I recently completed a custom patch order with Camotech Embroidery. The whole process was painless from start to finish, the prices are excellent, and the end product is perfect. Camotech actually sews the Velcro onto the back of the patch (many places just glue it on these days) and they include “loop” backing for each patch which is a very nice touch.
If you have a patch project, consider contacting Camotech.
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.
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.
The wide version of the TMP is a full 8" wide.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The Original Magpul was Magpul’s first product which launched them on their way to becoming the giant that they are today. These handy rubber finger loops were designed to be stretched onto the bottom of a magazine creating a loop that would allow the user to quickly extract magazines from magazine pouches. It is basically a more formal approach to the old duct tape and para-cord loop trick that became popular with A.L.I.C.E. gear.
However, I find that because my more modern magazine pouches are cut lower, so I rarely use the finger loop to extract the magazine. It just isn’t necessary. Even though I didn’t use the finger loops, I left the Magpuls on my aluminum magazines because I found that the rubber surface wrapped around the base of the mag really improved grip and the loop acted as a shock buffer when the mags hit the deck during reloads. The problem was that the loops made the magazines longer which could cause issues with some covered mag pouches.
Consider using your Magpuls like the one shown on the right.
My simple solution was to turn the Magpul 90 degrees. I have since come to find out that I am not the first person to do this, so I really can’t claim it as my own idea. The Magpul is stretched so that the loop is running front to back and pulled tight to the magazine base. This cures the pouch fit issues. It also retains the enhanced grip and buffering advantages. In fact, it acts more efficiently as a buffer since now the loop covers nearly the entire baseplate.
The best part is that it enhances the ability of the magazine to be used as a monopod. The 30 round AR-15 magazines lend themselves very well to being used as a monopod, but aluminum GI mags tend to pick up dirt and debris between the magazine body and baseplate. However, with the Magpul turned 90 degrees the baseplate is protected from debris.
I still keep about 40 or so aluminum GI magazines on hand even though I use PMAGs almost exclusively these days. I find that the PMAGs do not really need any grip enhancement or buffering from impact but I wouldn’t run my GI mags without the Magpuls. They really do enhance the function for me and they aren’t terribly expensive.
If you have Magpuls, try turning them 90 degrees. You might like them better that way.
The best ideas are often the simplest, especially when it comes to weapon accessories. Nearly anything that you can do to remove weight, bulk, complexity, failure points, and cost from a weapon is a good thing. Mount-N-Slot Direct Attach Mounts successfully do all of those things. Do I have your attention yet?
The Mount-N-Slot experience starts with the box. It looks like any other box on the outside but...
To understand Mount-N-Slot Direct Attach Mounts, you have to understand Magpul MOE Hand Guards. MOE Hand Guards are plastic hand guards for the AR-15 carbine length gas system (midlength and rifle length hand guards should be out soon) that are slotted in strategic locations in order to provide the user with a means of attaching sections of rail. The rail is then used to attach all the standard necessities like slings and flashlights. The MOE hand guards have become very successful for two simple reasons: they are inexpensive and they work.
Impact Weapon Components (IWC), the creators of the Mount-N-Slot line, build on the success and functionality of the MOE Hand Guards by removing the need for the rail sections. Their mounts are designed to mount directly to the slots in the MOE, FN SCAR, and Bushmaster ACR hand guards. It sounds simple enough, but lets think a moment about what that really means…
When a company takes this kind of care with their packaging, they have probably taken great care with their products as well.
A great concept is worthless without great execution and the Mount-N-Slot line delivers. These mounts are beautifully machined from 6061-T6 aluminum and Type III hard anodized right here in the USA. Hard anodization yields a very hard surface that resists scratching. It also gives a matte black finish to the mounts. There are less expensive types of anodizing but they are not nearly as durable.
IWC took great care in the design of these mounts. The threaded holes that the mounting screws engage are all neatly chamfered. All unnecessary material has been milled away to keep weight down. This isn’t apparent until you turn the mount over and see that large hollow areas have been machined into the mount. The mounts also have no hard edges. There isn’t a snag point to be found. There is some serious attention to detail in these mounts.
How sure is IWC that these mounts will function for you? Their warranty holds the answer. If your mount breaks, return it and they will refund your money including shipping fees! I have never heard of a company that will refund your shipping fees. That is an amazing warranty.
Unfold the box further to find the included hex key and information about the product and company. This is some very cool packaging.
They attach via two head screws which are provided along with a hex key. You simply place the mount over the slot that you choose, and then screw in both mounting screws with the washers on the inside of the hand guards. A monkey could mount these, though you would probably want to supervise the monkey while it applies the thread locker. I always use a thread locker like Loc-Tite on all screws that will be on my rifle. I would suggest applying some to the provided screws as I would any accessory with screws.
Notice the lack of hard edges. Great care was taken to make sure these mounts were snag free and wouldn't abrade the hand.
Sometimes, I think the best thing that you can say about a product after you have actually used it is that there were no surprises during that use. They performed as well as they look. There are many products that look cool but end up being useless, non-functional, or, even worse, dangerous on the range. That is not the case with these mounts. They work as advertised.
I was graciously provided one of the new rotation limited QD sling mounts, a 360 degree QD sling mount, and a bipod mount. All three performed admirably.
The new rotation limited sling mount was easily my favorite of the bunch. QD sling mounts without rotation limiters work just fine, but the sling can become twisted, especially when the rifle is not slung. It isn’t as much of an issue when the rifle is slung. The rotation limited model just does away completely with any possibility of the sling twisting. It is a nice feature.
I use the VCAS Sling on most of my rifles. It is a two point design that requires a mounting point somewhere on the hand guards. I mount mine as close to the receiver as possible for both the front and rear mounting points. I find that this allows much more range of motion with the rifle to perform things like malfunction clearances. The Mount-N-Slot sling mounts work perfectly for this style of sling mounting. There are slots on the MOE hand guards that will let you place the Mount-N-Slot sling mounts just about anywhere.
The bipod mount is perfect for those who need a bipod mounted full time on their rifle. It mounts securely to the bottom slots on the MOE hand guards and provides plenty of surface area to contact the bipod. I was pleasantly surprised with how light the bipod mount is. It looks like it could be quite heavy but care was taken to hollow out unnecessary metal from the underside of the mount. I could really see this mount and bipod being ideal on a Bushmaster/Remington ACR with the longer rifle length hand guards or the rifle length MOE hand guards once they are released.
The one thing that I really wanted to check was that the mounts wouldn’t move forward and back once they were mounted in the slots. They did not move at all. I mounted the sling mounts all the way to the rear of one of the slots so that it would be impossible to move it to the rear, but I couldn’t even get them to move forward. These mounts aren’t going anywhere (especially if you are handy with the Loc-Tite).
Here are the mounts with sling and bipod attached. The sling mounts work perfectly for mounting the sling close to the receiver.
This is the kind of idea that I wish I came up with myself. I tend to make things more complicated than they need to be. I wish I could simplify things the way the people at IWC have with these mounts. If you have MOE hand guards on your AR-15, I am not sure why you would mount a sling any other way. This concept just makes too much sense. You cut out the need for the rail which means you cut out failure points, bulk, weight, and cost. Why mount a section of rail just for a sling mount when you can just attach a sling mount directly to your handguards?
I would love to see where this product line goes in the future. There is a lot of potential here for things like vertical grips, hand stops, flashlight mounts, and who knows what else. These type of mounts can also be designed for other hand guards like the Troy Extreme Battle Rails and VTAC Rails. Jerking the Trigger will certainly keep you updated as new products are announced.
Purchase yours directly from the IWC web store.
Remember to use the coupon code “triggerjerk” at checkout to receive 5% discount at IWC.
Have Gun – Will Travel was an iconic TV western with what is arguably the greatest name of any television show. Fans of the show will remember that Paladin, the main character, used a chess knight image as his calling card. The patch adopts the imagery of the chess knight and the phrase Have Gun – Will Travel which, depending on the bag you put this on, may mean more than you are just a fan of the show.
This patch as shown may still be available on the LightFighter Tactical Forum. I believe there may be subdued color version available soon.
