I made an offhand comment on my Facebook page about wishing Triple Aught Design would come out with a range bag because while it wouldn’t be cheap, they’d do it right and it would last a lifetime. My ideal range bag would be:
- Tough material suitable for traveling in the hands of airline baggage handlers dozens of times per year. It’s a range bag, not something I need to lug through the Kush (if I were ever to find myself in the Kush). It can be a little heavier if that makes it more durable.
- Strong and lockable zippers.
- Bag should be capable of being submerged in an inch of water without compromising the contents in the bag. Ranges get wet, muddy, etc. Bonus points if the closed bag can manage a rainstorm without needing a plastic bag or extra shell.
- Inner lining should be a bright color and reflective regardless of the outside bag design. Looking for stuff in the dark inside such a bag is way easier than the typical black nylon interior. It may be a fashion faux pas but bright yellow, bright orange, or neon green would just work better.
- MOLLE (or Helium Whisper) points both inside and out. Rather than try to make one bag that has every feature I need, I want a simple core bag that allows me to attach what I want.
- Zippered pockets should abound. There are tons of little things we keep in our range bags that should be immediately at hand without digging through a pile of random stuff. Dedicated little areas for cleaning material, bottles of liquid (oil, etc.), pens & markers, batteries, spare parts. It’s a personal preference thing but I really like all of them to have their own dedicated place. My giant range bag has a nearly empty interior but every single nook and cranny of a pocket or pouch is stuffed full.
- An exterior pocket big enough for my earpro and eyepro. Alternatively, if there’s a MOLLE attachment, I can just get an accessory bag. Ear & eye pro is usually the first thing I need when I get to the range and often I need to don it before shooting starts. Having a dedicated “quick access” location for it just seems like a good idea to me…
- Removable shoulder strap. I know they’re not as durable and it might require some effort & expense, but it’s a PITA at an airline when you can’t remove a shoulder strap on a piece of checked luggage.
- Built in rip-away pouch in a distinct color for a GSW kit. I’m always amazed by people who add a multicam IFAK to their multicam range bag. What do you say to someone in an emergency, “go get the small camo bag hanging off my big camo bag?”
- Hook and loop attachment points for patches.
- Should be available in orange for really cool people.
The main compartment doesn’t have to be huge. If it can hold a pair of guns and a couple hundred rounds of ammo that’s all I want to keep in there. Everything else belongs in an organized pocket or a modular pouch.
Train hard & stay safe! ToddG
If somebody makes this bag, I’ll buy it now. I’m using an old small sized duffle bag with a liner than disintegrated years ago.
God I wish someone would make a bag with a bright liner.
Can’t count the number of times I’ve had to turn a bag upside down or inside out to find a glock mag/mag pouch/Allen wrench/etc…
Pockets/elastic sleeves for magazines? TOo much to ask?
i bought PINK uplula loaders just because I kept losing my black one in my bag and could never find it.
A rigid sleeve for storing paper targets.
Todd I disagree about the number of zippered pockets because I’d lose things… but other than that I’m with you.
In fact a couple of years ago I bought so upholstery paint from the local autoparts store and painted the inside of my range bag. Much better and makes my eagle industries bag with lockable zippers and a removable strap about perfect.
Then I added a bright red zipper pull above my gsw kit.
There is a link to the results by clicking my name. My phone won’t paste it in the comment field.
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my camera bag has yellow innards -it makes finding things a million times easier (whether they are big or small). I have no clue why so few companies do this. Finding black gear against a black background is an unnecessary pain.
dan-o.
With the exception of the colored interior, which is a great idea, this is exactly what I’ve been asking for for years. Especially the Molle on the outside. Let me pick what kind of pouches I put on it.
Carry strap should be easy, the Shooters choice one I have now is super heavy duty with really strong snap clips and the D rings on the bag are also extra tough. The attachment points also have a solid strap that goes under the bag to the other side, they won’t tear off.
When I get to my desktop I will send you a link to someone that may be able to help via pm.
pat
For what I paid, my Midway range bag is fantastic. I just wish I could find a decent replacement strap for it since the last 4 years haven’t been too kind to it.
Meets most of the requirements… but most importantly it’s orange!!
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/688438-REG/Pelican_1560_000_150_1560_Case_with_Foam.html
One word, Backpack.
Some of the ranges I have to walk around are quite large, and when you combine the ammo, guns, and all the gear IMO a backpack is the best way to carry it.
Granted at my home range is a non-issue as I can drive into the bay I shoot in and then use my car’s trunk as my range table. But I rarely have that option when I travel to matches.
A lot of wisdom in choosing odd colors, especially for your little brass catcher bag and the gun caddy zip bags. More than once I’ve had other shooters walk off with my stuff by mistake. One was honest enough to track me down because I’m not ashamed to walk around the range yelling out something that I’m missing. I will say that even if your BAG is the same color as other people you will see mistakes made where you go up to someone else’s bag or visa versa. I’ve got a large $48 dollar Midway bag that has done amazingly well but might upgrade one day. Wife has the cooler new bag with the little ammo cup but the main feature of her bag that I love is the storage of eye and ear protection in the main flap velcro pouches. They also need to make bags with far more magazine holders since we often shoot, train and compete with multiple guns.
Add in a small cooler on one end big enough for lunch and a couple of water bottles and it will sell.
As much as I hate threading MOLLE, I’m all for modularity. I agree most bags don’t have enough small pouches for small things. I second the “sleeve for targets” idea, or at least room for one. And a good way to store mags that doesn’t involve digging them out of the bottom of the bag.
Three cheers for a visible (maybe color matched, but at least clearly marked) IFAK with tourniquet that will protect the contents but be easily accessible.
So, when are you going to make it?
If you really want a waterproof bag, you could consider a top-brand EMS jump bag and simply repurpose it as a range bag. Iron Duck makes bags in a durable waterproof rubberized nylon or something…it should do well. You’d have to sew on the MOLLE, and also waterproof it with something like Aquaseal (what we use on drysuits).
You’d have to pay a lot, however. A range-bag sized jump bag from Iron Duck will run over $150.
Tyler — I actually looked at one of those a while back. $150 doesn’t dissuade me as long as it would do what I want, but I have to admit the rubber “look” wasn’t appealing. I was most concerned about it getting easily torn or cut compared to serious nylon.
They’re pretty robust and thick (the bag is pretty heavy for its size because of such). We throw them around, and have some in service from only god knows when. Durability is certainly not something I’d be concerned with; it is serious nylon, just covered with vinyl for waterproofing.
A healthy dose of realistic expectations is needed, though. Short of using a drysuit zipper, no range bag is going to be completely waterproof and able to keep contents dry if left exposed to a rain storm for the duration of a class. Rain is still likely to soak through the zipper. There’s a reason that a good drysuit can cost thousands of dollars, and a premium maker with suits well over $2000, DUI, is still joked about as being named Dry Until Immersed.
Making a cheap sil-nylon cover seems like the most effective and economical truly waterproof solution. It’s incredibly light weight, thin, waterproof material. You can actually pocket carry a sil-nylon shelter, to put it into perspective.
http://duluthpack.com/outdoor-gear/hunt-fish/shoulder-ammo-bags/range-bag.html
Not cheap, not modular, just tough as nails. I have been using Duluth Pack gear for 20 years, and the only other product I like as well is Timbuk2 (but they are on the opposite end of the moral and political spectrum).
My favorite tough bags are from GORUCK. It just so happens they’ll be at SHOT, with grand ideas about range bags and gear. Would love for you to swing by and see what you think.
http://shop.honorpointusa.com/products/range-bag
These are modular, although they don’t offer bright colored interiors. The more I look at it it may be nothing like what you want but possibly worth a look…
eglabsinfo@gmail.com
This guy has been a member of several forums that I have frequented over the years. Based in Colorado Springs, he has had his stuff reviewed in magazines, and several people that I know and trust rely on him for gear.
If I recall correctly, if you can imagine it, and it can be done in cordura, he can do it.
pat