Maxpedition Sitka Review

When I review kit, I like to test it out in the conditions it's designed for and not just in the back yard. I guessed that the Maxpedition Sitka wouldn't be suitable for use as what some would describe as a bushcraft rucksack, but more as a small day bag suitable for days out, wildlife, tracking or photography. So I had to wait to test it out in the most suitable and testing environment; a Shadowhawk tracking course in Devon.

Firstly, a few dimensions: 

Main compartment: 16.5” high x 8.5” wide x 3” thick with internal organization

Top front: 7.5” wide x 4” high x 2” thick with internal organization

Bottom front: 8” high x 7” high x 2” thick with internal organization

Capacity 10 litres

  

As with all Maxpedition kit (which, by the way, I'm beginning to like) it is tough as old boots. The Cordura is superb and bomb-proof while the zips are all dual direction and very sturdy.

If you are an organised person you will love the internal compartments and I must say they are extremely handy for holding small bits and pieces like torches, multi-tools, magnifying glass, notebooks and pencils. The two external pouches hold a fair amount of these types of  item.

The main compartment is quite roomy and holds a surprisingly good amount of kit; probably more than you might imagine. I managed to squeeze a crusader cup and 1 litre Nato water carrier, poncho, first aid kit, guide book, 250 gas canister and tracking stuff in it. This would make carry some sarnies and a flask a doddle.

The hydration pocket was a little disappointing. My 3 litre Camelbak pushed out the back of Sitka, making it uncomfortable to wear. This is because there's no gusset to the pocket. 1-2 litres would be the limit.

There is a water bottle pouch on one side. This is big enough to easily take a Nalgene bottle .

 

The single wide strap is a novel idea. It allows the wearer to swing the pack around to the front of the body allowing all the contents of the pack to be available from the front. Because of the clever design, all the zips, pouches and pockets are easily accessible from this front position.

So, does it work? I asked some of the Shadowhawk Team what they thought. Overwhelmingly they thought the concept was good, however the single strap caused some concern. When fully loaded there was quite a bit of weight on one shoulder and even with the second thinner strap was deployed on the opposite side of the body, the weight wasn't distributed very well.

I wore the pack for an arduous 4 days almost none stop. Some of the kit I wanted to include like overnight kit I couldn't because it made the pack too heavy and uncomfortable. For tracking it was great. I was able to bend down and access the bag without taking it off. Genius!

In conclusion then, I think this is a great bag, but you have to be careful how you use it. You should be mindful of not overloading the bag or it will be very uncomfortable. For wildlife observation, tracking, days out with sandwiches, a flask, a poncho and small tools the bag is absolutely ideal.

You can get them (and other Maxpedition kit) at very competitive prices from www.lakelandbushcraft.co.uk.

For a "moving picture" review of the Sitka, please visit my YouTube channel.

Pablo.