- In this video we are going to be taking a look
at the Matador Freefly16.
I'm Tom, the Founder of Pack Hacker
and we love helping people optimize their travel experience
with guides and reviews just like this one.
So if you're new to the channel,
consider subscribing. Let's jump right into the Freefly16.
Pretty much the next iteration of the Daylite16,
even though Matador says they are mutually exclusive.
So let's jump in.
[upbeat music playing]
From an aesthetic prospective the Freefly16
is offered in charcoal gray -
which is basically a black on black
with exception of the white Matador logo
on the exterior of the compression sack.
We think this is a more mature color option.
The Daylite16 was offered in like an indigo
which actually looked a little bit more like a blue,
and then also a gray color.
So the black on black offers a bit more
of a polished look overall.
However, aesthetics are always in the eyes of the beholder.
So we decided to poll our Instagram audience
over at Pack Hacker.
If you want to be involved in future polls,
be sure to head over there and join us.
From a branding perspective,
we are looking at a subtle gray on black logo
on the exterior of the pack, an M logo at the bottom front,
a white on black logo on the compression pouch,
and then a small M at that base of the straps.
This pack also features 30D siliconized ripstop
Cordura nylon, that's sealed at the edges
for additional weatherproofing.
Basically it's thin, lightweight,
and overall strong material.
We have YKK buckles, which is from a Japanese manufacturer
that makes some of the greatest zippers in the world.
We also have Duraflex hardware
for some of the strap adjustment going on.
And then some non-absorbing shoulder straps
that are made of non-absorbant mesh material.
Lastly we have some teeny, tiny SVS zippers,
going on in this thing and they're very small.
We're surprised not to see Matador
beef these up a little bit more,
especially after we've heard a couple reports
of zippers breaking after only minimal use.
To compare the interior of our Fjallraven passport wallet -
where you like hide extra coins and cards
and things like that - it's actually
about the same size zipper as the entire exterior
of this clamshell opening of this pack.
Just some food for thought for you.
Also one important note on the materials here,
is that Matador states that they use waterproof materials
on their website. And although this is true -
and the bag is highly water resistant -
it is not waterproof. So you can't just
dunk this into the sea or the ocean
or anything like that, water will get inside.
However, if you are looking for a waterproof type pack,
be sure to check out their Freerain24 2.0.
That thing does a really great job,
and it is highly weather resistant
with a couple improvements as well on the 1.0 version.
Starting with the compressed states -
the Freefly16 is a little bit larger
than the Daylite16 when fully compressed.
Also the mechanism by which the compression happens
is a little bit different.
So on the Freefly16, we have this kind of compression roll,
similar to what you're going to see on weather-resistant
dry bags. And on the Daylite16,
it is a simple drawstring method.
Overall the drawstring method seems to work
a little bit better for an item of this size.
Like you're not putting a bunch of stuff in,
it doesn't need to be completely waterproof.
And it gets it a little bit tighter
with this kind of roll-top design
we got going on here. It's a little bit harder
to compress it fully down, which leave this
being a little bit larger than the Daylite16
when in the compressed state.
A couple great things going on with the compression sack
of this thing though, is that there's a nice
loop here, that's folded over. So you can hang it up
or attach it with a carabiner, anything like that.
Also when uncompressed, the compression bag
is attached to the interior of the Freefly16,
and this happened on the Daylite as well.
However, this time there is an option to
detach it if you choose to - so, nice little thinking,
and some nice improvement there as well.
One glaring production issue though -
at least on our version - is that it's starting to split
at the seams here on the compression sack.
So actually, let me just compress it
and show you a little bit better -
roll the top, boom, like that.
So you can actually see that it is splitting
and starting to fray at the seams there
after only about two months of use.
Now we have the bag in the uncompressed state,
let's kick it off with the harness system.
The shoulder straps are non-absorbing,
which makes them ideal for inclement weather
and they're not going to soak up a bunch of moisture.
At first, honestly, I wasn't sure
what I thought about these - they were a little bit crinkly
and somewhat stiff. But after some usage
I started to get used to them,
and actually started to like them a little bit more
than I did initially.
And in comparison to the DL16 - the previous iterations -
the straps would sort of twist up every now and then,
and you had to kind of straighten them.
But with the Freefly16 straps,
that doesn't happen. Also these straps
are adjustable via Duraflex hardware.
Above the harness system we have a folded and sewn hook,
which is just great for hanging this thing up
anywhere you need.
Each side of this pack features a water bottle pocket
and it's a big improvement on the DL16,
for a couple reasons.
First the elastic on top is thicker, stronger,
and more stretchy.
It's not quite as hard core as what we've seen
on the Mystery Ranch In & Out Packable Daypack,
but it's getting close.
Next, there doesn't seem to be as much frayed stitching
as we've seen on the Daylite16 after months of use.
Plus the pack now features compression cinch buckles,
which is great for keeping your gear secure.
It's just overall a tighter set up
and these details matter in product iteration.
Next up there is one exterior pocket on the front
that opens up pretty wide for larger and longer items.
And the opening is also a lot wider
than the Daylite16, which is just another
great improvement on the pack.
Moving on to the inside of the pack,
you've pretty much got a giant bucket.
The zippers open up in a horseshoe style
down to the top of the water bottle compartment.
On the interior you can really see
where the Cordura was welded together
to create some additional weather resistance on the pack.
As far as packing this thing up for the day,
we would recommend a padded laptop sleeve
if you're going to be toting one of those around.
And since the material is so thin
we would recommend placing pointier items,
or a lot of smaller items, in padded packing cubes
or some type of pouches so they don't stick
into your back as you're carrying this thing around.
At the time of this review,
I have personally been testing the Matador Freefly16
for about two months.
Overall the main benefit of a pack like this,
is to compress it and stow it away in your larger bag
for use when you need it.
That's not going to do super well, though,
if that compression bag frays and splits into nothing.
Other than that, everything else has been
going pretty great - I've been testing it
basically as a daily driver.
Taking it on my bike to and from the co-working space,
and just generally taking it around the city.
I really dig using the DL16,
so the Freefly16 is my personal favorite
in this line up. However, I think a lot of people
actually prefer the Freerain24
due to the added weather resistance,
and just generally waterproofness
that goes on with that bag,
as long as you close it securely.
I just dig the Freefly16 for popping in my laptop,
a couple other items, then I'm good to go
to the coffee shop or the co-working space,
wherever I end up wanting to spend my time for the day.
So to wrap this thing up with some pros and cons -
this is very packable and great,
paired with a larger one-bag travel bag.
It is highly weather resistant and quick drying,
especially those mesh straps.
The considered details make for great functionality
in a small package.
On to some of the cons -
the compression system isn't ideal
for maximum compressibility
and it's starting to rip, which isn't great,
only after two months of use.
The main zipper is quite small and could be stronger.
The front pocket is not ideal for quick grab items,
although some people may enjoy a larger front pocket.
Overall the Matador Freefly16
offers some great improvements compared to it's predecessor.
We love the thinking going on with Matador's products
and the small form factor. However,
the low durability always leaves us wanting more.
From the splitting of the compression sack
to the smaller zippers, it leaves some to be desired.
This is a little bit more excusable
on a packable daypack than a main piece of luggage,
but we hope Matador considers upgrading these things
in those couple of areas.
Thanks for taking a look at our review
on the Matador Freefly16.
Be sure to head over to packhacker.com/newsletter,
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We'll see you in the next video.
We also have Duraflex hardware for the strap adjustment.
Formerly known as the DL16 ... nope, those are reversed.
[Tom whistles]