DAKINE Builder's Pack - 1800cu in - 2011 BCS

I'll prelude this by telling you I'm on a trail crew in the Gifford Pinchot Natl Forest (@ Mt. Saint Helens). I make sure trails are cut out, do tread work, brush, build bridges, etc... All of this is done in remote locations.

One day our crew was hiking a OHV trail and we met a group of dirt bikers, one who had this pack with a chainsaw bar popping out the pack. We immediately asked him about the bag and he told us it was one of the only ones of that model of bag in the world at the moment. Apparently his friend does R&D at DaKine and he was testing it for him. We requested his friends email and quickly procured our own test bags for our trail crew.

DaKine hit every nail on the head. This bag is a back-country tool belt. Its tough as nails, well built, well thought out, and a tremendously solid bag. The side pockets are well suited for Fuel bottles, saw wedges, water bottles, wrenches/screnches. The full zip on the back pad is perhaps the best feature, allowing you to access anything in your bag without having to unload your saw/helmet/whatever you have in the outer sleeve. There are plenty of interior pockets and zips, all of which are appropriately tough. The top zip is great for glasses, earplugs, full sized sunscreen, bug spray, ....ALL AT ONCE. Secondary front pouch is decent size and I use it all the time.

The features of this bag that set it apart from a normal bag are the two hand tool side holsters, and the chainsaw sleeve. The holsters are great for carrying polaskis, hazel hoes (bigtime), felling axes. Care should be used when carrying polaskis in these holster because they will tend to tear a hold in the back pocket of your jeans. These holsters have cinch-able straps to hold the head of the tool snug against the bottom of the pack.

The chainsaw sleeve is something I typically use to hold ANYTHING I WANT. Its huge. You can fit a decent sized power-head in it, up to a 46. You might be able to fit a 66 in there but I don't know why you would want to punish yourself like that. Typically, I would only recommend carrying a chainsaw in the sleeve if you are on a dirt bike or have a significant distance to travel with nothing to cut in between you and your goal. If you are not on a bike the deciding factor on whether you will be using this sleeve for your saw will be how full your pack is with other stuff. If it's not very full I would go for it. If you have enough stuff in your bag it will make the saw sit farther away from your body, increasing the discomfort to your shoulders and hips. Generally I am on foot and have a lot of stuff to buck so I just use a shoulder pad and huff it that way. But its the only truely practical way to port a saw around on a dirt bike. I have seen all the improvised saw holsters and this is way better...trust me. You can cinch it down hard and the bar will basically peek above your head vertically. Be forewarned: If you have a long bar, you will catch stuff hanging above your head.

The lopper slip is handy and well placed. Hip strap pockets will fit big batteries, small cameras. Came with a first aid baggy (empty), and a nail bag which is basically a roll up 4 or 5 pocket bag. I don't use either but you might.

I have used this pack for several years now and i have beat the ever loving hell out of it. It is still trucking just like the first day out of the bag. Its got bar oil all over it, dirt, nails, scuffs, anything you can throw at it. No rips, tears, frays, or decrease in comfort. The back pad is comfy but made for those of us with wide shoulders. If you are smaller than 5'5 or 5'6 this bag will be a little big on your back especially if you are really skinny. I wouldn't use this to carry a chainsaw on a mountain bike as I have tried once or twice. As soon as you start ascending your bike will want to wheely, sometimes to the point that you flip it. Just too much weight behind the seat.

If you need to do work somewhere, on dirt bike, on foot, far away...look no further, redemption is here. This pack will last you ten seasons. Buy this for trail crews, buy this for toughness, buy this for cutting out trails, buy this for a rock solid piece of trail gear.