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I have a Yukon Outfitters backpack I take with me to work and on hikes. It's MOLLE compatible and it fits basically anything I could want to take with me, and is still small enough that it keeps me thinking about what I pack for what I'm doing such that I don't overpack. Basically the only thing I can't fit in it safely is my SLR camera. On a whim during lunch, I stopped in at one of the local 'military surplus' stores nearby. You know the type. They had all kinds of MOLLE attachments, but I didn't see anything that was large enough and open enough for my camera. A cursory glance on amazon showed tons of pouches also, but nothing I'd feel comfortable putting the camera in. Sure, there's standalone camera bags, and MOLLE compatible ones, but I want something to attach to my backpack, not a shoulder bag that I can throw pouches on to replace my backpack. How come MOLLE never made it into a real consumer market beyond this? I gotta imagine I'm not the only one who looks at a backpack and thinks, "Man, I suddenly need a new pouch for something. I wish there was something I could do other than buy a new bag."

I assume that there is military use cases for medium/large cameras, and I know we have a large military demographic here. What do you guys use? Do you just drag around separate cases for that stuff?

As an aside, who is buying all these 2+ magazine pouches? I assume it's private security and mall ninjas, but I don't even.

http://www.heinnie.com/hazard-4-wedge-slr-camera-case

I have a fair bit of MOLLE stuff kicking around,
My SLR lives in a Lowe case, but if I was gettingh something to link to a MOLLE grid, it'd probably be this.

 daedalus wrote:
As an aside, who is buying all these 2+ magazine pouches? I assume it's private security and mall ninjas, but I don't even.

I have one of those 2 magazine pouches, and just used it the other day in the field. I've found those to be utterly invaluable for my needs.

After looking at pictures, I just want to know what Marines are carrying these days. Back in the early 90s, everything we needed fit into our 90lb Alice pack. Now they use a MOLLE that looks to be nearly twice as bulky as the Alice. What the hell are they carrying in there these days?

 Breotan wrote:
After looking at pictures, I just want to know what Marines are carrying these days. Back in the early 90s, everything we needed fit into our 90lb Alice pack. Now they use a MOLLE that looks to be nearly twice as bulky as the Alice. What the hell are they carrying in there these days?

Did your DI's ever have you hold your loaded pack out straight as they gave you the definition of the thing?

You never used a butt pack back in the day?

 Jihadin wrote:
You never used a butt pack back in the day?

Nope. Not saying they were never used at all, just that I never saw them. Hell, the Corps was so effing cheapscape that most of us didn't even get issued a frame for the Alice. Talk about messing up your back.

Take a look at MOLLE gas mask bags. They're usually big enough to add some sort of soft case inside of for your camera. Just check the dimensions.

One thing though, especially looking at that tea and pringles pouch you got there, not all MOLLE is created equal. Companies like NCStar and VISM are find and dandy for the hike that never puts you more than two miles from your car, but any rough or continuous use will rip them clear away. They just aren't stitched well enough for more stressful use. I wouldn't trust anything by them for something valuable like a SLR. I've been out of it for a while, but I think Hazard 4 is a decent brand. Not trust your life good, but trust your valuables good.

The picture above with the tea is a pouch for four AK magazines. I use them for airsoft or going to the range. Airsoft is actually a major market for these things, since a lot of it wouldn't be up to snuff for actual military use. Paintball uses some, but not nearly as much. Keep in mind though, more than a few frontline men and women have the option of buying what they want to carry. So picking up things that are more modular than standard issue is common.

Wow, I forgot about paintball/airsoft. That makes much more sense. Not MOLLE, but some 15 years ago I actually had a holster for a couple tubes of paintballs with the pockets about the dimensions of yours, Ouze.

I'll have a closer look at the Hazard 4. They're pretty proud of it going by the price, but I don't think I would want to pay less for something I'm putting expensive and fragile electronics in. Amusingly, it's significantly more expensive than my actual bag was, but the bag's build quality isn't completely horrible either. I might have to put a few extra stitches through the MOLLE just to be safe though.

Thanks guys.

I use to have a Claymore nylon carrying satchel I use for my shaving kit back in the day

Isn't MOLLE a drug name?

 timetowaste85 wrote:
Isn't MOLLE a drug name?

I thought it was 6.02214179 × 10^23

Yeah defining "MOLLE" in the OP for those not in the know would have been nice!

MOLLE is the standardized attachment system used on tactical equipment to secure pouches and similar sized things snug to give operators a level of modularity. Specifically, it's just the webbing stitched onto gear and straps on the backs of pouches that weaves through the webbing. That way, a simple a snap holds it in place and a good pouch won't budge if you're rolling around on the ground, caught on barbed wire or any other manner of rough treatment.

A MOLLE pouch. The MOLLE part of it is on the back. The vertical straps weave in and out of the horizontal on both the pouch and the vest it attaches to. You couldn't rip these things off if you tried when it's made correctly.
http://www.sofmilitary.co.uk/marauder-molle-para-ammo-pouch-mtp-product,16385

Also popular on backpacks, gun bags, messenger bags, carrying cases and for the sofa soldier in your life, stockings... I still don't get the stockings...

"Not knowing what stuff is" seems like a pre-Google problem. I'm trying to be helpful rather than condescending - you can highlight a word in your browser and right-click it for a web search.

Love Molle for airsoft, 2 X mag pouches a couple grenade and a dump pouch and your set for the day. Don't know if I would have much use for Molle outside of airsoft mind.

Relapse wrote:
Did your DI's ever have you hold your loaded pack out straight as they gave you the definition of the thing?

Our packs. Our rifles. Our footlockers. You name it, we held it, arms outstretched and elbows locked. Wow, I just realized. I really don't miss boot camp at all. Ain't that something.