Grey Ghost Gear manufactures tactical gear ranging from belts, bags, plate carriers, and even their own body armor. Though I’ve heard of the brand, I only recently had my first experience with them while testing out their Gypsy Bag. The design of the bag may seem a little peculiar for a tactical manufacturer, and the name of the bag certainly draws some reservations, but I can assure you that it’s for a good reason. The Gypsy Bag was designed with the needs of the everyday commuter and urbanite in mind. It is an everyday carry bag meant to help the wearer blend into the crowd but is still tough enough to be a proper go-bag. Lest you forget, you should be wary about drawing attention to yourself in case of a nearby threat: the Gypsy Bag has your back covered.
Specifications
Dimensions: 19 in. tall, 16 in. wide, and 4.5 in. deep
Main compartment: 17 in. tall, 4 in. deep and 15 in
Capacity: Approx. 1200 cu in /20 L
Material: Waxed canvas
Available colors: Field tan, olive, charcoal, black
-Stretch mesh pockets and pouch
-Large loop panel stitched on inside back panel
Specifications courtesy of Grey Ghost Gear
What I like most about the Gypsy Bag is its assortment of zippered pockets and pouches. There is enough to organize all your gear methodically, but the bag isn’t riddled with so many extra compartments that you can begin to forget where you put things. The main compartment is accessible by opening the flap or by hidden zippers that run the full length of the bag on either side of the back panel. This allows all items inside the roomy main compartment to be easily accessible. The Gypsy Bag also features two rows of PALS webbing underneath the flap, two rows of PALS webbing on the bottom of the bag, and a large loop panel inside the main compartment; this is a bag that can be customized in a myriad of different ways. I have used this bag for my daily commute, for the range, and as a general everyday carry bag, which speaks to its versatility.
The Gypsy Bag is definitely a high-quality bag but there are a couple of things to gripe about. Though it is designed for the daily commuter, there isn’t a dedicated laptop sleeve or compartment. While the Gypsy Bag has enough room in its main compartment to accommodate a laptop among your other belongings, a padded compartment to keep your computer secure would have been a major perk. Secondly, the carrying handle for the bag is built into the straps itself. I would have preferred Grey Ghost to keep the carrying handle and the straps separate. The reason why is so it would have allowed for more strap adjustability. I noticed that the carrying handle got in the way of me tightening my straps if I wanted to wear the Gypsy Bag higher on my back. This isn’t a major issue but a tactical bag should be able to be adjusted in order to be worn securely and comfortably; the Gypsy Bag’s shortened strap adjustability might impede that for some wearers.
The Gypsy Bag is a practically designed bag that helps the wearer blend into the crowd, the bag is sturdily constructed, and it features PALS webbing and large loop panel in the main compartment. Plus the bag itself in all of its color variations is a good looking bag. The only real downside is its hefty price tag. At the time of writing this review, the Gypsy Bag has an MSRP of $225. However, if you love it enough to spend the money, you won’t be disappointed by Grey Ghost Gear.
All photos courtesy of the author, Matt Jin
