Chad Wallace

July 25, 2026

Gear, review

Mission First Achro 22 EDC Backpack

Chad Wallace

July 25, 2026

Gear, review

Mission First Tactical

Achro 22 EDC Backpack Review

There are a lot of off-body concealed carry options available these days. In certain circumstances, this type of carry might be your only option. Mission First Tactical (MFT) has a non descript looking Everyday Carry (EDC) backpack called the Achro EDC. This pack also has a separate, externally accessible, compartment for holding a pistol. Being able to have a normal looking EDC backpack can be a great advantage when carrying in certain locations.

The Achro EDC pack looks like something your kids might wear to school. I was sent the black color, but it comes in two other colors: Forest Night and Dark Lagoon. Having color options makes the pack even more discreet. Just because it is an EDC pack, does not mean that it is not functional without a pistol in it. The only, kind of, tactical look this backpack has is the laser cut MOLLE on the front storage pocket. Being that it is a 22 liter pack, it is not overly large, so it won’t look suspicious as to what it might be holding. No one is even going to suspect this pack is carrying anything but a laptop and your lunch.

On the front of the Achro pack are two compartments. The first is a large admin pocket. It probably takes up half of the front side. I call it an admin pocket because inside are places for pens, notepads, etc. There is also a small zippered pocket inside this admin pouch/pocket. Behind that, is just an open pocket for sliding stuff into. All of the zippers on the Achro are YKK’s. The external ones are even water resistant. Also on the front of the pack, at the top, is a zippered glasses compartment. Inside it is soft fabric to hopefully keep your glasses from scratching. Inside this compartment is also another zippered pouch for storing stuff in. That pretty much covers the front of the Achro.

The exterior of the Achro is constructed with durability in mind. MFT uses 1000D Kodra Carbonite. It looks to me like it is similar to 1000D cordura that has some sort of coating to keep it water tight. But what it is, is an abrasion resistant and weather proof exterior. This should give you plenty of years to abuse it without it falling apart.

The main storage of the Achro EDC backpack is pretty nice. You get dual zippers to open it up. It opens up completely so you can fold the front down and easily get to the stuff at the bottom. Inside the front section, the one that folds down, is a large zippered mesh pouch. On the back of the main compartment is the slightly padded laptop sleeve. It won’t hold a huge laptop, but it will hold a smaller one. On the front of the laptop sleeve is another open pouch. The inside of the Achro is pretty simple, but that is okay with me.

Now to the outside of the MFT Achro. There are stretchy mesh pockets on each side of the pack, they state these as water bottle holders, which they work fine as. You can also use them for other stuff. Around the back side are well padded shoulder straps. The back is also padded with a vent section running in an inverted “T”. This helps air to flow around the padding and maybe keep you cooler.

On each side of the Achro is a zipper. These zippers are for the EDC compartment. It is a passthrough compartment, so if both zippers are unzipped, you can reach through to the other side. This EDC compartment is about ⅔’s the height of the backpack. Meaning that it will hold most compact handguns like a G19 or similar. Inside, one side of the pouch has loop fabric. This is so the MFT multi mount can hook to it (think Velcro). The MFT multi mount is a triangle plastic piece that gives you the ability to mount holsters, or anything that goes on a belt, to it. So you can take a holster, mount it to the multi mount, and then position it inside the EDC pouch. It actually works pretty good.

Now to draw from the Achro EDC pack. The Achro does not let you have a super quick pistol draw, like a holster worn on your belt would. But, it is not as slow as expected. When wearing the pack, quickly slip it off and swing it around the front of you. Then you must unzip the EDC compartment. It has a zipper pull that works, but if you are using this with a pistol inside, I might recommend putting a larger zipper pull on it. Then you can draw your firearm. I practiced with it some, and it works, it is just not my preference.

There are a few things I would add or change to the MFT Achro pack, and some I would not. The size is perfect. Especially if you are using it for airline travel, please make sure there aren’t any firearm items inside it. It is made to fit under the seat in front of you as a personal item. I will probably make it my SHOT show pack. My biggest complaint is that it is not hydration compatible. Meaning it has no compartment or no hole for the water line to exit. The straps are a little stiff, but I figure that as I use it more, they will wear in. I really like the grayman aspect of the Achro as nobody realizes what kind of backpack it is. If you are wondering, the Achro will fit a small pistol caliber carbine, with a 30 round magazine, in its main compartment.

If you are looking for a discreet carry backpack, the Mission First Tactical Achro EDC might be worth looking into. I really liked the size and how it is pretty non-discreet looking. The Multi-Mount also worked really well for mounting a pistol inside the pack. Even if you are just looking for a regular backpack, go check out the Achro EDC.

Firearms Insider Reviews - Key Points

Claim to Fame:

EDC backpack with CCW access that doesn’t look tactical

Target Market:

Anyone who wants a ccw backpack that doesn’t look tactical

Features, Benefits, and Specifications of this product:

Low-Vis (Gray Man) design aesthetic
Dedicated and discreet firearm pocket
MFT Multi-Mount Platform included
Smart storage for vast array of EDC organizational options
Lighter colored WR (water resistant) ripstop liner to aid in interior visibility
YKK AquaGuard® zipper
Aluminum key clip
Weather and abrasion-resistant construction
Secure storage for 16” laptop or tablet
Premium padded back panel with ventilation channel
Fully adjustable, premium padded shoulder harness
Adjustable and removable sternum strap
Dual-stretch mesh exterior 32oz bottle storage pockets
Laser-cut MOLLE for additional gear attachment
Large panel-zip allows full access to main compartment
Internal zippered storage pockets
Front admin & cable storage
Fleece-lined sunglass pocket
Fits neatly under the seat in front of you (for flying)
22L Capacity, Approximate Dimensions: W(10”) x D(6.6”) x H(17.5”), 2.55 lbs

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Slick (no MOLLE) and some color options

What others are saying?:

Nothing found as of publishing

Our Rating:

Pros:

Laser cut MOLLE
Comfortable
Comes with velcro mount for holster attachment
Doesn’t look tactical

Cons:

Not the quickest access to firearms

Score: 7.50 Good

Favorite Link: Gforce Arms Rapture Review

Chad Wallace

July 4, 2020

Review

Tasmanian Tiger TAC Modular SW Pack 25

Chad Wallace

July 4, 2020

Review

Ever since Tasmanian Tiger products have been distributed in the USA, I have wanted to check some of their stuff out. Well, the time has come. I requested the TAC Modular SW pack 25 for review. This is from Tasmanian Tiger’s discreet line. So from the outside, it just looks like an everyday 25liter backpack.

When the TAC pack first showed up, I was really impressed with the quality. It is made from 700D Cordura , and is tough. I tried to scuff it up with a screwdriver. I couldn’t even tell where I had tried to fray it. 700D has the wear resistance of 1000D but the weight of 500D. It has 3 compartments, 2 of which have lockable YKK zippers. The 2 main compartments run the full depth of the bag. The 3rd is a smaller one that is on the top front, mainly made to hold pens, notebooks, glasses, and various smaller items. Of course the TAC pack has padded shoulder straps, a padded back, and even a padded removable hip strap.

Where the TAC pack really shines, is inside the 2 main compartments. The front one completely unzips and can be folded out for ease of access. On the front fold down piece, there is a zippered mesh pocket that takes up about a third of the flap. The other section of that flap has 2 loop strips to attach stuff. As you look inside this opened up pack, you will see a hook and loop padded divider. This divider has 4 strips of 2” wide loop fastening sewn to it. The inside, sides, are lined with a loop MOLLE panel. I really like the loop MOLLE panel because one can use it a multitude of ways, plus it is pretty stiff to support heavier items. Since I mentioned the padded divider, it is removable to allow the 2 main compartments to become 1.

The second main compartment, which I call the back, because it is the side that is against your back while wearing the pack, also fold down completely. There is no side MOLLE loop panels, unless the divider has been removed. Instead, the whole fold down panel has the loop backed MOLLE panel! The pack comes with a so called universal holster to attach to this. As with most anything called universal, it kind of sucks. So I took a Matchpoint panel, attached a real holster, and made my own. Tasmanian Tiger does mention the holster supplied is really only for transportation, but I think they should have just omitted including it. This compartment also has the pocket for the back support. The back support is a semi-molded plastic with an aluminum spine running down the middle. You can form this to your back pretty easily. In with the backer is also some closed cell foam for padding. Toward the top of this compartment, are slots, one on each side, to allow a bladder hose or wires to go through.

Time for the back area and straps. The part of the TAC pack that rests against your back is also padded. The padded panel is attached in a way that makes it so one can use it like a large pocket. Sliding something in from the top. It does have side openings at the bottom to allow the hip strap to be attached, so it isn’t a true pocket. The hip strap attached inside this “pocket” via hook and loop. The hip strap is padded, has large zippered pockets on each side, and is about 4” wide. The hip strap can hold an AR magazine in each pocket with room to spare. It is very comfortable, but I took it off because I am not carrying huge amounts of weight. The shoulder straps are about 3” wide and very well padded also. They have some curve to them so they won’t rub on your neck. As one would expect, they also have quick adjust straps on both the top and bottom for extra adjustability. An adjustable chest strap, with some elastic for give, helps to hold the pack firmly. The straps also have quick release buckles, in case you need to get the pack off quickly. Over these quick release buckles, is an elastic cover, that can be slid over to keep them from unclasping at the wrong time.

The outside of the pack is pretty generic. This is exactly like a discrete backpack should be. On each side is a pocket, that has loop inside it. The loop allows you to actually keep something attached inside it, like maybe some magazine carriers. It will hold a double mag AR pouch. There is a small single zippered pocket at the bottom front, then the top one mentioned earlier. Now all the way at the bottom, is a zipper. Inside this zipper is an orange panel. The panel is half covered in loop. It can be pulled out and attached to the pack. When attached, it can be used as an identifier by attaching patches to the loop panel or just as a signal. There is a tiny Tasmanian Tiger logo carefully hidden by one of the straps, this is the only noticeable feature, and most people won’t even see it. On the top and bottom sides, there are also some tabs to attach shock cord or paracord. Just a little something in case you might need to strap something else onto the pack. There is also a carry handle at the top of the pack. A pretty useful feature if you don’t want to hoist the bag onto a shoulder for short movements.

I have been using the TAC pack 25 for around 3 months now. It’s been loaded up with ammo and taken to the range as a range pack. I’ve thrown clothes in it for short trips. Basically I have done everything I could think of to this pack, short of dragging it behind a truck. It is the perfect size for travelling, It might even be small enough to count as a personal item on airlines. The comfort is amazing. Having an actual spine makes it useful for heavier items. It is a little narrow to fit my level 3A soft backpack insert into, but it can be crammed into it if needed. The MOLLE hook and loop panels are spectacular. It might be a little heavy for some, at 3.75lbs, but I didn’t think so. The way the compartment panels unzip and fold out, might make it a useful medical backpack.

I’m very pleased with the Tasmanian Tiger pack. It does everything I need. Plus, in today's climate, having a backpack that is discrete, is a huge plus. Nobody will look at it and think, “maybe he has a gun in there”, instead they will just go about their everyday business and pay you no mind. Go check out the TAC Modular SW pack 25 and see for yourself.