Exos women’s range bag. Cushioned zipper pulls are sturdy, useful, and good-looking. (Photo: Eve Flanigan)
The folks at Exos Gear sell a fine tactical backpack and gun belt. Recently I had the opportunity to review another of their wares, the women’s range bag. In a shift from my normal approach to reviews, I brought a friend and fellow shooter into the mix as the lead reviewer. Deb, a trained, licensed concealed carrier, occasional carbine shooter, slayer of Barbary sheep, and matriarch of a shooting family, volunteered to put the bag through its paces.
A generous MOLLE panel allows the bag to carry even more. (Photo: Eve Flanigan)
First, some basics. The bag is constructed of water-resistant 600 denier polyester. It’s pink — bright, but not neon, pink. The handles, optional padded shoulder strap, and MOLLE on one side, are black nylon webbing. The zippers, interior dividers, and two patches of loop material are black, too. The latter gives the owner the option to add a personal touch or identification using Velcro-backed patches.
A padded divider and elastic strips in the main compartment accommodate two pistols and more. (Photo: Eve Flanigan)
This is a medium-size bag said to be suited for two full-size pistols. It’s large enough for those plus a modicum of ammo and gear. The outside dimensions are 17 inches long, 14 inches wide, and 8 inches deep. Inside, the main compartment is 12x8x8 inches. The main compartment has a divider, and there are four zippered outer pockets. Zipper pulls are sturdy with easy-to-grab padded loops. There’s a padded Velcro closure to join the clutch handles.
Carry it on the shoulder…(Photo: Eve Flanigan)
A unique and useful feature are Velcro tabs on each side of the bag’s exterior. These loops are just right to attach ear protection where it can be easily accessed and avoid exposure to any gun oil on the inside. On the side opposite the MOLLE is a black patch with the attractive Exosdragonfly logo.
… or by the handles that Velcro together. (Photo: Eve Flanigan)
Deb categorized her comments about the Exos range bag into pros and cons. She likes many of the features already described, and goes into more detail in the “pros” section as follows:
I carry my handguns to the range in their original cases, so that leaves even more room in the interior compartment for ammo, belt, magazine pouches, holster, ammo loader, etc. The divided elastic band strip in the main compartment is advertised to hold five magazines, and it does. Small objects are easily corralled in the net divider inside one of the large side pouches. The shoulder strap is easy to unclip if I decide not to use it. The padded zipper pulls are comfortable to use.
It’s really easy to locate objects inside this bag thanks to the pink color, as opposed to black or other dark color. I attached my shooting rest beanbag to the MOLLE and at first it seemed the gaps on the bag were too narrow, but after taking a little more time to see how it works, it attached perfectly. Overall, it’s a manageable size with lots of room in the interior.
Adding products to the MOLLE reminds us of another reason to want more colors–pink doesn’t go with most range items. (Photo: Deb W)
She also expressed a single “con,” and I must say, I agree with this point:
Not every woman is a fan of pink. I would be so much happier if the bag was offered in a nice turquoise blue, sage green, desert tan, medium gray, etc. As I said above, the light color on the interior of the bag makes finding stored items very convenient. Zippers and straps in dark colors like black, dark brown, or navy could still be used for accents. The contrasting colors give the bag a designer look, which appeals to me. I like very functional, but style is important also.
Despite Deb’s (and my) wish for more color choices, at the end of the day, she declares this bag a winner:
This is a range bag I will definitely use. It is a huge improvement in capacity and organization over the one I have been carrying. Overall, this is a quality piece of gear for the range and I would highly recommend it to others.
Deb likes the padded shoulder strap. (Photo: Eve Flanigan)
According to Exos, this bag is a big seller. I think it’d be an even bigger success, and have broader appeal for perhaps both male and female shooters, if other color choices were offered besides “kitty pink.” At a current price of $26.95 with free shipping on Amazon, it’ll surely be a favorite among range-goers who like to pink it up.
The post Gear Review: Exos Women’s range bag — in pink appeared first on Guns.com.