There are some items that you can tell are made with confidence inspiring quality just by holding them – a custom 1911, high end custom knives, a fine watch. That tangible feeling of quality can sometimes tell you everything you need to know about a product. It is a sort of 6th sense that can feel the weight of the perfect materials for the job. It can sense the practiced hands of a craftsman honing every detail. It intuitively feels the careful hours that went into creating the item. That is the sort of feeling that you get when you first take the Tactical Man Purse (TMP) from Mountain Ridge Gear (MRG) in your hands. That may sound overly dramatic, but don’t judge until you have held one.
The front bellowed pocket of the TMP has tons of space and gives a low profile look to the bag.
Overview
The Tactical Man Purse is MRG’s entry into the Tactical/EDC bag market. It is basically a briefcase-like design with some serious organization potential. It comes in both a regular and wide version. I was graciously provided the wide version for review along with an Admin Pouch.
Dimensions
- Volume: 1700 cubic inches
- Length: 15 inches
- Height: 12 inches
- Width: 8 inches
The wide version of the TMP is a full 8" wide.
Materials
The body of the TMP and Admin Pouch is constructed from 1000 denier Cordura nylon. It is a fabric that is well know for its wear resistance and durability while still remaining pliable. It is the perfect fabric for hard use gear.
The interior is constructed mostly of 420 denier pack cloth. Pack cloth is a very durable fabric that is water resistant and somewhat light weight. Many of the surfaces are also lined with pack cloth. It would take you a lifetime to wear a hole in this bag. There is also good use made of a heavy duty mesh material for a “transparent” pocket and para-cord for key loops.
The shoulder strap is nicely padded and can be attached in a number of ways.
The shoulder strap is constructed by a combination of 1″ mil-spec webbing and 1000 denier Cordura nylon. It also uses top quality ITW-Nexus side release buckles to attach to the TMP. The handles on the TMP are constructed from 1″ mil-spec tubular webbing which is another incredibly durable material.
Many of the walls of the TMP contain 1/4″ closed cell foam. This type of foam does not absorb liquids and helps the bag retain its shape. It also gives some protection to the contents of the bag.
The back panel of the TMP is covered with MOLLE webbing. You can also see the attached Admin Pouch and "dock and lock" attachment points.
Fit and Finish
It may seem strange to talk about the fit and finish of a piece of nylon gear, but the term is fitting in the case of the TMP. The materials are top notch and the sewing is impeccable. There are details that are not apparent until you really take an in depth look. Some of the internal pockets have their bottoms sewn to give you slots of varying height. You won’t find a single cloth edge in the entire bag because every edge is covered with a kind of thin webbing or ribbon which also reinforces the stitch. Nearly the entire bag is lined with pack cloth which is both attractive and functional. The MOLLE webbing on the exterior of the bag is straight and perfectly spaced. The details are incredible.
Organization
If you can’t organize your EDC gear in the TMP and Admin Pouch, there is no hope for you. The exterior of the TMP features a huge zipper closure bellowed pocket. It is versatile because it is huge. This pocket is slick on the outside which helps gives the whole bag a low profile look. You can also have an optional Velcro field sewn onto this pocket if you want to attach a morale patch or name tape.
The TMP features a pull-out style pouch that can quickly and easily be installed or removed.
The interior features a slew of well thought out organization features. There are slot pockets of several shapes and sizes. There are slots that would fit pens and pencils, cell phones, PDAs, compasses, paper back books, note pads, multi-tools, and just about anything else you can dream of. Behind the slot pockets there is a large zippered pouch.
The TMP features clamshell style opening to allow full access to its organization features.
There is a large slot pocket that has a small pad of Velcro at the top to keep it closed. This is perfect for carrying a laptop, magazines, books, or binders. There are attachment points for quick detachable pull-out style pouches at the top of this slot pocket. In front of the large slot pocket is a zippered mesh pocket. I really like the use of heavy duty mesh here to allow the user to see what is inside the pouch. The mesh pocket contains para-cord attachments for things like keys.
The TMP has a loop and lanyard for organizing items like keys.
One of my favorite things about the bag is the removable interior strap. It spans the width of the bag’s interior and is removable. It is perfect to use for strapping items like a change of clothes in place. It reminds me of the straps that you typically find inside nicer luggage. Of course, its uses are not limited to clothes. You could strap down a laptop, note book, binder, or anything else you can think of.
The TMP contains more than enough slot pockets to organize your gear.
The Admin Pouch adds a tremendous amount of additional organization capability. Inside you will find more slot pockets of varying sizes and another zippered heavy duty mesh pocket. My favorite feature is the long slender pocket in the crease of the Admin Pouch. It is absolutely perfect for clipping in a Surefire style flashlight.
The Admin Pouch opens fully to give access to its contents.
None of this organization would be nearly as useful as it is if you weren’t able to access the contents. The TMP opens clam shell style allowing full access to every pouch and pocket. The Admin Pouch also opens fully.
If you have a larger, MOLLE covered pack like those from Kifaru, you will appreciate that the TMP has attachment points for “dock and lock” buckles. This system can be made to work with many other brands of bags as well. I tested it with my two Kifaru packs and a Spec Ops THE Pack. This is a very nice capability.
The Admin Pouch can easily be attached or removed thanks to the unique Velcro strap system.
Conclusion
Overall, the TMP and Admin Pouch are excellent. The build quality is second to none, the materials are top notch, and the design is attractive and efficient. If you are used to paying about the same amount of money for bags from other companies that are made over seas, you will be amazed at what this US made bag delivers in terms of quality. The TMP and Admin Pouch combo would make an excellent EDC bag or even a carry on bag for traveling. It has to be held and used to be appreciated.
I would love to see Mountain Ridge Gear add new bags to the line and possibly even new features to this bag. One thing that I would love to see added to the TMP is an internal Velcro field for the use of Velcro back holsters and organizers.
I had a hard time sending this bag back.
You can purchase your own Tactical Man Purse, Admin Pouch, and other well made gear at the Mountain Ridge Gear website.
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