may do higher. It’s nonetheless an incredible bag, simply not for me.