NOTE: THE FOLLOWING REVIEW IS COPYRIGHT 2011 BY HondaGunner.com - James Bell Jr.
ALL RIGHTS ARE RESERVED.
American Trails Venture
391 E 300 N
Morgan, UT 84050
801-829-0687 [VOICE]
801-829-6014 [FAX]
http://www.americantrailsbags.com
I love living in Utah. I can leave the house and be on a great set of ATV trails in about 20 minutes or less. I can leave the house and get to a good, safe place to shoot in about 15 minutes. With the proliferation of outdoor recreation areas, I don't think it can be beaten.
With all of the trails we have here, it makes sense that we have a lot of great manufacturers based here. American Trails is just one of those. When we started looking at ATV bags, they were one of the first we checked out. Over the last two years we have looked at a variety of bags and cases from a number of companies. Overall, the bags from American Trails came through better than anything else - and you can tell that they really thought their product line through.
To start with, American Trails doesn't use zippers. Anyone that has ridden on a trail knows that you get into a lot of dust, dirt, and mud. These things serve to mess up zippers over time. American Trails overcame the need to use zippers by integrating a magnetic strip into the edges of their openings, and then using folding closures secured with straps and quick-release buckles. The magnet holds the ends of the openings together, and the folding closure pretty much guarantees a clean seal.
They also feature an extremely flexible attachment system. Quick-release buckles on all sides (6 on each of the main bags) - combined with very long straps - allow them to attach to pretty much any ATV.
Two straps with quick-release buckles on the back
One strap with quick-release buckle on each side
Two straps with quick-release buckles on the front - one behind each of the satellite pouches
You can attach them and snug them down very quickly. They hold tight, but can be quickly removed via those quick-release buckles. You can take a bag off in less than 20 seconds, and mount it in under a minute. While we tested them primarily on our Honda TRX-420FE machines, we also tried them on some Polaris and other machines. Even with the Polaris rack system, we were able to attach them with no problems. I was impressed.
We tested a selection of their bags both on our Honda TRX-420FE machines, and by hand. We gave them some rough treatment - some far more unintentional than we ever planned. We had a set of these on an ATV when it tipped over - rear coming over the front. All of the compartments stayed sealed and as clean as when we started the day, and the bags themselves suffered no damage. As an extra benefit, being soft-sided and well-padded cases - they protected not only the contents of the bags, but also the ATV and the rider. They actually cushioned the rider from the ATV coming over on top of them. The ATV ended up with a couple of small scratches on the front of the rack where it hit the ground, but no other damage or scratches. I can't give the bags from American Trails a more glowing endorsement than that.
Let me give you an overview of the configuration that I'm recommending. As you know, I tend to look at things from the standpoint of Search and Rescue and Emergency Communications. Being able to carry first-responder supplies, recovery gear, and tools is very important - as is the need to keep those items organized and accessable. The configuration I am recommending is based on this - your needs may be a little different. The good thing is that American Trails has bags to mee just about any need. .
To start with, right up front on our Honda TRX-420FE is their Front Rifle Bag. We looked at a bunch of different bags, and I was originally leaning towards recommending something a bit shorter - for more ease in seeing right in front of the tires on your ATV. This one blocks that view, but you can still clearly see the trail in front of you.
Start with a large main compartment measuring 26 1/2" x 9" x 9". That will hold a ton of gear. It has their magnetic seals along the entire length, and it really does keep out dust, mud, and everything else. Along with the magnetic seals, the lid closes with one quick-release buckle - in the center facing the rider. The compartment is well padded, and includes two removeable, adjustable interior dividers.
Then you add the two removable 8" x 5" x 5 1/2" "satellite" pouches. These face the rider, and feature the same roll-over, magnetic strip equipped closure, plus two quick-release buckles for opening and closing them. They have plenty of room for lunches, snacks, gloves, batteries, flashlights, binoculars, etc. They are secured to the main bag by a set of velcro-equipped straps, and they can even be removed and used as foot-mounted belt pouches if the rider desires to do so.
Then you add the two removeable bottle holders. These will hold a 20-oiunce water bottle or something a little bigger, and again face the rider. They have a drawstring closure to keep it sealed up. They are insulated, and do a pretty good job of keeping 20-ounce bottles cool. They are not quite big enough for most Nalgene-type bottles, and that's an enhancement I would recommend to American Trails.
That's one heck of a bag right there, but then you have a top compartment designed to hold a rifle.
It has a padded weather flap over the top that closes and cinches down with four quick-release buckles and straps, and an attached, weatherproof bag with a drawstring closure for the gun. We tested this with everything from the FNH USA PS90 Carbine to an AR-15 with a 24" barrel, and everything fit just fine. It's a great way to carry a rifle on your ATV. It's not a hard case, but I think it's a great option that keeps it reasonably accessible.
Of course, you always want to check the laws in your local area/state to make sure that you are in compliance with carrying a firearm on your ATV. I'll be posting a dedicated article on this topic - with a focus on Utah - shortly.
The American Trails Fender Bags are another great addition. As you can see, you have a set of VERY long straps with quick-release buckles to make them easy to attach to just about any ATV. They installed easily on our Honda TRX-420FE machines.
You have a large main compartment on top, a slightly smaller comparment on the bottom, and a detachable, insulated bottle holder on the top compartment. All you have to do is attach it to your rack at the top and your foot supports on the bottom, and you are all set.
The top compartment measures 9x12x4 1/2 and the bottom one is 9x7x4 1/2. They feature the same folding closures with magnetic seals, and 1/2" padding. I keep my rangefinder in one, food in another, and a few other accessories scattered between them. They also make a pretty good option to carry a concealed firearm if that is an option in your state and you elect not to have it on your person.
They are also equipped with water-bottle holders, and they can be attached on the front or on either side, depending on your preferences. They are the same as the water bottle holders on the Front Rifle Bag. One thing that I can't recommend enough is that you stay well hydrated during any activity, but especially one like riding an ATV. The wind and heat can suck the moisture out of your very quickly.
Lastly, I'm recommending their Cargo Bag for the rear.
This bag is even bigger than the Front Rifle Bag, measuring in at 32 1/2" x 9" x 11". It also has two removable and adjustable interior dividers, a padded interior with plastic stiffeners, and their weather seal system.
There are also two of their 10" x 6" x 7" removable satellite pouches, and two more water bottle holders.
This one is big enough to hold recovery gear, helmets, really just about anything. The satellite pouches are bigger than the ones on the front rifle bag, but otherwise work and look the same. They are great for lunches, more recovery gear, and large modular BLS (advanced first responder) kits.
You also get a flexible compartment on the top, and then a bungee cord system for additional attachments...
This one is great for a lightweight jacket or poncho
All of these come in black, or the Mossy Oak which we tested and photographed for this review. It looks very nice, but isn't a perfect match for my Camo TRX-420FE. That I can live with.
After all of this I only have a couple of changes I'd like to see them make in the future...
Larger water bottle holders - big enough for a big Nalgene bottle
Add Crye Multicam as a color option - preferably with a subdued American Trails logo. It would match better with the Camo used by many ATV manufacturers - and it's what the Military is switching to. Looks great.
Add a few MOLLE straps to the outsides on the rider-facing surfaces. This would allow you to add some MOLLE pouches - and use a MOLLE-compatible holster on the side of the Front Rifle Bag or side or front of the Fender Bags.
As they are, however, I haven't seen anything better. They hold up under the hardest riding conditions (including tipovers), and they can be attached to pretty much ANY machine. They keep dirt, mud, sand, and water out, and they offer great protection. With that kind of quality, flexibility, and durability, I'm very pleased to recommend them.
Some folks may ask why I'm not recommending something hard-sided for better security, and to possibly facilitate mounting some HAM radio gear. It's primarly due to safety - I think the soft-sided bags are far superior for that. Also, trying to mount radio gear in a hard-sided case on an ATV presents issues with cooling and grounding - plus vibration. I'm finding an HT radio either rider or handlebar mounted to be more useful. It is - however - entirely possible to carry a rig like an Icom IC-7000 and a battery supply in the American Trails Rear Cargo Bag, and use a portable antenna to setup if you need to. There is plenty of room in the bag to support this.
Now I just need to get another set of these American Trails bags in this same configuration for the machine my wife uses. Then we will be all set.
-- James Bell Jr. - Editor - HondaGunner.com / ATVGunner.com