Patrik Orcutt 02.03.23
Arc’teryx was started in 1989 out of a climber’s basement in British Columbia. They began with four sewing machines turning out unrivaled climbing harnesses. In 1998 they launched into the apparel world debuting the most advanced alpine climbing shell available in the Alpha SV. The original company name was actually Rock Solid Manufacturing, but it wasn’t until 1991 when they entered the US market that the name was changed to Arc’teryx Equipment. The iconic symbol of the company is named after a 140 million-year-old creature, the Archaeopteryx. This creature made an evolutionary leap forward to escape the horizontal world of dinosaurs and developed the feathers for flight. Much like the Archaeopteryx making an evolutionary leap forward, Arc’teryx doesn’t focus on incremental advancements, but on making large leaps forward in the outdoor industry. In 2016, Arc’teryx opened a 243,000-square-foot manufacturing plant in North Vancouver known as Arc’One. With this Arc’teryx is the only major apparel manufacturer in the industry that owns its own factory. With such a dramatic back story and quality products, we decided to review the Arc’teryx LEAF Assault Pack 30 to see how it performs.
Arc’teryx’s Law Enforcement Armed Forces (LEAF) division creates technical apparel and gear for all of the high-speed cool guys around the world that require it. “Our purpose is to enable mission success through an unwavering confidence in our product to always outperform, allowing users to focus on the tasks at hand.”
The Assault Pack 30 was privately purchased and Arc’teryx has had no input on this review, they definitely don’t even know who I am.
The Assault Pack 30 was evaluated over the course of 2 years and was used in settings such as hiking, military missions, every day carry, and as a camera bag.
SPECS – Arc’teryx LEAF Assault Pack 30
- Material: INVISTA 500d HT Cordura® Plain Weave
- Volume: 30L
- Weight: 1.7kg / 60oz
- MSRP: $399.99
Quality and Comfort – Arc’teryx LEAF Assault Pack 30
The primary material that the Assault 30 is constructed from is something I have never heard of before and could only come from those mad scientists in their isolated snowy mountainside labs at Arc’teryx. NVISTA 500d HT Cordura® Plain Weave sounds like something from space and it might as well be given its capabilities. This material is highly abrasion and stain resistant while having a true matte coloring. Some Nylon bags will have a slight shine to them when light hits them at just the right angle where the Assault 30 will not. Why is this important? Because sometimes not being seen might be the most important part of your job. Not that I have really tried to beat this bag up but after a lot of use there are almost no scuffs or scrapes visible.
All of the stitching on this bag is second to none and will last for years to come as long as it is not abused. All plastic hardware is strong while not being too heavy in my opinion. The older version of this bag had much less padding on the shoulder straps and while I have heard a lot of people say they prefer this, I do not. I welcome the additional padding where I can get it as the pack panel on this bag is one solid piece with little padding. With that being said this is a very comfortable pack and will not create any hotspots after a long day of hiking. While the back panel has zero ventilation, it is contoured to fit the shape of your back. The Assault 30 comes with two flexible aluminum rods you can bend to fit your back’s contour. I think this is a great feature and allows you to get a custom-fit bag basically.
Being that this is an assaulter’s backpack and it was designed for this use, you can wear body armor and other personal protective equipment and it should merry up to this pack just fine. Arc’teryx designed it this way. The hip belt is removable on this bag and that’s always a big win to me because 90 percent of the time I’m using a pack, I’m not engaging the hip belt system. There is nothing worse than having extra bulk hangin’ off your bag when you don’t need it.
Overall the quality and construction of the Assault 30 is phenomenal and it really has to be when its being handed out to Special Forces units around the world and being put through who knows what. It was not uncommon for me to run into U.S. Navy SEALs utilizing this bag when I used to be on assignments with them. If it’s good enough for those guys then I think that speakers to its build quality overall.
Organization – Arc’teryx LEAF Assault Pack 30
The Assault 30 comes packed with well-thought-out organizational features that are suitable for people inside and outside the wire. The primary opening is a Clamshell zipper opening that provides easy access to all of your gear in a timely manner. The zippers here are large and robust and give positive retention when not used. Being a 30-liter pack there is plenty of space for all of your essential gear and then some. Personally, I always had a hard time filling this pack with the same amount of gear that I could fit on other similarly sized packs. I think this has a lot to do with the shape of the bag where it tappers from bottom to top. I could also just be an idiot so there’s that but something to think about.
Moving on the main compartment has communications porting to allow for the external routing of communications cables for radios. Internally you will find Velcro® loop panels (x3) allow for versatile pouch configurations and are destined to be paired with the LBT medical organizers. The main compartment also had a hanger for a hydration system and this is also where you can access the aforementioned aluminum stays for the custom back curvature.
Moving to the top of the pack you can find a medium-sized zip pocket (with retention lanyard) for storing essential personal items. This is a great spot for high-use items that you will need to use regularly. There are side zip pockets that can hold a 3L water bladder; with a hydration port for external routing. These pockets run the entire side of the pack and work great as an overflow storage space for extra geat that is slim or long. I placed many Slim Jims in here to great effect.
Likes
- Incredible Build Quality
- Custom Back Fitting
- Very Comfortable
Dislikes
- VERY Expensive
- Difficult to Pack Efficiently
- Poor Back Ventilation
Competitive Options – Arc’teryx LEAF Assault Pack 30
Wrap up – Arc’teryx LEAF Assault Pack 30
The Assault 30 is certainly not for everyone as it is designed for a pretty specific market and purpose but don’t let that dissuade you from getting one for your daily hikes if you are not an operator. I have loved my time with this bag and have often recommended it to my friends when they are looking for something in its ballpark. Its definitely not cheap but most good things never are and It comes with a lifetime warranty from Arc’tytex and to me, that means a lot.
