We’ve all been there.  You show up to a crowded range, and with hope in your heart, you drag your rifle bag and whatever other bags you have your pistol and range gear stowed away in from the parking lot. When you arrive, you find that all rifle lanes are taken, and if your range is like mine, that means they’ll be occupied for hours. You now have a choice, continue to drag your rifle gear to the pistol range, or hike back to your car and stow it there, hoping you don’t lose the last remaining pistol lanes.

Elite Survival Systems heard our cries and attempted to solve them with the Stealth- Covert Operations Rifle Backpack. This modular pack is designed to carry a broken-down rifle or SBR, along with your range gear and a few pistols. An added benefit is the low-profile nature of the pack.  With no molle webbing or other tacticool features on the outside, it looks like an ordinary oversized backpack. This is especially useful for me as a Maryland resident, considering the anti-gun nature of the state often leads people to overreact.

When my bag arrived the first thing I noticed was the high level of padding on the bag. Backpacks are often built with the failure that once packed to capacity, you can feel all sorts of odds and ends poking you uncomfortably while wearing it. Not so with this bag. I took it out several times, packed with enough weapons and gear to weigh anywhere between 35-45lbs, and each time there was nothing but padded comfort for my backside. While I couldn’t take the pack for any extended hikes, I’m sure this pack would serve anyone well on a lengthy trek.

The main feature of the backpack is to carry a broken-down rifle easily. I was a little worried since often companies advertise this but seem to forget not everyone has a 14.5” AR or shorter. I have a 16” M&P15, fancy I know, and the bird-cage it came with is a bit longer than the norm. However, this pack proved up to the task.  It was tight but the upper fit without putting any strain on the seals when I zippered it closed. A feature I really enjoyed is that the rifle attachments are attached with Velcro, which means you can alter the layout for any set up you have, including the ability to adjust the straps to different points along the webbing. You can even remove the webbing altogether if you want to use that compartment for something else.

Another quality feature is how well padded the rifle compartment is. I know a lot of guys beat on their rifles and preach that their guns are only for work.  While I don’t have any safe queens or baby any guns that I own, I don’t like to abuse anything I spend my hard-earned money on. There was no worry with my rifle being damaged in this bag.  It was held securely in position throughout its entire use, and the padding protected it from any would-be damage.

The next compartment features a wall of molle webbing that allows you to attach any pouches or sleeves, in any configuration you desire. I used an old 3-mag carrier and accessory pouch I had lying around and used the open spaces to fit ammo and other range gear.  I even squeezed a Kel-Tec Sub 2000 into the mix. Elite Survival Systems also sells a wide variety of accessories to build the set up you want for your bag. While this gives you an almost limitless amount of choices, it does add a bit of expense to the bag as no additional items come with it.

There are two additional pockets, one in each of the previously mentioned compartments. The pocket in the rifle section of the bag is labeled as a rapid-access handgun compartment. It blends in with the bag so much that I often forgot it was there. The Velcro sealing this compartment was extremely strong, anything short of a firm pull failed to open it fully without more than one attempt. While unzippering the bag and then opening that sleeve to retrieve a handgun isn’t the fastest method out there, it’s far better than having your pistol buried at the bottom of the bag. The second pocket is a perforated sleeve inside the molle section. This proved to be extremely convenient for my wallet, range membership, and a few other small pieces of gear.

The third and smallest section of the bag proved to be a bit of a disappointment.  Although it was labeled as having an admin panel, perhaps my expectations were a bit unfair. It was set up similarly to most schoolbags, with a few slots for pens or pencils and a few additional pockets. While it did have a few more options and space than the average backpack, it didn’t keep with the style of the rest of the backpack. The rest of the pack was built for the range, almost overbuilt with how solid everything felt, and was clearly dedicated to firearms/tactical use. This last compartment seemed almost an afterthought, with little in it to show that this was a dedicated rifle bag. I used it to hold a sharpie, a compact pistol, and a few odds and ends. I would’ve liked to find a few pistol magazine sleeves in this section.

A few additional features on the outside are the waist strap with two small zippered pockets, one on each side. These would be perfect for extra ear pro, or even a few small snacks on a long hike. There are also pouches on each side for water bottles and compression straps on each side of the bag to keep it tight and secure. The carrying handle on top of the bag is also well-built. This has been a weak spot for bags I have used in the past. Picking up the bag too sharply by this handle when weighted down usually ends in the handle tearing away. I never had this issue with the bag.  Even when packed with 45lbs of gear, it gave no signs of wear.

Throughout my use with the backpack, it performed flawlessly. My first time packing for the range I laid everything out and didn’t think the bag could possibly fit it all. Short of the bolt gun I was bringing along, it fit everything and had room to spare. It also works perfectly as a covert rifle bag. I asked a few people what they thought was inside when fully loaded, and no one suggested a rifle. I don’t think I ever met the full carrying capacity of this bag.  Eventually I’d like to take it for an extended hike to see how well it works. Sadly, a herniated disc is preventing me from seeing the bags hiking potential, but I’m sure someday it’ll be a great asset hiking in the Pennsylvania mountains.

What I liked most about the bag was that I finally had a way to condense all my shooting gear into one bag. I rarely take more than one rifle to the range at a time, and it can be a bit cumbersome handling multiple bags for the trek from the parking lot to the range itself. This bag eliminated multiple bags and allowed me to organize my gear in a compact and accessible way. There were multiple times on the range where I had to go back into my bag for something. Instead of rifling through multiple bags, I merely had one with three organized compartments. It made things much simpler which allowed me to spend more time focusing on shooting. Retail: $224.95

• Lightweight nylon exterior provides a discreet, sports-pack style
• 500 denier nylon inside for maximum durability
• Entire main compartment is lined with velcro loop for complete customization
• Adjustable tie-down system and muzzle sleeve to secure weapon
• Quick-access handgun compartment
• Padded sides and bottom protect firearms
• Accessory compartment has both velcro and PALS webbing adding pouches
• Mesh pocket adds visibility for parts, etc.
• Front compartment has admin panel for paperwork, ID, keys, etc.
• S-shaped backpack straps, sternum strap, and molded carry handle
• Heavy-duty #10 covered zippers with quiet easy-pull tabs
• Removable waist strap with zippered pockets and quick-release buckle
• Vented back panel with lumbar support
• Adjustable compression straps
• Bottle pocket on both sides
• Weight: 4.375 lbs, Dims: 25″ x 12″ x 9″
• Patent pending

Fit/Functionality: 4/5- The zippers on the rifle compartment stuck at 2 spots consistently, and the admin compartment seemed misplaced on a rifle bag.

Weight: 5/5- The website lists the bag weight as 3.5lbs, clearly heavier than most backpacks but it is also clearly larger and not an ordinary backpack.

Durability: 5/5- Bag showed no signs of wear after over a month of constant range use.

Appearance: 5/5- There are three different color combinations, and all serve this pack’s purpose as a concealment rifle bag.

Cost: 3/5- This bag sells on Elite Survival System’s website for just under $230. Add in a few molle pouches and you’re easily over $300 for a rifle range bag. While the bag is of quality work, it is already expensive without adding pouches that I believe are necessary to utilize some of the bag’s key features.

Overall 22/25- The bag performs as it was designed well, it is however on the expensive end and I just could not fully come to terms with the admin pouch.

Material Disclosure

I received this product as a courtesy from the manufacturer via Spotter Up so I could test it and give my honest feedback. I am not bound by any written, verbal, or implied contract to give this product a good review. All opinions are my own and are based off my personal experience with the product.

*The views and opinions expressed on this website are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Spotter Up Magazine, the administrative staff, and/or any/all contributors to this site.