If you read QRPer regularly—or listen to the Ham Radio Workbench podcast—you probably know I’m a bit of a pack geek.
Okay… that’s a gross understatement.
I’m more of a quality-pack evangelist.
For many operators, a pack or field bag is just a way to transport gear—an afterthought. But for me? It’s one of the most important parts of the kit. In some cases, I’ve spent more on the bag than the radio it carries.
Why? Because I believe a well-built pack should last a lifetime—ideally long enough to pass down to my kids. I never want to worry about a zipper failing me on a summit descent, or a strap breaking in the backcountry. To me, a good field pack is mission-critical.
That’s why I don’t mind paying more for bags that are overbuilt and made to last—especially when they’re made here in North America, where it’s still possible to produce high-quality gear locally with skilled labor and fair, living wages. In fact, if I lived in Germany, France, Japan, or anywhere else, I’d try to support local makers too—especially in categories like packs and bags that don’t rely heavily on global supply chains the way our beloved electronics do.
Red Oxx Fan Here
One company that consistently exceeds my expectations is Red Oxx, based in Billings, Montana.
Their customer service is second to none.
I’ve been buying Red Oxx gear for over a decade, and I’ve been impressed not just with the thoughtful designs and rock-solid construction, but also with their No Bull lifetime warranty. If a Red Oxx bag ever fails you—for any reason—they’ll repair or replace it. No caveats, no hoops to jump through. Even if you bought it secondhand–they don’t need or want the original receipt–they know their own bags.
It’s not a marketing gimmick—it works because they over-engineer their gear from the start. They expect it to last.
Recently, Red Oxx launched a new video series on YouTube, showing how they make some of their most popular bags—and how you could make them too. So far, they’ve started with simpler designs like the Aviator Kit Bag and the Lil Roy.
As someone who appreciates craftsmanship, I’ve been blown away by the attention to detail and the way each component is purpose-built. Even the stitching is layered with redundancy—if one line fails, there’s another ready to hold.
Here’s their first video, showing how they make the Aviator Kit bag:
Here’s the second video, showing how they make their Lil Roy EDC pack:
Click here to bookmark the playlist for this series.
Thanks for indulging me on this little gear tangent. I’m not on Red Oxx’s payroll—I’m just a long-time, happy customer who genuinely appreciates what they do. I even keep in touch with their team from time to time because I admire their ethos and craftsmanship.
If you’ve got a company in your part of the world that builds gear with this same kind of care and commitment to quality, I’d love to hear about it in the comments. Always happy to discover and support makers who choose quality over quantity.
Nice bags. A shame they don’t make a backpack for Amateur radio gear that would hold a KX3 or an IC705.
I wish they had a smaller backpack in terms of carrying capacity, but one that is larger than their Kat Pack and with more organization. I know they’re always thinking through new designs, so you might drop them a line sometime and let them know what you’d like to see.
Thank you, Tom. I, too, am a pack geek and typically get my stuff from Hill People Gear, a long-time family business in Grand Junction, Colorado begun by two brothers who are former fire-jumpers. I’ve had my eye on Red Oxx for quite awhile and am thinking of getting POTA/SOTA-worthy subpacks for each of my Elecraft KX2, Mountain Toppers, and for lab599 Discovery TX-500 systems, bags that I could throw into a larger backpack along with camping equipment or, perhaps, carry separately in urban settings. Any thoughts about where to begin in the Red Oxx lineup? Any favorites of yours beyond those you’ve posted in your writeup?
… continuing my previous post:
Here are links for the two smaller packs I have and find handy from Hill People Gear. By the way, their website community blog is very lively and often involves details of upcoming pack designs as well as a resale area.
Tarahumara (I use it for cycling, as well)
https://hillpeoplegear.com/Products/CategoryID/3/ProductID/8
Bookcliff (named after a local geologic formation)
https://hillpeoplegear.com/Products/CategoryID/3/ProductID/281
M2016
https://hillpeoplegear.com/Products/CategoryID/3/ProductID/68
My favorite of their EDC bags for radio gear is the Micro Manager. I have two I use regularly: one holds my TR-45L Skinny kit, and the other is housing my Elecraft KX3 and KX2 field kits.
I have a Gator in-bound, so I will see how well it might work as well–I like the exterior pockets on it and know some other hams who have them.
All of these bags are also padded, which I like.
The Hound is another I’ve used for field kits, too.
I need to also take a look at Hill People gear! Thank you!
Love this post. Looked into Red Oxx some time ago and have followed them since—great products. I also like—and chose as a more structured travel bag—Tom Bihn bags, made in Seattle. Also great attention to detail and design. Another bag I have for fishing but I have thought about as a radio bag is built by Steve Abel bags, also made in the US. Very well designed and made for life.
Yep: also a fan of Tom Bihn and have numerous packs and packs. I really like their HLT2.
I need to look up Steve Abel bags.
Thank you!
I just watched the video for the Lil Roy. Holy smokes, that bag must be bomb-proof. I’m looking for a slightly larger bag than my current EDC (a Mystery Ranch Urban Assault 21). I’ll have to browse their offerings!
I think almost all POTA/SOTA operators are into bags.
Thanks for sharing your view about buying radio accessories. Like they say, “…buy once, cry once.”
I try to keep a radio kit of everything I need together in one bag, which is not always possible with some large things, like antennas that need a separate bag or stuff that is too expensive to have more than one, like a good Lithium-Ion battery.