TAREINCO is one of those companies that is a lot of fun to watch. Mark Basa, the man behind TAREINCO’s curtain, is becoming well known for outside of the box gear designs that are chock full of function and originality. One of his latest designs is the RETI-Pouch – a low-profile, belt-mounted pouch with quick release functionality.
Overview
The RETI-Pouch is designed to be a small, low-profile, belt-mounted pouch that can be used to carry just about anything, but is sized to carry a basic blowout kit. The body of the pouch measures 5.5” by 6.5” and is constructed from 1000D nylon with a high visibility orange pack cloth liner. The exterior features a 4”x2” loop material panel for affixing patches, ID, or medical pouch identifiers. The pouch is closed with a horizontal zipper near the top.
The quick release system consists of a belt loop formed from 2 heavy duty pieces of hook and loop material. There is a red grab handle attached to the top piece that can be pulled to release the RETI-Pouch from your belt. The system is also designed so that the hook tab can be used to secure the pouch in Velcro lined bags.
Observations from Use
TAREINCO designed the RETI-Pouch to sit flat when empty. This is to ensure that it has a low-profile even when it packed with gear. It looks cramped but you will be surprised what you can fit inside.
The RETI-Pouch can be used for carrying anything that will fit but it really shines as a compact blow out kit. It is the perfect size for a pair of nitrile gloves, hemostatic agent, a 4” trauma bandage, a nasal airway, and a tourniquet. I like to use a compact tourniquet like the SWAT-T or TK-4. You may even be able to fit some extra compressed gauze in addition. Even with all that gear, the pouch conceals fairly well under an un-tucked shirt.
The quick release works perfectly and it is easy to use even when you can’t see the pouch. You basically just move your hand along the belt line until you hit the pouch, at which pouch the release is easy to find. A firm tug is all that is needed to release it from the belt so it can be moved into your workspace or handed off to someone else who may need the contents. It fits belts all the way up to 2” in width.
The zipper positioning allows the top of the RETI-Pouch to sort of hinge out of the way. It gives you unobstructed access across the entire width of the pouch.
The construction is top notch. The quick release belt flaps would take a lot stress when pulled from the belt so they are reinforced accordingly. You will wear out the Velcro long before you manage to pull off one of the flaps.
If you can’t carry the RETI-Pouch on your belt, it can be secured in any Velcro lined pack or bag by reversing the belt flaps. It works very well and you can still use the grab handle to quickly pull the RETI-Pouch free from your bag.
I figured out that I can loop some shock cord or a heavy duty rubber band though the belt loop to carry a tourniquet on top of the pouch. This keeps the TQ well concealed under a shirt but still accessible. It does block access to the quick release grab handle a bit but I can work around it. It would be nice if there were provisions for this built into the RETI-Pouch. I can’t help but think that some sort of built in way to carry a Benchmade Rescue Hook or trauma shears on the exterior of the pouch would be a worthwhile addition though they might adversely affect the low-profile design of the pouch.
The RETI-Pouch is more than just a low-vis med kit. It also makes a killer E&E or survival pouch. Load it up with compact gear like a Bogota Entry Set, fire starting gear, water purification tablets, etc. and you have a discreet pouch that can easily be retained, even if you have to drop other gear. I like to safety pin my Bogota Entry Tools deep inside the pouch, just through the liner so that the pin isn’t visible from the outside, the tools are less visible to cursory inspection, and they won’t fall out when the pouch is shaken out.
Wrap Up
The RETI-Pouch is another versatile and functional pouch design from TAREINCO. It has become invaluable to me as a low-profile first aid pouch that moves seamlessly from my belt to my EDC bag.
Check out the RETI-Pouch from TAREINCO.
