Explorer MBP-30 Modular Backpack System Starter Pack

I was surprised to see such a lack of buzz on youtube about these newer bags aside from the generic "hey look at this new cool bag" by the bigger channels without any real testing or practical field use. So I'll try to provide a real product review for this bag as the overall system has really disappointed me.

For the Bag:
The biggest issue is that the main compartment is basically just a large open space with loop fabric on the walls. That sounds useful in theory, but GigaParts offers very few practical modular accessories beyond cases for a handful of specific radios. There are no meaningful options for things that aren't super specific radios or small bags of wires. There are no modular packs for antennas, coax, or batteries. The last version had a dedicated sleeve on the outside that worked perfect for storing bundles of coax. But now you just toss it onto the pile of things accumulating on the bottom of the bag?

The rigid construction sounds great on paper, but in practice it makes the bag surprisingly frustrating to open and close. The material does not flex enough around the zipper path, so the zippers constantly catch and bind instead of sliding smoothly. On each side, it usually takes three or four separate pulls to work past the snags, which makes getting into the bag far more cumbersome than it should be.

I bought this hoping to build an organized all-in-one portable radio pack, but instead I’m finding that I have to search for third-party pouches, modify other products with Velcro, or make my own inserts just to keep basic equipment in place.

Accessories:
The radio-specific accessories have been disappointing so far as well. I bought the FT-891 sleeve for my field radio (an FT-891). It's roughly three inches longer than the radio body and does not fit snugly around it either. The unit can move and flop around inside the sleeve- which is not what I expected from an accessory designed specifically for that model. Oddly enough, my unit actually feels more prone to damage in the sleeve.

I also held off on the laptop sleeve as the reviews on it made me hesitant to try it with my small field laptop. I'm far less confident it would work for my specific needs after I saw the fitment for the 891. Which makes the lack of broader modular options even harder to overlook. The system is already limited to a small selection of radio-specific inserts, and in my experience even those don't provide a secure, tailored fit.


The frustrating part is that this system has a lot of potential. The size is good, the construction feels solid, and the Velcro-lined interior could be genuinely useful if there were a broader ecosystem of compatible accessories. Right now, though, it feels less like a modular backpack system and more like a large empty bucket with velcro and straps.

For a somewhat mature product that has seen multiple iterations, I expected a much more complete, flexible, and better-fitted organization system.

If you’re on the fence, just buy it.
I don’t know what else to say.
It’s awesome for portable radio, and can make even the large “field” radios comfortable to carry. I don’t know if it’s advertised as such, but it can accept a hip belt in the back panel which helps a lot if you do a lot of walking.