Are either of XP's backpacks any good?

[ManInTheWall]

But since you have never owned one, you are just speculating on the quality of the XP pack when you say others can offer a better product at a lower cost.

Well, I think it's common sense. How many of these backpacks do you think XP sells a year? 100? 200?. And they have these custom made, that adds to production cost, along with the low volume. Then they have to import these. Also, low product runs like this, does not give much time to sort out the defects/problems. And XP is tagging a profit on it, along with the manuf. Where as a lot of the items on Ebay are manufacture direct, cutting out the middle man. You are also paying for the XP logo on the bag, another added cost.

Now take one of the ones on Amazon, thats made by a company, and sold under multiple private labels. They are probably making these 5,000 at a time. Allows a much lower production cost.

But as with many things, what may be best for you, may be terrible for me, and vice versa. I would buy both, and Amazon has very lenient return policy, and if you think that XP bag does magic for you, keep it, and send the other back. Keep which ever one you like!

For me, I like the compactness of the $29 or so bag I posted. So, you could not give me an XP bag for free. Thats my preference! I know my choice in women isn't the same as everyone else's either!

 

[Lodge Scent]

MITW, I am not questioning the price difference. I'm not even debating value. I'm just saying I don't know how you can comment on the quality of the XP pack or compare its quality to your pack or any other pack if you have never had the XP pack. Now we may not agree on packs but it is still possible we could agree on women. But this is not the forum for that.

 

[ManInTheWall]

MITW, I am not questioning the price difference. I'm not even debating value. I'm just saying I don't know how you can comment on the quality of the XP pack or compare its quality to your pack or any other pack if you have never had the XP pack. Now we may not agree on packs but it is still possible we could agree on women. But this is not the forum for that.

I've manufactured and imported and private labeled products. I just know that there are a lot of added costs to their product ( back pack ) , their profit, their design, shipping cost, low production numbers etc, thats going to raise the cost of their product vs one of the hundreds of other models online that are sold in larger quantity, reducing the price consumers pay for it.

As for quality... Quality can vary a lot from one production run to another. Wherever they are getting these made, by buy the zippers from one company one month, then the next change where they purchased it from, etc etc etc. My main point is, check out the 100's of other options available on Amazon, before you buy that product. Good chance something a lot cheaper ( price wise), may suit your needs better.

Companies make a lot of "spare change" selling accessory garbage I'll call it ( t shirts, apparel, useless accessories, etc). Consumers think they need everything. I got a laugh, I was at Walmart a few weeks ago, and they had "Tent String Lights", they were LED markers to put on your tent strings so you don't run into them in the night. How did we ever camp all these years without those! Maybe if you camp with lawyers who would sue you if they run into your tent line, I dunno? And now they are even selling refrigeration units to put women makeup in, now they think you have to store your makeup a special way!

 

[rogueaviation]

I have on of the "original" ones, I'm not sure which number it is, but it came out a couple years back.

The quality is very high, in my opinion. I have mainly backpacks from Kelty and a couple original US made Outdoor Products bags. I would rate the XP backpack with them. It is not quite as heavy duty as the SpecOps brand backpacks I have, but I'm not planning any long term military operations in the trash filled parks I normally go to, so that's not an issue at all.

I used the backpack to carry the detector in and out of hotels on vacation and around a couple of different sites I detected. It works really well, and keeps everything separarate and secure. I hate things clinking together in a backpack, and this one seems to keep things apart really well.

The design is thoughtful and the execution is really good.

Anyhow, my two cents. Don't forget, free advice is worth about what you paid for it.

--Matt

 

[abcoin]

I've manufactured and imported and private labeled products. I just know that there are a lot of added costs to their product ( back pack ) , their profit, their design, shipping cost, low production numbers etc, thats going to raise the cost of their product vs one of the hundreds of other models online that are sold in larger quantity, reducing the price consumers pay for it.

As for quality... Quality can vary a lot from one production run to another. Wherever they are getting these made, by buy the zippers from one company one month, then the next change where they purchased it from, etc etc etc. My main point is, check out the 100's of other options available on Amazon, before you buy that product. Good chance something a lot cheaper ( price wise), may suit your needs better.

Companies make a lot of "spare change" selling accessory garbage I'll call it ( t shirts, apparel, useless accessories, etc). Consumers think they need everything. I got a laugh, I was at Walmart a few weeks ago, and they had "Tent String Lights", they were LED markers to put on your tent strings so you don't run into them in the night. How did we ever camp all these years without those! Maybe if you camp with lawyers who would sue you if they run into your tent line, I dunno? And now they are even selling refrigeration units to put women makeup in, now they think you have to store your makeup a special way!

I hear you on the company merchandising front. It's true that brands are always making up new products that we don't really need, or taking useful things, slapping their name on them, and selling them for 2x or 3x what you can pay for the same thing from a lesser-known brand or source.

If you can show me a private-label version of an XP pack, that'd be awesome

 

[relicmeister]

I have the original XP backpack which is for big outings and trips where I need more. Even loaded it’s comfortable because of the waist strap and adjusters. But for dat to day use I haven’t found anything better than a Prince multiple tennis racket bag with added shoulder straps.( There are other brands but Prince is the best) This is because they open from the top exposing the whole detector which makes it super easy to deploy and re-pack. I added pouches for headphones and remote ( although it usually remains on stem) there’s another outer section where I keep mini shovel, etc. they have a shoulder strap if you don’t want to add backpack straps. Most will hold a second coil bc they are wider on one end where an 11” coil fits. Look them up on eBay and you’ll see what I mean.