Ridgeline Sniper Bag in Olive from Highland Outdoors - tried & tested

Protection for your rifle with plenty of storage... sounds like the perfect bag! Chris Parkin puts the Ridgeline Sniper Bag to the test

PROS: Spacious in either length; Plentiful accessory storage pockets; Detachable accessory bag

CONS: You will fill it if you are kit hungry, it can easily surpass 20 kg

VERDICT: The perfect rifle case for larger rifles and those with plentiful extra kit they need to carry without piecemeal baggage

RRP: £149.99

CONTACT

Highland Outdoors www.highlandoutdoors.co.uk0845 099 0252

IN DEPTH

Ridgeline’s Sniper Bag is the ideal companion for those needing to carry more extensive kit for a day of varminting or a trip to the range. It’s perhaps too big for the everyday hunter, but the backpack style bag has compartments to store your rifle, quad sticks, spotting scope and tripod.

Heavy Cordura construction is in a pleasant shade of dark olive green, dotted at several points with webbing and Velcro patches to attach further items externally. It’s also an interesting choice for an overall travel package, with your sporting rifle inside its lighter slip, stowed inside for longer trips away for double the protection in transit.

Internally, the bag features quick-release straps to secure the rifle firmly with a stock pocket at the broad end to seat your gun into, bearing its weight directly down when carrying vertically, and there is a waist belt included.

Quick-detach buckles make changing roles relatively simple and everything will fold out flat to make an impromptu range mat, with the largest external pocket unzipped to flatten it. This is handy because if you have two bags with some shared core items, it’s simple to swap this external compartment between them for different uses.

The main shoulder straps can be detached and fastened to it if required, and even when packed full, the paracord loops on the zippers allow you to easily tow them closed. The smaller pocket has both internal elasticated and external sections for IDs and valuables.

Along the internal spine, there is a sleeved pocket to carry a cleaning rod, which is a neat feature, and a length of electrical conduit inserted here will give delicate cleaning rods and jags even better protection.

I really liked this bag for a range visit or distant trip where I require a lot of kit. By the time binoculars, ammunition, rangefinders and items like sticks/clothing are carried, having it all in one place helps to prevent losing things stored piecemeal. The backpack style makes 20+kg bearable and, with some of the larger precision rifles and target tools available, a 54” version is available as well as this more compact 47” unit. I can fit my 22” Sauer with its reflex moderator within this but longer 26” rifles need to have their moderator removed and stowed in an outer pocket. A carry handle at the top of the bag allows for an extra hold on the pack, while two grab handles can be found toward the centre.