While I have wandered the southwest, and meandered on either side of the border, it may be a stretch to consider myself a pistolero. But I do love shooting handguns, and the GPS Pistolero Backpack adds some organization and security to my handgunning. The Pistolero Backpack is designed for a handgun enthusiast headed to the range with a variety of pistols.
fitting handguns into the Pistolero was easy, here you can see my Ruger RXM, and the BCA Grizzly 9mm pistols
Inside the Pistolero
Five internal handgun storage cases with magazine storage
4 outside zippered pockets for mags and other accessories
Larger top storage for ammo
Free standing backpack
Visual ID storage system
Waterproof pullout cover
Each side pocket holds 6 mags. Total of 12 mags in both side pockets!
Internal frame for rigidity of the pack
MOLLE webbing system that is triple stitched
Carrying just about everything but your bulk ammo stash, the Pistolero keeps up to five handguns individually cased. While allowing you to keep all your other stuff in there too, with magazines storage pouches on either side, and personal protective equipment. The adjustable shoulder straps allow you to customize the fit while the various zippered pouches allow you to separate equipment. Many of the pouches are labeled if you need help with that, And there is even a pullout rain-fly to cover the pack in poor weather. Various surfaces on the pack also incorporate velcro for adding your favorite accessories (even if they are just goofy patches) as well as molle for attaching other accessories to the pack.
With room for up to five pistols, I figured it was worth a trip to the range. Each of the pistol pouches is padded and zippered to keep your guns safe. There is a separator between them to keep each pouch secure and upright. The pouches themselves are pretty simple, but provide ample protection, especially when in the backpack.
Average size handguns fit just fine in the pouches. I can even fit my 5-inch 2011 pistols in them, so anything smaller than that should fit easily. If you run big oversized red dots it might be a tight fit.
my Girsan 2311 fit nicely into the Pistolero’s pouches
The PPE pocket has a spot for ear plugs, and shooting glasses with a fuzzy lined pocket for the latter. I usually wear a headset, which fits nicely in the top pocket. The top pocket is supposedly for ammo, for which it will work I guess. But if I’m bringing five pistols to the range, I would likely have a separate ammo can. As the top pocket would probably fit around 6-7 boxes (50rnd) of 9mm, and thats barely over a box per pistol.
The magazine pouches are nice, giving you room to organize and store up to 12 magazines neatly. Obviously one of those could hold a suppressor instead if you’re that kinda guy.
At first I felt the Pistolero was a bit bulky because of its wide base. But after a few range trips, I can see it was made that way to make it a stable base to prevent it from tipping over. You can set it on a table or bench and work out of it much like a tool box. The padded pack is comfortable, and the smooth zippers don’t have that cheap catchy feel. And the material this pack is made of is more robust than expected, not that thin flimsy nylon but sturdy and rigid, giving the pack some structure.
The pistol bay in the bottom also incorporates a lockable zipper, in case your range is in the hood. Allowing you to put a small lock through the zipper, possibly more for keeping unwanted children away than actual thieves. On the bottom of the pack, you will find a rubberized bottom. This I found to be optimal, not only for resistance to wear. But also to keep dirt, snow or other debris from getting picked up and carried back into your vehicle or home.
My Recommendation
There is really very little to critique about this pack as long as you see it for what it is. The Pistolero is for transporting handguns to the range, it’s not meant for traditional backpack duties. I suppose you could fit a ham sandwich in one of the pistol cases, and it might even keep it cold for a minute. But this pack is meant for serious pistol shooters, or Pistolero’s as my father might have said.
You can pick this pack up at Palmetto or Midway USA for under $120, which makes it pretty accessible for a serious pistolero. I think it is worth that price, and it will certainly be accompanying me on my pistol outings henceforth. You’ve heard the saying about bringing a knife to a gunfight, but bringing a Pistolero like this to gunfight will certainly give you and edge.
As one who frequently talks about technology and the improvements it brings to our hunting activities, I am always looking for more. And today I am excited to present you with another fantastic addition to my hunting gear lineup. Eberlestock has long provided high quality backpacks, particularly high quality backpacks specifically designed for precision marksmen and hunters. Today I share with you my experience with the Eberlestock Just One Pack, a modular expandable design that promises to get you, all your gear, and your game comfortably back to civilization.
I am no stranger to Eberlesrtock packs, both myself and others in my hunting party have been using their products for years. I have always appreciated the robust manufacturing and high quality components they use in their products. I also have a smaller Eberlestock pack that I use as an EDC SBR transport, you can read more about that one here: the Eberlestock Cherry Bomb.
What Sets Eberlestock Apart
There are plenty of great backpack companies out there, and many of them make some great products. But if you’ve handled many of them, it doesn’t take long to figure out what makes Eberlestock packs better.
Materials used in constructing a backpack are very important. We’ve all had packs that are made from thin material that is easily ripped or snagged on thick brush. Eberlestock packs use a thicker material called Microsuede, a plush soft exterior with an almost fleecy feel. This makes them quieter when slipping through thickets, and the tougher underlayer gives them strength against abrasion. Another feather in the cap, is the popular patterns, colors, and camos that you can can get Eberlestock packs in.
High quality polymer buckles and strong zippers with tethers are normal with Eberlestock
High quality fasteners like buckles and zippers also make the Eberlestock packs stand out. Large and even oversized zippers that last much longer that those used by most manufacturers. Even when dirt, snow, blood, and other contaminants are added, these big zippers still close smoothly and quietly. Strong polymer buckles allow quick and easy connections on Eberlestock packs, they also make it fast to reconfigure your pack, and add or remove things to it.
The Eberlestock Just One
Features
Compatible with Hunt EMOD Packs and Duffels
Made of 500D Cordura (Solid) and Microsuede Finish (Camo)
Hydration System Compatible
Vertical and Horizontal Compression Straps
Floating Top Lid
Integrated Rifle Scabbard
Internal Aluminum Intex No Shelf Frame
Turnover Construction Shoulder Harness
Tri-Glide Pull Forward Hipbelt
Stretch Side Pockets
Specifications
Dimensions: 24”High x 13”Wide x 7.5”Deep
Total Volume Collapsed: 3580c.i. / 58.7L
Total Volume Expanded: 6500c.i. / 106.5L
Center Mesh Compartment Closed: 1080c.i. / 17.7L
Center Mesh Compartment Expanded: 4000c.i. / 65.5L
Weight: 6lb 6oz (Solid Colorways)
Weight: 7lbs (Camo Colorways)
The Eberlestock Just One pack has an incredible host of storage options, you can tell this pack was designed for the backcountry hunter type. Lets go over some of the main features of the pack.
the Rifle scabbard of the Eberlestock Just One rests against your back, riding on top of the rifle scabbard is the secure pocket for a hydration bladder
First and most obvious to the untrained eye, you’ll notice the curious scabbard that extends at the bottom of the pack. The scabbard lies at the very base of the pack, riding right against the users back. This keeps the weight of the rifle as close to your center of gravity as possible, and at the same time it keeps your rifle protected from the elements, and perhaps more importantly it keeps your hands free while hiking. Configured to keep the muzzle down, the end of the scabbard is heavily reinforced with tough material to protect your muzzle.
The pack is anchored to a lightweight aluminum frame, to which the front harness of the pack is attached. Thickly padded shoulder straps with full length adjustment buckles located within easy reach at the bottom. The shoulder strap anchor point is also adjustable, allowing you to raise or lower it to adjust your ride height. There is also a thick pad at the waistbelt area to comfortably transfer weight to your hips, the waistbelt itself is also comfortably padded.
tightening the waist belt
The waist buckle system uses a snatch-block-like design which I quite like, tightening the belt is done by pulling the tail from your hips forward, instead of pulling from your belt buckle out. The large padded wings of the waist belt have molle strips to allow you attach accessories like pouches or a holster. There is also an adjustable chest strap to keep the shoulder straps in place.
the dual vertical storage compartments have room for plenty
Moving to the storage compartments of the Just One Pack, there are two main compartments that open and close vertically using a zipper for closure. The large compartments will fit quite a few things, even a full size spotting scope or a large thermos. And if you are a thermos guy here is your reminder to get your colonoscopy scheduled.
The expanded storage compartment of the Eberlestock Just One pack, the mesh is ideal for allowing meat to cool
The two large storage compartments sandwich an even larger meat storage compartment. But in its compact configuration, the mesh material meat compartment is collapsed between the outer vertical storage compartments. And it is held so using another high quality zipper with two wide-band buckle-straps to either secure or compress the load.
There is another strong molle cover that comes from the bottom, this can either be used as a meat shelf while carrying the pack opened fully or used to compress gear in the closed configuration.
the drawstring cinch that encloses the largest compartment of the pack. Also note: mesh material to allow airflow to meat while packing out, and green inner pocket and bladder suspension clipHydration bladder installed
At the top of the pack is a floating lid, that can be extended or compressed depending on how you load the pack. The lid features a couple zipped storage compartments itself, big enough to store a whole days worth of snacks or whatever else you might want. The Just One Pack is compatible with hydration bladder systems, and also has some convenient stretch pockets on either side for things like water bottles.
The spacious lid of the pack has various soft pouches for carrying other items, they are lined with fleece as well to avoid making noise. There’s even a tether inside you can snap your keys to to avoid loosing them.
Setting Up the Just One Pack
There was a few things I wanted to add to the Just One pack, accessories based on my typical backcountry usage. Just so we understand each other I’ll explain most of what I do. I’m a big game hunter, varmint hunter, and anything else I can get my hands on. My favorite way to carry out these practices is in the remote mountain forests and deserts plains of the west. That might include hiking a few miles into alpine canyons in the spring to chase after Marmots, or chasing after elk in their winter grounds in late December. I never go anywhere without a rifle, and I like to have everything I need for a day or so worth of survival with me for these adventures.
For this reason I would add a couple different accessories to the Just one. For example, I almost always carry a suppressed 22 pistol when I’m in the back country. Whether it be for fun or for quickly dispatching close encounters with small game. So I wanted to add a holster to the waist belt. I also wanted to add a hydration bladder, even though I am not a big bladder kind of guy. I usually keep a water bottle or two in my pack, but because it it so easy to do I would try it here today. I would also use the Just One pack in conjunction with my Eberlestock Recon bino harness. Not just because they match, but because it is my favorite bino harness, you can read more about the Recon bino harness here.
My initial experiences with the Eberlestock Just One pack would take place in the cold of winter high in the Rocky Mountains. Carrying all my gear for the day was pretty easy, things like spotting scope and electronic predator call fit nicely in the broad pockets. I noticed that the pockets even have a bit of a stretch factor, to allow more room.
Putting my rifle into the Just One scabbard took a little more effort than I had anticipated. Adjusting the tension of certain straps and buckles certainly helped, and additionally the suppressor on the end of my barrel complicated it some as well. But once I had the rifle, and all my other gear loaded it was time to shoulder the pack.
The first thoughts as I started hiking through the snow, was how comfortable the pack felt. My current load was significantly less than the Just One pack would carry but it was incredibly comfortable. The added weight of a deer or heavy load of elk while welcome would certainly make it more cumbersome. But there is an impressive level of comfort in suffering through such a load.
Adjustments
With all my gear in tow, I found it expedient to adjust the ride of the pack. Setting the waist belt across the hips and cinching it down, and adjusting the shoulder straps for a comfortable ride.
The soft shoulder straps have a mesh covering, which will certainly help breathing when you are hot and sweaty. The same mesh seems to be incorporated to every surface that makes contact with your body. This was a nice feature not only for the breathing I mentioned, but also because it has a low friction feel so clothing doesn’t get captured and pulled as you move.
Shoulder straps are secured by a sternal strap incorporating the typical elastic tensioner. This keeps the shoulder straps from wandering off your shoulders and keeping comfort at a maximum. I also found it was a nice spot to capture my hydration tube and mouthpiece to avoid it swinging around and getting caught in brush.
the top anchor point of the shoulder straps can be adjusted up or down
I was quite happy with the placement of my Condor VT nylon holster, locating it on the belt of the Just One pack kept it out of the way but easily accessible. It was far enough back that it wasn’t getting snagged on brush or interfere with my swinging arms as I hiked, but it was also just a short reach to grab my pistol should I need it. The adjustable nature of the holster also made it nice to fit a variety of my pistols.
Pack Expansion
While I have yet to fill the Eberlestock Just One pack with any meat, I wanted to see how much room it offers. The main storage compartments zip together in the middle, and have two wide straps to secure whatever you load into them.
Once opened up, there is a surprising amount of additional space. Actually my back hurts thinking about how much elk I could fit into the expanded compartment, especially once taken off the bone. One the bonus side, I can think of many times I wish I would have had this pack for hauling meat out.
The cunning design of using the mesh material supported by robust nylon straps was a great touch. Its hard enough oftentimes to get game meat cooled down, and once you put it in your backpack it seems to capture whatever heat is left in your meat. Using mesh to line the compartment ensures that air can continue to cool and ventilate your trophy.
Pros and Cons
The pros of the Eberlestock Just One pack are bountiful. As I mentioned earlier, the high quality of Eberlestock products is quite obvious. Strong materials and fasteners make for great durability. The soft padding in all the right areas and the aforementioned mesh contact points provide maximum comfort particularly when loaded heavy. Plenty of storage for a hard day of hunting or a light overnight hunt considering you’ll be bringing most if not all of an animal out with you. All this while also giving you the comfortable option of carrying your rifle in the scabbard for hands free hiking.
having both hands free while hiking can come in handy
There must be some cons to this pack though right? Despite my great satisfaction, there are a couple things that I think I would change having used the pack for a while now. The main one has to do with the Just One pack’s signature feature, though I think its understandable. Whether the scabbard was designed for suppressor or not, it can be challenging to get the rifle in and out of the scabbard with a suppressor installed. Same goes for a bipod.
Some summertime hunting carrying the Browning X-Bolt 2 in the Just One Pack
The scabbard running right alongside the frame of the pack presents a little challenge of getting the a suppressor over the edges of the bottom of the frame. While it is much easier to get the rifle in and out without a suppressor, I still chose to leave it on vs. removing the suppressor every time I stowed it. The bipod could probably have been left on as well had I loosened up some of the lid straps on the pack. But I don’t like how snaggy Harris bipods can be, so it was easier to just remove it.
If shooting action is imminent, pulling the rifle from the scabbard is a good idea
This concern isn’t a big deal when you come to terms that it’s simply not going to be a fast operation to stow or remove your rifle from the pack. It is for long-term carrying of your rifle, so don’t plan on pulling out your rifle if you spot a fleeing buck. Removing the pack was necessary for me to get the rifle in or out of the scabbard.
My Conclusion
As these mountains begin to thaw, I am filled with excitement for my spring chucking adventures. The Eberlestock Just One pack will for sure come along, carrying my rifle, extra ammo, enough snacks to keep the kids and I satisfied, and enough gear to spend the day camping in the backcountry comfortably.
And no doubt I will also bring the pack along next fall, to help pack out both deer and elk from the recesses of these same mountains. The Eberlestock Just One pack is optimized for guys like me who might just be carrying a day or two’s worth of varmint gear, or who might be boning out a whole elk to carry back to civilization. If you find yourself in that same kind of place, rest assured that the Just One pack will get you there comfortably.
-CBM
2025 Update:
After a year of hauling gear around in this pack I can say I like it even more. I packed out several quartered deer this past season, and carried camping gear, food, photography equipment and more. I still stand behind my comfort statement, this pack makes heavy hauling in rough country as pleasant as it can be.
There comes a time in a guys life, where he has to choose between a couple different ways of living. Whether its gym membership or a hiking regiment we make choices that effect our future activities. While many of these choices are about the mundane and everyday tasks we engage in, some of them can be life-changing, like whether we carry a gun, or a pocketknife.
You clicked on a backpack article right? Well the Eberlestock Cherry Bomb is in fact the subject of this article, but we are going to talk about how a backpack choice can effect your life.
Eberlestock is well known for making top-quality backpacks and other outdoor gear. While their products are probably most popular among outdoor types like hunters and backcountry hikers, they are also quite popular with just plain gun folk. I first heard of them years ago when my brother bought one of their Gunslinger backpacks, so when the time came for this project, my eyes turned toward Eberlestock.
Carrying a gun is a big deal that hopefully everybody takes with extreme responsibility, but there are many who take it to the next level. Your reasons might be professional such as public service or private security, or you might just work in the firearms industry or play with a lot of guns. On a day to day basis, a person not unlike myself might usually have a pistol and a rifle or two. One of those weapons should be ready to party at any given minute, and as a superior option to a handgun I would prefer the rifle. I wanted to see if the Cherry Bomb pack from Eberlestock would be suitable for an every-day carry backpack.
Having a rifle close and ready can certainly provide you with the upper hand should you need it, so after doing some measuring and research I decided to get a Cherry Bomb for my Desert Tech MDRX Micron.
The Cherry Bomb
The Cherry Bomb is a multiple compartment backpack that could easily be mistaken for a nice laptop carrier. It has an internal space of twenty-four inches by eleven inches wide, and has several dividers for storing assorted organized “things” inside. The pack comes with a removable waist-belt should you choose to use it, and it is available in a few different color schemes which don’t scream “Gun Inside”. The shoulder-straps are well padded and adjustable to fit most anyone, I chose to remove the waist-belt mainly because I don’t need it for carrying it on a daily routine.
Like all Eberlestock packs it is extremely well built, strong stitching and tough seams and zippers make it very robust and reliable to open and keep closed. There are two small zippered compartments at the bottom on each side, as well as a cunningly placed rainfly stowed in the very bottom. The interior of the pack has several dividers for keeping things like laptops from getting rubbed against your rifle. It also has some internal pockets for keeping small things like those you’d keep in your pants-pocket, but you have a backpack now. Next to the rigid weapon compartment there are also two pockets that are just right for holding extra magazines, complete with bungee retention.
The Grey man
I wont bore you with the grey man theory but to mention that the Cherry Bomb is a good start to your grey man kit. As I mentioned above it could easily be mistaken for a computer carrier or biking backpack. Carrying a concealed rifle around is easy with this pack, and you can do it with comfort and without attracting attention.
Stowing my rifle
Opening up the Cherry Bomb for the first time, I was excited to see if my measurements had been correct. I had my short-barreled MDRX ready to load up, and I was excited to see that not only would the rifle fit, but even with a shorty suppressor installed I could just squeeze it in. With a low profile red dot installed on the rifle, and a loaded 20 round magazine, the MDRX Micron SBR dropped right in. I stuck two additional thirty-round magazinesinto the pockets, as well as some other things that go well with a little rifle and zipped it up. The pack features zipper pull-tabs, and they are built well just like everything else. I zipped them both up to the middle-top of the pack, and decided to go for a walk. With a couple water bottles added to the outer pocket, I figure it probably weighed around fifteen pounds with all my gear comfortably stowed. The Cherry Bomb could easily carry much more weight comfortably, especially if you use the waist belt. Using only the shoulder straps for support I found it to be quite tolerable, and without the waist-belt it was still easy to maneuver and quickly remove the pack.
Just as important, I wanted to see how quickly I could pull my rifle from the bag, and be ready to shoot should such a need arise.
With both zipper-pulls at the top, I found it easy to “peel” the pack open like a banana, and the rifle was easily extracted by either pulling at the butt-hook of the stock, or just grabbing the sling and pulling it out. I also tried slinging the pack off of the shoulders and around the front using the waist-belt to keep my entire kit attached, which also worked out as a suitable option. After a little practice, either way I did it made for a fairly quick deployment. This is where the benefits of the bullpup MDRX were most apparent, most AR15 and similar SBR’s need either a folding stock, or be of the collapsible type. This requires an additional step upon removing the rifle from the bag, but my little Micron is ready to go with a slap of the charging handles as soon as its free.
The Cherry Bomb (center bottom) is a perfect fit for stashing your SBR
The Cherry bomb quickly became a briefcase for me, traveling to and from the office with me every day. Easily stored documents and other everyday items were also stashed inside. To be completely honest, it almost seemed like a little bit of light duty for the Cherry Bomb. But the opportunity to put it into another role would soon arrive.
The Hunt
With the local deer and elk hunts inbound, I saw the opportunity to test a couple things using the Cherry Bomb. I have backpacks all over, but my wife would be coming along on this hunting trip as well. I figured the comfy straps of the little Eberlestock might make her day a little more pleasant. So as opening day arrived, I cinched the shoulder straps way down to fit her petite shoulders and replaced the waist belt. We were only planning on being out for the day, with hopes of getting our hands on an elk. But because anything can happen, she loaded up the Cherry Bomb with all kinds of gear.
She wanted her thermos of hot tea, water bottles, plenty of snacks, extra jacket, knives, ammo for her rifle, and of course an emergency shit-kit and so on. All the things she thought we may need fit snugly into the little pack, and she slung her rifle over the shoulder strap.
Its a good thing she went prepared that morning, as she was seconds away from plugging her first elk. But instead we ended up packing out a deer, and by the time we made it back to the vehicles we had exhausted the snacks, water, and even the tea. They were replaced by a rifle and some backstraps. All the while I kept asking her how she liked the pack, and if she was comfortable. It was quite apparent from her attitude that the pack was indeed comfortable, and I had to wrestle it from her the following weekend to take it hunting myself.
Results
Part of the reason I went with the Eberlestock from the beginning was because I was confident I would like it. With their well known reputation for quality, my assumption that they would think it through was correct. The Cherry Bomb is an excellent backpack, whether you are using it to stow your daily rifle, as something to carry your daily effects to work, or to haul pieces of game from the bottom of a steep canyon draw. It’s adaptability to a variety of uses is perhaps it’s strongest point. I love carrying it wherever I go, knowing that readiness waits inside the Cherry Bomb.
I frequently get the chance to check out some cool new gear, and this is about just such a thing. Elornis Industry is a manufacturer in the Czech Republic, they make steel targets, hardware, textiles, Kydex, and many other great products for shooters. I managed to get my hands on one of their BackPack/ Drag bags, and I was very impressed.
The rifle case
The bag is a smaller one, for carbines and bullpups like my Desert Tech SRS. It serves as either a simple soft case for transporting your rifle to the range, or as a backpack to carry the rifle and accessories all over creation. It also works as a traditional snipers drag bag, to tow a marksman’s kit safely.
First I must say, the quality of Elornis Industry products is second to none. Quality materials, stitched firmly with good quality fasteners present a top notch case. The extra large zippers used in the case are smooth and strong, almost feels like you could zip a finger up in them.
The backpack straps are well padded, and adjust to fit the user. They also can be stowed inside the pack if not used as a backpack, as can the waist belt and chest strap.
There are additional storage compartments both inside and outside the case. Allowing for gear organization, there are even different colored zipper tabs to help distinguish. Inside the case, there are three zippered pouches made of mesh. On the back outside of the pack there are also three pouches accessed by opening the three way zipper.
The rifle compartment itself has a soft interior lining, a couple straps can be added to help support and stabilize the rifle inside.
The pack also has a built in rainfly that deploys from the top. It fits over the pack with a small bungee around its circumference to keep it tight.
Other handy little things like well positioned handles for carrying, velcro strip for adding patches (you know the ones, so that everybody at the range knows your blood type), these features round this pack out as just a great bag. I think it is ideal for a full day deployment for something like a shooting match, or a day chasing rock chucks in the Rockies.
Conclusion
If Elornis Industry makes all their products like they did this one, then I need to order more of them. Definitely intuitive products built for shooters by shooters.
