Veto Pro Pac has come out with new wheeled tool bags – the Tech-LC and Tech-LCT join existing Xl and backpack options.
The Veto Tech-LC Wheeler and Tech-LCT Wheeler are similar, with the LCT model featuring an extra 2″ in vertical height for storing longer tools.
Both of the new tool bags feature Veto’s “V-Swap” modular system where you can swap at least one of the internal organizers for other types of panels, sold separately.
Advertisement
For simplicity, the images shown below are of the Tech-LC Wheeler.
The Veto Pro Pac Wheeler bags feature 5″ wheels, an extending handle, and a waterproof polypropylene base.
Both Tech-LC Wheeler and Tec-LCT Wheeler tool bags come with two V-Swap panels – a meter panel, and a tool panel.
Veto says that “the tool panel must remain in the bag (on either side)” but that the meter pocket panel can be swapped out for customization if desired.
With the included V-Swap panels, the Tech-LC Wheeler tool bag has 64 interior and exterior tool pockets of varying sizes, and the Tech-LCT Wheeler tool bag has 61.
Both tool bags feature front and back metal YKK locking zippers, 8″ electrical tape strap, t-bar tape roll chain, and magnetic screw catchers.
Advertisement
Max payloads are 85 lbs for the LC and 90 lbs for the LCT.
Dimensions: 12.5″ deep x 17″ wide x 19″ tall (LC), or 21″ tall (LCT)
The LC bag weighs 17.5 lbs when empty, and the LCT bag weighs 19 lbs empty.
Price: $440 for LC, $460 for LCT
V-Swap Options: bulk storage panel ($45 LC, $50 LCT), a laptop panel ($75 LC, $85 LCT).
Discussion
Veto Pro Pac tool bags offer a lot of space for hand tool and equipment storage, and tend to be well-organized, with their weight being a common downside. Adding wheels and an extending handle seems like a good move.
While pricey, these seem like versatile space-efficient ways to haul a lot of tools around.
Bort
Absolutely bonkers pricing from veto as always. I’d like to try their stuff I just hate getting ripped off.
Brent Brubaker
It’s usually worth the price
Especially with there warranty
Robert+W+ZIEMBA
The secondary market is pretty ripe with used bags in excellent condition.
Julian Tracy
Not much of a warranty really. 5 years or so is about when a bag like that will start to show wear and also when so called quality products will show how well they hold up. Or not. I had a couple with ripped out seams and zippers and they told me tough luck. They’re all made in China anyways now.
Jim Felt
You won’t feel that way if you buy even a modest model. I bought just one many years ago because of an early Fine Homebuilding blurb. (The owner/inventor even directly answered my questions).
Never once regretted it. It’s kinda Maybach versus Toyota. We’ve had many many and never blown one out or even frayed one. Simply changed models out as needs changed. Usually downsizing in the process. It’s too easy to fill each slot.
Bort
Yeah I hear that from a lot of guys trying to justify spending half a week’s pay
on a bag. If you can do the mental gymnastics to feel good about being gouged, more power to you.A $400+ bag Doesn’t make my day easier, doesn’t make me more cash. Veto is just overcharging for the brand name and getting away with it because construction guys love spending money.
Stuart
If it’s not for you, it’s not for you – that’s okay.
But you’re out of line to tell other people that they’re wrong, they’ve been ripped off, or their comments about having positive experiences with zero regrets are invalid.
El Jefe
If you spending half a week’s pay on this bag, you’re probably not their target consumer. Just stick to using a Harbor Freight bag, that’s all you really need for your day laborer work. Save your money, go to a tech school, and get a real job. I buy all my new technicians a Veto pack to start and let them pick their tools, no complaints yet!
Imeanit
Sounds like ignorance talkin
Scotty.
I think “ripoff” is too strong a statement but no doubt Veto is a premium priced product for those who want the best. Can’t justify it myself.
Wayne R.
They’re not just good bags, they help make work go faster by presenting tools in a way that makes the easy to find/grab, and the organization helps make it obvious when you’ve left something somewhere.
Our tools cost a lot, anything that helps with speed, effectiveness and minimizes loss goes a long way.
But I agree, that first time is a fairly big leap.
Frank
I use a Veto OT-MC as my 90% bag and it’s great, but I think for $400+ there are plenty of hard rolling travel toolboxes that would hold more stuff. I really liked the Wiha box that had fold out legs and turned into a little bench.
A lot of field service guys i see around NYC use the red Husky rolling bags, those seem like they would hold more than this too and are like $100.
Nathan
They do have a great warranty and rep but I was wonder at that price point would a Dewalt or Milwaukee stack box setup actually end up better. Ie more space and options for the same price.
I mean cart tools and maybe expendable parts to the same job.
I don’t have a need for either but I do like veto stuff, never bought one personally though.
Jared
I doubt Stuart cares if you critique a product. However, he’s explained before that he moderates comments that criticize other readers. I think the idea is to encourage people to read and participate and not let some people dominate the dialogue.
You can make the same point without the hyperbole, poking fun at construction guys or calling people who disagree “snowflakes”.
Jared
I think I replied to a deleted post. I don’t mind if mine is removed too.
Stuart
Sorry – I did delete it.
Yes, opinions on brands and products are always welcome, as long as they’re not political. Also yes, I am extremely intolerant towards comments that target other commentors, readers, or tool users.
A lot of trolls are simply looking to argue. Call them out on it, and they’ll try to pick a different fight. If they persist, such as by calling people snowflakes, I pull their soap box.
skfarmer
stuart > snowflake……….just kidding.
i agree, no need to abuse or troll others when commenting about that sort of things. i have looked long and hard at veto bags but at the end of the day, bags just don’t fit my needs. i have a few cheaper, smaller bags but the only ones i tend to use are small zipperd bags to hold a meter, cell phone accessories and the occasional handful of tools needed for a small project.
Stuart
=)
Munklepunk
I always thought Veto’s prices were too high, then I bought one on closeout, OT-XXL for $150, and the quality is so far and away better the price difference is easily understandable. When comparing to CLC or DeWalt, which I believe are good quality they don’t stack up. The packout totes are by far a worse value for dollar than any of the others.
The only thing I don’t like about the Veto is the zipper pockets are way too tight.
AngryDrumGuy
“The packout totes are by far a worse value for dollar than any of the others.”
I was about to buy a 15″ Packout tote, but this stopped me because of it’s wording. Would you mind expanding on this? I’m genuinely just trying to not waste money.
Thanks!
Munklepunk
Milwaukee has terrible use of space. They have almost no pockets for the size. I haven’t really looked at the 15″ but I looked at the 20″ a few times when I had packout. I kept passing it because for $50 less (at the time) I could get a CLC that was the same size but has far better use of space and has better build quality. The packout feet are the only thing that really makes it stand out.
However, if it fits your needs and does what it wants I feel it’s a good buy. But I recommend taking a good look at multiple options. I only carry a single drill in mine, sometimes two, but I usually don’t have any. What I do have is multiple pliers, nail sets, pretty bars, side cutters, hammers, screwdrivers squares, levels, pencils, basically a ton of small stuff that needs it’s own pockets or it ends up on the bottom.
Munklepunk
Drills not stills. We need to be able to edit.
Stuart
Unfortunately comment-editing still isn’t an option, and I’m not optimistic that it ever will be.
blocky
As an owner of the 15″ open packout tote (which is distinct from the 15″ packout toolbag and 20″ tote), I feel qualified to comment.
The tote is actually a great bag, probably the best of the Packout offering in terms of managing hand-tools. It has an open bay on one side for anything really- bit boxes, power tools, compartment organizers etc, and then there are lots of hand-tool pockets down the other side in a style similar to the Veto panels.
One of those pockets is lined for a sharp tool, like a non-retracting knife or chisel. There’s a reasonable amount of smaller pockets shallow enough for marking tools and nailsets. The slim zipper pockets are actually large enough to both hold things and get your fingers into, unlike the veto. The shoulder strap is comfortable, and there’s padding on the side of the tote for your hip, if you do carry it that way.
The handle and centerwall are comfortable to grab and adequately stiff. I can attest that they are impact resistant, as I had a crate fall onto the bag, and besides deforming a bit under the weight, it bounced back into shape.
It’s constructed with the same 1680 abrasion resistant weave that husky and others all seem to use, which is to say it’s pretty durable, but coming from the world of messenger bags, it’s not as thick as I would like.
In terms of size, the Packout Tote holds a similar amount of tools to my Tech MCT but with a little more space for accessory boxes. Due to its open structure, it’s a great bag to work out of, particularly if you are in the habit of putting tools back in their dedicated positions. The Tech MCT, as a zippered bag, was better for throwing unsecured in the back of the van, and better for sleepy subway commutes, but for doing actual work, the Packout was more enjoyable. It would be more fair to compare it to this open top veto: https://vetopropac.com/ot-lc/
IMO, that Packout 15″ tote specifically (and I do mean ONLY the 15″ tote, NOT ANY of the other Milwaukee totes) is one of the better thought-out bags for the money, and if you pair it with 1/2 width packout organizers, it’s truly gratifying that they can click together.
Oh, like Munklepunk, I also have some CLC and Dewalt bags, and have incorporated some of their pouches in my EDC. They are also good, but I never found one with an intuitive layout for my most used tools.
After looking for the best, I’ve found that it’s still highly personal and highly subjective. The best for me, for the last 18 months, is a bag I made myself.
Munklepunk
That’s good to know. I only cared about the 20″ and for what they charge they could have done so much more.
Jim Felt
Those zippers in our use loosen up in time. I’ve never applied any Teflon-like or dry lube to them. Just got used to it until they either loosened up or I could ignore it. Dunno which.
Bigger issue, perhaps, is we’ve never broken or had one stick.
blocky
I’ve tried a lot of bags and boxes. Before my Tech MCT, I worked out of a highly customized and jam-packed Pelican case. The smaller wheels had to be replaced once a year.
The MCT tools-up arrangement was a lot more efficient to work out of and easy to move on site without packing up. After a year, I stopped using the MCT because of my tendency to overload it, and it was no fun shouldering that for my train commutes or on jobs where I walk 7-10 miles a day on site. If Veto offered the wheeled bags then, I could have saved as much on insoles.
Now I rock a tough waterproof tote bag that I customized with about 60 internal pockets and some PP sheets for rigidity. It’s cheaper, lighter, and more discrete, but for heavier days, I’ve also been considering a building a second kit in one of these: https://www.lowes.com/pd/TOUGHBUILT-20-67-in-Zippered/1003095634
There’s a lot of good options out there. The Vetos are really well tuned to specific trades, and if you’re bringing $1-2k in tools on a daily basis, which a lot of guys are, then it follows they should be well-arranged and well-protected.
Daniel L.
So, for the folks that think that veto overcharges:
I understand. It’s a LOT. BUT…the thing is, nobody else does what they do.
That 5 year warranty is no joke. I had a tech pac LT that had a component break on it cause I jammed it into my service body truck compartment at the end of a particularly long day. Veto shipped out a brand new one to me with a pre-paid label for the broken bag. A few weeks later they got my old bag, and told me to just keep the one they sent out. Total of 0 days without a bag, and a minimum of hassle.
The bags have very well-thought out pockets, which helps keep things well organized. And as long as you don’t abuse them, they hold up *very* well to the jobsite.
It might not be the best choice for all tradesmen: honestly, these bags work out best for mobile mechanics, technicians, electricians, and HVAC service techs. Anybody that doesn’t use a whole lot of power tools, needs a ton of different little tools for whatever situation you come across, and needs a way to organize it so you don’t spend ages looking for the right tool.
I’ve gone through a whole bunch of their bags, and the truth of the matter is that you really need to see one in person to know what you’re going to do with it. My current setup consists of a Tech-XL Wheeler and a TP-XXL as my main bags, while an older Tech Pac Blackout acts as my meter bag.
The TP-XXL goes anywhere I go, and I tend to swap tools between it and the Tech-XL wheeler according to the tasks that I’m taking on that day. It’s a great setup, though it cost an arm and a leg, but if it’s anything like my older veto bags, they’ll outlive their 5 year warranty period.
In reference to the wheeler bags: these bags were made to be serviced. The telescoping handles are replacable, the wheels are replaceable, and with the v-swap stuff the actual pockets are replaceable too.
Others have tried to replicate Veto…the newer crescent bags come to mind. Nobody has quite met them where they’re at. I would love to see more competition and lower prices on these, but the truth of the matter is that all those pockets are very labor intensive to produce…which is likely why most other companies have steered clear.
mikedt
Not willing to pay what Veto wants, but I would love to have one of their bags simply because they make some bags that seem to be nothing but pockets to hold individual tools. HD and the other bag mfgs seem to make bags that assume you carry a lot of power tools.
Jim Felt
Or rattle cans, crowbars and stock cutoffs. I literally can’t figure out what many bags I’ve seen or used were actually designed to ideally hold…
Maybe oversized “murses”?
Julian Tracy
I’ve owned 4-5 veto bags, my first since maybe 15 years ago – probably when they were still made in USA. The last couple I had, had so many questionable design decisions, like so many of the various small outside or inside the body zipper pockets which were either so tight as to only allow maybe a couple folded dollar bills inside or silly screwdriver pockets that were maybe 2-3” deep. When I had a few with ripped seams and they told me sorry Charlie, tough luck because I was out of the warranty period – I gave up on them.
Heavy, overpriced and questionable quality compared to the older USA versions. (I had a couple XXL’s and sided by each it was very easy to tell which was a USA and which was a China version based on the cheaper quality design choices/materials, etc.
Dave O'Heare
I spent a while as a mobility-aid mechanic (walkers, scooters, etc.) and bought a Veto-Pro tool bag because my research said it was the best; don’t remember the model. I loaded it up right good with sockets, screwdrivers, wrenches, all manner of stuff. A bunch of the folks I worked with swore I’d be annoyed that I didn’t get something with wheels, ’cause of all the stuff I had to haul around. (I didn’t get one with wheels ’cause Veto Pro didn’t make one with wheels.)
I was rather surprised at how easy it was to pick up and carry around, and the weight never bothered me. 5-6 years later, I’ve still got it and it’s no lighter. Zippers are great, all the seams are fine, *I’m* fine, and I don’t regret the money I spent at all.
Matt Rentz
I service clinical laboratory equipment in hospitals for 47 years and four about five years of that time. I had beautiful the large Vito tool bag. The problem is when you lose a small tool out of his pocket and down into the “abyss“. It’s very hard to retrieve them without unpacking the bag.
Frank
I like an extending magnet pick-up tool for that purpose. Ullman makes one that doubles as an inspection mirror too.
Curious 518
Is it possible to check these on airlines? How well do they survive being tossed around, upside down?
Stuart
I wouldn’t check this on a plane unless packed inside a Pelican case or similar.