It’s a big EDC market out there, and tons of awesome gear is released all the time. We made The Drop to help you discover the latest and greatest essentials worth a spot in your EDC.
When you think of a compatible MOLLE or PALS webbing-compatible bag, things tend to gravitate towards heavy-duty military-style tactical bags made of heavy ballistic nylon, with emphasis on heavy, with most of their exteriors decked out in webbing. With the new MOLLE Packable line from 5.11, that idea is turned on its head. Rather than the packs themselves covered in the namesake grid, the focus is on packability into a compact pocket that you then can attach to your bigger bag via standard webbing attachments. It’s also in the name: “packable” demands the use of a lightweight material without sacrificing too much durability in the process.
5.11 opted for 70D recycled ripstop nylon, bringing both 10L and 12L packs to 10.6 ounces in total weight. That’s just slightly more than a standard cup of coffee in the morning, and it allows you to pack this bag full of your essential gear without feeling too encumbered in the process. And when you’re done, you can pack each of them down into a tiny square of their own pocket out of sight until duty calls again.
Both packs still feature webbing on their straps for attachments, but their main draw is still the laser-cut grid on the back of the packed pockets. Other nice touches include clamshell opening on both bags, hydration bladder compatibility, and external mesh water bottle pockets for remarkably thoughtful features from a packable platform.
What we like: This bag’s lightweight, packable nature lets you get 10 or 12 liters of storage capacity on the go without too much weight. And because it packs down to a smaller size, you can use it as a bag within a bag or keep it at home without taking up too much space.
What to watch out for: While the 70D recycled nylon ripstop has a PU coating, this is not a waterproof bag. It will keep out light mist and drizzle, but a full-on downpour will call for heavier-duty, watertight technical materials not found on this bag. And it goes without saying that due to their packable nature, neither bag will be ideal if you’re looking for structured carriers capable of heavier loads.
Final verdict: The 5.11 Molle Packable series takes the packable bag concept up a notch, giving it the extensibility and practicality you’d expect from standard tactical packs without the bulky and heavy material those kinds of duty bags feature.
