Closed vs open-top magazine pouches

[Mark D]

I’ve been using open top pouches for the last 8 years daily in the conditions you describe. From triple canopy jungle to thick dry scrub and never one lost a magazine including when falling down draws, off cliffs or waist deep in ressacas filled with carizo, never lost a pistol or rifle magazine from an open top pouch.

Thanks TCB, I was hoping someone in your field would comment. Good input. What kind of pouches do you use and recommend?

[TCB]

I’ve been using the ESSTAC KYWI pouches for both pistol & rifle for the past 6 or so years without issue. 3x Tall M4 on my PC and 2x pistol on my Batbelt with a single short M4 behind them (also can hold 2x pistol magazines if you’re just doing pistol stuff). With a little heat you can adjust the tension to whatever works for you.

[rcbusmc24]

The ESSTAC's have become the most popular thing with our guys going through CQC School as well, it's one of the few things you still see guy's buying out of their own pocket anymore as most of the gear issue otherwise has gotten pretty decent. ESSTAC pouches and inner/ outer shooter belts are the two things that are regularly purchased though. The only time I've ever had any issue with one of mine is when I got lazy and tried to use the double stack pistol mag pouches already on my belt to hold 1911 mags, they will do it on a square range but not if you are going to be moving a bunch, use the right pouch though and no issue. Never lost a mag with these to the tree's or vines here or in Okinawa and both places have plenty of veg to steal all of your stuff, I have occasionaly lost a mag with HSGI Taco's but that typically only happens once the pouch has become rather worn...

[Mark D]

My opinion about open-topped pouches is completely reformed. Thanks guys.

[octagon]

In addition to a tension screw, I would like to see more magazine pouches with an inward projection to engage the opening in the magazine which receives the magazine release of the gun, so that friction is not the only thing retaining the magazine.


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I had a custom kydex pouch made a few years before I retired. It was a double pouch mounted horizontally with mags placed bullets out. The retention was decent but I took a small ball bearing and heated up the kydex then pushed the ball bearing in where the magazine catch notch was for this purpose. They weren't coming out without a real pull.