a review: the got to go bag @blueridgeoverlandgear #EDC #gobag #adventure #travel
THE NEED
Tackling the terrain we travel while keeping our gear safe and organized requires more than just a flashy backpack that you can buy from REI.
I started the hunt for the perfect shoulder bag a few months before my son was born. The wife sent me searching for a diaper bag but my eyes were set on something multi-functional. Like a dual sport motorcycle, I wanted options; managing daddy duty, MSO adventures and every day commutes.
The G2G bag en route with an optional Hydroflask Scabbard.
With my goals set, I started narrowing in on few lumbar packs and courier bags but most of the bags available online weren’t on the shelves at our local outfitters leaving a “hands-on” approach out of the question.
Shortly after starting my search, MSO was introduced to Blue Ridge Overland Gear. I can remember my first chat with Matt, owner of Blue Ridge Overland Gear, vividly - “So, tell me about that Got to Go Bag!”
THE PACKAGE
Handmade in Bedford County, Virginia, the Blue Ridge Overland Gear Got to Go (G2G) Bag comes completely customizable and adapts to the needs of its user in seconds. Standing alone, the G2G Bag’s exterior is equipped with MOLLE and Velcro panels, two large exterior pockets, a grab loop, and padded shoulder strap and lumbar region. The MOLLE and Velcro panels make it easy to kit out the G2G Bag extra storage options. I added a 40 oz. Hydroflask Scabbard and a small GP MOLLE Pouch to give me a few more options for testing the bag and increasing its payload.
The front flap with stitched hook and loop panels for accommodating VELCRO pouches.
The G2G Bag’s padded interior is divided into one large compartment and another smaller sleeve. Nearly every square inch of the bag’s main compartment is stitched with Velcro allowing the included padded dividers to be configured however you see fit.
Optional accessories include a padded lumbar strap for cinching the bag around your waste and a trunk kit for carrying extra gear on the outside of the bag. The trunk add-on is perfect for wet coats or muddy apparel.
The inside of the G2G Bag with hook and loop panels that bear the mark of genuine American made quality.
Over the past 3 months, I’ve configured the G2G Bag for separately toting my 15” MacBook Pro, external hard drives and cords; my Canon 5D MKIII, batteries, microphone and charging equipment; and lastly – diapers, wipes, bottles and burp cloths. Under each configuration the bag met my needs and made it easy for anyone digging through it to find what they needed. I use the shoulder strap religiously but the grab loop makes it nice to toss the bag a few feet to its resting place.
The shoulder strap with stitched loops for adding web dominators and ITW GrimLocs.
If you’re looking for something 100% made in the USA, you can rest assured knowing that everything down to the thread is resourced from the United States.
THE CONCLUSION
I’ve been toting the Blue Ridge Overland Gear G2G Bag either on my shoulder or stuffed in the MSO Tacoma drawer slider for the past 3 months. This bag is very rugged and capable of being tossed around on a regular basis all while keeping your items safe and secure.
Priced at just $129.99, the G2G Bag takes organization down to a micro-managing level and if you run out of space, just slap on another pouch all while keep items separate. The bag meets my needs regularly; even when I need it to change roles in a pinch! More lately, I’ve been using the G2G Bag to tote my MacBook, iPad, cords, work papers and 40 oz. Hydroflask.
Easily fit an optional small GP MOLLE Pouch for additional storage.
I haven’t had a use for the trunk kit yet, but I have used the optional lumbar strap. The combination of the lumbar strap and shoulder strap seem a little awkward but it’s likely due to a need for reconfiguring the straps per my build.
This bag is gonna outlast any backpack, courier bag or duffel that currently own with possibly an exception for some of my NRS dry bags of course. As a textile shoulder bag, there’s not much on the market that stands to compare. It may be a stretch, but I did have my eyes set on a Mountain Smith Day TLS Lumbar Pack if you’re looking for some competition - let’s just say I’m glad I didn’t shop at REI.
