Review of the G Outdoors Medium Range Bag

I’m a big fan of G Outdoors products – I started out with the Rolling Range Bag in 2016.  I then tried the Rolling Handgunner Backpack in 2017.  I really liked the bags, but what I found is that their wheels really weren’t well suited for use on outdoor ranges – they were too small.  They just couldn’t well navigate the large gravel and mud found at many of the ranges I frequented, and I ended up usually putting them in my “tactical baby cart” that I often use when I shoot at matches, which has more suitable wheels.  So at the beginning of 2018, I began looking for new range bags from G Outdoors to use during the competition shooting I do.  At SHOT Show 2018, I got the chance to check out their new -for-2018 “M/L Range Bags” – and despite having one of the worst names I’ve seen in recent memory, I did like what the bags had to offer.  As the name suggests, the bag comes in a Medium and a Large size.

The models I ordered were the “Medium Range Bag” which I intended to use for pistol sports, and the “Large Range Bag” which I use for 3-Gun.   The two bags are virtually identical in how they’re set up with the various zipper pouches and compartments.  The Large Range Bag has a larger center interior compartment, which I need when I shoot 3-Gun which by definition necessitates three times the gear and ammo.  I ordered both bags in tan – the lightest color available.  Black bags with black interiors just make it harder to find what it is you’re searching for – lighter colors make the task easier.  Black also shows more dust and dirt which you tend to pick up a lot of on outdoor ranges.

I shoot pistol sports (USPSA, Steel Challenge) more than I do 3-Gun, so the Medium bag gets more use.  I often shoot a Monday night USPSA practice match at an indoor club, or a Tuesday night outlaw match at an indoor range – sometimes both in the same week.  So for those matches, I carry the bag in from the car.  The shoulder strap is both secure and comfortable and easily detaches with a clip.  I have a pistol bag in which I carry two SIG Sauer P320 X-Five handguns (one is a backup) that I clip to the range back with the shoulder strap.  There’s room inside the center compartment to put the gun bag, but I don’t for a couple of reasons:  First, it’s easy to visually confirm that I have the pistol bag with me, clipped to the outside of the bag.  Since having this setup I’ve never left to or from the range and not had my pistols with me.  Second, while the pistol bag would fit in the center compartment, it would take up a great deal of space.  I prefer to store other important items there like ammo, snacks, etc.

The bags are of excellent quality – extra strong stitching, zippers, and heavy duty construction are evident throughout.  One way G Outdoors tries to differentiate their range bags from the many competitors in the market is through their “Visual ID Storage System.”  Each of the compartments and cubby holes on G Outdoors range bags has an identifying tag sewn on to help identify what is kept in that area of the bag.  Unfortunately, the execution of the idea makes it only about half of a good solution.  Ideally, pockets or storage areas on the bag would have a black velcro attachment point, and the bag would come with a variety of identifying patch tags that could be attached at the velcro attachment points.  This would allow the user the freedom to use any of the storage areas on the bag in any way that works best for their needs.  The user is either forced to put items in the compartments which G Outdoors forces them to use due to the Visual ID tag they’ve placed on it, or ignore the tag altogether (which is what I do for the most part).  About the only ID tag which corresponds to the items I’ve placed in the compartment is the zipper pouch marked for hearing protection.  The compartment is actually large enough for two sets of ear pro (primary and back up) which I greatly appreciate.

Beyond the issue of the ID tags behind of questionable utility, I’m really quite pleased with these bags.  They neatly hold all the gear I need for the matches I shoot and hold up the abuse I put them through.  To give you an idea of how I distribute the gear these bags carry, I recorded a video on the ThruMyLens YouTube channel which illustrates: