For six months I’ve hauled a pile of gear around the country in the Elite Survival Systems Range Roller bag. The truth is, a review of this bag that is just written with pictures added just wouldn’t really let you see what I’ve discovered rolling it loaded down with gear both indoors and out. So I made a video. Spoiler alert: I love this bag! The obvious question then is, “Would you?”
I always have a number of projects running simultaneously for SHWAT™. Sometimes they are related, sometimes not. Sometimes I have to travel in the pursuit of bringing you cool content, sometimes not. Sometimes I’m hunting, sometimes I’m not. Add to that a move to another time zone this year and an extended lapse between selling a house and buying a new one and you’ll understand why this crazy variety pack traveled with me all over during the last six months.
I load a ton of weight into the bag. Things like an ATN Thor thermal optic, a Trijicon ACOG, a pile of pistols, a .22 upper receiver, a bunch of mags, various ear and eye pro options, ammo, staple gun, DBAL for night vision, gloves, silencers, tools, shooting rest… Well, you get the idea. The bag itself weighs 11.68 pounds. My load for the last six months probably made for a 45 pound package in Range Roller bag, all fairly well organized.
The Range Roller is typical of what I’ve found in Elite Survival Systems gear. It has to be close to indestructible and its lifetime warranty covers the balance. Tough 1000 denier nylon construction and heavy-duty zippers are combined with an internal solid base and three inch diameter wheels. The bag rolls easily up and down steps and even over uneven outdoor terrain in the snow. I’m no seamstress, but the stitching looks strong and despite the abuse my Range Roller has endured, and not a seam has given way.
No surprise there, in part because I’ve been happily using Elite Survival Systems gear for years and know how good it is; in part because I recently learned the history of the company. It’s an All American story of a family business employing multiple generations that goes back thirty years to the Assault Systems brand. That’s a story by itself that perhaps I’ll share another day.
Back to the Range Roller bag… Unlike roller luggage you may be familiar with, the locking retractable handle isn’t the only way to pick the bag up. You can lift with the top loop handles, but even better, you have handles on each end for lifting. If the bag is heavy, this is the way to go. This is something you can see much better when watching the video. Like some of the roller luggage you are familiar with, the Range Roller bag can fit into many airline overhead bins as a carry on item, devoid of the good stuff of course.
I like keeping my gear organized so I can find what I need when I need it without a big hassle. I’m not quite as good at that as I’d like to be, but the Range Roller bag really does help. The main compartment has what Elite Survival Systems calls their Modular Attachment Divider (MAD) system. Half inch thick padding is formed into movable walls creating deep storage sections. The dividers attach to the main compartment through double Velcro tabs. I own other bags where these kinds of attachment points tend to give way with a full or overstuffed bag. Not this one. Despite the amount of stuff I’ve crammed into the bag, the MAD system hasn’t even hinted of moving.
There’s a lot more to be said about the Elite Range Roller bag, but it is best done in the video. I think you’ll be able answer the the question of whether you’d like it not when you’re done with the video. Have a favorite bag or question on this one? We’d like to know, so just use the comment section below and we’ll follow up.
