FLIGHT OUTFITTERS Lift XL Flight Bag | Durable Aviation 2-Headset Padded Pilot Bag, with Shoulder Strap, Lift XL Pro (Black)

I like the design, feel, and functionality. Perfect for pilots!I dislike the material around the zipper. It can get caught in the zipper and create great damage over time. You have to be extra careful with it.

Nice bag, a little big for use in a GA trainer but handy for a full size notebook computer and a 2nd set of phones. Really disappointed that the FIRST time I used it the bag caught on something behind my seat in the Cirrus SR20 I was flying and ripped.... one of the zippers also gets caught on lining that wasn’t sewn in properly. So much for durability. Maybe it was a defect in the fabric but giving it a 1 star for that.

The design of the bag is great, not perfect but overall well thought out. The way the bag is made with the quick access pouch on the one side, the lip on top doesn't cover the pouch so it ends up bulging out and is always open. The space and capacity of the bag is great but I wish it had more structural integrity and acted more like a briefcase.

This is a really nice bag with a lot of room. Looks smaller on image but surprisingly it’s a nice size.

UPDATE (08/11/2022): the remaining cable finally broke off. Now the handles have no reinforcement, but as I stated in my original review, I much prefer the bag without the tacky cables.I really want to like this bag, but it didn’t even make it off it’s first plane ride before it broke. A rivet popped right off and the steel cable came off with it. I don’t think there would have been a problem if the cables weren’t way too long, but because they are, it forces the rivets to bend in awkward ways (I honestly like the bag without the cables anyways). Also wish it had a cup holder. Kinda disappointed in the overall quality, but it’s serving its purpose for now.

POOR QUALITYThe quality is not the best, the overall this bag I feel won’t last if you use it frequently, the carriage handle broke of after 3 months.

I've owned the smaller Lift flight bag for several years and absolutely love it. It was getting too crowded as I added a variety of things that I felt were important so I was very excited when I heard out about the new larger Lift XL and XL Pro bags that are based on the Lift bag. I've had an opportunity to use the Lift XL Pro bag in the Cessna A185F taildragger that I fly at work and my own Maule MX-7-180 taildragger.Pros:I really like the Lift XL Pro bag. It does an admirable job of neatly organizing my headset, cables, iPad and yoke clamp, logbook, flashlight, fuel tester, portable transceiver and a host of other aviation items.I like the fact that the center compartment is longer and has a separate pocket for my iPad Mini 4 in its Pivot Case. I am able to carry a wireless Bluetooth keyboard in a protective case to use with my iPad on the ground. The smaller Lift flight bag cannot fit the keyboard.The elastic mesh pockets are larger and more numerous on the XL Pro than the Lift bag so I didn't have to stuff them as much as the Lift bag. The headset compartment and separator fit my Lightspeed Zulu 2 headset well and allow me to put my logbook and airplane flight log in the compartment beside the headset. The Lift XL Pro is narrower than the Lift bag and a bit easier to carry without bumping it against my leg as I walk. The number and arrangement of compartments are well thought out and effective.Cons:The open side pocket that is designed to slide over the handle of a rolling suitcase is an innovative idea. I like it but the top gapes open a bit due to the expansion of the bag with contents stowed inside. I don't have anything in that compartment right now but it still gapes open. A zipper top to the compartment would fix this.The mesh pocket on the outside end that is meant for a portable aviation transceiver is a bit too small. My iCom A24 fit nicely in the non-mesh pocket on the Lift bag but it took a lot of effort to get it into the XL Pro's mesh pocket. The rubber cover on the transceiver accessory side connector kept getting hung up on the elastic top of the mesh pocket and I had to stretch the elastic so much that I was worried that I would rip it. I like the idea of a mesh pocket instead of the Lift's solid fabric pocket. The transceiver can be turned on and the mesh would make received signals more audible, but the pocket needs to be about 1/2" bigger.I feel that the XL Pro is a bit too large. The Lift bag is 10.5" wide and the Lift XL Pro is 18" wide. That makes the Lift XL Pro a bit large when cabin space is at a premium with multiple passengers and baggage. One of the reasons that I like the Lift so well is its compact size. A happy medium would be 14" width with the other dimensions the same as they are now. I realize that the Lift XL is designed for two headsets rather than one and this probably drove the width dimension. I only carry one headset and I leave the passenger headsets in my Maule or in the Cessna at work. The removable divider would still be useful to fit my logbook in the space beside the headset.Overall impression:This is a high quality flight bag that is designed well and made well. Building on the popular Lift bag but adding more room is a great idea. Reducing the width would make it less bulky in a crowded cabin. The other cons listed above are not serious problems but a good bag could be made better in my opinion.

After using this bag on one trip, one of the handles broke. The over all quality was not good. It felt cheap. The outer material was average with poor quality zippers. The inside was of low quality in my opinion. It’s a shame because the organizational aspects of the bag are great.I would not recommend this bag to fellow crew members. It will not hold up.