I grew up in a home that was full of antique furniture so I am a little bit neurotic about coasters. Most coasters are lame at best and downright emasculating at worst which is why it always warms my heart when someone like the Mil-Spec Monkey comes out with coasters worthy of this Trigger Jerk’s tactical coffee table. Check out the new MSM Logo Coasters.
Mil-Spec Monkey just dropped some new gear and it is always worth taking a look at what the Monkey unveils.
The MSM Notebook Cover is a minimalist approach to covering and and organizing your 3″ x 5″ notebooks (Rite in the Rain and others). This simple design allows you to keep a couple of pens and pencils handy, along with a few business cards. It just slips on to one of the notebook’s covers and the Hypalon material prevents it from sliding off too easily.
The MSM Stealth Compact Pouch is a compact version of the MSM/Tactical Tailor Stealth Admin Pouch. It features 2 internal pockets with built in organization and, of course, a generous loop field on the front. It is the same height as the original Stealth Admin but it is narrower side-to-side and front-to-back. This narrower design allows it to mount on just 2 columns of PALS which makes it just about ideal for using on the high center of a plate carrier to keep the sides of the plate and shoulder pockets clear for your carbine’s buttstock. It also works well on the side of a pack where there is often only 2 or 3 colums of PALS webbing available.
If you are like me, you probably have several different types of water bottles that you use for everything from hiking and camping to staying hydrated on the shooting range. I even have water bottles that I don’t use much because I didn’t have a good way to carry them. Who wants to have a pouch that is specific to each type of water bottle that they own? I sure don’t and now I don’t have to thanks to the Mil-Spec Monkey (MSM) Bottle Corset.
The MSM Bottle Corset is a pouch that adjusts for various sizes and shapes of water bottle (and more) two different ways. The depth can be adjusted via a large Velcro flap on the bottom of the pouch. The diameter and overall shape of the pouch is adjusted via a matrix of shock cord. It also has shock cord retainer with pull tab that can be adjusted for length and be configured to retain the bottle in a number of different ways.
When it isn’t in use, the Bottle Corset can be adjusted so it sits nearly flat and out of your way. It mounts via 2 of the long MALICE clips.
It is made in the USA by Tactical Tailor.
I do not own a water bottle that the MSM Bottle Corset can’t hold. It is extremely adjustable. I have a bin down in my basement where I keep all the water bottles that my family and I use. I sat down with that bin and tried every bottle I could. The bottles included large 38 oz stainless steel Nalgenes, 32 oz wide mouth Nalgenes, 20 ounce wide mouth Nalgenes, multiple sizes of Camelbak Better Bottles, USGI Canteens, off brand hard plastic bottles, and even the little 12 ounce bottles that water comes in at the store. They all fit.
The bottles don’t just fit, they are retained. You can adjust the retention a number of ways. If you want more retention, you can adjust the flap on the bottom to make the bottle sit lower in the pouch. You can also adjust the tension or configuration on the retainer strap. It works well in an over the top configuration like you would find on a magazine pouch or in a loop configuration that can be looped around part of the bottle. The loop configuration works very well on the wide mouth Nalgene bottles because of the wide shoulder they have under the cap.
The Bottle Corset doesn’t need grommets or mesh for drainage because the sides are open. There is basically no way this pouch can retain water.
I found that I can hold more than just water bottles – a lot more. It holds 2 AR-15 magazines quite well but if you remove one, it loses tension and the remaining magazine can flop around a lot. It isn’t an ideal magazine pouch but it isn’t intended to be.
I tried it with AK magazines and it will work. The only issue is that the locking tabs will catch on the shock cord when you are inserting and withdrawing the mags. It doesn’t stop you from removing the mag but you will eventually wear out the shock cord this way and have to replace it (which is easily done).
The nicest surprise with this pouch was that it holds the two of the new PMAG 40s very well, almost like it was made for it. The Bottle Corset even has enough adjustment to allow them to sit fairly deep for retention.
I also found that it was great for carrying items like a rolled up wind shirt, rain shell, poncho, camping tarp, ammo boxes, and who knows what else. I even wedged a first aid pouch in it so I could carry it temporarily.
My Bottle Corset spends just about all of its time in one of two places. I keep it on the side of my pack or on the hip belt. If you have a pack with a MOLLE compatible hip belt like Kifaru, Mystery Ranch, and others, you will love this pouch. It gives you some serious versatility in terms of what you can carry on your hip belt.
The MSM Bottle Corset is one of the handiest pouches that I have in my toolbox. It solves a problem for me and that is probably the highest praise that I can give.
Check out the MSM Bottle Corset at the Mil-Spec Monkey Store.
The Tactical Tailor Removable Operator Pack (ROP) has been so successful that it has spawned a number of spin-offs. The most recent spin-off, the MSM Adapt Pack, uses the ROP as its base and then receives a heaping helping of Mil-Spec Monkey (MSM) innovation.
Like the ROP, the MSM Adapt Pack is a small to medium sized pack (1178 cubic inches) that is useful for a number of different roles. It is constructed from 500D nylon by Tactical Tailor. This pack is designed to serve as stand-alone assault pack that can also be docked to a larger pack or plate carrier.
It retains most features of the ROP including a dedicated exterior accessible hydration compartment, a large main compartment with internal water bottle pockets, a smaller front compartment, external shock-cord organizer and Velcro patch field on the front, padded shoulder straps that can be packed away inside the hydration compartment, an adjustable sternum strap, padded back panel, and PALS webbing field on the sides and front. It comes with all the hardware that is necessary to mount the pack to a host.
The MSM Adapt Pack differs from the ROP in some key ways. It has additional hardware that gives it the capability to function as a single strap pack (sling bag). The ROP can do this but the MSM Adapt Pack expands the capability (more on this later). The ROP also features ambidextrous access to the front pocket which is loop Velcro lined for adaptable organization. Additionally, the MSM Adapt Pack has left and right side hydration/comm wire/antenna ports.
One of the best things about this pack is that it doesn’t deviate too far from the ROP. The ROP is a great pack because of its size and all the ways it can be carried. The size is large enough to serve as an EDC or day hike pack and small enough to serve as an assault pack. It can comfortably carried as a backpack, docked to another larger pack or plate carrier, briefcase style with the straps tucked away, and the MSM Adapt Pack adds sling bag style carry.
Much of the unique features that MSM designed into the pack, revolve around getting the most out of sling bag style carry. Sling carry allows the user to pull the bag from their back, around to the front to access contents without removing the bag. The front pocket has two zippered access points, one on each side, so that you can access it regardless of which shoulder you have the bag slung on. This isn’t necessarily just a left handed versus right handed feature. I am right handed but prefer to carry single strap bags on my right shoulder in order to ensure that there are no straps over my holster (which is located on my right hip).
The interior of the front pocket has a large loop Velcro field on the interior which is the perfect organization system to support the ambidextrous, almost chest rig like nature of this pack. It allows the user to mount something like magazine pouches in any orientation that they need in order to access the content when the bag is pulled around in front of them. I found that the Blue Force Gear Ten-Speed Dappers work perfectly in this role because they grip the magazines tightly enough that there is no issue with them falling out when the pack is vertical. This internal loop field and good Velcro backed magazine pouch makes it possible to fight out of this bag much like you would a chest rig. It is very, very clever.
MSM also added an additional removable female side release buckle to the sternum strap. It can be placed on either strap (completely ambidextrous) and serves to provide a docking point for the unused shoulder strap when the MSM Adapt Pack is in single strap mode. It basically creates a stabilizer strap much like you would find on a proper messenger bag. This locks the pack to the wearer’s back and completely mitigates the excess movement issues that are inherent to single strap packs.
The transition from traditional 2 strap pack to single strap, sling bag style carry is so simple, that it can be done while you are wearing the pack. You simply unbuckle the shoulder strap on the shoulder that will not be wearing the pack and reach over your shoulder to stow the top portion into the hydration compartment. Then you unbuckle the remaining strap and reattach it to the lower portion of the opposite strap. Finally, attach the remaining lower strap to the stabilizer buckle. It is easy and intuitive.
Once you have the removable stabilizer buckle in place, you can just leave it there permanently so it is always ready. If you need to pull the pack around in front to access its contents, you simply unbuckle the stabilizer strap and pull it around.
This single strap, sling bag style configuration is well suited to a number of different applications. As an armed citizen, it makes this bag suited to off-body concealed carry. Certainly, off-body carry is not ideal but at least with this pack, you can access your firearm without having to remove the pack and then root around in it. I can also imagine a number of other users who I am not qualified to speak for who might find a bag that can be fought out of like a chest rig useful. Basically, the MSM Adapt Pack gives you options that you wouldn’t have with a typical backpack.
I didn’t spend a lot of time dwelling on the features that the MSM Adapt Pack has in common with the Removable Operator Pack (and similar packs like the Lightweight Assault Pack from Grey Ghost Gear) since these features are well known. The sling bag functionality is something that the ROP and all its derivatives are capable of but the MSM Adapt Pack turns them into useable, dedicated functionality rather than a hack. The moveable stabilizer buckle, ambidextrous design, and clever use of Velcro organization makes it all work. This is an awesome pack that you will be able to use a number of different ways.
Check out the MSM Adapt Pack.
There are a ton of different water bottles on the market and you are like me, you have accumulated several of them over the years. it can be a real pain in the rear to find a good solution for carrying all of them so you end up with bottles that you either don’t use because you lack a decent pouch for them or you have to keep them somewhere that is less than ideal – like buried in your pack. If that sounds familiar, Mil-Spec Monkey is about to make your day with the Bottle Corset.
The MSM Bottle Corset is the most adjustable bottle holder that I have seen. I have had one in hand for a few weeks and I haven’t found a bottle that it won’t fit. I have used it with several different sizes and shapes of Nalgene bottles, several sizes of Camelbak Better Bottles, and even the throw-away 20 ounce bottles that you get at the store.
The Bottle Corset makes good use of shock cord so that it is extremely adjustable and flexible. It is adjustable for depth and also features a retainer cord that can be configured a number of different ways. It is MOLLE compatible and mounts via the included MALICE clips.
This pouch is versatile enough to be used to store 2 magazines in pinch. However, care should be taken because the pouch will lose tension once one of the magazines is removed.
Check out the new Bottle Corset from Mil-Spec Monkey and stay tuned for a full review!
