Eagle Industries LE Courier bag
This entry from Eagle fit my mission requirements much better. It easily accepts 15” notebook pc’s, their accessories, and still has room for life taking and saving tools, as well as other everyday civilian items. Again, finished in the low profile grey Ben Lennet uses in much of the LE line, the materials are identical to the Eagle E&E bag from above. Of all the bags reviewed, this one most looks like it is at home on the shoulder of a bicycle messenger, partly due to the colors (black webbing and grey Cordura) and the black elasticized mesh pockets at either end, that easily hold most hydration containers. One of my favorite design aspects of this product is the zipper along the top of the flap that is essentially just a pass through that allows access to the bag’s main compartment without using the fastex buckles and flipping the flap out of the way.
Opening the flap via conventional methods exposes a small zippered web pocket similar to those commonly found on most laptop bags for securing things like air cards, business cards, cell phones, etc. There are also 5 elastic pen loops and two patches of loop material that secure the flap should the user choose not to employ the two fastex buckles. The inside of the flap has a pocket secured by a full length strip of velcro. The main compartment has a thin padded divider and is lined in a thin nylon material similar to what is found in most laptop pc bags. The lining closest to the body is actually a pull away façade, secured at the top with velcro, and loose on the sides, that reveals an area lined in PALS webbing. The bottom is more of the “techy” thin nylon and has a grommet for water drainage. This is the only of the tactical messenger style bags used in this comparison that is made with some closed cell foam to protect its contents. I personally would opt for a separate padded sleeve for my computer, but it certainly shows that Eagle put some thought into the needs of many different users. The back side of this bag, similar to the E&E bag, is the designated pistol pocket. Closure is the same, as are the linings of the pocket. There are two small loops at the sides, toward the rear of the bag, that will accept a 1” wide webbing waistbelt. The belt is not included, and to the best of my knowledge, not available for purchase through Eagle. But, the bag has provisions for a belt, which, in my opinion, is a good thing.
The carry handle is sturdy, and wrapped in a sweaty hand friendly, rubber material. The “sling” has a very well padded sleeve, that makes carrying loads easy, but the way the strap attaches to the bag seems to be the weak point. There is a typical plastic ladder, which is good enough, but the end nearest the bag is short and just sewed to the bag at the very end. I don’t expect this to be an issue, and if I was proven wrong, as many of you know Eagle’s products are eclipsed by their customer service. So again, not a deal breaker, but worthy of note.
Specs:
18x13x4 inches
21 ½ inches diagonal
2” Strap
1” fastex closure
) is the Eagle Industries Courier LE Style bag