The MOLLE Panel

Setting up the MOLLE Panel

There's not much to do to set up the MOLLE Panel - regardless, a few notes on fitment and adjustability are provided here.

Grimlocs

The included Grimlocs are intended to be attached to the MOLLE Panel using the strap attachment loops. The strap loop fits inside a special channel in the Grimloc to prevent sliding or twisting. The channel also prevents the Grimloc from falling off of webbing when it is opened, allowing for easier one-handed use.

There are eight strap attachment loops, two on each corner of the bag. The bag will hang on the body differently depending on where you place the carabiners and by extension the shoulder strap.

The material used for the strap attachment loop is thick, the same as on the bag-face ladder webbing. The fit of the Grimloc with the strap attachment loop will be tight. The thicker material and the tight fit give the best strength and stability for the bag.

Captured versus Un-Captured Buckles

The shoulder strap buckles are "un-captured". This gives a greater range of adjustability than a captured buckle. An un-captured buckle allows the shoulder strap to be shortened and used as a handle, or extended to nearly the full length of the strap. This leaves a free end on both sides of the strap that needs to be policed (if you find a free end to be bothersome).

The alternative is to use a captured buckle. Though a captured buckle allows the strap to extend to nearly its full length, the strap can't be shortened very much. In the interest of flexibility and utility, the MOLLE Panel shoulder strap uses un-captured buckles.

The Zipper

The bag's zipper is a very stout "No. 10" model. It wraps completely around the top of the MOLLE Panel and runs a short distance down the side. This allows the mouth of the bag to accept objects as wide as the bag itself, but it comes with a caveat. The zipper has to make a sharp "turn" around the corner of the bag. In a new bag, the zipper can seem to be held up or hard to move around the bag's corner. This is especially the case when holding an unloaded bag in the hand and working the zipper by the pull tab. The tendency is to pull directly upward with the pull tab, causing the zipper head to bind during travel. A sharp tug "outward" on the pull tab, rather than backward along the length of the zipper, is usually enough to get the zipper clear of the "turn".

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Extending the MOLLE Panel

It is easy to extend the MOLLE Panel into something completely unique, well suited to your own requirements. Turning a Panel into a bandolier demonstrates this:

Some Configuration Ideas →