EVERGOODS MPL30 Backpack: Drive By / First Look

It’s been 18 months since I first saw sketches for EVERGOODS products. Jack Barley, freshly out from GORUCK cornered Carryology’s Managing Editor, Mike, at ORSM ’16 wearing a super early prototype and I just happened to be there. Dana Gleason and the Mystery Ranch booth were within arm’s reach, and as a young writer and pack enthusiast—well, I was a little star-struck.

Jack talked so passionately about the EVERGOODS project that he inspired us beyond description – we were 100% onboard. I’ve been stoked to see this come to life ever since.

I received my EVERGOODS MPL30 on January 2, so I’m calling this a drive by because I haven’t had enough time to really philosophize the bag, but I’ve seen enough to confirm your suspicions—this thing is slick.

Who It Suits

University students, globe trotters, weekend warriors: this is one of the nicest packs I’ve ever handled.

Who It Doesn’t

Shirt and tie, budget buyers—this isn’t your happily ever after. It’s a little aggressive for the conference room and the quality will cost you.

Specs from EVERGOODS

Weight: 3.1lbs (1406g)

Material:

• • Shell fabric: 420d HT nylon w PU coating
  • Lining: 420d HT nylon with PU coating
  • Shoulder pad foam: Zote EV50
  • Frame Sheet: HDPE
  • Aluminum stay: 7075 grade
  • Zippers: YKK #10RC and #8RC

Dimensions: 21 x 9 x 12in (58x23x30cm)

Pockets: 7

The Good 

Does it come in black?

We can start with the aesthetics. I dig the 420HT—it feels good in the hand, has the slightest sheen, and has held up well to the road salt, dust, and dirt over the last month.

Every line in the pack is athletic. The way the harness fits, the hip belt design, and the volume distribution make this an extremely comfortable bag. The way the silhouette rises up and away with the mass of it between your shoulders is art. I’ll also say that I was surprised by how rigid it is. I knew it had an HDPE frame sheet, but the addition of a 1075 aluminum stay really makes for a stiff back panel. It’s not faking the outdoor DNA.

The bottom three panels are all padded to protect your stuff and are slanted to drive that weight into your lumbar. That padding and design goes a long way in keeping a consistent silhouette, especially when compressing a half load.

“The way the harness fits, the hip belt design, and the volume distribution make this an extremely comfortable bag.”

The 3D pockets on the front panel are expertly drawn up together by Kevin Dee. Seriously, the guy’s a magician. The four-pocket design served as the main organization of the bag for me, and three of the four have their own volume, so you can compress the main load and still have space for your daily odds and ends. When fully compressed, the bag is mostly just pocket volume.

The 10mm YKK zippers are butter. The geometry of the front panel affords you the option to treat the bag as a top loader or go nuts and unzip the panel all the way. Day to day, I’m mostly using it like a top loader, but I admit, the ability to go full panel is nice.

The construction is awesome in general, but the attention to detail is what gets me. The embroidered logo is a nice touch, but I appreciate the functional aspects like the counter pulls for the zippers and the elastic keepers for the compression straps. The little things scream quality.

One last thing I think worth noting is EVERGOODS’ transparency: I say this twofold. Firstly, in EVERGOODS’ communication about their USA to overseas manufacturing transition. It’s a rough life out there for a Kickstarter campaign. I think EVERGOODS did as right by their customers as they could being transparent in their plans and offering a discount/refund when those plans changed. Secondly, EVERGOODS has done a great job of showcasing these bags inside and out on their website and social platforms. There really isn’t anything for me to expose in terms of photography or features. When you watch the product videos, you’re getting exactly what you see–no surprises.

The Not So Good

To be acutely critical, the waist belt and wings got in the way at times when donning the pack, though they’re breaking in nicely. At first, they tended to fold between the bag and my back and I’d have to manually place them just above my pelvis, but this is becoming less and less an issue. The hip belt itself stows nicely in the side pockets when you aren’t using it, so don’t fret about it dangling (I know you were).

“To be acutely critical, the waist belt and wings got in the way at times when donning the pack, though they’re breaking in nicely.”

There are going to be a few pack addicts out there replacing the zipper pulls. There isn’t anything wrong with them, but they could be more exciting.

The only thing I missed momentarily was the lack of an admin panel, but there are 7 pockets for me to figure my stuff out and that’s what DAKAs are for. I had the bag packed initially and I still hadn’t used two of the pockets.

Alternatives to Consider

When taking into consideration the styling, intended use, and quality of the MPL30, I struggle to pull a comparison. I could see myself using an Arc’teryx Brize 32 in a similar role, but the Brize doesn’t really compare as an EDC bag. I’m at a loss honestly—there are a lot of really good-looking EDC bags, but none of them could really hold a candle to the build and athleticism of the MPL30—maybe a Heimplanet Motion 25 with a hip belt?

Verdict

The MPL30 truly raises the bar on what I’ve come to expect from a crossover bag. For me, it’s challenged me to reconsider what an outdoor-worthy pack can look like. There will always be a place in my closet for a 30L technical trekking pack, but I’m not sure I need one anymore.

What makes this such a success is the total lack of compromise. User experience dictated every design choice in the MPL, and when you interface with it, everything just checks out.

Kevin and Jack already have two more bags in the oven…something about mountains and travel. I think. Keep your eyes peeled on their social for sneak peaks and information on the next launch.

– BUY THE MPL30 NOW –