Patrik Orcutt 02.01.23
Triple Aught Design (TAD) is a small, employee-owned, American company that takes great pride in producing quality-made gear and apparel in the USA. Everything they make is assembled in the USA from 97% USA-sourced materials. While only being manned by roughly 50 full-time employees the company is responsible for another 100 – 200 American jobs through contract workers. While producing everything in small batches it is common for them not to have anything in stock from time to time. If you read TAD’s mission statement on their website you will come across this passage, “Whether on your toughest excursions or in your everyday adventures, we know that exceptional quality and engineered functionality will help you succeed. We make gear and apparel for capable people” I think this last sentence sums up TAD pretty well in my opinion. So, today we will review one of the Triple Aught Design Axiom 24 Packs.
The Triple Aught Design Axiom 24 Pack was purchased by the reviewer and Triple Aught Design has had no input on this review.
The Axiom 24 was my primary work and travel backpack for the better part of two years while I was living in Europe. It traveled with me to such places as Germany, Finland, Hungary, Croatia, Italy, Sweden, London, Switzerland, Ireland, Romania, France, Austria, Ukraine, Latvia, and Spain. To date, this is my most consistently carried bag, and for good reason.
- MSRP: $425.00
- Materials: VX-21 Ripstop Shell, VX-03 Lining, Hypalon Synthetic Rubber
- Volume: 24 liters (1465 cu in)
- Weight: 1.07 kg (37.6 oz)
- Made in the USA
Quality and Comfort – Triple Aught Design Axiom 24 Pack
One of the things TAD is known for is selecting the best quality materials for their products and the Axiom 24 is no exception. Every inch of this bag has been looked of by their designers to see what would be the best material for each section. The primary material for the exterior construction is a VX-21 Ripstop Shell and what an amazing fabric this is. It’s lightweight, strong, water-resistant, and can take a beating while showing little signs of wear. This design philosophy and quality can be seen in the interior with it featuring a VX-03 Lining that does much of the same as the aforementioned VX-21 but a bit lighter.
I have dragged this particular bag across concrete and rock when exiting boats with limited wear on the bottom of the pack. The mesh pockets on the interior are made with a reinforced mesh that will not tear apart like the cheaper options you will find on other bags. Of course, all of these “Gucci” materials don’t come cheap when they are primarily sourced and then constructed in the United States but you can rest easy knowing that the $425.00 MSRP you paying for is not just because of the TAD name.
While the Axiom 24 is not as comfortable to carry as a Mystery Ranch Urban Assult, it definitely comes close. The back panel features more space-age materials like a channeled closed cell cross-Linked polyethylene foam that provides comfort against the back as well as continuous airflow so your back sweats less. The mesh on the back is also quick drying so if you do get sweaty, it won’t stay that way long. Personally, my back still got soaked when I wore this pack on hot days for long periods of time but it’s next to impossible to really solve this problem.
There is a fully adjustable sternum strap that allows for a more secure fit when loading this bag down. A unique feature not seen on my EDC-style bags is the adjustable load lifters that allow for on the fly adjustability to maximize comfort and load management. I really appreciated this feature as I often carry lots of heavy camera gear. The front of the shoulder straps look the most tactical with webbing and passthrough channels that allow for attaching various accessories to the shoulder straps such as flashlights, TAD’s Booster Pods, or S1/S2 Pouches. Speaking of accessories, TAD has a whole line of them that are designed to work with this pack and others. Many of these accessories will fix anyone’s grips with the bag. Lastly the Axiom 24 was designed to fit into the sometimes strict, sometimes loose TSA carry-on compliant standards.
Organization – Triple Aught Design Axiom 24 Pack
Pockets on pockets on pockets is a good way to describe the organization the Axiom 24 features. Aside from some Vanquest bags, the Axiom 24 features the most organization I have seen on an EDC bag to date. With that being said some bags take the organization too far and that makes packing them difficult but I’m happy to say this bag does not have that issue.
The Admin compartment allows for the organization of everyday carry items such as pens, knives, cables, passports, and more. The slot and zippered compartments allow for larger items to be stored with ease. This is by far one of the best parts of this pack and is one of the reasons I picked it up in the first place. A zippered pocket on the front of the admin compartment contains a mesh window to ID internal items. A twelve-dura stretch lining allows the pocket to expand outward, increasing carry capacity.
The main compartment features Helix Attachment points on the back and front panels (top and bottom) to allow for an unlimited amount of various modular system load-outs to be quickly installed inside the Axiom Pack. The back panel features two separate zippered compartments purpose-built to carry and protect flat items such as laptops, tablets, notebooks, magazines, or sensitive documents. Note that you can fit up to a 16” laptop in this compartment but it will be tricky to get in and out. The laptop compartment is padded along the bottom to create a soft cradle in order to protect valuable tech.
A zippered accessory pocket on the top of the pack provides convenient access to frequently used items, such as sunglasses or snacks. The bottom of the pack has a secret pocket and is great for storing sensitive documents or currency when navigating through less-than-ideal areas. Two external side zippered pockets open from the bottom of the pack below into the main compartment, providing segregated storage for dirty items, such as gym attire or shoes, or quick access items like bike locks and medical supplies. These pockets are also particularly useful for holding a water bottle as it does not ruin the overall design aesthetic of the pack when utilized, unlike some other bags. Finally, the Axiom 24-pack features carefully considered zipper pulls and plugs so the desired compartment can be identified easily, even in low-light situations. The factory plugs and pulls can be easily removed for user-preferred customization. This was the one part of the pack that failed me in my travels. The two main compartment zipper pulls destroyed themselves and I replaced them with a few Ventum Gear Tacpulls.
Competitive Options – Triple Aught Design Axiom 24 Pack
Likes
- Meticulously crafted from top-tier materials
- Modular design and adaptability
- Lightweight
Dislikes
- Very Expensive
- TAD only produces them in small batches making them hard to find at times
Wrap Up – Triple Aught Design Axiom 24 Pack
In the end, the TAD Axiom 24 is one of my favorite bags and I will never sell this thing. It has a very understated yet technical look to it I adore. Yes, it is expensive but that price brings a lot of unique features with it and I think the cost is justified if you are a high-end backpack snob like myself. Unfortunately, these can be difficult to acquire as TAD produces them in small batches that sell out very quickly. If you really want one I would search the used market as there are always a few floating around. If you do it by one I promise you won’t regret it.
