Arc’teryx is a company that started out with humble beginnings in Canada, originally manufacturing clothing and climbing gear. The company quickly grew into the tactical sector and began manufacturing items for military use. They are no longer Canadian owned as they have changed hands several times since and are currently a part of the Amer Sports corporation. The name and logo of Arc’teryx refers to Archaeopteryx, one of the first birds and a transitional form of dinosaur.
Today we are going to look at their LEAF Assault Pack 30 line. Arc’teryx markets the LEAF Assault Pack 30 as “A weatherproof Assault Pack that is carried when conducting Direct Action tasks that is also combat enabler capable. The main internal compartment is configured with Velcro® for the insertion of aftermarket modular pouches.” Like you might have already guessed, the number 30 in the name refers to the size of the bag which in this case is a 30 litre pack.
Key Features:
Pack Pocket Configuration
- Side zip pockets holds 3L water bladder; hydration port for external routing
- Top zip pocket (with retention lanyard) stores mission essential personal items
- Internal Velcro® loop panels (x3) allow for versatile pouch configurations
Pack Suspension Configuration
- Dual density shoulder straps distributes weight over broad surface for sustainable long term carry
- 15mm removable aluminum stays can be custom shaped to curvature of the spine or wearing with PPE
- Removable/scalable hip belt (with hip pods) allows for equal weight distribution
Pack Design & Construction
- c.30l capacity allows the pack to be employed as an Assault Pack
- PPE compatible allowing the pack to be worn with body armour & helmet
- Main compartment communications porting allows for the external routing of communications cables
- Side grab handles for ease of transfer to ground mobility vehicle or non–standard tactical vehicle
Pack Loading & Closure Configuration
- Clamshell zipper opening provides easy access to main compartment
The LEAF Assault Pack 30 is made from INVISTA 500d HT Cordura Plain Weave material. Since this is part of the LEAF product line it is essentially made for military use and thus you can rest assured the build quality is solid. Like I mentioned earlier there are 30 litres of storage capacity and the bag has a height of 20 inches by 11.8 inches and a depth of 8.2 inches. It weighs just 3.7 pounds without anything in it, but it is definitely large in size with those dimensions. It should be noted that the 500d HT Cordura is not like the typical Cordura as this one has some silicon in it to make it air textured. This is nice because it does add style points but more importantly it makes the bag more abrasion resistant. The zippers are YKK #10s which are definitely on the hardcore side of zippers and will have no issues with durability. With that said, it should be noted that this bag is only sold in Crocodile (military green), Wolf (grey), and black colors. Overall, the look and feel of the LEAF Assault Pack 30 is top notch and I personally like that it isn’t covered in MOLLE webbing like most “tactical” or military spec bags.
The LEAF Assault Pack 30 feels comfortable when you put it on even with a full load inside. This is definitely thanks to the dual density shoulder straps which do a great job of distributing weight over the surface. The 15mm removable aluminum stays allow the bag to comfortably form around your spine protecting it and equally distributing weight.
Inside the bag is open concept with minimal built-in organization efforts. This is great if you are someone who likes working with a blank canvas, but can be frustrating if you are more of a person who wants to just throw things in based on how manufacturers think they should go in. I do like that there are lots options available to Velcro attachments as necessary. To make it easier to pack, Arc’teryx made the bag open up completely allowing you to open the clamshell design to easily pack things in.
There are some pocket options available such as the top pocket which can store a surprising amount of items such as keys or IDs and there is an inner more secure lid pocket that will store things such as wallets. On the sides of the LEAF Assault Pack 30 there are bottle pockets which are big enough to fit a bladder or any typical water bottle.
Overall, Arc’teryx did an excellent job with the LEAF Assault Pack 30. It is a great sized bag that is easy to customize to exactly what you want. I like how comfortable it is to wear although for a shorter individual it might not be ideal due to the larger size of the bag in general. The sticking point will be the price point, which comes up at around $380-$400 depending on where you are shopping. That is definitely on the expensive side for backpacks but it’ll be up to you to decide how much you want to invest into a bag. If you are looking to use this bag daily, want the open space and incredible build quality, go for it. 8.5/10.
