Some have asked me why I switched from the Camelbak Urban Assault (CUA) to the Urban Assault XL. I went to the larger version for a couple of reasons.
Camelbak Urban Assault XL and Urban Assault
Reason #1 – Size Does Matter
It’s been well documented that I’m a pretty large dude and at 21″ L X 16″ W X 14″ D, the XL is a large bag. It fits me pretty well. The vertically challenged, pygmy sized human need not apply. Do I carry smaller bags from time to time? Yes, I do. Mainly when the size of a bag would result in it being left behind (e.g. short excursions, amusement parks, day trips, certain flights, etc.). In this case, the Philosophy of Use is a work EDC bag and I train commute into the city. I carry a fair amount of gear with me and the aptly named Urban Assault XL does a great job of organizing my essentials – electronics, tools, back-up power source, water, food, FAK, and an extra layer. It’s also large enough to double as a get home bag should the need arise.
Bottom line: If you’re blessed with a large frame, don’t listen to people on discussion boards when they say some bags are too large for Everyday Carry. That’s not always true. There are a lot of variables and size is one of them.
Reason #2 – Ease of Access
Both bags have the same class leading layout for EDC use with one exception – the Transporter Tail. On the regular sized CUA, the tail is on the outside and the admin panel is behind it. As a result, the upper compression strap blocks the zipper to the panel.
This is the sort of thing reviewers harp on but it’s really not a huge deal under real world use. Why? You can still unzip the top of the compartment and pretty much get access to everything inside anyway due to the way the panel is laid out.
And once you disengage the buckles, the panel can still be unzipped for full, unfettered access to the contents inside.
All that said, the tail design on the XL is just better. Camelbak flipped the position of the tail so it’s on the inside and the admin panel is in a zippered compartment on the outside of the bag. The upper compression strap does not block access to it.
Camelbak Urban Assault XL Admin Panel
They also added a lower compression strap to keep things nice and compact should the larger bag not get loaded up to full capacity.
Bottom line: I don’t always open the admin panel up all the way, but when I do, I appreciate that the compression strap doesn’t get in the way. In my opinion, it’s a design change that should be carried over to the smaller version also. There’s really no downside to it.
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Overall, I’m happy with the switch. The Camlebak Urban Assault family of bags in my opinion are still the best low drag/urban friendly EDC packs on the planet. And the XL meets my specific needs. Hopefully, if you’re interested in a CUA, this will help you decide which version might meet yours. As always, if you have questions, post a comment below.
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