The Hazard 4 Holmes Chest and Lumbar Sling Pack
This is my first review of a single strapped sling pack and for Hazard4.com. The Holmes chest and lumbar sling pack is exactly what the names says. It focuses the weight of the pack on the chest and lumbar area of your back to help reduce the strain of carrying a heavy pack. The Holmes comes in two colors, coyote (pictured) and black. It’s one of the many variations of tactical packs that Hazard 4 promotes through their online store. They are an industry leader in tactical gear giving you the best packs for hauling around your gear.
The first thing I noticed about the pack was how well made it was. Yes, you can get cheaper packs out there that will most likely get the job done – but right away I could tell this brand makes gear to last. They didn’t cut any corners in production. The Holmes is made from 1000D Cordura fabric and utilizes double and box stitching to ensure durability. The pack also sports a very strong carrying handle at the top of the bag that is box stitched to withstand heavy pack loads.
The Holmes features a very soft padded chest strap with military grade buckles accompanied with a locking feature on the front. There’s also a supporting strap that locks into place along your side to help stabilize the pack. The chest strap is made with mesh fabric to increase breathability and comfort. The back of the pack is also raised and contoured to reduce sweating. If you have fragile gear that you want to be protected, the Holmes comes with two side hard shell zippered compartments. It’s perfect for glasses or electronics.
The zippers are super quiet but sturdy and reinforced. The front of the pack has MOLLE webbing for you to attach additional small packs or gear if needed along with two small velcro areas for patches. The external size of the Holmes is 15″L x 8.7″W x 5.1″D. It can carry up to a 12″ tablet in the padded back pocket. I managed to fit my 13″ Macbook Pro with no problem at all. There are several organization pockets in the front compartment for storing small tools, pens and even weaponry gear and mags. You can see more of the inside by watching the video at the bottom of this article. The main compartment has an interior elastic pocket for your tablet if you wish to carry it there. I was able to fit a lot of gear inside the pack as you will see in the video.
Overall, I thought the Hazard 4 Holmes was probably the best constructed pack I’ve reviewed to date. The price does reflect that, but you get what you pay for in most cases. I really liked the color of it and the durability of the 1000D Cordura material. The hard shell side compartments are an added bonus in my opinion to help protect your most fragile gear. I would give this a definite thumbs up to anyone interested in a smaller compact tactical gear bag.
If you’re interested in learning more about the Hazard 4 Holmes, you can buy directly from their website or as usual, you can find it on Amazon.com and take advantage of free shipping if you have Amazon Prime.
