Greenlee Professional Tool Backpack Dials in Comfort
There are a ton of options for toting tools to and from the job site. If you’re thinking a backpack sounds like a good solution, you’re right! With the right balance of weight and capacity, a backpack is a great way to move your electrical tools around, especially when you have climbing to do. We brought in the Greenlee Professional Tool Backpack to see how it stands up against other popular models.
Pros
- Layout that encourages tools and meters to live in separate compartments
- Fish tape storage
- Comfortable fit
- Competitive price
- Personized hook and loop patch available
- Integrated hang hook
Cons
- Tends to lean or fall forward depending on your loadout
- No padded laptop/tech pocket
Recommendation
I really like the way the Greenlee 0158-26 backpack lays out its pockets in a way that encourages you to separate your tools from your meters. There’s enough storage for your go-to tools and meters, plus room for a cordless drill, tape, tape measures, and a water bottle.
This model doesn’t have a dedicated laptop storage compartment, but Greenlee does have a tech-friendly model if you need it. It also tends to lean forward, especially when you have a fish tape on board. Those are two things to consider before pulling the trigger.
Comfort
Weight Management
Dropping a bunch of tools, especially hand tools, in a bag and hauling them around on your back doesn’t sound like the world’s greatest idea. However, limiting how much weight you carry and creating a proper fit for your tool backpack can make a world of difference.
Normally, I’m not a big advocate of dual compartment backpacks because the tendency is to pack them with more and more pockets until you’re carrying around an entire tool chest on your back. The Greenlee Professional Tool Backpack avoids the temptation by giving each compartment very different layouts.
The front is where there’s more storage for hand tools, accessories, and some bulk area that I like to store a cordless drill in. The rear compartment lends itself more to meter storage where the weight is much less for the size of each tool.
With most of the tool storage in the front compartment, the bag definitely has a tendency to lean forward, especially when you have a fish tape on the outside.
Fit
The fit is a nice surprise. Instead of coming straight down like many straps, Greenlee’s curve out as they go down. It creates a fit that hugs your ribs and stabilizes with the chest strap.
There’s a pad that sits on your lower back to give you a little cushion. It also provides a bit of a gap to allow some airflow. Hey, it’s 97º here in Central Florida, I’ll take anything I can get!
There’s plenty of strap adjustment available and you should be able to find a good fit no matter what body type you have. Even full of tools, I was not expecting the fit to be as comfortable as it is.
Key Features
Let’s face it, when it comes to backpacks, the feature set makes or breaks it. Here’s what you can look forward to if you go with the Greenlee Professional Tool Backpack:
30 Pockets
- Thermoformed molded safety pocket: perfect for safety glasses or other small items that need protection
- Front support pocket: no more carrying your fish tape on your arm
- Rear compartment
- 1 large and 4 medium pockets–I like these for meters and their accessories
- Tape measure clip
- Backpack hang hook
- Front compartment
- 12 medium to small size open pockets–great for organizing handle tools
- Bulk base storage–large enough for a drill or compact drill/impact driver combo
- Reinforced zippered and hook and loop secured pockets–stores accessories and any sharp tools
- 3 small side pockets: For your go-to hand tools or voltage tester
- Elastic side pocket: Keeps hydration close at hand
More than Just Pockets
- 2 tape measure clips and an electrical tape chain
- Poly/nylon ripstop construction: resists tears and holds up to jobsite environments well
- Personalized nameplate: you can customize a hook and loop patch with your name or company info on it
- Hi-vis reflective piping: bounces light back to help you quickly locate your bag in dark environments
- Molded base: keeps water from creeping up from the ground and resists impact damage while providing a stable support base to sit on
- Green interior: makes your tools visually pop against the contrast so you can see what’s what easier
- Hang hook: inside the rear compartment, there’s a stout steel hang hook hiding in the upper pocket
- Padded, cable reinforced handle: whether you’re hoisting it up to your shoulders or carrying the backpack a short distance, this is a comfortable handle
Price
Currently, the Greenlee 0158-26 backpack is running $129.99 online.
In the grand scheme of things, it’s a pretty good price for the size. Some models offer more pockets, but Greenlee is intentional in their layout here.
The Bottom Line
I really like the way the Greenlee 0158-26 backpack lays out its pockets in a way that encourages you to separate your tools from your meters. There enough storage for your go-to tools and meters, plus room for a cordless drill, tape, tape measures, and a water bottle.
This model doesn’t have a dedicated laptop storage compartment, but Greenlee does have a tech-friendly model if you need it. It also tends to lean forward, especially when you have a fish tape on board. Those are two things to consider before pulling the trigger.
Greenlee Professional Tool Backpack Specifications
- Model: Greenlee 0158-26
- Material: Poly and nylon ripstop
- Pockets: 30
- Dimensions: 20.5″ x 10″ x 10″
- Price: $129.99
