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Well, you can’t please everyone….This the first BAD REVIEW we ever received…and it got MORE bizarre from there. We went from bad review…to getting threatened with law suits and Ian’s followers doing something…IDK…
Ian North @commonwealth_prepper had some “not so nice things” to say about the First Responder…
His post had the headline “Would You Pay $1,000” for this backpack…and just to be clear, we don’t sell this for $1000…its significantly less.. we just place the value near 1K…but we don’t sell it for that..However…Ian North keeps on insisting we sell it for $1,000.
Ian approached us through our affiliate program. We sent him a couple of units (he tried to get 2 sets of armor from us). What he is supposed to do is give a review (good or bad) and post the purchase link.
Well that didn’t happen…
- The title of the video “Would you pay $1,000 for this backpack” is misleading and disingenuous. We never charged $1,000 for any backpack. We only say that the value of the units combined (purchased separately) are around 1K. The Bags themself are $369 to $769.
- Ian North, Commonwealth prepper claims that you can get level 3 armor for $200 plus…depends on where it’s made. If it’s made in CHINA…yes. Our armor is made in the US. Ian then compares our plates to a $99 plate made by another manufacturer. This is not a fair comparison. The $100 plates Ian North refers to in the video weigh 9.5 pounds each…ours weigh 5.56 pounds each. This means it’s not the same material. Bodyguard’s are lighter, thinner and stronger than the plates you reference. However, you can still purchase it without protection and add your own armor.
In our setup at $769, we’re coming it at $165 per plate because we ship for free… - About the “other backpack” the Elite…he was complaining about the single zipper on the secondary pocket. Which we did take the design from a VERY expensive backpack company – we modified it a little of course to avoid any copyright issues, but the overall function, pockets and storage capability is very close.
Ian North also complained in another email that he had trouble deploying it and he couldn’t even put in a laptop in the Elite…see the video below for my rebbutal. - The First Responder is meant to carry med kits and other stop the bleed kits, so we created it with more space than pockets for this reason. The Switchblade and the Elite…have the pockets Ian is looking for. Now I told Ian this…and yet he compares it to a 5-11 backpack. Again – not the purpose of the First Responder which is made to be filled with med kits and put on in a moment’s notice.
- The Quick disconnects are on the Elite, not the First Responder…I’ll admit, I don’t hate this idea and may do it in the next product run. But again…these duramax ladder clips are easy to loosen and it’s really not a huge issue because you would only take it off after the scene is safe. This is not a huge feature.
- The belt on the First Responder is meant to be a GO BAG. Pick it up and put in on in a hurry. It’s is not an every day bag. This was explained to Ian. This is a GO BAG. The less messing around the better. The Switchblade and the Elite are the every day bags. But Ian ignored this fact.
- Elimination of the waist belt and replace it with a clip. Most people who never have operated under stress have this complaint. I don’t know Ian’s background…but if you’ve ever been under fire…you DO NOT have the presence of mind or the motor skills to clip a belt around your waist when you’re running, or even reacting to an active shooter alert. Ian North Commonwealth prepper also COMPLETELY ignores that the front chest protection of the First Responder attaches to the belt…adding more security.
- Deploying and securing the armor…well it doesn’t look like he had an issue there. Again, Ian doesn’t like the velcro, but to be clear…it works and there’s no easier way to secure the front protection when you’re under extreme stress. One motion, one place to put your hands instant of fumbling and searching for clips and buckles while you’re running to or from danger.
For example….at first we sent him the ELITE Backpack – his issue was that it was hard to get it over his head and the armor wasn’t secure…in response I sent him this video of me with an Elite Level 3+ backpack…
As for the cost…you have to realize that the basic design of this is like double the labor of a tactical style backpack. So to compare the two…it’s not the same…at all.
Our designs are made to:
- Conceal your armor and take it with you anywhere you go.
- Allow you to deploy it and secure it in place in ONE MOTION under extreme stress.
Finally, Ian hates the backpacks so much, he’s giving them away. Which…IDK, seems a bit strange since he’s not a fan…
From that point forward…SHIT GOT WEIRD…
I posted rebuttal responses on his Tiktok (the ones listed above). I admit I look a bit like a psycho because that godawful platform only let’s you post 150 words at a time. I also posted a link to this post if anyone wanted to discover…well, the truth.
Finally I emailed Ian North, commonwealth prepper to send him a label to ship the units back because…well, he removed himself from the affiliate program and I never agreed to be part of a giveaway and offered to send a label for a return…and this is the response I received…
But then it just get’s weirder….Ian North send me a series of emails, threatening me with his followers, law suits and calling me a “sad loser” and going all Will Smith on me exclaiming “Get my name out of your mouth”.
Heres his emails….
My final response to Ian North, Commonwealth Prepper…(then I blocked him)
So to recap…then I’ll STFU about it…unless anyone has a question…just post it underneath.
1. Ian North, commonwealth prepper signed up for our affiliate program and asked for a Level 3+ Elite Backpack
2. He receives the backpack and says the velcro won’t hols the front plate and he wasn’t able to put a laptop in it. He also don’t like that one of the pockets doesn’t have a double zipper.
3. I send a video of the Elite doing EXACTLY what he said the backpack couldn’t do (the rebuttal video on this page). I also explained that we took our design cues from the highest end backpack manufacturer on the planet, so blame them.
4. I suggested that he might like the Switchblade or the First Responder and he wanted the First Responder because most of his followers are preppers and want a go bag. I explained to him the function of the FR. That is was meant to carry utility bags, be picked up and put on in a hurry with as little movements as possible.
5. Ian North asked for another set of armor…and I said NO.
*To be honest, I should have killed the project here…as soon as he pulled that bullshit with the Elite…but hey “I’m a people pleaser”…
6. Ian Posts this shitty review…
7. I put responses on his tiktok.
8. I offer to send a return label.
9. Ian North removes himself from our affiliate program.
10. Refuses to send the units back (but is going to have a giveaway instead – weird)
11. Tells me that we never had a contract…but because he signed up on the affiliate program…we actually did. The reality of taking anyone to court is stupid and silly.
12. Ian then threatens me with a lawsuit and commanding his minions to attack me because I’m slandering a “disabled veteran” – It didn’t take long for him to play the DV card.
13. Ian does his best Will Smith impression
14. Calls me a loser…and then sends that picture of him in the Navy. to be honest, I can’t remember the last time I saw such an un-athletic build.
So there you have it…from affiliate to lawsuit.
I hope the giveaway goes well…
God Bless,
Damian “Keeping Your Name in My Mouth” Ross.