I’ve been testing out Molly Stix for a few months now, ever since the first samples were available from National Molding and I’ve really grown attached to using them on my ETA Trauma Kit Pouches because of the ability to quick release the pouch if necessary. They’re also much easier to thread then other attachment methods.
Molly Stix represent a departure from normal MOLLE/PALS interface attachment systems, like integrated and reinforced nylon strips that are weaved through a pouch’s PALS webbing and a chest rig’s PALS webbing to create a secure attachment. Other products exist on the market for pouches that don’t feature integrated strips, such as Malice Clips like we include with our ETA Trauma Kit Pouches and also Blackhawk Speed Clips.
While Malice Clips can be a pain to install, they’re very secure once locked in. So much so that removing them can equally be a pain. The Blackhawk Speed Clips are interesting, but have their limitations as well. They’re quick to install with their rigid design, but I’ve had them work loose on me before.
Enter the Molly Stix. With a rigid design and locking top latch, a pair of these will not only add a solid locking design to your MOLLE gear, but by tying a pair of these together with the included cordage, a quick release can be implemented to create the fastest one-handed cut away I’ve ever seen. [Read More…]
There are many different flavors of rifle mag pouches out there, flapped, non-flapped, polymer, kydex and even reverse flapped. Before we answer the question of whether the lids from mag pouches get in the way on a reload, let’s talk a bit about retention. It’s impossible to talk about the reason for magazine flaps without mentioning retention.
Retention on mag pouches is either managed by elastic webbing or shock cord in traditional nylon mag pouches that either have no lid, like a shingle, or in pouches with a removable lid taken off. This can be sufficient for most activities that the average shooter finds themselves in while at the range, but when you throw running, climbing or other athletic activities into the mix, magazines can work themselves free and no one wants to loose valuable ammo. Valuable both in terms of cost and especially its value in a real world scenario where each round counts.
The possibility of having mags fall out can be increased when a single mag is absent from a double rifle mag pouch too. In this case, unless you’re running a flapped pouch or doubled up polymer/kydex pouch specifically designed to still retain that other mag, there’s almost no retention still on that mag left in the pouch. A flap on a pouch like this can be re-secured over that single mag to retain it. This may all seem like common sense, but I wanted to go over it for those that may not be familiar with all the options out there for mag pouches and retention. [Read More…]
We’ve been using Battle Systems Coyote Brown Vinyl Tape around ITS for the past few months and are happy to say we’ve found our replacement for duct tape when it comes to tidying up loose webbing on gear.
While this is far from the only use for this fantastic product from Battle Systems, what really sets this tape apart from duct tape and electrical tape (which this product is very similar to) is that it leaves NO sticky residue behind. Even in the back of a vehicle in Texas summer, which we can assure you gets pretty hot.
One of the issues with taping up loose straps and other gear is that if you ever need to remove the tape, you’re left with a sticky mess that discourages you from removing the tape and tweaking the adjustment of straps if needed. [Read More…]
A few years back you may remember us reviewing the PALS Belt Stabilizer from Down Range Gear, a sturdy way to mount pouches that rely on MALICE Clips to your belt. This was and still is a revolutionary product from DRG, as at the time trying to mount a MOLLE compatible pouch on your belt was and still is less than ideal.
While the PALS Belt Stabilizer was certainly ahead of its time, it could be less than ideal for pouches that had their own proprietary MOLLE/PALS interface versus utilizing MALICE clips, as there was some play in the stabilizer channels. Down Range Gear once again stepped up with their PALS Belt Platform and gave everyone an option for mounting these type of pouches to the belt. [Read More…]
It’s no secret that we’re huge supporters of Zulu Nylon Gear and have thought highly of their craftsmanship since the beginning days of ITS Tactical when we first reviewed their Mega Admin Pouch and have gone on to develop our own products with them.
We’re also thankful to have been involved in the T&E process of the M4 Double when Zulu was first manufacturing these. This review of the M4 Double Mag Pouch has been a long time coming and we hope you look at its evolution as an advance forward from traditional mag pouches, as we do. [Read More…]
If you read my previous article, an Introduction to Lightweight Backpacking, you’ll remember that I only touched on the basic principles of lightweight backpacking such as how to get started, weighing gear, taking less, multi-use gear and some of the benefits of reducing your pack weight. In the following series of posts I’d like to focus on each of the core principles in more detail. Let’s start with weighing your gear.
In order to know how much weight or gear you need to eliminate, you first have to understand what you currently have and how much you carry on a regular trip. One of the most common mistakes that people make with a gear list is that they forget to maintain it, refer to it and adjust it. Having a detailed list of your gear is great, but keeping track of what you use and don’t use will provide you with valuable insight into areas where you can reduce or eliminate weight.
Another common mistake is not breaking your gear down into their individual components, for example don’t just weigh your first aid kit, weigh all of the pieces individually. [Read More…]
Editor-in-Chief’s Note: ITS contributor Chris Sajnog is a former Navy SEAL and current Director of Training at Center Mass Group.
A few months back my good friends and Fellow Former Frogmen (F3?) over at T3 Gear were kind enough let me try out some of their gear. The gear was free, but I was asked to give them honest feedback on what I liked, and what I didn’t.
It took a few months to put their gear through the paces; gear evaluation takes longer outside of a combat zone. The first piece that I can provide an honest assessment of is the centerpiece of your warrior-wear: the plate carrier.
T3 calls this model the Geronimo Plate Carrier. I’m guessing they named it this as tribute to Operation Geronimo (later changed to Operation Neptune Spear), in which a few of my SEAL brothers paid a little visit to Osama bin Laden. [Read More…]
Despite the article title, US Palm certainly makes more than just gear and parts for the AK platform, but our primary focus in this article will be showcasing a few of their AK specifics.
We’ll also be taking a look at two different plate carriers, the Defender MOLLE and the ASP-C (Air Save Plate Carrier) to see how they stack up. Our testing has encompassed the better part of a year and this comprehensive review is the result. There’s a couple of video overviews embedded into this article as well as detailed photos to go along with it. [Read More…]
Today we’ll be looking at a few items from Marz Tactical Gear, which include their Admin Pouch with Chemlight Slots, Tourniquet Pouch and belt-mounted SSE Pouch.
I was first introduced to Marz while checking out their booth at SHOT Show last year. What caught my eye was their out of the box concepts on some fairly vanilla pieces of gear. That’s not meant to discredit any of their work, just to describe traditional admin pouches and dump pouches.
One of the things I really like about Marz is that many of their gear items feature a small pull tab of webbing that quickly releases the pouch, much like we feature in our Discreet Messenger Bag with our Med Insert. It hands-down works and to me is one of the best ways to quickly open a pouch. [Read More…]
The suspense that’s been killing some of you is finally lifted! We’re stoked today to announce our ETA Trauma Kit Pouch made exclusively for us by Zulu Nylon Gear!
The ITS Tactical ETA Trauma Kit Pouch was born out of the necessity in developing both a pouch that could hold our Vacuum Sealed ETA Trauma Kit, as well as the individual components of the kit if the end user needs to break the seal, or wants faster access to certain items.
We worked with Zulu Nylon Gear for nearly a year to design what we feel is one of the best medical pouches on the market today. With a simple pull on the red handle, the pouch quickly filets open to provide immediate access to your medical components without delay. [Read More…]
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