Every Feature, Outside In

A spec sheet can tell you a tactical backpack has thirteen compartments. It cannot show you where they are, how deep they go, or which ones you can reach with the pack on your back.

So we filmed it. In the walkthrough below we take the CARGO 48L apart zip by zip. Outside pockets first, then every compartment inside, then the pocket against your back, and finally the conversion to a shoulder duffel. Tap any chapter to jump straight to it.

What Makes a Tactical Backpack Tactical

Color and webbing are the easy part. What separates a tactical backpack from a school bag in black is structure, access, and attachment. A frame that holds the pack square when it is loaded. Pockets you can reach without unpacking. MOLLE where you can mount a pouch for the job in front of you.

The CARGO puts MOLLE on the front, both sides, and inside the main compartment. The inside panel gets overlooked. A pouch mounted there stays put, and nobody sees it.

The Outside, Top to Bottom

• Patch panel. A hook and loop panel up top takes any patch, so you can swap it as often as you like. Our patch builder makes custom ones.
• Admin pouch. Behind the patch panel, a large pouch for the things you reach for during the day, with smaller pockets inside to keep them sorted.
• NFC shielded pocket. In front of the admin pouch, lined with a gold shielding material that blocks signals in and out. Tap to pay cards and key fobs ride here, safe from skimming.
• Front pocket. Deep enough to take a whole hand. It also opens from the side, and inside that side opening is a second, concealed pocket for cash or anything you do not want reached from the outside.
• Side pockets. Two deep vertical pockets for a water bottle and a flashlight, each with smaller pockets inside for cables and chargers. MOLLE runs along both sides.
• Bottom pocket. One more separate space, so the things you need during the day are not stacked on top of each other.

Inside the Main and Tech Compartments

The main compartment zips open all the way down, so it packs flat like a suitcase. Inside you get a MOLLE panel for pouches, a sleeve below it for electronics or a hydration bladder, two stretch mesh pockets on the sides, and a mesh pocket on the front panel.

Behind it sits the tech compartment, which also opens fully. One side is a resealable shielded pocket, lined to block RF and NFC signals. Put a phone or a key fob inside, close it, and nothing transmits in or out. The other side is a mesh pocket two to three inches deep. It holds cables and the small things that wander.

The Pockets Against Your Back

Behind the tech compartment is the hard armor compartment, a deep vertical pouch lined with hook and loop. A strap with hook and loop on both sides sets how high a plate rides, so it covers your vital organs instead of sinking to the bottom. Armor is optional. Pull the strap and the bay becomes extra storage, a home for flat items, or a second 17 inch device bay.

Behind that is the pocket under the shoulder strap anchors, which is where the straps go when you carry the CARGO as a duffel. At the back of it, a flap opens onto the rigid back panel that keeps the pack standing when it is empty. That is also where the SHIELD IIIA aramid panel goes. A hook and loop flap closes it flush with the back panel, so it reads as one more hidden compartment.

On the outside, the shoulder straps start firm and break in over time to fit your shoulders. A padded, mesh faced back panel sits between you and the load. A sleeve through the back panel slides over a roller bag handle, or over a motorcycle sissy bar. Last, a small hidden pocket rides right against your back, the place for a passport.

Anti Theft Through Concealment

An anti theft backpack usually means locks and cut resistant panels. The CARGO's answer is concealment. The pockets that matter are the ones a stranger can't see or reach.

The hidden back pocket is behind you while you wear the pack. The concealed pocket inside the front pocket takes two zips to find. The shielded pockets stop a card reader from pulling data through the fabric. From the outside, none of it shows.

One More Way to Carry It

The video ends with the conversion. Unbuckle the shoulder straps, loop them, and tuck them into the pocket under the strap anchors. Zip it shut, clip the included shoulder sling to the anchor points, and the backpack carries as a side carry duffel with nothing hanging loose. See all three carry modes.

The CARGO at a Glance

Common Questions