Still lovin' my falcon-ii - Maxpedition Falcon-II Backpack

Been meaning to chime-in for a while on this. I ordered mine from Optics Planet 2 or 3 years ago. At the time, I had been using an old Eddie Bauer pack that had actually been pretty good, both durable and reasonably functional for my needs, which are mostly laptop/work/travel-commute stuff, but it was on its very last legs ... threads! For a replacement, I was looking for a more serious upgrade. I searched and searched, read a lot of comments/reviews, both here and elsewhere, learning along the way about the intersecting applications of packs for EDC ("Every Day Commute"), BOB ("Bug Out Bag"), CNC ("Conceal-N-Carry"), and I'm sure one or two others that seem to slip my mind. I knew I wanted two straps, i.e. not a sling-type, because I all too often pack heavy but my body is built small and light, the result of which can resonate in my lower back.

Well, this Falcon-II kept popping up, with a few others, some also from Maxpedition, 511, Camelbak, etc. I read a lot, learned a lot, and, in the end, it boiled down to a question of toughness, looks, and would it hold my Dell Latitude E6510 laptop in one of the compartments.

Well, I'm no "TAC" or "Outfitter" expert; I still don't know the proper way to balance a loaded pack on my back but I know this pack would allow me to do that, with various adjustments in the shoulder and waist straps. However, I have had my pack with me "in the field", almost every day, for pushing-3-years now, and I can easily state the following about my khaki/foliage Falcon II:
> It's tough, as in durable/rugged
> It looks good, even bad-a$$, and I've had folks ask me about it
> That relatively large Dell laptop fits, in the main compartment, almost as if by design
(Does get a bit tight, when I'm in "over-loaded" mode, as I usually am)
> Heck, depending on load/balance, it can even sit upright
> I don't regret having spent a single penny - $0.01 - of the purchase price

Steve in Memphis