Tag Archives | tactical gear

Review: Fight and Flight Tactical 4×4 Hybrid Patch Panel

You only have so much space to carry the gear that you need. The best pieces of gear will be versatile enough to serve multiple functions and maximize that limited space. The 4×4 Hybrid Patch Panel from Fight and Flight Tactical is just such a piece of gear. It is simple concept with many applications.

4x4 Hybrid Patch Panel in Coyote Brown

Overview

The 4×4 Hybrid Patch Panel is about 4″ tall by 6″ wide. The front of the pouch is covered with 4 rows and 4 columns of PALS webbing, hence the 4×4 part of the name. That PALS webbing is sewn over with loop Velcro, hence the patch panel part of the name. There are two sleeves integrated into the body of the pouch that are sized to carry a number of different items, hence the hybrid part of the name.

The back of the 4×4 Hybrid Patch Panel is also covered with PALS webbing that allows you to attach it to any other PALS webbing using the 2 included short MALICE clips. It also comes with 2 bungee retainers with pull tabs that are adjustable for length or completely removable.

Fight and Flight Tactical makes these in all the usual colors including Multicam. The Multicam version is pretty slick since printed Velcro is used to cover the PALS webbing on the front. It is cut and then realigned during sewing so that the camo pattern is intact.

Shown with a Glock 17 and Glock 21 magazine

Quality

The 4×4 Hybrid Patch Panel is very well made. The body of the panel is constructed from folded over 1000D nylon. All of the cloth edges are covered with binding tape which is always a very nice touch that increases durability by preventing fraying. The PALS webbing is triple stitched to the body of the panel. This should be a very long wearing piece of gear.

The back is identical to the front except for the loop Velcro so this 4x4 Hybrid Patch Panel is actually reversible.

In Use

The key to the versatility of this pouch is the sizing of the two internal sleeve type pouches. They are sized larger than you might expect so that they can be used to carry items like pistol magazines, multi-tools, flashlights, folding knives, medical shears, tourniquets, energy bars, or anything else that you can find to fit in the sleeves.

Even larger multi-tools like my favorite, the Multitasker Series 2, fit perfectly. The belt case on some multi-tools like the Leatherman Wave can used to turn the sleeve into a flap covered pouch.

It works very well on plate carriers or chest rigs. I don’t always carry pistol magazines on my plate carrier or chest rig since I prefer to reload from the belt but it is nice to have the option of carrying them. The 4×4 Hybrid Patch Panel can be mounted high center on a plate carrier and used much like a compact admin pouch or it can be mounted lower in much the same way that you would mount a pistol mag pouch. It can be used to carry so many different types of gear that you will only be able to determine a mounting location based on what you are carrying in it.

Knives and flashlights are easily retained by the bungee straps and pull tabs. The split design of the pull tab allows the light to be held without activating the tail switch.

It also works very well on a backpack. It lets you attach a few patches can keep your multi-tool and flashlight (or other items) handy on the exterior of the pack. I found that some multi-tools could be carried by placing their entire belt pouch into the sleeve and then the flap on the belt pouch could be fastened to the Velcro on the front of the panel. It effectively turned the sleeve into a flap covered pouch.

The 4x4 Hybrid Patch Panel can be mounted and used like an admin pouch (shown with a knife and flashlight).

I tested it with Glock 17, 19, and 21 magazines. The sleeves are large enough to easily accept the Glock 21 magazines. Glock 17 magazines work perfectly but Glock 19 magazines are just a bit too short to be able to easily remove from the pouch. The included bungee retainers work very well with handgun magazines and they are necessary to retain the magazines since the sleeves are too large to retain the magazines on their own.

I really appreciate how low profile the 4×4 Hybrid Patch Panel is when there is nothing loaded in the 2 internal sleeves. It really isn’t much thicker than most patch panels but it offers a ton of additional utility versus most patch panels. It isn’t obtrusive at all when it is empty so you won’t mind keeping it on your gear, even if it is just to hold some patches. It also saves space on your gear by virtue of all the different items that it can carry. This one pouch may be able to cover much of your admin pouch and pistol mag pouch needs.

It also works well when it is mounted and used like a pistol magazine pouch.

Conclusion

The 4×4 Hybrid Patch Panel is versatile enough that every person that uses it is going to be able to find something unique to carry in it based on their specific needs. It is simple and low profile enough to serve as a great patch panel until you need it for something more. This is just a very simple, well executed pouch that serves a wide variety of purposes.

Read more about the 4×4 Hybrid Patch Panel on the new and improved Fight and Flight Tactical website.

Mountain Ridge Gear Redesigns the TMP-W

Mountain Ridge Gear’s TMP-W (Tactical Man Purse – Wide) was the subject of one of the very first reviews that I ever posted on this blog. Mountain Ridge Gear has made some small improvements since that review. Now, Mountain Ridge Gear is performing a major overhaul of the TMP-W with even more improved features. You have to love it when a company continues to improve their product.

The most noticeable improvement to the new iteration of the TMP-W is the laptop sleeve. In the previous version of the TMP-W, there was a large internal mesh pocket. That has now been replaced with a padded laptop sleeve. The sleeve is covered with loop Velcro so that you can add additional Velcro backed pouches to the face of the laptop sleeve.

The new version of the TMP-W also features an improved rubberized bottom panel. The new panel improves water resistance and is easier to clean so you can set your bag down without fear of picking up dirt and grime.

Check out the new bag on MountainRidgeGear.com. If you don’t need a laptop sleeve, there are a limited number of first generation Coyote Brown TMP-Ws on clearance for a great price right now.

This video shows all of the new features:

 

New Cobra 1.5″ EveryDay Belt Colors from Jones Tactical

Jones Tactical is well known for their belts and the Cobra 1.5″ EveryDay Belt is one of the most popular models. It can’t be beat for all day gun carrying comfort. They are used by some pretty serious people but did you know that the belts are available in some less than serious colors?

Buyers of Cobra 1.5″ EveryDay Belt buyers will now have some eye catching options for the accent webbing. Firemen will love the red webbing, while female shooters might want to check out the pink or purple. If you are a member of the Usual Suspect Network, you will really like the toxic green option.

There are plenty of options so make sure you check out the Jones Tactical website and get in touch to see if they have your favorite color.

Blue Force Gear D.A.P. Dappers

Some backpacks have so much internal organization that it can be difficult to carry larger items and other backpacks have so little internal organization that small items can not be easily accessed. Thankfully, Blue Force Gear has the D.A.P. (Denied Area Pattern) line of backpacks and organization pouches called Dappers. The D.A.P. line represents a completely customizable approach to organizing your gear.

The D.A.P. Dappers are pouches that are backed with hook side Velcro. They can be attached to any surface that is covered with loop side Velcro, like the interior of a D.A.P. pack or other packs that are Velcro lined. The Velcro attachment system allows pouches to be mounted anywhere inside the pack and in any orientation. The possibilities are nearly infinite. While other manufacturers offer Velcro backed pouches, no one comes close to having as complete a line of pouches and organizers.

All of the D.A.P. packs including backpacks of various sizes and discreet rifle cases are being discontinued for 2012 and will be redesigned eventually. This is actually a great time to check them out since they are being closed out on the Blue Force Gear Last Call page at steep discounts. While Blue Force Gear is discontinuing the packs, they will keep producing the Dappers for 2012. They will also be introducing products that will adapt the Dappers to just about any pack.

Blue Force Britteny recently posted this video that shows the versatility of the Dappers and the D.A.P. packs:

Be sure to check out the full line of D.A.P. Dappers and the discounted D.A.P. Packs on the Blue Force Gear webpage. Stay tuned to Jerking the Trigger for a full review of the Wall Street Warrior Dapper Kit!

Review: BCS Plate Carrier Low-Profile

It wasn’t that long ago that I announced Beez Combat Systems (BCS) overhauled their plate carriers and I was fortunate enough to have some small say in the design of their Plate Carrier Low-Profile. Since that time I have come into possession of one of these plate carriers and put it through its paces.

The BCS Plate Carrier Low-Profile is, as the name suggests, very low profile for a hard armor carrier.

Thoughts on the Design

The BCS Plate Carrier Low-Profile is designed to be low profile as the name would suggest. In order to fit this low profile mission, it is devoid of any extra bulk like MOLLE webbing or padding. However, when we were talking through the design, we also wanted this carrier to be scalable to match the user’s needs so we incorporated a unique feature – a large hook and loop field on the front plate pocket.

The large hook and loop field on the front of the carrier is color or pattern matched to the rest of the carrier.

This hook and loop field is the key to the versatility of this carrier. It allows the user to instantly add various pouches to fit their requirements. This hook and loop field also allows you to stabilize a chest rig by adding some small patches of hook and loop material to the back of your chest rig. Chest rigs can often slide around when worn over a plate carrier but this hook and loop system can help lock the rig in place.

So, while this plate carrier is extremely low profile, it can be instantly scaled up to meet your load bearing requirements for items like rifle magazines, pistol magazines, flashlights, and first aid gear.

The top load design is unique.

Other Features

The BCS Plate Carrier Low-Profile has front and back plate pockets. The front pocket features the large hook and loop field that I mentioned above and a smaller one designed to display name tapes, patches, or blood types. The rear plate pockets has a tube sewn on the lower portion that retains the waist strap. The plates (and soft armor) are loaded into the plate pockets from the top which is fairly unique.

The rear plate pocket has a "tube" that retains the side straps.

The 2″ wide shoulder and waist straps are not padded (though pads are available, more on that later) to maintain a lower profile when worn under a covering garment. The waist straps utilize 2″ side release buckles to secure the rear plate pocket to the front plate pocket. The shoulder straps are sewn to the front plate pocket with reinforced box stitches in such a way that plastic hardware is kept to a minimum to reduce the interference with your rifle’s buttstock.

My BCS Plate Carrier Low-Profile features A-TACS camo but it is also available in a full palette of other colors and patterns including the new A-TACS FG pattern. I also really like that BCS gives the user the choice between 500D and 1000D nylon. The 500D nylon would be a great choice on a low profile carrier like this.

In Use

I have really enjoyed using the BCS Plate Carrier Low-Profile. It works very well as a slick low profile carrier – or at least as low profile as hard armor carrier can be. In spite of its lack of padding, it is still fairly comfortable to wear thanks to the wide straps and light weight. I have been wearing it with training plates or TAP Gamma Plates which helps keep the weight down.

The design of the plate pockets is fairly unique. When the carrier is off your body, the pockets look like they would be very loose. But, because of how the straps are attached the pockets are drawn tight over the plates when the carrier is worn, locking them in place. They do not shift at all in my experience. It is a pretty clever set up because the plate pockets are basically self-sizing whether you use just a plate, just soft armor, or both.

Donning and doffing the carrier is easy. The large 2″ side release buckles are easy to use and easy to reach when the carrier is worn.

The BFG Ten-Speed Dappers work with this carrier like they were made for each other. Hopefully the fashion police can forgive the mismatched camo patterns.

The large hook and loop field on the front makes this carrier very versatile. It really comes into to its own when you add pouches from the Blue Force Gear Dapper line. Dapper pouches have hook material on the backs which interfaces with the loop material on the Plate Carrier Low-Profile. I have been using a Ar-15/M16 Dapperâ„¢ Triple Magazine Pouch Dapper Triple Mag Pouch and it is perfect for this application. It lays completely flat when empty and it can be used to carry as many as 3 AR-15 magazines. It can also carry flashlights, first aid gear, a cell phone, or even handgun magazines. In this configuration it is the perfect plate carrier companion to a battle belt (belt rig).

In this configuration, the BCS Plate Carrier Low-Profile becomes a capable fighting rig.

If you are going to use the BCS Plate Carrier Low-Profile, then I recommend purchasing the accessory shoulder pads. These shoulder pads are almost worthy of their own review. They have a tri-fold design that wraps around the shoulder straps and have very comfortable padding. There are various routing points on the shoulder pads that can be used to organize hydration tubes or comm wires. The coolest feature is the webbing loop with a snap that serves as a sling retainer. You just route your sling through the loop to keep the sling off your neck for comfort and help distribute the weight of your rifle.

The accessory shoulder pads are well designed and a must have if you want to carry magazines in addition to your plates.

Conclusion

The BCS Plate Carrier Low-Profile is a low profile plate carrier that can quickly and easily be scaled up to an extremely simple, functional, and effective load bearing plate carrier. I am proud to have had a very small part in the design.

Check out the BCS Plate Carrier Low-Profile on the Beez Combat Systems website.

 

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