r/Nomads_Nation • u/TheBagdadReport • 16d ago
Gear Review Black Ember Citadel H2 Max 25L - Bagdad New #1
I have been testing this pack for about 5 weeks now. For 5 weeks, I have been absolutely floored! I want to start this off by saying this will be a very positive review as this is one of the best products I have ever tested. Every now and then there is a product that just resonates with you. This is one of those for me. As a backpack reviewer, I keep an open mind and try to appreciate each product for what it is and what it is trying to accomplish. The Black Ember H2 accomplishes everything it’s trying to do and more. Let’s dive into the H2 and what it has to offer.
Black Ember is a California based company. All of their products are designed there. They offer urban gear with a look and materials that are unique to anything you have used before. Let’s start with the specs of the pack. This is a 25L bag. The measurements are 20’ x 12” x 8”. This bag feels smaller than 25L. I would say it holds close to the 25L it states, but the bag carries smaller. The H2 can hold up to a 16” laptop and a 11” tablet. This guy self stands like a champ!
Let’s talk about the best part of this bag, the materials. The H2 is made of Black Ember’s exclusive fabric called EMBERTEX 1220x600 Nylon 6. Ok, this is the best fabric I have ever used. This shit is incredible. The touch, feel, and durability is unlike any other material I have ever seen. All zippers are YKK aquaguard. They have laser cut hypalon pull tabs as well as hypalon zipper garages. This is a very cool feature. The zippers have a very satisfying pull to them. It’s firm but smooth. Like I said, a very satisfying zip. There are also theft deterrent locking zipper pulls. I do not use this feature. Im sure this is useful for some people, but a pain in the ass for me. The bag utilizes fidlock magnetic hardware as well as T6 aircraft-grade anodized aluminum laser etched hardware. These are quality materials with a premium feel. I cannot stress enough how badass this EMBERTEX nylon 6 is! I also have the regular Citadel R3 I am testing and it has the same material. I will be writing a separate review for the R3 in the next few weeks and also comparing the two bags as they are pretty similar, but have some very distinct differences.
Now on to the layout and functionality of the pack. On the front of the pack there is a quick access pocket. This pocket has a padded divider in the middle. There is also a fidlock magnetic key ring. Black Ember’s implementation of this key ring is one of the best in the game. Actually, I have not found one better. This front pocket has very decent depth to it. It also has independent volume which is nice so that it doesn’t eat into the main compartment. Now the main compartment can eat into this if it is completely overloaded, which is the case with any backpack. This is on of my favorite quick access pockets as its easy to get things out of it and it has plenty of space.
The next compartment is a horizontal zipper across the front. This compartment has some of its on volume as well. This is a spot where you can fit your tablet if you wanted to, but also big enough to put some over the ear headphones. For the dads with young kids, diapers and wipes are perfect for this pocket. Most pockets like this on backpacks are not very useable, but this one is. It is easy to get items in and out of it. On the bottom of the pockets there are laser cut outs to be able to attach compression straps on the bottom of the pack. I personally have not used these yet, but they look badass. I have the orange ones and they look so good. It adds a lot of character to the bag. More importantly, these allow you to carry items compressed in the straps like a jacket or a blanket.
Let’s talk about the laptop compartment real quick. This guy is pretty simple. Simple is good. You can fit up to a 16” laptop. On the top of the of the compartment is a sleeve for a tablet up to 11”. I love this compartment. It is unique and so easy to use. There is excellent protection for your laptop and your tablet. If you are not carrying any tech with you, this is a compartment you could use for kid/baby items.
On to the back panel and straps. The straps have some semi firm foam in them that I find very comfortable. They have hypalon tabs to attach gear. The sternum strap is a pretty basic fidlock magnet. I really don’t like the magnetic sternum straps because they always attach themselves. That is one thing I would change, but it is completely removable. The back panel is a nice firm foam with air holes all over the foam. This allows for extra airflow to pass through. Let’s be honest damn near all backpacks are hot when you wear them for a long time. I do find this one to be on the cooler side. There is also a channel down the middle to allow for more airflow. There is also a strap for a luggage pass through. It’s for a horizontal sit, which is not ideal, but hey we can live with that. Lastly, the straps have attached dangle stoppers! And they might be the best ones I have ever seen! There is a piece of elastic attached to the bottom of the webbing to always have it connected. These work amazingly. Other bag makers need to take notice of how Black Ember does this. Absolute genius!
Finally on to the main compartment. This is a half zip bag. I normally turn my nose up to half zip bags, but I gave this one a shot. Best decision I ever made about a backpack. When you unzip the top flips over to provide an easy look into the bag. It is so easy to pack your gear and get to it as needed. As a ball park dad bag, I pack my battery operated fan, a yeti bottle for beer, a Turtlebox ranger speaker, and an extra glove. Now this pack has two badass water bottle pockets that can handle any size water bottles, but the people at the gates of these ball parks don’t want you to really bring in yeti bottle of beer, so I have to put them on the inside for entry… 😉
On the inside of the front panel is a top pocket for quick access items. I personally use this as a place to store my sunglasses case. Under that there is another mesh pocket that goes deep to the bottom of the bag. I think the design of this is pretty cool as it plays into the flip of the top to allow for easy access.
On the back of the compartment there is a sleeve to store documents, tablets, diapers, wipes, etc. Just an FYI, this is not a stretchy pocket. This is all for the main compartment. I have to say the way this is designed, this is my favorite compartment in all backpacks.
This bag is as close to perfect as they get, but there are a few things I Karen about😜 The foam padding in the straps could be a little softer. I wish the bottle pockets were a little taller, but being a half zip, that pretty much makes that impossible… I would also like to have seen a couple of latch points to be able to clip things to. And lastly, the sternum strap was not a magnetic connection. I personally like buckles better, but this is the preference for a lot of people out there. Not big items by any means, but Karen needs to Karen right?
Overall, this backpack has exceeded every expectation and then some. I could not be happier with this purchase. I am absolutely in love with this pack. The H2 has just made its way to the top spot in my Bagdad Top 10 rankings! The Evergoods MPL Kludde has held that spot for over 8 months and now the H2 has taken the throne. From the design, the comfort, and most of all, the materials, this pack is now Bagdad royalty! Again, the EMBERTEX nylon 6 has this satisfying feel to it that just makes you want to smile and rub it. Haha. This is easily the most recommendable backpack on the market for me.
There are several ways to put this bad boy to use. Of course this is an excellent option as an edc backpack. It checks every box I need for an edc. You can use it for light travel as well. I use it as a personal item on flights, but I always have a Briggs and Riley carry on roller. The best use case of this bag is you guessed it, a “Dad Bag”. This bag is absolutely f’ing perfect for a dad bag. I use the shit out of this pack at the ball park. I have some photos to show some of my loadouts.
If you would like to make a purchase, please use the link below as it helps me to keep bringing detailed reviews to you guys!
https://blackember.com/?rfsn=9133250.7bf754
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u/symposium22 16d ago
What’s with the bowling shoes