I do my best to avoid flying. I’m much more of a road trip person. Sometimes, seeing the country from 30,000 feet is my only option, though. I also have a family, which means that traveling involves bringing a ton of crap. Lately, I’ve been searching for luggage that can handle all of the above considerations. I was browsing the 5.11 Tactical website and realized they had a luggage section. Considering the performance I have experienced from their backpacks, I figured it was a good place to look for a durable travel companion. One thing led to another, and a Mission Ready 3.0 90L found its way onto my doorstep. 

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The 5.11 Mission Ready 3.0: Specifications

• Length: 28.75″
• Height: 13.0″
• Width: 15.875”
• Weight: 14 lbs.
• Compartments: 10
• Price: $285.00

Big Bag, Big Capabilities

When the Mission Ready 3.0 arrived, its size was immediately noted. The bag is bigger than any other that I own, which was kind of the point. It wasn’t unwieldy, however. The bag I got is black, which it appears is no longer available. Currently, the website lists only Ranger Green and Kangaroo. If I had to do it all over again, I probably would have chosen the Kangaroo just to differentiate it from other bags on the airport carousel.

The Mission Ready has a lot of compartments. There are three small pockets across the “front” of the bag. These are small in relation to the whole bag, but I’d normally call them medium. Each pocket has its own individual enhancement. The one on the left has a square loop panel for attaching patches. The one in the middle is bigger than the other two and features a briefcase carry handle. The pouch on the right has a four-slot MOLLE/hook and loop strip for attaching other accessories.

Along the backside of the bag is a long zippered pouch as well as another carry handle, loop square, and a clear, vinyl ID tag display.

The top of the bag has three main sections. On the very top is another clear vinyl pouch. This is attached to the middle section. Unzipping this section reveals another compartment, which can be unzipped to give you access to the main compartment. 

Unzipping the lockable YKK zippers to gain access to your main compartment reveals even MORE potential for organization. The main compartment is wide open for packing the majority of your items. 

From here, you have access to several other smaller sections. The underside of the lid has another soft, zippered pouch. If you want to keep your stuff from shifting around a lot, there’s an optional mesh divider built in. On the back panel of the main area is a mesh pocket. Opposite of this pocket, along the front end, is an identical pouch. The Mission Ready showed up just in time for two major trips. First up was a family trip.

The Missions

We’re a family of four, with two kids under five years old. That means we bring a lot of stuff when we travel. We took a weekend trip for a friend’s birthday this past December. Obviously, wives are going to wife, so she had her own bags. However, I was able to fit all of my clothes, as well as the kids’ clothes and extras in the Mission Ready with ease.

The real test was a month later. SHOT Show is taxing on not only our bodies and minds, but on our equipment, too. I’m still mad at the TSA for breaking my mouse and monitor last year. This year, I kept all of my computer gear with me and checked everything else. My packing list was as follows:

• Socks x 5
• Jeans x 2
• SureFire Stiletto Pro
• Keys
• Phone charger
• Small medical kit
• Shirts x 5
• Spare jacket
• Gloves
• Hat
• Ear pro
• Eye pro
• Toiletries
• Business card

There was still so much room left over. Even with room to spare, one of the benefits of the overall dimensions was the protection it provides to more sensitive items. Every year at SHOT, my friend Martin brings me a bottle from Slovakia, and I bring him something specific to Colorado. This year, I packed a bottle of blackberry whisky into my checked bag. By some sort of miracle, plus the protection of the Mission Ready, the bottle survived. The bag is equipped with wheels, as well as a collapsable drag handle. This is by no means new tech, but it makes pulling the bag around the airport much more convenient. I also used the carry handles to carry the bag like a briefcase. The handles felt strong, and I never worried about them ripping or tearing. Once I arrived at my room (no thanks to all of the road construction), the Mission Ready 3.0 lived at the foot of my bed, acting as a mobile dresser, keeping all of my things contained.

Mission Complete

I’d say that both of these missions were successful, and the Mission Ready 3.0 played a major role in that success. It’s good to know that I don’t have to be gentle with my things while wrangling two toddlers in Colorado or a photographer in Vegas.

The bag’s biggest strength can also be a weakness. The Mission Ready takes up almost the entire width of the trunk of my wife’s Subaru Forester. It’s big, but that’s kind of the point. For air travel, those omnidirectional wheels would be a great change. However, for rolling around town or even terrain, I think the wheels that are on there were a good choice.

If you’re looking for a good travel, utility, or work bag for the range, this is definitely an option to consider. With only two big trips under its belt, it’s still early. I don’t have much data on the reliability and durability of materials, zippers, and mechanisms. So far, though, it’s SO good. Take a look at the 5.11 website for all of the details. Make sure you follow them on all of their social pages for more. 5.11 Tactical can be found on Facebook, Instagram, X, Pinterest, and YouTube. Travel well!

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