Review: Tasmanian Tiger – TT Companion 30

Introduction

With the TT Companion 30, Tasmanian Tiger introduced a lightweight daypack in the 30l range to the market for 2022. Combining some of the typical features of TT with a less is more approach, the pack features an interesting option for everyday carry, short trips or even a quick ride to the supermarket.

I had the opportunity to get my hands on one of the packs early to give you a timely insight into the concept, features and how it performs in my daily routine.

With that being said, let’s go into a quick overview and the specs as always, before going into more details.

Overview

The TT Companion 30 is a lightweight toploader pack with laser-cut MOLLE/Velcro in the backside of its 30l main compartment. A large top lid offers plenty of features for the organization of smaller items (2 mesh pockets and an admin area, as well as an additional mesh pocket on the underside. A daisy chain webbing to the front provides additional options to fix items via shockcord. The carrying system is TT’s Thermo Mold-System.

Specs

HxWxD: 55 x 28 x 19 cm
Weight: 915 g
Volume: 30 l
Materials: 700den Cordura, T-Square Rip FD, YKK Zippers, WooJin hardware

The Tasmanian Tiger – TT Companion 30

Build up of the TT Companion 30

The TT Companion 30 is designed to be a lightweight toploader without excessive MOLLE or other “tactical” features. As a result you will only find two vertical daisy chain webbings on the front, where one can add shock cord or attach carbines. The sides feature ports for hydration bladders, as well as paracord strings with cord locks to compress the pack if needed.

Daisy chain webbing on the front for shock cord

As size and overall look is similar to the Modular 30 backpack, a side by side picture is called for. Overall the pack looks similar to a very reduced Modular 30. So from the outside there is a slick and clean design going on, the rest can be found in the pack’s top lid.

Tasmanian Tiger Modular 30 and Companion 30 side by side

The sturdy YKK zippers, which close the main compartment, feature zipper glides that can be locked, using a luggage lock. The cords on these are also longer than usual and feature a shrinking tube for a quick and secure grip.

Sturdy YKK zipper which can be locked, hydration ports, compressoion cord

Looking on the inside one will find a large laser-cut velcro-MOLLE area to the backside, featuring two strips with 2×12 laser slits, forming 6 rows and 2×2 channels. A singular velcro strap provides an attachment area in between the two strips.

Inside the main compartment – laser-cut velcro/MOLLE

Of course you will also find a velcro tab to hang a hydration bladder or the TT Organizer Panel. A small cord loop provides further attachment for lanyards.

Cord loop and velcro tab for hydration or lanyards

Top cover lid

The pack opens up exclusively on top as already mentioned. The top lid features several organizational features, like a zippered mesh compartment on the underside. It also has a bigger compartment on top, which is designed like most TT packs, plus two more mesh pockets.

To be more specific: You will find an admin area with two slip pockets (one made of mesh, the other of nylon fabric), a small pocket with a velcro flap, as well as two D-rings in the corners left and right.

The cover of the lid itself features two more zippered compartments which are made of a reinforced, see-through material. These are closed with YKK zippers.

Carrying System of the TT Companion 30

The carrying system of the TT Companion 30 features Tasmanian Tiger’s Thermo Mold-System. It is a nice padded backside, molded into form and creating two decent padded areas for the shoulders as well as a ventilation channel in the middle.

The shoulder straps are contoured and feature D-Rings to route hydration or simply to attach other items. Tasmanian Tiger also started to equip its packs with laser cut MOLLE on the shoulder straps. While the webbing goes through below it and provides an attachment area for the sternum strap, the laser cut MOLLE also gives the user the option to either mount MOLLE accessories or fix hydration tubes even tighter.

Buckles at the bottom of the shoulder straps give users the option to attach a 2,5cm/1” webbing as hip belt. This is more than enough for a pack this size.

Quality of Manufacture

Tasmanian Tiger is known for excellent quality control and quality of manufacture. The TT Companion 30 is no exception in that regard. Starting with high quality materials like 700den Cordura or the lightweight T-Square Rip FD Material, the pack also features hardware from YKK and WooJin.

Seams are tight and reinforced in critical areas. The parts where fabric is joined is also covered with seam tape, giving the pack a clean and high quality feel.

In that sense, Tasmanian Tiger continues to produce high quality products.

The TT Companion 30 in use

Being lightweight and featuring solely the Thermo Mold-System, the pack is more suitable for the EDC and urban use, or for short hikes. The large main compartment has more than enough room to carry items. Because with its 30l volume, there is plenty of room for organizer pouches or packing cubes. So far the pack accompanied me during daily commutes, everyday shopping and overnight stays. In doing so I was surprised on a regular basis how much you can actually fit into the pack.

Of course there is also the danger of overpacking the TT Companion 30, and with its carrying system only consisting of the Thermo Mold-System, packing the pack with heavier items becomes problematic. While you can fit a lot into the pack, the lack of a framesheet can make the backside bulge. This is the compromise you have to make, when looking at such a lightweight pack.

On the other hand: As the fabric is lightweight and the pack is not stiffened by MOLLE or Zippers, it folds easily to a flat piece and is therefore easy to store. As a result, it can be brought with you as a backup, in case you need an additional pack.

Overall the pack is inconspicuous, doesn’t scream “tactical”, is comfortable to carry as an EDC and offers more than enough room for your daily errands.

Conclusion

The Tasmanian Tiger TT Companion 30 is an excellent example that not every pack has to be a full clamshell design and overloaded with MOLLE to be a valuable piece of gear in your everyday life.

Being lightweight and built strongly enough to carry the volume it advertises, it truly lives up to its name, being a companion in your EDC life. While the main compartment provides more than enough room to bring your gear with you, the top lid offers several options to distribute smaller items and organize things you need quick access too.

With that being said, the TT Companion 30 is worth taking a look at, if you are searching for a lightweight solution to quickly pack a larger variety of items in your everyday errands, while at the same time bringing your EDC with you in an organized manner.

Coming to an end, I want to thank Tasmanian Tiger for making this review possible, and you of course for taking the time to read!

Take care!

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