SUMMARY
As the industry grows, the rise of cases and bags to hold these drones also increase. I got in contact with this Australian based company that will soon release (Mid August 2014) this new backpack to hold your DJI Phantom. After reviewing the GoProCases and DronePacks/Alpha Pack, I was excited to get this bag in my hands because I really liked the look of it when I saw some preview photos sent from Action Xsories. I am a consumer like the rest of you, trying to give an open review on products as I use them during shoots and travels. This review is simply my opinion based on my usage, your review and opinion may vary.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
When I first opened up the box, I was really impressed with how the bag looked and felt. The heavy duty 1000D material, smooth lines and nice orange stitching was a nice touch to the aesthetics. The backpacks exterior seemed to have all the standard straps which include: shoulder and waist, chest strap, side compression ties and multiple weaved bands and rings for attaching other accessories or bags. The outer front of the bag contains 2 pockets, one large and one small. I also like the fact that the main compartment zippers are all covered with extra canvas.
Currently not released. Add to Amazon wish list here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00L5BWF2Y
THE GOODS
So far, of the 3 backpacks I’ve reviewed, price wise this bag comes in as the most affordable at $169. Once I unzipped the bag, I quickly found a unique strap and buckle that goes across the Phantom to help keep the craft secured in the foam. The foam itself was very dense and firm and all compartments are precision cut. The foam fits perfectly into the backpack with minimal wiggle room and allows the zipper to smoothly open and close. The big plus I know a lot of people will like is the 2 inch egg crate pattern soft foam that fits in a velvet layer on the inside top of the bag. When the backpack is closed, it adds an extra layer of protection to the top of the Phantom, motors and accessories. The foam can be seen in the photo below between the velvet cover. The DronePacks/Alpha Pack I reviewed also has a foam top, but what I like about this foam top is that it’s securely attached to the top of the backpack and not in multiple pieces to fumble around with like the DronePacks/Alpha Pack. There is also velvet lining on the inside of the smaller outer pocket to help protect the screen of a tablet. The backpacks size is about the same size as the average school backpack except its a bit deeper. Depending on what you carry on the outside zipper pockets, the bags depth is about 10.5-11.5 inches. This is in comparison to GoProCases bag at 9.5-10 inches and DronePacks at 12-12.5 inches in depth.
Below are some photos of my Phantom and accessories placed into the Action Xsories backpack.
THE CONCERNS
I travel a lot, will the backpack fit my Laptop?
The exterior of the backpack has two compartments, one large and one small. The bag is NOT designed to hold a 15in and larger laptop. It will fit a 13in laptop and/or iPad or tablet. This might not be an issue for a lot of you, but for me this was a concern because I like to travel with one bag that can fit both the Phantom and Laptop for editing. If of course I go on larger shoots, I know I’ll be carrying multiple bags and equipment. But on a daily, I prefer the ability to carry one.
Which Phantom can it hold?
This foam kit can hold the Phantoms 1 & 2 with gimbals attached. The controller cut out is made to fit the standard controller, aftermarket ones may not fit. The Vision copter itself will fit in the foam but controllers with phone and wifi extender brackets attached won’t fit. I’m not sure if Action Xsories will make a custom bag to cater for the Vision controllers at this time.
Foam durability?
The foam is very thick and dense. The compartments are all either (laser or water cut) to fit your phantom and accessories nice and snug. So far from my few weeks of use, the only concern I can see where the foam might get messed up is where the 4 straps are connected to the bag. As you tighten the straps, it compresses the foam quite a bit.
Can I fit my FPV in the foam?
Unfortunately, there is no foam cut out area for your fpv monitor. This became a bit of a hassle and concern as I had to now put my 8in monitor loosely into the outer pockets. I definitely would have liked to see the slot where the Phantom 2 battery charger goes used to hold a monitor instead. The foam in this backpack is really designed to hold the basics with minimal to no room for foam customizing. I tried cutting the foam to fit my monitor and ran into all sorts of problems. The foam is very hard so cutting through it with an xacto became a huge task. Also the controller compartment is made to hold only the factory remote. If you have any brackets or mounts, they will most likely not fit.
Who is this bag made for and a few suggestions I would like to see done with future updates:
This backpack is definitely well built, but who is it for? I feel like this bag is a great fit for the basic flyer with minimal upgrades. There’s not a lot of foam to expand out for upgraded controllers or foam to hold and full FPV system like an 8in monitor or goggles with antennas without a lot of hacking to the foam battery compartment. Like I said before, the foam is very solid and is kind of a pain to try and cut up. It would have been nice to see the foam precut with the option to remove portions of foam to accommodate bigger remotes and or monitor and antenna systems.
CONCLUSION
Like I just mentioned above, I think at the price point at $169, this bag is perfect for the pilot that isn’t looking at expanding their crafts too soon or too much. The canvas of the bag is heavy duty and the aesthetics is pleasing. Although I think the foam cut outs could have been a lot more thought out, the foam is solid and precision cut to hold the factory products. The bag can hold a 13in laptop or tablet and accessories in the outer pockets.
This bag definitely has a place in the market. In my opinion, I feel that the GoProCases.com backpack is heavy duty and the foam is cut well to the beginner to advanced flyer and it can accommodate larger controllers, accessories and FPV systems. It’s also airline travel friendly and has many compartments and external pockets to hold a lot of accessories. GoProCases price range from $199-$259.
This ActionXsories bag is perfect for the beginner to intermediate flyer that wants to do basic upgrades but nothing to serious if they plan to fit it all in the foam areas. The outer zippers pockets can hold tablets, accessories and a monitor but offer minimal protection. I would like to have major components in the foam and all the cords, chargers and accessories on the outer pockets. The price point is also good right at that $150-175 range.
The DronePacks/Alpha Pack case at a price point of $199 in my opinion is way overpriced for the craftsmanship of the foam and bag itself. Everything is too loose and has too many separate pieces.
I know that there are many other Phantom backpack companies out there and would love to review their products as well to give our flyers a more in-depth review and real world experience write-ups. If you have a product you would like reviewed, please feel free to contact me.
Don’t forget, all theses comments are my opinion. I’m not an employee or any of these companies. I’m simply a consumer like you and wanted to share my experiences. Your opinion may vary but I hope this helps. I would like to hear any comments or questions. Thanks again.
Currently not released. Add to Amazon wish list here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00L5BWF2Y
All photos taken by Aldryn Estacio