Review: Viktos Upscale 3 Slingbag

By Jeremy Tremp

Posted in
#Gear

Editor’s Note: In today’s article, Jeremy Tremp reviews the Viktos Upscale 3 Slingbag and tests it to see how it compares to traditional concealed carry draws. The bag was provided by the company for this review. This article is intended to be informational only. If you choose to carry a firearm in a bag, always ensure you retain complete control of it and comply with all local, state and federal laws.

When the warm summer weather hits, do you find yourself adjusting how you carry for self-defense? In the winter when coats and hoodies are commonplace, it’s easy to conceal a pistol in most situations. Then the golden ball in the sky forces us to shed those jackets in favor of shorts and tank tops.

With the Echelon 4.0C 9mm partially drawn from the concealed compartment, this image illustrates the author’s daily carry method using the Viktos Upscale 3 Slingbag. This gives a sense of practical off-body carry.

Don’t get me wrong, just because it’s warmer doesn’t mean you cannot conceal a pistol anymore. We all get to choose our wardrobe, and that will have the biggest impact on concealability. For me, I am at the gym every morning before work and, in Arizona when the heat can reach 115+ degrees, you’re going to find me in shorts and a tank top or a t-shirt.

For my personal needs, this is where off-body carry comes in, and there are few better options than Viktos when it comes to that category.

Zooming in on the Viktos branding and craftsmanship, you can see the high-quality materials used throughout the sling bag.

Concealed carry is a very personal thing, and everyone will have a different answer as to why and where they carry. This article is by no means a way to convince anyone that this or that is better or worse, but simply to present options that I have identified through personal experience. Also, if you choose an off-body carry method, always ensure you retain total control of your firearm and its location, and that it is secure from unauthorized access.

Slinging It

In my daily life, where I live and where I frequent as well as having a family to look after, I’ve found a sling pack allows me to carry a larger pistol with more capacity, lifesaving tools and preparedness items. The benefits of this system has made this my go-to way of carrying during the summer months.

The Viktos Upscale 3 Slingbag easily fits essential EDC items like keys, a phone, and other daily gear.

I’ve used a few sling packs over the years, and I have recently settled on the Viktos Upscale 3 Slingbag. The bag’s size is perfect for being able to carry a full-size or compact pistol and some other items without being too bulky or cumbersome. The Upscale 3 comes in seven colors options, so you can choose subtlety or style — or both. For my bag, I went with grey as my intended purpose is daily carry without drawing attention to myself.

So … why an off-body sling compared to in the waistband carry?

Pros: You can easily carry a larger pistol regardless of wardrobe choice, get extra ammo capacity, pack in lifesaving tools and preparedness items, and have a great deal of convenience.

Cons: Slower draw speed, an extra item to carry around, and you must always keep it on your person or under complete control.

The Why

Now, I will unpack my thought process behind the sling bag for my personal circumstances.

I live in a nice neighborhood, I own my own business with control of the office area and vetted employees, and the places I frequent are in nice areas. In addition, I am rarely out past dinner time.

Photograph of the Viktos Upscale 3 Slingbag with its concealed carry compartment fully unzipped, displaying a pistol held in a dedicated holster secured to the Velcro-lined interior. The firearm is positioned grip-up for right-handed access, with the holster firmly attached to prevent shifting during movement. The compartment is designed to keep the pistol separate from other bag contents, reducing the risk of accidental contact or interference. The sturdy zippers and reinforced compartment walls are clearly visible, emphasizing the bag’s build quality and safety features. The bag is resting on a neutral background, with all attention focused on the concealed carry setup. No hands or accessories are in the frame, making it easy to see the storage arrangement. This image is used to give readers a clear visual of how the Viktos Upscale 3 supports concealed carry for daily use. — A look inside the Upscale 3’s dedicated CCW compartment reveals the Echelon ready for access, but stored safely.

The most likely scenarios I may encounter are going to be minor scrapes and bruises, dead cell phone, needing cash, a pen or a flashlight. On the extreme end of things, possibly the use of lifesaving tools like a tourniquet or stop-the-bleed scenario might come into play.

As far as the pros and cons go, for me the pros outweigh the possibility of needing to have a sub-second draw. Speaking of draw speed, later in this article, I will go through the time to draw from appendix and the time to draw from my sling bag, to compare what the actual difference is.

The How

The Viktos Upscale 3 Slingbag features a water-resistant nylon chassis, ambi padded shoulder strap with quick release buckle, YKK quick-pull zippers, and has overall dimensions of 15″ H x 7″ W x 5″ D.

First, though, let’s go through my own Upscale 3 and how I have it configured.

Photo showing the inside of the Viktos Upscale 3 Slingbag with a Springfield Armory pistol and spare magazine each secured in their own dedicated Viktos Velcro holders. The pistol is oriented for a quick right-handed draw, while the magazine sits in an adjacent elastic pouch. The holders use a hook-and-loop system to prevent movement and keep both the firearm and magazine accessible and organized. The bag’s interior is padded and lined for added protection. Zipper tracks, reinforced stitching, and the tough nylon exterior of the bag are also visible, reinforcing the emphasis on durability and daily usability. There are no other items present, keeping the focus on the firearm and magazine setup. This photo clearly demonstrates how the Viktos Upscale 3 is designed to support off-body concealed carry. — A Springfield Armory Echelon in a holster and spare magazine are locked into place here with the Viktos holders.

Starting with the pistol, I have an Echelon 4.0C, Vortex Defender, and a Streamlight TLR-7 HLX tucked into a QVO Tactical Secondary holster in the ambi concealed pistol compartment of the bag.

Viktos lines this compartment with loop Velcro and offers a hookie holster attachment that uses hook Velcro and a stretch fabric meant to emulate a belt. This wraps around your holster, affixing it in place. I then have a hookie mag holder in there as well with an extended magazine of 18 rounds.

In the main pocket, I have a trauma wound dressing, tourniquet, chest seal, folding knife, flashlight, sharpie and another extended magazine. The front zipper pouch holds band-aids, a few $20s and some small zip ties. Finally, the top sunglasses pouch holds a battery bank, cables and an air tag.

Now you may be seeing why this is such a compelling daily carry rig — it allows me to be prepared for many things as well as having a pistol and access to an impressive amount of 9mm defensive ammunition.

Photo of the Viktos Upscale 3 Slingbag with its main compartment fully open, displaying several spare pistol magazines, compact first aid gear such as a trauma dressing and tourniquet, and a tactical flashlight. Each item is placed in its own pocket or section, showing the bag’s ability to keep gear separated and organized. The magazines are secured in elastic holders, the first aid supplies are packed into a mesh pocket, and the flashlight is easily accessible in an adjacent slot. The tough nylon material, strong zippers, and reinforced seams of the bag are visible around the edges. This layout demonstrates practical daily carry, with all emergency and backup items ready for use. The background is clean, keeping the viewer’s focus on the contents and the compartment’s design. — The open Viktos Upscale 3 Slingbag reveals spare magazines, first aid gear and a tactical flashlight stored inside. This layout shows how the bag can carry essential gear for emergencies and daily needs.

Since I am right-handed, I zip tied the left-side zippers in place so the concealed compartment can only be opened from the right side where I draw from. I also added an EDC carabiner to the zipper I open the compartment from. This allows a larger handle to grab onto when quickly opening the compartment, and it also doubles as a safety mechanism. In addition, I can clip a carabiner to the bag handle to keep the zipper from being able to be opened.

In Practice

On the range with the Viktos Upscale 3, the act of drawing is smooth and intuitive; you can sling the bag to your chest and unzip in one fluid movement. In past training sessions, I was able to draw and place a single shot at 40 yards on a steel plate in about three seconds.

Photo of the author standing at an outdoor shooting range, firing a Springfield Armory Echelon pistol at a visible target downrange. The pistol was drawn from a Viktos Upscale 3 Slingbag, which is seen slung across the author’s body or placed on a nearby bench. The author is wearing range-appropriate clothing, eye protection, and hearing protection. Spent casings may be visible in the air, and the author is focused on their shooting stance, demonstrating controlled fire and proper grip. The background includes standard range elements like shooting lanes, berms, and steel or paper targets. This image is used in the review to show the process of drawing from the sling bag and transitioning smoothly to live fire practice. The scene emphasizes both preparedness and the importance of realistic training. — The author fires a Springfield Armory Echelon 4.0C at the range, having drawn it directly from the Viktos Upscale 3 Slingbag.

This range session, I wanted to use a shot timer to see the time difference between drawing from appendix with the QVO Tactical Wingman Flex and drawing from the sling bag with the QVO Tactical Secondary. The results are as follows from timer to first shot:

Appendix: 1.4 seconds
Upscale Sling Bag 3: 3.1 seconds

Watching myself on video, I can tell that I am being deliberate and building the muscle memory. While it’s not second nature yet, like it is drawing from appendix, I think with time and training I could get much closer to a two-second draw from the sling bag.

Conclusion

I’m really impressed with the iterations of the Upscale 3. I purchased the original about four years ago, and this version addressed all my nit pickings with the gen 1. The peace of mind to have all the equipment on my person during my day is comforting to know that I have solutions to many of life’s potential scenarios.

If you’re interested in utilizing a bag for off-body carry Viktos has quite a few options, from duffels, slings to backpacks on their website. Give them a look, and pick up some rad shoes or boots while you’re at it. They nail the style and functionality every time.

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