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PURCHASE $59.95

Semper Paratus – In Depth Review

I’m always a fan of outdoor gear with a military heritage. I tend to opt for military gear when I’m looking for more comfort and features on the trail and this ‘always ready‘ pack has really from 3V Gear called the Paratus 3-Day Operator’s Backpack really impressed me.

Fabric

The Paratus backpack is made of a very tough 600D fabric that is fully waterproof and very very hardwearing. There are a choice of 4 colors for the pack too.

Storage

The Paratus Backpack has a main storage compartment that has a padded sleeve for a laptop which makes this pack great for the weekly commute to work as much as your pack for the weekend on trails. The sleeve can also be used for a 3L water bladder and has a small sleeved hole at the top to feed a hydration tube out to the front of the pack too. The other compartment on the outside is also surprisingly large and has meshed inner sleeves to help keep smaller items organized. I would keep waterproof clothing, first air kit and flashlights in here.

Clips and Straps

The 3v Gear Paratus backpack has a decent chest strap and adjustable waist strap that is padded to comfortably take weight off your shoulders. The shoulder straps are also padded for comfort. There are literally about a hundred places you could mount things on the pack too, with various loops, daisy chain, velcro and MOLLE attachent points. There are also various D Ring clips and a useful carry handle too.

Molle Pouches

The backpack comes with 2 MOLLE pouches which is an acronym for Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment. It is used to define the current generation of load-bearing equipment and backpacks used by a number of NATO armed forces, especially the British Army and the United States Army. The pouches that come with the pack are quickly removeable, and in fact I like them so much I will use them on other packs when I’m not using this one.

Rapid Deployment Pouch

This ‘mini waist pack’ is useful when you are multi day camping. It allows you to pack fast and light with the essentials for a day excursion while leaving the main backpack at camp with your other gear. This feature also adds to the modular design so I used the pack ‘raw’ during the week without the Molle and Rapid Deployment Pouch and can then add the various pouches on when I need more carrying capacity at the weekend. The pouches secure well and don.t rattle or swing around on the pack when attached.

When you aren’t carrying a full amount of gear the sides can be compacted using straps to keep everything secure inside and not rattle around.

Pockets and Zips

As well as the main compartments there are a number of smaller sleeves inside the pack. I was also impressed that the zips have a significant flap over them to keep the worst of the rain out so there isn’t much need for a backpack rain cover which is good.

With a lifetime warranty, free shipping and a direct to customer price I’m hard pushed to think of any backpack that is this high spec at this low price.

Morale Patches

The pack also comes with 2 velcro morale patches , a USA flag and a 3V Logo.

Gripes

My only real criticism is the weight of this pack. All the clips, configurable options, detachable pouches and heavy duty materials come with a considerable weight compromise. I would also like to see the padded back be removable so that I could keep my back cooler in the summer. That said if you strip away the bonus molle pounches and rapid deployment pack this backpack averages out at a more respectable overall weight. I also noticed that there is no hanging loop inside for a water bladder (not that I use them, I am NOT a fan).

I also noticed in use that the molle pouches and rapid deployment pouch zips don’t have the waterproof flap that the main bag has which means gear in those pouches could get wet in the rain. Id also like to see the molle straps on the pouches to be a bit longer so I could thread them in and out through the daisy chains to be more secure.

Closest Competitor

The Topo Designs Mountain Pack probably comes in as the closest competitor to the Paratus but it comes in at twice the price for half the weight.

Verdict

With a lifetime warranty, free shipping and a direct to customer price I hard pushed to think of any backpack that is this high spec at this low price. The modular design allows you to adapt this pack from a weekday commuter warrior with your laptop to a weekend winner trail pack with the extra MOLLE pouches.

The pack is hard wearing and adjustable for lots of sizes and shapes and heavily padded where its needed. Whatever gripes I have about the weight I still keep coming back to how good the price is for all the features.

The company motto Veni Vidi Vici is well placed here – This pack really does conquer.

PURCHASE $59.95

Features

Heavy-duty padded shoulder straps to keep you comfortable.

Rugged 600D fabric repels water and is wear resistant.

Padded waist belt and sternum strap allow you to take the load off your shoulders.

Rapid Deployment Pack is removable for quick excursions.

Patches included.

2 MOLLE accessory pouches are perfect organizing your gear.

Multiple adjustment points allow you to secure your gear.

Specs

• Dimensions 20″h x 12″w x 8.5″d
• 40 Liters
• Total Weight 4.45 lbs.
• Available in: Olive Drab, Black, Foliage Grey and Coyote Tan
• Limited Lifetime Warranty

About 3V

Located at the base of the Wasatch Mountain range in Salt Lake City, Utah, we have one of the most amazing places in the world as our playground. We started designing backpacks that we would like to use on our adventures. We were also frustrated with the excessive prices for a backpack. This is why we decided to sell direct to you. We don’t have all of the extra costs of distributors and retailers. This allows us to have a relationship with you and make sure that you are always treated the best and give you a great warranty on your bag.