Initial writeup (mid 2003): Most gear I come into contact with is either designed specifically for the tactical/military market, or for the average civilian consumer. The pseudo-military-style fashion items that I see around are mostly of cheap construction and cheap materials, definitely not up to the standard of tactical gear. However, do the the focused purpose of the equipment, much of the tactical gear has limited use in everyday life, whereas gear designed for the civvie market usually has features designed for everyday use. It seems that you either have to opt for the quality construction of tactical gear, or the features of civvie gear for everyday use, sometimes sacrificing durability. A buddy of mine recently went to a gun show and came across a company called MAXPEDITION, that offers gear designed with civilian use in mind, but with military styling and rugged construction/materials. I visited their website and found some pretty innovative items, including backpacks, various pouches, bags, waist packs, shoulder bags, rifle cases and more. (Visit their website to see their full line of products)

I contacted them and spoke to the owner, Tim. His company motto is 'Hard-use Gear Everyday' and the market that MAXPEDITION is aiming at are regular people (and the occasional geardo, like me) who are tired of poorly constructed gear, and like the 'military' styling combined with civilian functionality, made with durable materials and construction. MAXPEDITION designs the gear in the U.S. and has the items manufactured in Taiwan at their own facility to keep costs down, without sacrificing quality. All items are constructed with 1000 denier nylon treated with Teflon. All the nylon material and webbing feels very durable (like well constructed tactical nylon), and YKK zippers and duraflex buckles are used throughout.

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BACKPACKS

FALCON BACKPACK - This is a small assault-style pack similar to the Camelbak HAWG in size. It has two main compartments, and two outer pockets, and a hydration compartment for a 70 oz. bladder. On the sides and front are rows of 1" webbing sewn on top of 2" webbing, for attachment of their pouches. It is not as rigid as the MOLLE attachment systems, but then again, it is not intended to be. The main compartment is quite large, and in fact, the pack can be compressed via the compression straps so that the rest of the pack 'flattens into' the main compartment, which can be expanded if more volume is needed. In all 4 compartments/pockets, there are internal pouches and division for organization of gear. The back has lightly padded mesh for comfort. One of the sturdiest handles I've seen on a small pack of this size sits on top. The shoulder straps are detachable and are constructed of padded nylon with a mesh backing (like most other designs). They seem pretty comfortable, but I'd go with a more supple strap, personally, with some soft edge tape on the sides (espcially against the neck) to prevent potential chafing under extended use. I would also add some elastic bands on the straps for hydration tube routing. I have an older Camelbak HAWG which I've used every day for the past couple of years, and transferred all the stuff into the Falcon. The Camelback used Coolmax material on the inside back and straps, and this has pilled quite badly. So far, I like this pack as a replacement - it's got a lot of good features and is sturdily made.

Update: Planned improvements since this article was written:
Detachable backpack straps changed to fixed, more supple and comfortable straps - and here is the updated Falcon (3-18-04)

8/12/07 - MERLIN FOLDING BACKPACK -Another new item for '07 is the Merlin Folding Backpack. This converts from a MOLLE-compatible pouch to a lightweight E&E-style backpack. When folded, the Merlin measures 8" x 5" x 4". On the front of the Merlin is a velcro field for ID patches, and shock cord for attaching items to it. The rear of the Merlin has Malice-clip compatible PALS webbing, for attaching it to a belt, bag or vest.

There are three compartments on the Merlin. The middle compartment has a zipper that goes all the way around and stores the folded backpack. The front compartment zipper opens has three elastic loops inside the front panel which will secure more cell phones, pagers etc. The rear compartment has a zipper with dual pulls that goes all the way around the pouch, but has a snap tab (which can be unsnapped) that limits movement of the zipper pulls, essentially turning them into 'top' and 'bottom' access. An internal divider that's sewn at the top of the outer panel and bottom of the inner panel separates the compartment with 'top' and 'bottom' access. When the Merlin is carried normally, the 'top' zipper is used. When the Merlin is unfolded out into the backpack configuration, the 'top' now becomes the 'bottom', hence the need to access both sides of the compartment. One thing I wouldn't mind having added is a small carry handle at the top of the PALS webbing to carry the Merlin when it's folded up. There's no way of carrying it as a stand-alone item except in your hand. Maybe even a removable strap for waist carry so it could be used as-is when not attached to something else, and not unfolded into a backpack.

To turn the Merlin into a backpack, the main (center) compartment is unzipped, and the two halves of the Merlin open out flat. The folded backpack is then expanded. The front and back compartments of the Merlin now end up on the front of the backpack. The backpack itself is lightweight 420D nylon, which necessary for it to fold up compactly. All internal seams are finished with seam tape. It measures approximately 15" x 12" (at the bottom, 10" at the top) x 6". There is a rear slot/hydration pocket with a 9" wide velcro closure and D-ring at the top for suspending a hydration bladder inside. The backpack zipper has a rain flap.

To stow the backpack, it's simply folded up and the two halves of the Merlin zipped up again.

Shown below is the Merlin expanded into backpack configuration. Since it's 420D, it has no stiffness, so it works best with lighter, bulky, softer items like jackets etc. You're not going to load it up with 30 lbs of ammo and expect it to be comfortable under normal use. It's more like a sack or duffle-style than a more rigid backpack, but with more utility than an over-the-shoulder single strap design. There's a web carry handle at the top, and the 2"-wide shoulder straps are adjustable in length. I've used it for grocery store runs when I walk, not drive, to the store. It's much more convenient than carrying grocery bags in each hand, and spacious enough to hold quite a bit. As I mentioned above, it'd be nice to have a carry handle or removable strap for stand-alone carry when not expanded into a backpack. It does make a pretty convenient emergency backpack that's easy to keep in the car or other luggage that you can suddenly fold out like magic. Maybe that's why MAXPEDITION named it the Merlin.

12/20/07 - ROLLYPOLY BACKPACK™ and ROLLYPOLY EXTREME™ - Two new additions to the Rollypoly line are the Rollypoly Backpack and Rollypoly Extreme. In a nutshell, the RP Backpack and Extreme are folding backpacks that roll up into a relatively small package.

Rolled-Up Sizes - The RP Backpack is the smaller of the two, and measures 4.5" tall x 4.5" wide x 2" thick. The RP Extreme measures 5" x 5" x 4" rolled up. The Backpack has a siamese slik clip at the top like the original Rolly, while the Extreme has an additional handle. They're shown below with a 30-round M4 mag for scale. Both have malice-clip compatible webbing on the back for attaching to PALS webbing and an integral belt loop that fits up to 3.5" wide belts. Both the Backpack and Extreme are available in black, OD green, khaki, and digital foliage camo (close to UCP).

Backpack - The RP Backpack is an ultra-light (8 oz empty) pack (or cinch-top sack) made of 420 D nylon fabric and aprroximatel 350 cu. in. of capacity. It folds and unfolds sequentially just like the original Rollypoly. When unfolded, it measures 16" tall x 11" wide x 2" thick, but the gussets near the base allow it to expand depending on what you put in it, just like a grocery bag expands when you fill it. The adjustable shoulder straps are 3/4" webbing, and also serve to cinch the top opening up when pulled in opposite directions at the top. There is a drainage grommet at the bottom. The Backpack will accomodate a 100 oz hydration reservoir.

The top flap, which keeps the Backpack folded, also serves to close the top opening when the Backpack is unrolled. There's an internal zippered pocket just inside the opening that measures 7" x 5".

Extreme - The Extreme is a larger, more feature-laden pack and weighs 1 lb 8 oz empty and a capacity of about 500 cu. in. The main compartment measures 16" x 12" x 2". There are two pockets on the front. The top pocket measures 8" x 5" x 1" with an 8" x 2" loop velcro strip. The lower pocket is 10" x 8" x 1" with an inner divider, key lanyard, and 4" x 6" velcro patch on the outside. On the outside is a slip pocket measuring 7" x 7". All pockets are zippered. Overall construction is 420D nylon with a 1000D bottom panel.

The shoulder straps are more substantial than the RP Backpack, and utilize 1.5" webbing. They're adjustable and a sternum strap is included with an emergency whistle incorporated into the buckle. They also have elastic hydration tube loops. The shoulder straps are routed through common loops at the top of the outside panel. When the main compartment is opened, the common loops slide on the shoulder straps. The opening self-closes when the shoulder straps are pulled. The top velcro flap folds onto itself out of the way, or can be used for additional security. The main compartment is divided with an independant hydration sleeve, which accomodates a 100 oz reservoir. A hang loop is provided at the top of the compartment. Like the Backpack, there's an internal zippered pocket just inside the opening.

The Extreme requires a bit more attention when re-folding it to get the straps and fabric flattened so that it folds into the most compact package, but you get the hang of it after a couple of times.

Both the Backpack and Extreme will accomodate compact laptops, but the user should remember that they're unpadded. The Extreme has more capacity and organization, and can double as a lightweight E&E bag. They provide a quick and convenient means of carrying items at a cinch on shorter outings. I think that they're sized just right for the materials and construction - there's little danger of overloading them. Both the Rollypoly Backpack and Extreme are great for putting inside a larger pack or luggage when you're traveling, and you don't have the space to carry a larger, heavier pack.

8/20/07 - COLOSSUS VERSIPACK - The new Colossus is the largest of the Versipacks, for those who need something bigger than a Jumbo with a ton of separate compartments. The Colossus platform is almost identical to the Manta shown below, but just a hair taller and slimmer. They share the same shoulder strap configuration with removable pad that feels a bit stiff at first but softens up nicely with use. The rear compartment is set up like the Manta, with a 7" x 8" loop velcro field for attaching a velcro holster or accessories, with a D-ring pull tab and snap/velcro closure. It's open on the side and not completely closed or secure, so it's more suitable for a small hydration bladder than pistol. The back of the main panel is covered in the same, slightly tacky-feeling mesh/netting with closed cell foam padding.

On the front side of the main panel is a flat compartment with 7" x 8" loop velcro field. This compartment has a two-way zipper closure and is what I'd put a pistol in for CCW. It's completely closed, with no chance of anything falling out. The top pocket is located on the top lid of the main compartment. Outside are two 2" x 4.5" loop velcro rectangles for patches etc. There's also elastic shock cord for bungy-ing something lightweight to the top of the Colossus. Inside the zipper-opened top pocket is one slot pocket with 2" elastic sewn to it. I find myself using the top pocket for frequently-accessed items like my sunglass case, motorcycle keys and remote.

The main compartment measures 8" x 5" x 10" deep. It's protected by padding on the top, sides and bottom. At the rear of the main compartment is a slot pocket with 2" elastic closure, best suited for flat items. At the front is another slot pocket, with two smaller mesh pockets on it. Because of the padding and structure of the bag, the main compartment stays open like a box, and doesn't not collapse. Items are therefore easy to insert and retrieve. Inside/under the main compartment lid is a flat zippered mesh pocket with elastic loops. Outside the main compartment on the sides are four rows and two columns of PALS webbing for attaching additional pouches to the sides.

The front compartment has a zippered pokcet on the outside, and a main slot pocket on the inside, with two smaller elastic-secured pleated slot pockets. I keep my cell phone in one, and a multi-tool in the other. There's an internal divider which divides the front pocket into two compartments. There's another zipper near the bottom of the front compartment that opens into bottom compartment. When I first saw it, I thought "is this really needed?" When I started using the Colossus, I actually found it very functional. I keep small items in the front compartment, and instead of them all settling at the bottom of the pocket and my having to rummage around looking for one particular item, I put some in the bottom compartment and some in the main one. Since the divider is velcro'd, you can choose not to use it and have one big front compartment instead. Last but not least are three rows and four columns of PALS webbing on the very bottom of the Colossus for lashing items or attaching another external pocket there.

I've been using the Colossus on my short commute to and from work on my motorcycle. I still use a Franklin Planner instead of an electronic PDA (I like writing on paper and only use my Palm Pilot as an address book), and it fits into the Colossus along with my breakfast in a small tupperware and all my other small personal items I carry on a daily basis (phone, light, palm pilot, multitool etc). I was initially afraid that the lack of waist belt would cause it to swing around to the side and get in my way since I'm leaning forward on the bike, but the tackiness of the mesh/netting on the back panel keeps it in place in the rear and I haven't had a problem yet, even when I've had to brake hard a couple of times and stop quickly. I also attached some safety reflective material patches to the velcro fields on the outside of the front panel for safety, as it's getting darker when I leave early in the mornings now.

Besides every day use, the Colossus would function very well as a camera case for a film or digital SLR and accessories. There's enough room for an SLR camera body with lens attached, plus an extra lens but it'd depend on the size of the lenses of course. I'd definitely recommend keeping the second lens in a padded lens case to prevent knocking it against the other one. Another role I think that the Colossus would serve well in is as a small team medical/first aid kit pack, which usually consists of medium-small items requiring multiple compartments for organization.

8/1/07 - MANTA VERSIPACK -One of MAXPEDITION's new items for '07 is the Manta Versipack. Not really a 'pack', but more of a modular platform. The Manta is 13" across at the top, tapering to 10" at the bottom. On the front panel are 6 columns x 3 rows of PALS webbing, for attachment of molle-compatible pouches. Below the upper PALS grid is a 4 column x 2 row grid, sewn to a panel that's open on both sides. Elastic shock cord is looped through the lower PALS grid and can be removed if desired. A small windbreaker or wind shirt can be secured with the shock cord.

The Manta has two 'wings' extending from the main panel to which the 2" shoulder straps are connected. The shoulder strap detaches from both wings with side-release buckles, protected by elastic. On each wing are two rows of PALS webbing for attachment of small pouches.

The back of the Manta is covered in abrasion-resistant nylon mesh/netting. Behind the mesh is closed cell foam padding, which is perforated with large holes for comfort and ventilation. Small panels of the same mesh and padding are on the backs of the wings, as well as the removable shoulder strap pad. At first, I was undecided about the need for padding, as it adds a bit of bulk. But when the Manta is loaded up, the padding does add to the comfort when it's sitting against your hip.

The Manta has two compartments - one in the front and the other in the rear. The front compartment has a dual-zipper opening, and is essentially full size - the size of the Manta panel. Inside the compartment is a 7" x 8" loop velcro panel, for attachment of velcro-backed accessories, like a holster. The rear compartment also has the loop velcro panel. The rear compartment is more open, and closes at the top with a hook and loop tab with snap. A big D-ring is used as a pull tab for opening it. Below the tab is a belt loop, with overlapping velcro so it can be opened up without having to slide it over a belt. There's a hydration bladder hanger under the snap tab, for suspending a small (50 oz or smaller) hydration bladder in the compartment. I put a 45 oz Camelbak bladder in it, and it wasn't as bulky as I thought it'd be - turned out to work quite well.

The only thing I'd like added is a removable/optional waist strap, so it doesn't have to be attached to a belt if you're not wearing one. I like having a waist strap to stabilize the pack if you're running around or in a bike. When walking around town, it's not really needed and the pack stays put.

THERMITE and FATBOY VERSIPACKS - The originals! The Thermite is a small waist pack that can also be worn over the shoulder. It comes with a detachable thigh strap, which I found is unnecessary in all but the most vigorous of movement as it's quite stable without it. I was able to stuff a GI 1-qt canteen into the main compartment. It has an outer pocket, and two velcro pouches with adjustable lids on either side, which will hold Surefire lights, cell phones, sunglass cases (slim), pistol mags etc. The FatBoy is a larger over-the-shoulder pack which is contoured to fit around the butt, in which I could stuff 6 M4 30-rnd mags into the main compartment. It has a large external pocket on the front, a medium pocket on one side, and the velcro mag pouch on the other side. In front of the strap is a cell phone pouch. Both the Thermite and FatBoy's main compartments have internal pockets/divders for organizing the contents, and the main compartments have storm liners. There are also additional zippered and non-zippered compartments throughout. Both packs are lined with mesh on the back, which forms another compartment accesses via a zipper on the front of the packs. These mesh compartments are the perfect place to conceal a pistol, as shown below:

I've been wearing the Thermite around for a while and find it more versatile than a fanny pack. The contents are easier to access and I love having all those different compartments. It's perfectly comfortable around the waist and slung off my hip. My digital camera fits into the FatBoy and I thought I had found my next replacement camera bag. My wife had a different idea and commandeered the FatBoy for her own use. Her only issue was that the strap was a bit abrasive on her bare shoulder, but then most straps are on bare skin. I loaded it up and tried it for myself and like the way it carries. One suggestion I might have is to add velcro closure for the main flaps in addition to the fastex buckle, so that the flap is semi-secured if just flopped closed. The packs both have a unique look to them, especially the Thermite, and I'll post more info/impressions as I use them more.

Thermite and FatBoy Versipacks. P226 for scale

Back view showing mesh lining/compartment and detachable thigh strap on Thermite

6 M4 30-rnd mags in the FatBoy and GI 1-qt canteen in the Thermite main compartments for you geardos

Wearing the Versipacks

Available colours (Navy not shown for Thermite)

Update: Planned improvements since this article was written:
Velcro to be added to Thermite and FatBoy lids
Long, soft, conforming detachable wrap to be offered for shoulder straps
Elastic added to thermite thigh strap

9/28/03 UPDATE - Tim has informed me of some improvements they're making based on customer input. One of the bits of feedback was that the FatBoy strap could be a bit stiff or abrasive against bare skin. They now offer a detachable mesh-lined shoulder pad that fits on the FatBoy shoulder strap, to make it more comfortable, and it works very well. It will come standard on new FatBoys and be offered as an accessory for those who already have one. More updates to come, so stay tuned. MAXPEDITION is one manufacturer that listens to user input and is willing to make changes to continually improve their products. The strap has non-slip inserts to keep it from sliding on the strap.

The original mesh back of the Thermite and FatBoy has been changed to a 4-layer padded back. The mesh is softer, and the inner fabric liner prevents the contents from being seen. They still fit the same handguns in the compartments. The leg strap of the Thermite has an added piece of elastic to provide some 'give'/tension.

9/25/04 - Update- S-Type FATBOY VERSIPACK - The new S-Type FatBoy is a left-hand version of the popular FatBoy. Right handers can also use it if they want to keep their concealed weapons side free. The S-Type does away with the small cell phone pouch on the bottom of the shoulder strap, and instead has a provision for some other MAXPEDITION pouches such as the flashlight sheath or radio pouch. The interior of the S-type is identical to the right-handed FatBoy. A 2" wide strip of velcro is located about the front zipper for attachment of patches or ID tags. Another addition (I'm not sure if it's standard on all or just the S-Type) is a belt loop, which can be used to prevent the FatBoy from rotating around on the shoulder. I'm ambivalent about the added loop, as I can feel it against my body, but when motorcycle riding or engaged in active activity, I can see its benefits.

10/14/07 - Monkey Combat Admin Pouch - The Monkey Combat™ Admin Pouch, designed by MilspecMonkey is a multi-purpose organizer meant to be attached to the chest area of a vest or body armour. The MCAP is large enough to hold a decent amount of small items, but not so large as get in the way when mounted on the chest. Overall size is about 7" tall x 6.5" x 2" with items in it. The velcro closed lid has a large velcro field on it. The bottom half of the front is also velcro covered, for attachment of patches etc. On the back of the MCAP is molle-compatible webbing, which can span either three of four columns of PALS. The MCAP is attached using long Malice clips and weighs 6.7 oz empty.

Pulling on the front tab unfolds the translucent plastic 5" x 5" ID window which can be used for ID or notes/information. Behind it is an unsecured slot pocket open at both ends for tucking small items behind temporarily.

Inside, there's a 7" tall x 5.5" wide rear slip pocket. The main compartment measures 6" tall x 6" wide x 1" deep. There are four 1" elastic compression straps on the sides of the MCAP, which keep the main compartment compressed. On the inside front and back panels of the main compartment are 2" wide elastic webbing loops - three per side. The bottom of the main compartment has a grommet for drainage.
The next pocket is a flat, 6" x 6" velcro-sealed 'secret' compartment. It's not really 'secret', since there are two large staggered pull tabs used for opening it.
The frontal 6" x 6" x 0.5" pocket has three elastic loops sewn inside (on the front panel of the 'secret' compartment). All the elastic loops are about 1.75" wide, and will hold flashlights, multi-tools, folding knives, pistol mags and other similarly shaped items.
A front-most pocket inside the MCAP is 5" wide x 2" tall for small items.

Other than a couple of small pouches, I usually leave the chest area of any range rigs I wear relatively free. That being said, I tried the MCAP on my STRIKE rig and FAPC, and didn't find it to get in the way. The only time was when I transitioned from left to right shoulder - the rifle butt would sometimes catch on it as I not used to having something mounted in the center of my chest. it's very easy to access the contents in that position and dig through the MCAP. I found it very useful on a pack, as an external organizer for small items. This is where the little electronic gadgets so. I've shown it below mounted to a TAD Gear P.S. pack. It's a well thought-out design. The only thing I might change would be to use a clearer transparent plastic for the ID window, as the slight texture blurs out details if the plastic isn't completely flat up against the contents. Like most MAXPEDITION products, it's overbuilt, and using 500D instead of 1000D nylon for some of the internal pockets and dividers might be sufficient, and reduce bulk.

 

7/4/07 - MOIRE Pouches -MAXPEDITION has introduced two new pouches; the MOIRE mesh pouches, named for the interference pattern you see when you overlay two or more grids at an angle (in this case, the mesh that pouches are made out of). They come in two sizes: 7 x 5 and 8 x 6, which refer to the dimensions of the center compartment. The MOIRE pouches are made of a very fine abrasion-resistant nylon mesh which is still and feels surprisingly tough. Each pouch has three compartments - the large center compartment and two smaller outside ones. The outside compartments are flat. There's a swivel snap hook on one end of the pouch and a 1" webbing loop at the other, for use with slik-clips or dummy cording.

7 x 5 - This is the smaller of the two MOIRE pouches. The main compartment is 7" x 5" x 1.5" with a 6" zippered opening, and the side compartments measure 7" x 3.5" and 7" x 2.5" respectively.

8 x 6 - The main compartment of the 8 x 6 measures 8" x 6" x 1.5" with a 7" zippered opening. The side compartments measure 7.5" x 4.5" and 7.5" x 3.5".

The MOIRE pouches are translucent enough to give the user a quick visual check of their contents, which makes them perfect for organizing small items. A brief examination of the pouch and an item is quickly identified and located. The mesh also allows drainage. Of course, that also works in reverse, so don't store items that need to be protected from moisture in a MOIRE pouch. These make great little travel pouches for toiletries or carrying laptop accessories.

POUCHES - Tim sent me a single mag pouch and a dual mag pouch. Both can be worn horizontally or vertically. They have adjustable/removable lids which I love, because I have a really hard time finding mag pouches that fit my Para P14.45 mags with basepads. These will accomodate them, most other pistol mags, my Surefire C2 light, or two single stack .45 mags. The dual mag pouch has elastic retention, which I'd also like to see put on the single mag pouch. What more can I say - I like them! Now if only they came out with a PALS compatible version of the dual mag pouch in khaki - I'd be a VERY happy camper.

Update: Planned improvements since this article was written:
Adding elastic to single mag pouch (done)
Tightening elastic on double mag pouch (done)

9/25/04 - TUBE SHEATHS -MAXPEDITION created their 4" and 5" tube sheaths for the Inova T1 and T3 models, but they'll also fit models from other manufacturers of similar size. Designed much like their magazine pouches, they're more compact as they don't have adjustable length lids. Basically, they've got a velcro-closed lid, elastic retention around the sides, and a belt loop and malice clip compatible webbing on the back. I have an Inova X5 which fit the 4" pouch perfectly. You want to have a little bit of the item showing above the sides of the pouch so it can be grabbed easily. The tube diameter is 1.1", so it'll fit a variety of items like small folding knives etc. Both have grommeted bottoms. Much to my glee, they'll fit single-stack .45 1911 magazines. Fit is snug and secure. They make very compact magazine pouches. Nope, they won't fit any sort of double-stack 9mm mags - I tried. They're so narrow they'll fit easily on that spare column of PALS webbing you've got on your vest.

9/25/04 - H2 and H3 Waistpacks -The new H2 waistpack puts a box pouch beside a single mag pouch, while the H3 combines the box with a cell phone pouch, side by side. Both the box and pouch are mounted in a stiff platform that provide support, yet will conform to the curvature of the waist. Although named 'waistpacks', I can see these being used on vests and on the outside of packs for extra space/organization. Both have a wide belt loop, and 3 rows/columns of PALS webbing, for malice clip attachment. The main 'box' has a double zippered opening. Inside, the box is seperated into compartments by a bellows-type divider, which will fit PDAs, compasses, or two pistol mags etc. On the outside of the box is a velcro-closed pocket, and a hidden compartment behind that. Pen slots on the sides of the box hold a pen or two. The H2 has an adjustable-lid pistol mag or multi-tool pouch, while the H3 has a cell phone pouch. I mounted on of these on the front of the Falcon pack (not like it needs any more pockets), and it'll fit any other pack with PALS webbing on the outside. The pouches are easily accessed, if you don't want to dig inside the main pack. I put one on my STRIKE chest harness bib, where it fits perfectly. I predict we'll see more of these mounted likewise.

10/08/04 - Proteus Waistpack -The Proteus waistpack has been out for at least a year at the time of this writing, and was one of MAXPEDITION's original offerings. It is a departure from the common fanny/waist pack design, having a boxy, utilitarian look to it. My initial impression of it was that it was smaller than it looked in some pictures. It's not a large or bulky waistpack, but actually quite compact (see the photo below showing it in comparison to a 1-litre Nalgene bottle). The 2" wide waistbelt can be stowed under the rear panel, which has 4 channels of PALS webbing which can be used with 3" or 6" malice clips. Twin compression straps run under the pack to the front, and mate to a harness which forms the top carry handle. There are attach points for modular pouches on the outsides of the front and side compartments.

The Proteus is built around a main compartment, with approximate dimensions of 9" x 6" x 3". It has a single mesh pocket inside it. On the front of the Proteus is a 8" x 5" x 1.5" compartment, with some flat divided pockets inside it. There is a pen slot on each side of the front compartment. The pack is flanked on each side by two compartments that are about 5" x 3" x 2" in size. As mentioned above, I thought the main compartment was a bit small, even though it'll hold a large handgun with no problem. I tried to see what common items I could fill the Proteus with so that everyone could get an accurate idea of its capacity. Much to my surprise, I was able to stuff two GI 1-quart canteens, one on top of the other (see pic), in the main compartment. A pilot's hip flask filled up the front compartment. Each of the two side compartments could hold 2 GI M16 20-round magazines or 4 hi-cap pistol magazines (Sig P226 in this case). Not too shabby for this little pack. Construction and quality is the same as the other MAXPEDITION items - well built and solid.

M-4 Large Waistpack - Seen below is the M-4 waistpack in khaki. It's similar in size and design to the MOLLE canteen pouch, in fact it's a good alternative to it, as it fits a USGI 1-qt canteen perfectly. It has a flap which can stow inside, plus a cinchable storm collar. There are two small pouches on each side of the pouch, with adjustable lids. I could fit my Surefire C2 and a pistol mag in either one. On the outside is a small zippered pocket. I was able to fit 5 30-rnd thermold magazines in the main compartment. Thermolds are slightly wider than USGI aluminum mags. On the back of the M-4 is a wide belt loop, and PALS webbing for use with malice clips.

MAXPEDITION's Rollypolys are based on the folding design of my MM Folding Dump Pouch (below), a feature which sets them apart from other pouches available on the market; they fold up into a small package. MAXPEDITION decided to introduce two more sizes - the Mini Rollypoly and the Mega Rollypoly. Visit the MAXPEDITION pouch page for exact dimensions and approximate capacities. The Mini is sized to fit a Nalgene bottle and can be worn via a belt loop or with a single malice clip. It is also the only one of the 3 sizes that is also available in a black mesh. All pouches have a belt loop if malice clips are not used. The Mega is a large pouch, and has added loops at the bottom for an optional thigh strap. It also has a non-elastic cord closure, whereas the Mini and MM pouches have shock cord closed openings.

Check out the animations below to see how the Rollypolys work.

2004 - I'm very excited to team up with MAXPEDITION and license my MM Folding Dump pouch design to have them produced as the Medium Rolly Poly. There is a belt loop so malice clips are not needed to mount on a belt, there is a siamese slik clip on the top as an additional attach point, and the bottom is rectangular, instead of round. It functions and folds up identically, and will hold the same number of mags. It's a multi-functional pouch and its uses are endless. It can be used on the range to dump your empty mags in, hold shotshells, a water bottle, use as an evidence pouch for LE, throw your night vision goggles or binoculars into. It attaches via malice clips (sold separately) to any PALS compatible gear. MAXPEDITION is producing them in Black, OD green, UCP and Khaki. The 3-colour desert version seen here is a limited edition and is not available anymore.

As seen below in the two pics, the pouch can be slid onto a belt using the belt loop instead of malice clips. Or the malice clips can be used as belt loops if it's inconvenient to remove other pouches to slide the MM dump pouch on. The belt loop will fit any duty/pistol belt.

10/9/06 - The Rollypoly is now available in Army UCP (Universal Camo Pattern) to match current issue gear.

6/21/07 - MAXPEDITION has introduced two custom embroidered Rollypolys. Shown below is the AR15.com rolly (the front face of an M4 bolt), available in OD, khaki and black. The Gunsite rolly is also available in black, khaki and OD. If you'd like custom embroidered Rollypolys, just contact MAXPEDITION.

2/19/10 - MAXPEDITION is introducing three new high-visibility colours for the Rollypoly - Orange, Fire EMS (red), and Safety Yellow. The Red Rolly has black trim and hardware while the Orange and Yellow ones have foliage (grey) hardware. The new colours are designed for professionals like fire fighters, EMS and SAR, range instructors etc, where hi-vis gear helps to increase one's visiblity to others. Of course, they work just as well for plain civvies like me. I've attached one to a kid carrier for some extra room. No telling when the kid is going to want a snack.

7/14/15 - Wow, it's hard to believe that it's been ten years since MAXPEDITION introduced my MM dump pouch as the Rollypoly. They've recently introduced a new colour for the Rollypoly series - Wolf Grey. The shade of grey used is a little darker than most grey nylons I've seen. As you can see below, it's difficult to show in pictures what the eye sees under different lighting, but I've shown it alongside EMDOM SDU Grey, and Arc'teryx Wolf. The Wolf Grey Rolly is available in three sizes, and has black trim. I'm using the mini as my water bottle pouch on my range belt and it works very well.