Dragon Egg Mk II

I absolutely love the Direct Action Dragon Egg -- so much so that I've ordered three of them! I purchased one of the original Direct Action Dragon Eggs a few years ago to use as a bug out bag. Even though this is technically only classified as a 48 hour pack by most I was able to fit everything I wanted into it. It really stretches out (like an egg, as the name suggests) to have what feels like a much higher capacity than expected for a medium sized pack. There are also plenty of pockets/sleeves inside to provide excellent organization, as well as plenty of hooks and MOLLE on the outside to strap tons of extra stuff to it. The best part is the quality. I've abused the heck out of it, occasionally filling it too full and really stressing the zipper and fabric, and it's been thrown in and out of the back of my truck and grabbed by the super strong paracord drag handle more times than I can count. It holds up amazingly well to abuse. I did eventually have one of the pull tabs for a zipper come loose (due to my own abuse) and was really worried at first. Then I realized the ingenious way that these pull tabs are connected and how incredibly easy it is to fix the "problem" by just reinserting the paracord a bit farther in before sliding the tab that grips it back into place. I was massively impressed! Given that experience, I decided I wanted one for EDC (I have quite a bit of gear as a Security Officer who works outside, as I never know what the weather is going to be like). The MKII seems to be as well made as the original style. From what I can tell it's identical other than the updated Direct Action logo. All of my gear, including extra sets of dry underclothes and a thick hooded sweatshirt, and my lunch, fits with room to spare. I did consider getting a Ghost to use for my BOB as it's a bit larger, but from what I can tell the extra capacity is mostly in the detachable extra back portion. I've decided to get a MOLLE Condor Rip Away First Aid Kit to strap onto a Dragon Egg instead, as I want to use that extra portion for first aid supplies anyway and the Condor kit will detach more easily. I also made this decision because I really love the super tough paracord drag handle. I imagine the drag handle on the Ghost is fine, but it just doesn't look as tough, and I personally think the weaved paracord looks pretty damn cool. I was so impressed that I ordered another Dragon Egg for my best friend's Christmas present, and he loves it as well. I've noticed that it's nearly impossible to find these things used, and my opinion this is due to the fact that once people own them they just don't want to get rid of them. I certainly will be keeping mine, and Direct Action will be the first company I check with for similar needs in the future. They're a bit pricey, but an outstanding value. They're really worth the cost!

I absolutely love this bag. For those of us that are into EDC, we all have had a situation where our EDC bag, while useful for, well, every day, does not quite work as well for traveling due to its compact size. In my opinion, 25–27 L is an appropriate EDC size for a grown man. However, sometimes you just need a bigger bag. I am so happy that direct action made this bag in 30 L. I took this bag on a four-day trip to Puerto Rico, and although I had a couple pouches clamped onto the outside, the bag itself was big enough to be my ONLY bag on the trip! This bag was good enough for that trip, which included some extended hiking, and it was also small enough that I was able to carry it on the plane without anybody noticing it or saying anything, which saved me money, technically it's probably just a little bit too big for the whole "personal item" category. The belt on this bag is phenomenal. It's very comfortable and there's extra MOLLE webbing on it. It should be noted that the belt does look a bit ridiculous for the civilian world, but it can be removed very easily. One thing I didn't like? Despite all of the MOLLE webbing on the outside, there was, shockingly, no MOLLE webbing on the inside. There needs to be some kind of way to hang pouches and equipment built into the inside of the bag, it got kind of annoying on my trip having to dig through my bag for the different pouches that I had instead of having them all organized on built-in MOLLE like I can in my 5.11 bag. I had to spend $40 to buy a removable MOLLE frame insert, witch, while not terrible, is still not perfect. However, this is still an awesome bag. Here are my closing thoughts: 1. It's big enough for a person to travel for 3-4 days with no other bag, as long as the person knows what he's doing. 2. It's almost, but not quite, too big to be an EDC bag. If this were my EDC bag I would definitely takeoff the hit belt, it's an awesome hit belt but it's kind of ridiculous looking. 3. It's too big to be a gym bag that will fit in a standard gym locker. 4. It definitely has a tactical look to it, but removing the hip belt eases this quite a bit. Still, there's no getting around it, it looks overly tactical. 5. As addressed before, I wish it had some interior MOLLE webbing, either in the main compartment or the front compartment. Overall though, the organization aspect of the front compartment is decent. 6. The reason I'm using this bag instead of my 5.11 AMP 72 is because of one thing: exterior water bottle holders. As much as I love 5.11, they never seem to grasp the concept that people LIKE having exterior water bottle holders, which can also double as shoe holders. 7. This is really splitting hairs now, but I wish the bag was actually 1-3 L bigger. 8. I wish there was a few more Velcro patches on the outside for morale patches, but I was easily able to buy some extra Velcro patches that are compatible with MOLLE webbing. 9. I use this bag for coaching, for going to the gun range, for hiking, and for traveling. It's big enough to travel for 3–4 days, as noted above, but I wouldn't take this if I was trying to sleep in a tent or camp for an extended period of time, it's not quite big enough to hold a tent, food, all that stuff. I've only had this for a little bit over a month. I love it. I wish it came in a few more colors, and I hope that Direct Action considers making an even bigger version of this. We all know there is no perfect tactical/assault pack, but this one comes pretty close.

I was digging up wild onions in the mountains (real mountains, not those hills you yuppies have out east) and scaling 10k + peaks you've never heard of, literally at too young an age to remember when I started. When I joined the army I was disappointed over the lack of quality of the molle A packs we were issued. Quite simply, it was obvious they had bought from the lowest bidder and these were considered far superior to the previous gen gear. As a result, when we deployed, many of the grunts, including myself opted to purchase milspec, civilian climbing/mountaineering bags. Having been very familiar with civilian mountaineering and climbing gear, I was frustrated by the lack of selection of quality bags, that also fit milspec requirements. Some companies have made good efforts, blackhawk, 5.11 tac and so on, but they always fell short in one way or another and these were considered the best of the best at the time. When I bought this pack, I was expecting more of the same, but I am happy to say, that for me (and I'm very high maintenance when it comes to gear), this pack is absolutely perfect. Very tough, plenty of space when you need it, with the ability to sinch it down when you don't, separate compartments that are sized well, lots of sturdy molle, or molle type straps for climbing/repelling gear and very well balanced when loaded down for a 3 day OP. I also love the 550 cord top handle, very handy if you're in a bind. Brilliantly designed by folks with obvious mountaineering/combat experience, excellent quality, very practical and best of all it's real pretty! Simply put, this is the best A pack I've ever owned by a long shot. Not only would I recommend this to a friend, I would recommend it to be standard issue for all grunts of all branches.

If your anything like me, you have been going back and forth between this bag and that bag. Constantly reading reviews, hoping to find some kind of hidden gold wisdom, or something to completely sell you on your purchase. You probably have 15 tabs open up on Chrome like I did with different review sites and bags galore. But we're here to review this one and I got to tell you guys, it's fantastic, it truly is. I was worried about the fact that it is 500 Cordura over 1000 Cordura, wondering how it would hold up and such. Of course we will see over time. I'll try and update the review in a few months. But from what I can tell it is extremely well-built. Seems are all quality. Honestly everything about it screams quality, the company itself had very nice packaging and a very nice product booklet. I know that has nothing to do with the bag, but you know what I mean? When a company pays attention to the small details it shows through with their products etc... It has plenty of room for 24 hours worth of stuff. It's not as big as the ghost, but honestly that works for me cause I'm using it, for the most part, as an EDC bag. The admin pocket is large, spacious and well laid out. It has a fleece lined pocket for your glasses or quick access to tiny items, chapstick, small bullet space pen, etc. I took the time to go around and burn any strings I could find in every place imagenable. It's not like there was alot of them, as I said it's very well made but for me I think it helps with preventing any preventable issues that could have come from them. So if you're looking for a very well made 24hr/EDC bag buy this thing and don't look back.

This is my very first tactical backpack. I'm getting into the EDC world and I want to start out with the best. I researched for over 3 months looking and reading a large amount of reviews on both Amazon and YouTube. I was looking for specific features that are compatible with my daily job junction and outdoor events. This pack is very well made. Best quality I've seen compare to store bought pack. Here is what I like about it and why. 1. The egg shape. This makes the pack suitable for office environments, makes head turns, without looking too outfitted for war. 2. The laser molle. Make pack look clean, adds style. All very usable. 3. Side pouches.great for water canteen. Currently caring a 40oz Takeya steel canteen. Fits greats its a bit tall so it was falling out. But with the molle webbing on it (also laser cut) was able to add a D-Ring carabiner and web dominator strap to hold the bottle down in the pouch (people think it came with it. See picture) 4.Padding. All padding is good quality, shoulder straps are thick. I'm a big guys (300lbs) and they fit well. Back padding is firm and thick. Made it comfortable on my first 3 mile hike. I did had to add a foam pad at the bottom inside the pack to protect laptop when placing on the ground at work. I like the removable option the foam provides when not using it for work. (the foam was recycled from old packaging) 5. Straps. All straps are adjustable and have a velcro management system. Also help give pack a clean look. 6. Pockets. All pockets are very spacious with nice zipper and velcro compartments. Great for admin organization. Here is what I wish it had. (no dislike, just want it) 1. Sunglasses pocket. Has soft interior to prevent scratches on sunglasses but it does not offer crush protection. I've see other pack with a hard shell integration to prevent crush when the pack falls forward. I use sunglasses daily so this important to me. I will looking for a hard shell case with molle options to attach to pack. 2. Zipper liner. The pack is water resistant but the zipper don't help. They need a flap to go over the zipper so water can run over them and not into the pack. (now I carry a waterproof bag that can we use to put my electronics just in case rain gets me. It already happened once, Monsoon season in Arizona) My final rating is 4.5 stars.

As I write this review I’m sitting on the beach with this pack next to me. I currently own probably around 8-10 high end packs, and have owned many more over the years from all the usual tactical pack makers. Needless to say, I have a bit of a nylon problem, and I am constantly on the hunt for the elusive “perfect bag.” Aside from designing one for myself that pack doesn’t exist, but the Dragon Egg gets close. First the “cons.” It could be just a little bigger in terms of overall internal space, and it looks pretty tactical. I know a lot of guys, especially LEO’s like to shy away from that look so they don’t stand out, but it didn’t really bother me. That’s about it for the cons. The pro list is much longer. The build quality is fantastic and easily on par if not better than packs costing twice as much. While the pack could be a little bigger inside, it holds all the essentials easily including a 15” MacBook Pro, IFAK, pens, and the essential EDC stuff (depending on your idea of EDC.) The Dragon Egg is also one of, if not the most comfortable packs I’ve ever worn thanks to the thickness of the straps, and the padding and ventilation, as well as the internal “frame,” which is just basically a sheet of plastic. They all work in perfect harmony together. I added some shock cord to the front for overflow items, such as towels, or a wet rain jacket. See the pics. The bottle pockets will hold everything from a small water bottle to a full 32 ounce Nalgene with ease. I also really love the paracord carry handle. I think it looks great, but also offer nice grip and if you ever need it, probably 15 feet or so of cord, more of you break the cord down and use the internal strands as well. I also really like the zipper pulls, which are basically just paracord with shrink tube over it, and slip on ends. Very nice. All in all, this pack has been by main pack for about 6 months and unless something better comes along, will likely be my main pack for a long time to come. If you’re on the fence about this pack, get one, you won’t be sorry.

So I have an issue... I love bags. I really enjoy a high quality bag that fits the purpose that I purchased it for and this is one of my favorites. I watched hours of reviews of tactical style bags before this purchase. I also purchased another bag that looked great and had high reviews but I just was not as impressed so I returned it and bought this pack. I'm an IT professional and needed a EDC (every day carry) bag that would transport multiple devices, my cables, accessories, and anything else I needed for the day. I can comfortable carry my 15" Dell Precision Ultrabook, Surface Pro, and my iPad Pro 9.7! I tell you this is the best bag I have ever carried. Tons of organization and space that was well thought out. Some bags might have lots of organization but they were not made to correctly hold anything useful outside a few pens. That is not the case with the Dragon Egg. Each pouch, each slot, each compartment makes me think this bag was custom made for me. Did I mention I can even fit my lunch bag inside? You will not have buyer's remorse if you buy this bag. It's high quality and looks great while not looking too militaristic... just enough to look like a man's bag! Update: So have been carrying this bag almost every work day for the past 3 years... almost 4. I’m still in love with this bag. I get several compliments on it. It’s been loaded, thrown into my truck, stuffed into my desk locker, flown on several trips, and has been on a few outdoor adventures... AND IT STILL LIKE BRAND NEW! All the stitches, zippers, and buckles are 100%. I have several bags as I said but this is my daily drive and go to. Sure it’s a little pricey but you can’t compare it to China garbage. Just think of it as a long term investment because it’s going to last for years!

I really like Tactical/ Military bags and was really looking forward to use this backpack after reading (amazon) and watching (youtube) so many reviews online. Now, after using it a couple of times I would like to pass on my impressions. I am NOT planning to use it for Hunting, Fishing, Bug out bag, Get Home Bag, " stay-in the-woods" bag, Survival training, "leave-in-the-car" bag. I am 6'1" tall, 170 pounds and bought it just as an "urban" EDC "travel-with-the-family" / "Walk-all-day-Sightseeing" bag / Diaper Bag! So, I was looking for a comfortable backpack with a large enough storage room for my Macbook 13" or my iPad, some food/ snacks, beverages, camera, some baby stuff you need while on the road. It is a shame that a such nice looking bag is quite uncomfortable to use after all. All reviews mentioned the thick padding as a nice feature, but to me they are just a bit too hard/ stiff. I understand this is a military backpack and sturdiness and durability is a major factor here, but they could have used a bit softer padding, in my opinion. If you use this bag while wearing a thick jacket, it is not much of a problem, but, nevertheless, the shoulder straps get even more uncomfortable if you have to put both arms forward (when riding a bike) or carry your child. It makes me wonder why the shoulder straps on their bigger model GHOST (which carries more weight) is thinner padded and apparently very comfortable, according to reviews. (BTW. I have read a few reviews mentioning how uncomfortable this backpack is...but still gave it a try...my mistake) Another annoying issue are the buckles at the bottom of the bag. they are fixed at the inner side of the bag and therefore constantly in contact with your lower back. So, you can feel the buckles on your back if you use the backpack wearing only a T-Shirt. (again, with a jacket, this is not much of a problem)...this could have been easily avoided by fixing the buckles on the other/outer side of the bag. Now to the outer pockets. They are good if you want to carry any kind of bottle or canteen, but one would be enough, imo. I really miss a kind of utility pouch with Zippers (like the ones on the 5.11 Rush 24)...that combination would be great. Pros: Material and overall "building" quality Shape and Look Storage Capacity (for its purpose) Color options Cons (for me) side pockets are both open at the top (no zipper to close)...would have preferred if one side would have a pouch-like pocket. Padding of shoulder straps are too thick/ hard/ stiff - Backpack is NOT Comfortable to use Lower part of padding on the back has a very abrasive finishing and it keeps rubbing against your cloth. Unless you wear a 500 D Cordura t-shirt, your cloth will not last long using this bag. (no Amazon PRIME shipping) I haven't tried other military specs brands like 5.11 Rush, Vanquest, Maxpedition, etc...to compare. But the Dragon Egg is not suited for me, specially at this price range.