ORBITGear R101 ADV-VX Review

ORBITGear have proven to be one of the most reactive gear brands I've tested so far. Their design keeps evolving through continuous iteration that accurately balances both versatility and performance, all whilst maintaining a sleek look. I have noticed they really listen to customer feedback and improve on already great products, aiming for perfection. The R101 is my second backpack from Orbit; I reviewed the R103 model about a year ago and now have the chance to test an improved version from the same line. I'm pleased to see they have fixed most of the issues I pointed out in my last review, without decreasing the "bombproof"-ness of the pack in the slightest and instead have found neat solutions. The ORBITGear R101 ADV-VX "Nighthawk" still has the techwear taste of ultra adaptive, technical, military carry design—which will keep long-term fans of the Indonesian brand happy.

Design

Look

The ORBITGear R101 ADV-VX rings all my bells. I’m a sucker for techwear and tactical packs, and usually, ORBITGear perfectly fits the image I have about techwear gear. The external modularity, which enables the pack to be customized through ORBITGear’s external pouches, is still one of the main appealing points.

Construction

All around the pack, military-inspired daisy chains made of seat-belt webbing allow fastening of external modules like pouches, bottle holders, or multifunctional flapped pockets. The shoulder straps are very thick and extra-padded to deliver comfort when carrying heavier loads. The bottom of the pack feels built to last, with an extra piece of leather where the pack sits. The entire pack exterior acts as a shell for the internal waterproof liner which ensures your belongings are kept safe and dry.

Materials

The pack is crafted from premium materials from world-leading suppliers. The entire pack is made out of X-Pac sailcloth fabric, with an internal pocket in TPE tarp liner, and waterproofed in 210D PA liner. The bottom of the pack is genuine leather, a Fidlock magnetic buckle closes the access to the main compartments, and SP Quick Release is used for the sternum strap. You’ll also find YKK weatherproof zippers, PES webbing for compression and adjustment straps, and 6.6 PA bonded thread.

Features

The pack features a removable leather handle cover, flap or roll-top closure, a floating liner, and a floating dedicated laptop and tablet sleeve. It also offers a clamshell back-panel opening, a secure zippered pocket, and a luggage pass-through strap.

Performance

Space

I’ve been testing the ORBITGear R101 in an urban environment, mainly for daily commutes where I carry all my working gear such as a notebook, iPad, headphones, and a bag for all the chargers and cables, in addition to a change of clothes for the bouldering gym, my climbing shoes and a chalk bag. I’ve also used the pack as a camera bag for any occasion; the back access makes it perfect when tossing the bag on the ground to open it from behind to extract a lens. I’ve been able to fit my “padding boxes” containing two camera bodies, three lenses, and all the other photo equipment I need, plus some clothes such as a shell and a sweater.

Organization

The pack has a great organization system. The internal main compartment is very generous, to fit about 20-22L of gear. Inside the main compartment, you’ll find a laptop sleeve and a tablet sleeve. Both sleeves have a nice microfiber lining to protect your tech. The laptop sleeve fits laptops as large as 15″. Internally you also have two large zipped pockets, made out of transparent plastic. I find these two pockets perfect to contain SD cards and other “flattish” tech gear like HDs. I feel like ORBITGear is really tough around the various use cases for the pack, and one of these is definitely photographers. On the back panel, you’ll find a ghost pocket to contain a wallet and other valuables.

On the exterior, you’ll find two big front pockets, the upper one with a waterproof zip, containing another zipped pocket within. This large pocket can easily hold my 8″ iPad and my Kindle. The bottom pocket has its own volume and has a flap that is closed with a fastener buckle that OG uses a lot in the MODs pouch accessories. On the sides, you’ll find two roomy pockets, each extendable to fit a water bottle.

Comfort

As usual, ORBITGear packs are extremely comfortable on the shoulders, even when fully loaded with camera gear. I had no problem carrying around this backpack which feels like having armor on your back. The 2021 models are compatible with an accessory removable waist belt, but I’ve never found a real reason to attach this except for trying it for the sake of this review. I tend to wear my packs pretty high on my shoulders, which means the waist belt would fasten on my stomach. But I believe that for shorter people (note: I’m 175cm tall) it could be a useful addition.

Alternatives to Consider

ORBITGear can be placed in a well-defined niche with little overlap. But for the same size and similar features, I would consider GORUCK, Alpha One Niner, Mission Workshop, Mystery Ranch, and perhaps DSPTCH gear, although none of these brands has products that can compare to the number of features of the ORBITGear R101.

The Good

ORBITGear is globally recognized as a brand of great craftsmanship and attention to detail. This pack perfectly embodies those values through its bombproof construction and premium materials. It’s built to last for a long time. The internal organization is also pretty good and makes it a perfect EDC for people like me who constantly move around the city on a bicycle or via public transportation, giving me peace of mind regarding the security of my personal property. When adding external modules, this pack’s versatility reaches another level with nothing to envy from American-made brands.

Not So Good

To be acutely critical, this pack has some minor design flaws that I hope will be fixed in the next iteration. The closure is the first issue. When the pack is not fully loaded, the flap feels like it’s too long, and I believe the problem lies with the size of the buckles. Perhaps by using smaller-size buckles it would be possible to keep the pack well tucked, even when carrying few items. The roll top suffers from the same failing: the buckles are slightly too big and get in the way when rolling the top. It’s not a major issue, since it can be mitigated with careful folding—but in the long run, it might become bothersome. When utilizing the pack to its max capacity, this little awkwardness is definitely less noticeable.

Continuing with other buckle concerns: The side buckles are too bulky for a compression strap. I really wish they were the same size as the compression straps on the Remote Equipment Charlie. I also wish the overall webbing of the pack was thinner (weight would benefit from it). I have a long love/hate relationship with PVC liners. I once preferred bags with PVC liners that made them waterproof, but through the years I’ve noticed PVC belongs to a different era. The only real issue that somebody might have with this amazing backpack is its weight. And it mainly can be attributed to the liner. Nowadays a lot of brands using X-Pac find better, lighter solutions to waterproof their products (see Mission Workshop with their internal X-Pac coating). I think the ORBITGear R101 ADV-VX could be at least 300-400 grams lighter by using a similar solution.

Verdict

The ORBITGear R101 is a great pack and pushed me to reconsider what kind of features and versatility I’m looking for in an EDC. The quality is undoubted. For the price tag, this is an incredible piece of gear.

This article was written by Riccardo Parenti, Italian-born photographer and product designer living in Tokyo. You can check out his work here.