More FatBoy - Pics!

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Deanster

Enlightened
Joined
Feb 17, 2002
Messages
590
Location
Seattle
Hi all - I thought I'd follow up with a bit more of an update on my FatBoy experience after a couple weeks. I'm enjoying it much, though I've switched to my CountyComm bag once when I needed to carry my computer and papers. I've also found that I've left papers behind a couple times because they wouldn't fit.

I'm amazed how much the FatBoy will hold. Here's what I normally carry in mine, using only the small pockets. The main compartment of mine is EMPTY with this load. I've got some stuff in the small mesh pockets on either face of the main compartment, but the main area is dead empty.

bagcontents.jpg


Here's what it looks like full, with the L4 on the outside for scale, and labels to show what I've got where. The one thing this really doesn't show is the top-zip pocket for my wallet, which slides vertically along the back of the bag. The large-toothed zipper for this compartment is amazingly smooth and easy to operate!

baglabel.jpg


I've made a couple small changes to the bag to help it be easier to live with. As you can see in the pic above, I've added zipper pulls (made of reflective cord and snap-on plastic clips) to the two small zippers. Otherwise, the metal zipper tabs are very hard to find, as they get kind of lost in the folds of the bag.

I've also clipped an Inova Microlight to the cord that closes the 'tent' of the main compartment, to deal with the 'black hole' issue and find things in the bottom of the bag.

All in all, I continue to be amazed at the versatility and carrying capacity of this little bag. It carries well on one shoulder like a purse or cross-body when I'm biking or have hands full. I do wish it had just a web loop at the top for easier one-hand carry, but that is my only remaining complaint.

Let me know if you have any questions.
 
Nice setup you have there, and some nice toys.
I need to stop reading all these posts, my bank account is suffering!
 
> It carries well on one shoulder like a purse ...

Would you mind expanding on this? The only reason I've not bought a FatBoy already is thinking that it really must be worn cross-body, which I dislike. It appeared to me from the photos I've seen that the strap on the FatBoy was oriented such that it wouldn't "lay flat" over one shoulder. Any commentary you can provide will be greatly appreciated!
 
Geek - the bag and strap are fairly flexible, so although the strap is oriented for cross-body carry, it aligns well in a vertical position when carried over one shoulder. Mine probably spends about half its time just on one shoulder, usually with my thumb hooked through the strap to provide a little tension.

I'm a pretty big guy, so I keep the strap fairly long so it will go cross-body comfortably. This means the bag dangles a little when on one shoulder, but not excessively. The strap and movable shoulder pad are well designed, but I find the shoulder pad doesn't grip well on slick things like nylon rain parkas - the older kinda crappy rubberized shoulder pads that I had on my laptop case years ago were better. However, the shoulder pad is perfect on a normal shirt, non-slick jacket, or cross-body, where the padding is very helpful.

I think most photos make the FatBoy look more 'rigid' than it is - the back panel has a sheet of very soft foam, rather than the somewhat stiff foam you'd expect in a photo bag or other more 'rigid' bag. It's very flexible, and forms well to whatever part of you it's hitting. (less so if you've got it stuffed to the gills, obviously).

In fact, my only significant complaint is that the main body is a little too 'floppy', since I don't keep anything in the main compartment, and the bag sometimes folds over on itself when I toss it in the passenger seat of the car, and it makes it hard to unfold it to grab the cell phone.

Hope this helps...
 
I got mine from tadgear...while I live local to them and actually visited their store, you can order it at www.tadgear.com. Just be careful, they have lots of cool stuff there. You can also go to the maxpedition website and look to see if they have a dealer near you:

http://www.maxpedition.com/dealer_list.htm

[ QUOTE ]
cue003 said:
Where can one find a FatBoy like this? Thanks.

[/ QUOTE ]
 
Thanks. I will look into it. After seeing it on maxpedition website it seems rather large. Larger than I anticipated compared to what is in the picture above.

I will just have to see it in person to really be able to compare. I am a small person so I don't need anything too big and bulky.
 
Deanster - thanks much for the added info. One more question for you:

The "wings" on either side of the main pack are really neat. To what extent is their usage hampered by wearing over one shoulder? I was worried that they would droop down due to the angle of the strap.

Thanks again!
 
Geek - nope - depending on the angle of your one shoulder carry, the forward 'wing' sometimes folds at a 90* angle towards you, putting the upper sheath facing forward, instead of to the side, but I find this faciltiates, rather than hampers access. More problematic is the 'wings' when not under tension, as in the previously-mentioned car passenger seat situaiton. The 'wings' tend to flop a bit randomly, making it hard to get into the bag to retrieve a ringing cell phone, for example. I've quickly learned, however, to take just a bit of care in how I put it down, and lay it so the wings fold backwards, giving excellent and predictable access.
 
Don't know how you guys carry, I sometimes take the train or bus to work and it gets crowded. this is just an invitation to get ripped off by pickpockets.

I like my countycomm bag because I can swing it to wear infront when it's crowded.
 
May I suggest it'be better to use a knife and pick off the Maxpedition branding tag. I did that on my Thermite, looks a lot better being pure black.
 
Crypto - I'm confused - the Fatboy is just a bag on a strap, like my CountyComm bag - it can be swung to the front, side, or whatever just as easily as any other single-strap bag.

Is there something I'm missing?
 
Would anyone be willing to post a pic of someone wearing a FatBoy over one shoulder? I'd sure appreciate it.
 
I finally got one (actually wound up with two by accident - my fault if anyone wants it let me know). These are great.

Serious gear. Fits great. The best man-purse out there IMHO. This is going to be my EDC bag for weekends and for travel.

J
 
Deanster, you see where there's a Maxpedition label in the photo above it. My personal preference is to use a knife and pick that tag off, it looks better completely black with no branding.

Is that what your asking about?
 
I got that part, Crypto - I don't mind the logo... unusual for me, I usually hate 'em. But the Maxpedition tag doesn't bug me.

I was asking about your comment that the CountyComm bag is better for crowded mass transit carry because it could be moved to the front. I was just saying that I don't understand why you think the Fatboy can't do this as well.

Just wondering if I've missed something.
 
I HATE branding on clothing and bags. The countycomm bag is not as wide, less protrusion while wearing in the front and the pocket are better lined up.

I'm a engineering/accident investigator, in the course of my work I do interviews,advidafits and investigate matters sometimes in very bad areas, so I have to keep my gear (flashlight, gun, spare ammo, baton, camera) at the ready and not easily taken away by hostile individuals during confrontation.

Just my opinion/preference.
 
My FatBoy arrived today. At this point, I'm not sure if I'm impressed or not. It's certainly well made, but awefully "bulky" for the amount of stuff you can put in there. It just feels/looks so big/heavy, then you actually look at the storage space and you quickly realize it's just not there.
 
T_i_N -

you're right in a sense, that if you put all this stuff in a pile and wrapped a nylon bag around it, you could have a smaller bag.

What's valuable for me is having each piece in its own pocket, and well protected. I don't worry about my PDA or camera in this bag, and a separate padded case for each would be much larger.

Might be different for other people, but I attach tremendous value to having everything in a known location, so I can just reach and grab. I hate digging around in the bottom of a bag, trying to find something. So, at least for my needs, having a small bag with more than a dozen individual small compartments is much more valuable than one of the same size with one big compartment, even though the total carrying capacity is smaller.

There's a ton of bags that are just a pouch with a strap - what's unique about the Fatboy (and to a lesser extent the Proteus) is the multitude of small pockets. However, my needs are very different than others, and this is clearly a bag that either fits your needs or doesn't... probably not a lot of middle ground.

best of luck!
 
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