Remote Equipment Alpha 31 v2 Review
Remote Equipment launched their first bag, the original Alpha 31, on Kickstarter years ago. While not too many bags were produced (probably around 100), the Alpha gradually became a hit among the niche community of bag geeks. So much so that they were going for several hundred dollars on the secondhand market. We’ve reviewed their third bag, the Charlie 25, but we’ve been patiently waiting to try out the Alpha 31. After much anticipation, version 2 was released and we’ve put it to regular use over the last couple months. Now it’s review time!
Overview
The specs of the Alpha 31 L (expandable to 34 L) bag are covered at length on the product page and in many other reviews. Suffice it to say, I purchased the silver version made with UVX40 X-PAC on the exterior, VX42 X-PAC on the bottom, and VX07 as the lining, all fabrics from Dimension Polyant. It also comes in a more classic black which uses EPX600 from Challenge Sailcloth. Apart from the obvious difference in aesthetics, the silver version is supposedly lighter by about half a pound.
There is also a pretty artistic and highly produced User Manual.
Organization
Perhaps the organization feature that stands out the most when looking at the bag are the dual vertical pockets on the front. These have been informally referred to as “torpedo pockets” or “sausage pockets” for their orientation and proportions. Each pocket has a side Aquaguard zipper and its own volume that expands outward. That means even if the main compartment is fully packed out, you still have a good amount of usable space in these front pockets. One possible downside of the vertical pockets is that there’s no internal organization, so smaller loose items just sink to the bottom. I recommend using small pouches that can stack vertically to fill the space.
Also on the exterior are two stretchy water bottle pockets on the sides. They stay pretty flush to the pack when not used, but expand to accommodate even fat water bottles. One nice thing is that the bottom is somewhat pleated so there’s actually space for the bottom of your bottle to comfortably sit, rather than over-stretching the fabric. Like all elastic pockets though, the more you stretch them out the looser they will get, and I definitely see this happening on my Alpha even if it’s nowhere near the point of being too loose. This goes for any bag with water bottle pockets — avoid storing the bag with the side pockets occupied. However, even if they do stretch out, the side compression strap can still be used to cinch your bottle tight.
At the top there is a small zippered quick access pocket that leads to a mesh drop-in space that is visible inside the main compartment. I don’t love that it’s mesh because things like keys can get caught in it. I also don’t love that you can see the pocket space in the main compartment, though that’s more of an aesthetic preference. What is annoying about that though is when the bag is fully packed, the space for this quick access pocket gets really compressed. So anything you have inside is really hard to get out. Get ready for your fingers to be pinched.
The main compartment has a mesh zippered pocket along the entire interior of the front panel, as well as dual elastic sleeves for a laptop and tablet against the back wall. The mesh pocket, similar to the front torpedo pockets, is a tall pocket so items also tend to sink to the bottom. It’s still useful for sure, but I think I would’ve preferred two shorter pockets. The laptop sleeve can obviously stretch to accommodate various sizes and thicknesses, but one important trade-off is that it has no padding to separate it from other items in the main compartment. The concern is less about protection, and more about ease of access when the bag is fully packed out.
Access
Which is a great segue to this section on Access! There is an external side zipper that accesses the laptop sleeve in the main compartment. This is basically the only practical method of getting your laptop out of a fully packed bag. However, because it’s really not a separate/dedicated compartment, sliding the laptop in and out can be quite cumbersome when everything in the main compartment is squeezing it. In addition, the Aquaguard zipper is really, really stiff out of the box and takes many repeated opening/closing to break in. There is also a tendency for the internal X-Pac lining to get caught on the zipper, but this gets better when the sleeve is occupied and the bag takes on its shape under load.
One of the more distinctive characteristics of the Alpha 31 is that it has both a roll-top opening and front panel access to the main compartment. Some people avoid roll-top bags because the superior weather-proofing they provide often trades off with convenient access and usability. Often times the main compartment is a deep, cavernous bucket which isn’t great if you’re trying to reach something at the bottom. The Alpha 31 addresses this limitation by providing open access via the U-shaped zipper on the front panel. That means if the bag is lightly loaded (e.g., for everyday carry), you can keep the roll-top fully cinched and secured and access the bag using just the zippered openings.
While the panel opening is convenient, it does feels small and constraining compared to a full clam-shell backpack. The zippers don’t reach the bottom of the bag like they would on a full clam-shell, and of course the height of the panel doesn’t cover the entire height of the roll-top. As a result, when packing the bag for travel, I first loaded what I could via the front panel, closed it up, and had to load the rest from the roll-top opening. Not a big deal at all, and is sort of a cost to having a bag that is expandable.
It’s also worth noting that the front panel zipper has a really large rain flap, so I wouldn’t be worried about loss of water resistance due to this opening. When the bag is new, the zipper was quite stiff to operate. It definitely loosens up as it gets broken in, and at this point they run quite smoothly. Going around the corners still sometimes requires two hands, though the heavier the load to anchor the bag the easier it is to open/close with one hand.
When in transit, any items you need quick access to should probably go in the front torpedo pockets. The top quick access in my use was always too squished. It’s easier to get into the mesh pocket inside the front panel than it is to squeeze my hand in the quick access and try to find what I need.
Construction
I had never experienced UVX40 fabric before, but it feels very burly. It has a much more textured and gritty hand feel compared to Cordura nylon or VX and X fabrics. On a couple hikes I’ve lightly scraped it against rocks and trees, and there’s virtually no visible scuffing. This is probably the toughest feeling exterior fabric out of all the bags I own. In fact, the philosophy of the material selection is based on longevity and durability, and it’s printed on the tag inside the bag.
The bottom panel is a smooth VX42 and likewise quite durable and easy to wipe dirt and debris off of. I do wish there was a thin layer of padding for some protection when setting the bag down. I asked Remote Equipment if they ever considered this, and the response was they felt it is more of a marketing tool than making a difference in true protection. Let’s just say I still wish there was padding.
One thing I don’t quite like about the bottom is that the floor is angled rather than flat. This makes sitting the bag down more of a balancing act. In fact, it’s nigh impossible to get the bag to stand up on its own no matter how it’s packed.
The zippers, buckles, and webbing are all high quality components as you would expect from a $400+ bag. Honestly, after using so many bags with this caliber of hardware, anything cheaper feels, well, cheap.
The craftsmanship of the bag feels excellent. It’s precise, neat, and robust. I would be surprised if anything started to tear or become undone, even under reasonable and consistent stress. You could probably ruck with it, but alas, there’s no padding on the bottom so you’ll have to place the bag down delicately (yes, that was sass).
In-Field Usage
Travel
The single greatest quality of the Alpha 31 is that it’s versatile. I’ve used the Alpha mostly for travel, and having that extra roll-top expansion was incredibly useful. It was my one bag for a 4-day work and Disneyland trip.
This is definitely TMI, but I’m going to share anyways. The hotel toilet paper was causing my skin some discomfort so I had to get some Charmin Ultrasoft. And the minimum number of rolls in a pack is 4, even though I only needed like a small fraction of one roll for such a short trip. But I didn’t want to buy 4 rolls of premium toilet paper just to leave 90% of it behind. And that is the story of what was inside the fully expanded top portion of the Alpha 31.
It goes without saying, but the more you expand the roll-top, the taller the bag becomes. That becomes a consideration if you’re trying to pass the bag as a personal item. In my experience, at least with Southwest Airlines, I was still able to keep it under the seat in front of me on the plane. If you don’t use much of the roll-top, most of it fits under just fine.
If the roll-top expansion isn’t enough, the Alpha 31 also comes with removable gear ties to affix various items that don’t fit in the bag (e.g. sandals for the beach). The side compression straps can also double as external carry straps for a tripod or jacket. Near the bottom on the front face of the bag is a row of PALS webbing for attaching pouches if you need additional storage/organization. I’ve never used it, but some have reported that this helps the bag stand upright as an added bonus.
Comfort
Also obvious, but the more the bag is packed out and expanded to accommodate more stuff, the heavier it gets. With the roll-top fully occupied, the balance of the bag starts to get unwieldy since the straps are attached closer to the center of gravity. If you’re a shorter and lighter person, you’ll definitely notice the top-heaviness of the bag, especially since the bottom is more tapered.
The comfort level of the bag becomes even more crucial with such a full and bulky load. For me, the Alpha 31 harness is very supportive and effective in distributing weight across its wide and contoured shoulder straps. The load lifters and side compression straps are very, very helpful in cinching the load and keeping it high and tight against my back. I have seen others report that the harness feels very uncomfortable unless they slacken the load lifters, so I guess it’s quite dependent on how the bag fits your body shape.
The most distinctive feature of the harness is the “stepped” back panel. There are two thick and firm pads of foam that line up with your lower and upper back. The middle of your back has space to breathe. This construction definitely feels different than what most people are used to. Some people really dislike it, but for me, it’s something I don’t mind. The padding is not mesh or anything like that, so durability of the foam is prioritized over breathability.
For longer hikes, there is a pretty substantial detachable and padded waist belt. It uses the same foam as the back panel (I think), so it’s not a thick plush airmesh but a thinner and firmer foam that is curved to fit your hips. And boy, does it really do a great job at taking the load off your shoulders. I was really impressed with it. However, as with most padded hip belts, it adds more dangling straps to a bag that is already abundantly strappy.
Lastly, there’s a stiff frame sheet in the back panel that is removable via a Velcro flap from inside the main compartment.
Everyday Carry/Day Outings
The Alpha 31 can get surprisingly compact thanks to its side compression straps and roll-top compression. In EDC mode, you basically just use the front panel and side zippers to access the bag. It certainly works as an EDC bag that doesn’t look oversized like a travel bag would.
However, I don’t love using it for EDC because it just feels like too much bag (fabric, hardware, straps, etc) for what I’m carrying. And the fact that the bottom is not flat nor padded (yes I’m bringing that up again) also detracts from the experience. It does work better as a day hiking bag than a commute-to-office bag where the lack of padding and a flat bottom don’t matter as much. So yes, you can use the Alpha 31 for EDC if this is your one bag, but given the choice of all my bags, it is not the one I wanted to reach for for that purpose.
Aesthetics
This may be one of the limiting factors of the Alpha’s versatility. It very much looks like a technical, outdoorsy bag. It does not look like a “boardroom” bag, even in the all-black variant.
Contributing to this outdoorsy vibe is the myriad of straps that you may have seen in the photos so far — the straps to secure both sides of the roll-top, 4 compressions straps, shoulder strap webbing, sternum strap, trekking pole loops, and even the front grab handle. There’s basically no strap management system so if it bothers you, you’ll need to get some Velcro ties or other accessory to tidy everything up.
The silver UVX40 variant in particular has a distinct technical look. The ripstop grid creates very visible squares and stripes. For many people, like my wife, it just looks ugly. For me, I actually like the technical vibe, and prefer lighter colors when I’m hiking for visibility. I also find the general shape and silhouette of the bag very sleek-looking and refined.
For me, the biggest eye sore is actually the torpedo pockets. I don’t know why, but they just make me think of a very elongated butt. To be fair, it only looks this way if both pockets are pretty full.
Another point is that the bag does look quite different when the roll-top is expanded vs. not. In my opinion it looks better when partially expanded, as when it’s totally filled it looks a little awkward.
Summary
The Alpha 31 is a very versatile pack. True to Remote Equipment’s claim, it is a flexible, multi-access, and weatherproof backpack. It has a lot of features for trekking (harness system, shape, lash points and loops, hydration bladder ready), but also features for work and travel (laptop side access, organizational compartments). In my opinion, however, this versatility comes at a trade-off of not being the ideal bag for any given situation. For longer hikes, I’d prefer something with more ventilation and plusher foam. For travel, I’d prefer a full clamshell and less tapered shape for efficient arrangement of packing cubes. For everyday, I’d want something with fewer straps, and a flat, padded bottom. In other words, it’s like a jack of all trades, but master of none (though it is closest to being a master as a trekking pack).
At the time of this writing, the black variant is $399 and the silver is $499. So this is clearly an investment piece that is worth it if you want to own as few bags as possible and can actually see yourself using it for every situation. If you’re someone that already has bags you love for some situations, and are just looking at the Alpha 31 to supplement, it probably is not the best choice/value.
