I commute to class and park in a garage downtown. I keep my BOB in my car, and obviously I can't take it to class. My primary backpack is a Maxpedition Falcon II, and I love it, though most of it is dedicated to things for class. I wanted to add in a pouch that could be dedicated to survival, and my intention was that the pack exist only to help me get back to my vehicle from anywhere on campus, and to help with minor problems while in class or on the move. It serves mostly as an EDC pouch. I looked around several companies and narrowed it down to Maxpedition very quickly. They have 3 sizes of EDC-Style pouches, this is the largest. All are available with and without a section of hook and loop on the front for a minor price difference.
Mini
http://www.maxpedition.com/store/pc/Mini-Pocket-Organizer-7p1559.htm
Standard
http://www.maxpedition.com/store/pc/E-D-C-POCKET-ORGANIZER-7p961.htm
Fatty
http://www.maxpedition.com/store/pc/Fatty-Pocket-Organizer-7p1654.htm
The Fatty is listed on Maxpedition for $28.99, which isn't too bad especially since it is Maxpedition, and they have great quality and customer service. If you don't want to foot that much, as shown above smaller ones do exist.
Use
Maxpedition developed these 3 pouches to be used by people like us, lets be honest here. It allows for people that have multiple bags for work or school, to only have to have one set of EDC or 'prepper' items that can be quickly and efficiently swapped from bag to bag. This series is well thought out and encompasses multiple size ranges for different people and demands. I chose the and will be reviewing the largest as per the subject of this thread. Mine is in black. I am not looking for input on what is inside of the pouch, so much as providing a review.
Specs (From Maxpedition)
Compact 5" x 7" x 2" size
Drops into or attaches onto backpack or bag
Full clamshell opening main compartment with dual zips
Inside left: Slip pocket; key ring; tie-down loop, elastic organizer with 9 divisions
Inside right: Zipper pocket; elastic organizer with 6 divisions
Inside center has additional elastic loops
Front exterior: 2" x 3" loop field for patches; mesh slip pocket with hook-and-loop closure
Back exterior: Oversized carry handle; attachment webbing
MOLLE compatible
Attach using two 3" TacTie™ Attachment Straps (optional accessories)
Imported
1000-Denier water and abrasion resistant light-weight ballistic nylon fabric
Teflon™ fabric protector for grime resistance and easy
YKK Zippers
Triple polyurethane coated for water resistance
High tensile strength nylon webbing
High tensile strength composite nylon thread (stronger than ordinary industry standard nylon thread)
Internal seams taped and finished
Paracord zipper pulls
Stress points double stitched, Bartacked or "Box-and-X" stitched for added strength
Pouch Closed
First Impression (Exterior)
Okay, let me start by addressing the two elephants in the room. 1) Yes the flag is backwards, no it does not come with the pouch. The flag is on there merely to represent the functionality of the hook and loop section. The reason that it is backwards is due to the fact that it came off the right shoulder of my uniform and it is the only patch with the exact dimensions of the hook and look that I own. 2) This pouch is a big boy. Its easy to see.
When I first pulled this out of the plastic, I was very impressed as I have always been with Maxpedition. You can just feel how tough this thing is. The Teflon-Coated 1000D literally feels indestructible and it is awesome. The pouch is sturdy and the stitching is very well done. Zipper action is very smooth and the zipper pulls (a standard for Maxpedition) are in great shape. The hook and loop is the perfect size for a moral patch or a flag. I'm still not sure what I will use the mesh pocket on the front for, however it is made of superior quality also. I yanked pretty hard on the handle several times, it holds up very nicely and has reinforced stitching like Maxpedition is known for.
First Impression (Interior)
SO MUCH SPACE! I mean it really goes without saying here. Tons of room and modularity inside this bad boy. Left side features 3 horizontal large elastic loops and 6 small horizontal elastic loops. Behind them exists a space clearly for flat items such as a small notebook, papers, passport or other important documents. A plastic clip hangs from the top for keys or other things that need to be kept attached. Beside the clip, a small loop of 550 cord for attaching other items. The plastic clip is a very interesting design that allows for a huge range of motion, however I am not sure how strong it is or even if I want to use it. The right side features 2 very large vertical elastic loops, and 4 large vertical elastic loops. Behind this section exists an additional vertical zippered section that from first look can expand pretty impressively to add in loose items or things you want to keep together. In the center of the clam shell is one more horizontal elastic loop. I should say on the topic of the elastic, it is the kind that does not easily stretch out and lose its elasticity. I have had experience with cheaper elastic loops in packs that goes bad and cannot be used any longer.
Load it Up
I want to point out that what is in here is merely for a reference and so you can get an idea of the loading of this pouch. I am not asking for a critique as to what I put in it since for the review I just found some little things that get the point across.
Opened Up
Medical Compartment
Admin Items
Load-Out for Review
General
Streamlight ProTac AA
Multi-Tool
Chemlight (Red)
Compass
Fire/Water
Waterproof Match Container
-10 'Stormproof' Matches
-Striker
-2 Cotton Balls
-Lint
Lighter
2 One Gallon Bags
20 Katadyn Water Purification Tablets
Medical
2 Pairs Medium Gloves, Nighthawk Black
4 Curity 4x4
6 Curity 2x2
4 ABD 5x9
6 Alcohol Prep Pads
2 Small Packs, Celox
4 Band-Aids 1x3
2 Band-Aids 2x3
1 Piece, Mole Skin
2 Packs, Steri-Strips
2 Packs, ASA, 81mg (Total 4 = 324mg for Chest Pain)
2 Packs, Acetaminophen, 500mg
2 Packs, Ibuprofen, 200 mg
2 Packs, Triple Antibiotic Ointment
Admin
Overall Campus Map, Large
Northern Campus Map, Small
Eastern Campus Map, Small
Urban Survival Info Sheet
Rite-in-Rain Notebook
Ball-Point Pen
Pencil, Mechanical
$10 In One Dollar Bills
Meat & Taters
I carried this pouch in my backpack and laptop bag for a few weeks prior to finishing up this review to get an idea of whether or not it performs as its hyped up to. I am very impressed with it. For what it is, it's a great item. I've had it out in the rain, dropped it in mud, scraped it against masonry, ect. It holds up amazingly well. For anyone who is looking to expand their EDC and have items that can quickly be swapped from one bag to another, this really is about as convenient as it will get. I forgot to mention earlier that I added 25' of black paracord to the pouch in addition to what was already in it. I never found a use for the paracord or the clip, however I have messed around with the clip and it has not broken or become damaged in any way. Additionally across the back of the pouch is a 2x3 section of attachment points to place this pouch on the exterior of a MOLLE pack or bag. I had mine affixed to my Falcon II just for reviewing purposes. (This is the point where the pouch was exposed to rain, the masonry ect.) It performed as well on the outside as it did on the inside, however it makes it more difficult to move quickly when you have to take it off. For this reason, I leave it inside the bag, and when I need it I yank it out by the handle/strap sewn onto it. Works great!
Overall, I highly recommend this product, which says a lot because I am quite a stickler. I seldom am 100% okay with something. At work I have product reviewed almost every brand of medical bag on the market and I always find flaws, for example... This product, however, is excellent.
2014 Updated Contents:
Signal Mirror
Signal Whistle
Jump Drive 8 GB
2 Compressed Paper Towel Tablets
Conclusion
Design - 5/5
Construction & Materials - 5/5
Modularity - 5/5
Durability - 5/5
Overall - 5/5
Questions? Feel free to comment. I'm all over the place so I'm sure I missed a detail or two, and quite possibly may not have explained something well enough.
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