Gear Review: Camelbak Ambush AB-500
Today I would like to review an item I had purchased about a month ago. As you all know, I like being outdoors and have a huge hard-on for any kind of gear that can be used in hiking, running, biking, and in survival situations.
To start out, I took a trip to my local Wally World to see what they had available. I was not impressed, with the camel hiking packs that they had. The build quality of these items was abysmal. If you took one spill in the forest, these things would have been done.
Being a fan of the 5.11 gear and the La Police Gear distributor, I set out to find a pack that I could use. I ended up purchasing the Camelbak Ambush AB-500. It holds about a gallon or so of water, and has a small amount of space for your keys, ammo, or whatever else you carry. My side comment to those looking for a “go bag” type thing is that it may be too small for that purpose unless you travel extremely light or supplement it with another pack. It does have enough room for me to pack a flashlight, an HT, and maybe 2 or so MRE’s if need be. It does have the MOLLE attachments for some expansion. However if you are looking for a slightly bigger pack, take a look at the Maxpedition products. I have a friend who has one and likes it a lot.
I had a situation recently where I had to leave home in a hurry to participate in a volunteer em-comm event here on the east coast (some of you may recall hurricane Irene). I took the bag with me, along with a sleeping bag, and in a pinch it would have helped out a lot.
Its hard to go wrong here. I am a civilian, using a military pack. What could I possibly encounter that this pack can’t handle? Chiming in at around seventy US dollars, I would say, you can’t go wrong.
(Source: camelbak.com)