Lately we’ve been reviewing packs that are on the more expensive side. Now it’s time to switch gears and talk about a better option for those on a budget. The Tactical Tailor Urban Operator is the basic entry in Tactical Tailor’s line of Operator packs. However, it has some features that you wouldn’t expect at the price point, which is what drew our attention.
Tactical Tailor Urban Operator with the Admin Enhanced Pouch
The Urban Operator is a mid-sized design measuring 18.5″ tall x 12″ wide x 6.25″ deep and 1,837 cubic inches in volume. I generally prefer packs this size to be about an inch longer so it wasn’t perfect but at 6’4″ tall I’d have no problem leveraging the Urban Operator for my daily carry. As you can tell from the picture below, the UO lacks structure when not loaded to capacity. This was probably one of my biggest issues with it but certainly not a show stopper.
The front features two loop fields – one specifically for a name tape and the other for morale patches or loop backed accessories. There are four webbing loops on the front pocket that are normally for the included bungee cord, which can be used to stash lightweight clothing items on the outside of the bag. In true Loadedpocketz fashion, I re-purposed them to attach Tactical Tailor’s outstanding Admin Pouch Enhanced.
How did I manage to do that? First, I removed the bungee cord. I then used two long 1.5″ Gatekeeper Clips to attach the pouch’s two upper rows of PALS webbing to the UO’s bungee loops. It’s fairly secure. I wouldn’t go into combat with this setup but for normal EDC I think it works pretty well. Just don’t overload the pouch or eventually the nylon loops could fray or eventually pull away from the pack.
Why attach the Admin pouch at all? Well, the Urban Operator’s organization pocket is pretty limited. There is a medium sized slot for a knife/multi-tool. I could fit my Leatherman Skeletool, but it was tight. It was not large enough to fit my Zero Tolerance 0350 folder. There is another somewhat shallow slot for a pen and a couple of sleeves for a small notebook and business cards. There is also one zipper pocket and a stash behind it that secures with Velcro. That’s it for the admin panel and certainly not on par with other pricier bags in this class like the 5.11 COVRT 18 or the Camelbak Urban Assault.
Tactical Tailor also added another accessory loop at the top of the compartment, which I used to attach a clip-on Special Operations Light Emitting Diode or SO-LED, so I can see the contents of the pocket if I’m accessing it in low light conditions. I also attached an accessory strap that I had to the zipper so that I could attach my keys.
In front of the Admin Pocket is another zippered compartment. It’s large enough to fit a full sized iPad but I’d recommend using a case because there is no padding to protect the device.
One side of the Urban Operator includes a Cordura/mesh pocket secured with a bungee that is larger enough to 1L Nalgene bottle and another nylon accessory loop.
The other side has 3 X 3 rows of PALS webbing to which I attached a Maxpedition 5″ Phone Holster for my Smartphone and a large Gear Retractor. There is also two additional loops – and I used one to attach a large Triangle Hook. Kudos to Tactical Tailor for adding so many attachment points without making the pack overtly tactical. Some people don’t like hanging a lot of stuff off their bags and I like to keep it reasonable but it always good to have options.
Up top, the bag’s designer smartly included a reinforced carry handle. It also includes some branding but Tactical Tailor’s logo is kind of cool so I didn’t mind it in this case. Sadly, no hydration port and the pack is not really designed for a bladder. All of the YKK zippers have long 550 paracord pulls for ease of opening.
I really like the wide, contoured shoulder straps and overall the Urban Operator handles heavier load outs better than you’d expect considering it lacks a frame sheet. The backpack straps are exceptionally long. A little strap management would have been good but larger human beings will benefit from the extra length. Both straps have quick release buckles.
The back panel is padded Cordura (not mesh) and it lacks effective ventilation. The end result is that it does get a bit warm in the Summer months. There are no attachment points for a waist belt.
The spacious main compartment features a hi-vis orange interior which really helps when you’re digging in there to find something.
The Tactical Tailor Urban Operator features a large laptop compartment that is padded on both sides. It can fit up to a 17″ so it swallowed my 12.5″ Elitebook 2570p with a lot of room to spare. Unlike the drop in laptop compartment of the Camelbak UA, the bottom of the Urban Operator’s laptop pocket is not raised or padded on the bottom. So you have to be careful not to drop the bag onto a hard surface when setting it down.
CONCLUSION
If you’re looking for a laptop compatible mid-sized backpack made from tough abrasion resistant 1000 Denier Cordura nylon that has quality construction for under $100 then your options are going to be fairly limited and the Tactical Tailor Urban Operator would make an excellent choice.
The Urban Operator is available in black, coyote brown, multicam, and ranger green. It retails for $99 and is available direct from Tactical Tailor and other dealers that stock Tactical Tailor gear.
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