As a gear reviewer, I try not to get too attached when I evaluate a pack, knife, or piece of kit. Often, you don’t get to carry your favorites because you’re already devoting that space to something new. I mean, how many backpacks can you reasonably carry at once?
The Eberlestock Switchblade is the rare exception to my rule about not playing favorites. I’ve had it since 2018, and it’s remained my go-to pack for the last 8 years and counting. It’s been my carry-on for every flight and comes along on hikes and road trips. It served as a stout commuter pack when I worked outside of my home, and logged what sometimes feels like a million miles at events like SHOT Show.
And it keeps showing up, ready for work, every single day. Though not the only pack I own, it is absolutely the one that gets the most travel time.
In short: The Switchblade pack from Eberlestock has been my ride-or-die EDC bag for more than a few years now. It’s traveled to several different states, gone camping, and been at my side through my day-to-day any time I’m away from the house. It does fairly well in all of those capacities, and has held up remarkably well — all without looking ridiculously tactical.
Specifications
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Padded straps and back for comfort
- Lots of built-in organizational capability
- Enough capacity for a weekend jaunt
- Padded straps and back for comfort
- Lots of built-in organizational capability
- Enough capacity for a weekend jaunt
Cons
- May be a bit large for EDC for some folks
Eberlestock Switchblade Pack Review
When I bought the Eberlestock Switchblade, I was looking for something larger than the messenger bags I’d been using for commuting to and from work. Back then, I worked two jobs. My primary full-time gig was as a private investigator. I was always lugging around stacks of court documents and such for various cases.
And in the background, I was slowly building a career as a writer. That meant a laptop and its accessories, along with reference materials and whatnot. On top of that, I’d been doing some traveling to trade shows and expos around the country. My ultimate goal was to find a pack that could handle it all.
After considerable research, I landed on the Switchblade from Eberlestock. It ticked a lot of boxes on my wish list: large enough to pack for a weekend trip without being unwieldy, plenty of internal organization, reasonably priced, and an appearance that sidestepped the “tacticool” label.
Exceptionally Rugged Construction
If you spend just a minute or two browsing the Eberlestock website, you’ll notice they tend to market to hardcore hunters along with the mission-centric tactical crowd. But I don’t really fall neatly into either of those categories.
Admittedly, the Switchblade is definitely tactical-adjacent; some features are specifically targeted for CCW (carrying a concealed weapon). However, the durability that’s baked into a pack with that sort of design also happens to benefit those of us outside the niche.
After 8 years of being kicked around dozens of flights, jostled through numerous trade shows, and all the time spent on my back navigating trail systems, the pack shows zero points of failure. Every zipper works as well as it did the day I got it, no stitches have pulled loose, and it shows no major wear marks anywhere.
That’s impressive.
Exterior Design Elements
At the top of the pack is a large zippered compartment with a full-width pocket inside. Along the front of this pocket sits an admin panel of sorts, with several different pockets and sleeves. Two larger pouches, one on each end, ostensibly accept firearm magazines.
I’ve found they work great for my power bank or stacks of 3×5 notecards. I use the larger back pocket mostly for my sunglasses case, first-aid kit, and other quick-access essentials.
On the front of the pack, tall, flat zippered pockets run down each side, along with another smaller, flat zippered pocket on the very front. All three of these work great for things like gloves, power banks, cords, or maps.
Also across the front and top of the pack are modified MOLLE loops. They’re thinner than normal MOLLE, and thus blend in more than traditional MOLLE straps would. If you like to add pouches and such to the pack, the loops are there. The pack also has a small section to adhere morale patches. Notably, the MOLLE loops are not available on all colors of this pack, so you can find a Switchblade without them if you wish.
Water bottle pouches with cinch cords, large enough for standard Nalgenes, flank either side of the pack. A hidden CCW compartment with magnetic closures rests along the back. Near the bottom is an open section to feed a hip belt through if the pack carries serious weight.
The pack’s top handle is thick and easy to grab from under an airline seat, not a flimsy strap of nylon webbing. Finally, the back and straps are heavily padded and feel great through several hours of wear.
Interior Organization
Accessing the inside of the pack is easy, as the front opens all the way to the bottom of the pack. Inside you’ll find (you guessed it) more MOLLE loops. The main compartment houses two large, deep pockets. The first has loop fields covering more MOLLE loops, sort of a two-fer when it comes to capabilities for adding aftermarket accessories. This first pocket is made from a stiff material and works great for tablets or small laptops.
Behind it is a larger pocket that’s designed for a hydration bladder. However, I’ve found it’s ideally suited for my primary laptop.
On the left side of the main compartment is a long pocket that runs nearly the entire height of the pack. It’s perfect for a collapsible umbrella or a larger fixed-blade knife, depending on what you have planned for the day. On the opposite side are smaller pockets situated in two sets, upper and lower.
The interior is lined with loop fabric so you can easily add sleeves, pockets, and pouches if you’re looking for additional organization. Otherwise, it’s just a large, empty space that’s great for bulky items like a spare jacket.
How I Use the Switchblade
Some items pretty much live in the Switchblade all year long, no matter what I’m doing:
- Sunglasses and case
- First-aid kit
- Pens and pencils
- Multitool
- Spare flashlight
- PWS Multipurpose Cloth
- Water bottle
- Paperback book, in case I need a boredom reliever
If I head out to work on product reviews for the afternoon, I’ll add my laptop, electronics kit, and notepad. More often than not, the pack will also carry the knives and other gear I’m evaluating.
Similarly, if I attend any sort of trade show or expo, the Switchblade makes an excellent companion while I walk the aisles. There’s plenty of room inside for samples and brochures, while also keeping my own paraphernalia well-organized and easy to find.
When I travel, the Switchblade serves as my carry-on. I keep at least one full change of clothes in it, just in case my luggage and I get separated. It also holds my Kindle, earbuds, and other airline necessities. Of course, prior to loading it, I triple-check every single pocket and pouch to make sure I don’t get any surprises at the TSA checkpoint and have to lose a pocket knife. That includes removing the multitool that typically resides in the top pouch of the pack.
The Switchblade also gets some field time now and again. This isn’t a pack that I would choose for multiday hiking adventures, at least not without adding a hip belt. But for shorter jaunts, it does the job nicely.
Suggestion for Improvement
One thing I wish the Switchblade had was a small pocket at the very top of the pack that could be used for sunglasses, lip balm, and other smaller items. While the zippered compartment currently there works well enough, it’s almost too big, and little items can feel lost.
The lack of such a pocket isn’t a deal-breaker by any means, but it would be very welcome if Eberlestock were to revisit the design for a V2 release down the road.
Who’s It For?
In the knife world, there is this concept of a one-tool option; one blade that can handle just about every task or chore. When it comes to backpacks, the Switchblade comes pretty close to filling that space. It’s not perfect for every backpack need or job, but it’s plenty good at most tasks to warrant a look.
It’s not cheap, but dividing the price tag by the time I’ve owned it, I’ve spent about $30 a year so far, and that price just keeps going down the longer I keep it in use. Not a bad investment at all.
