There are some pieces of gear that you stay impressed with even after having it for a while. It still surprises you, and still performs as advertised even after picking up a bit of range time and breaking in. When I first received the Vanquest FATPack 7×10 medical pouch, I was impressed with its organization features, but I wasn’t sure how well it would hold up since it was my first “tactical” pouch of any kind.

This pouch has held up well over the last year as part of my SAR kit (search and rescue). In my last review, I recommended securing the pouch shut with a carabiner to prevent the pull handle from snagging on anything if stored inside a pack. I’ve used an old quick draw to keep it closed and which also serves as a way to attach it to my harness if needed.

The Cordura construction has kept up nicely and hasn’t shown any signs of wearing or tearing after many months of being yanked in and out of my pack. The Velcro tabs on the exterior hold a pair of Milspec Monkey medical shears.

The pouch still can’t be beat when it comes to organization, even with new products coming to the market. The outside pouch holds several pairs of gloves so those are the first things I have access to when using the kit. The interior pockets hold a SAM splint, gauze, water for wound irrigation and other bulky items. The shock cord ladder on the opposite side carries a variety of bandages and smaller items. The small zippered pouch, which sets this pouch apart from many others on the market, is perfect for holding medications. The durability and organization of the FATPack alone make it an impressive piece of gear, but the form factor is also a plus. The thing looks great. My teammates, even senior members, think it’s a cool medical pouch.

Even though it’s a great and dare I say impressive medical pouch, Vanquest has found ways to update the design. The second generation of the FATPack 7×10 carries a redesigned shock cord ladder on the front flap, internal elastic loops for holding smaller items such as pens and chemlights and a low profile MOLLE panel on the front for added real estate for patches or a small pouch. The second generation of pouches comes with a red tab for identification as a first-aid kit. The main thing that intrigues me about the second generation is the redesigned shock cord ladder. It appears that it will still be able to hold small items, but also accommodate larger bandages when being used as a larger trauma or blowout kit. I still would like to see an option for all-red construction for the non-tactical market, but the addition of the identification tab does improve visibility in low-light situations.

In short, the FATPack 7×10 is still my top pick when it comes to a pouch that can fit both tactical and wilderness medical gear needs. I have yet to see a pouch that can match its capabilities. Purchase the FATPack from Vanquest for $43.

The expert team at Vanquest has done it again. They’ve given us a lightweight way to attach existing MOLLE gear and other items to a hook and loop surface that doesn’t require any new purchases. We put it in the hands of our gear tester to see how it works in the wild.

Tactical nylon companies have recently been expanding their selection of packs and bags that carry internal hook and loop panels for attaching pockets and pouches for organization. Some will offer items that scrap traditional admin pockets for hook and loop.

An Economical Solution to a Tactical Problem

The advantage to this is that the end user can completely configure the bag or pack to meet mission requirements down to the finest detail. The disadvantage is that the end user needs a separate set of hook and loop backed pouches to effectively use the product since MOLLE pouches will be incompatible.

Quality nylon gear isn’t cheap and many users are not willing or can’t afford to purchase a new set of pouches to create an effective system around a new product.

Another option is to use a hook and loop adapter, which is where the Vanquest MOHL system comes in. The MOHL (MOLLE onto Hook and Loop) system is a lightweight set of panels that allows the end user to attach MOLLE pouches and other items to a hook and loop surface for a fraction of the cost of purchasing new pouches. (Continued below photos)

Two Options to Tackle Anything the Wild Can Throw at You

Vanquest offers two items in the MOHL system. The first is the MOHL-Air, which allows the user to attach a MOLLE pouch to hook and loop surfaces. The panel comes with six tabs that wrap around the MOLLE webbing on the back of the pouch and secure it to the panel. The user can then attach the pouch to a hook and loop.

Users can also weave pouches with MOLLE straps through the panel. The MOHL-Air panel worked well in securing the FAT-Pack 7×10 pack to the back of the Falconer-27 pack. The hook and loop on the MOHL-Air is quite tacky and the pouch easily stayed put on the pack.

The second panel in the system is the MOHL-Web. This is a panel with a web of shock cord woven through. This panel is particularly useful for keeping bulky items such as water bottles or hard cases from moving around inside a pack.

The panel we received was part of a first-run batch and only allowed attachment of a four-inch diameter water bottle. Vanquest reported that the panels on the market now have six inches more of shock cord and can accommodate larger items.

The MOHL system of panels offers a big advantage in modern pack organization. They’re quite useful for a variety of loadouts and offer a significant cost benefit over purchasing a new set of pouches to accommodate new bags with hook and loop panels inside. For the cost of a new hook and loop pouch, a user could purchase two or three MOHL panels and customize a bag or pack to fit their needs.

This is a well-built 27-liter backpack that offers the user near limitless options for organization with a plethora of webbing, cord, and hook and loop options. It thrives in a variety of environments and is well suited for day hikes and daily commutes. Need to get out of town quick? Travel and bailing out are easy with this pack suited for performance under pressure.

Construction

The Falconer-27 is constructed with 1000 denier Cordura fabric with 210 denier nylon lining the pockets. The Cordura body is also Teflon coated which will resist intrusion from splashes and short drizzles. The fabric is durable and holds up well to abrasion from rough surfaces. The straps and grab handle are box stitched and hold up well to being handled and mishandled on trail.

In one test, I found that the fabric resisted tearing from a short drag on rough asphalt while loaded. On another run of that test I saw that the zipper and compression strap had been torn. I looked back at the surface of the asphalt and found that several sharp, jagged protrusions had hit the pack against where I was storing a pelican case and steel camp stove against the pack. That’s more my fault and I don’t hold that against the pack’s construction as that kind of weight and edge would probably tear any fabric. I believe this pack will stand up well to long outdoor use and abuse, provided you don’t force it on a cutting surface.

Comfort

Despite only having a thin plastic sheet between the mesh back panel and hydration compartment, the Falconer is quite comfortable with loads in the 20 pound range. The shoulder straps are ergonomic and carry the load well, especially with the load lifters on top. I did have to play around with the sternum strap a bit before finding a setting that brought the straps away from my shoulder socket and more towards my chest. The two-inch webbing hip belt is not padded, but it helps engage the lumbar pad on the pack.

Organization

If you lose something in the Falconer-27, you’re probably doing it wrong. The front admin pocket opens up to reveal two shock cord ladders, two stacked rows of webbing, a secondary pocket secured by hook and loop and four small slots. This pocket can organize anything from first aid supplies to survival gear to electronics equipment. I was able to load a flashlight, notebook, pencil, different firestarters, water purification, chem lights and other things here.

The top pocket has a divider with four webbing slots. This allows organization of smaller items and is also large enough to store a pair of ski goggles. There are four rows of MOLLE webbing on each side with two columns each to attach more pouches or in my case a survival knife. The secondary compartment has three pockets and a small panel of loop Velcro for attaching pouches.

The main compartment has a full panel of loop Velcro on each side as well as loop panels on both sidewalls. There are also a Velcro secured pocket on the side opposing the backpanel. On the edge of the back panel is a row of molle going from top to bottom. The hydration compartment is also lined with loop Velcro. I found the compartment to be too tight for a 100 oz. Camelbak Omega Water beast reservoir. The lower profile 100 oz reservoirs on the market may work out better but I recommend using something in the 70 oz. range to keep the back panel from ballooning on you with a full main compartment.

Ideal Uses

This pack can thrive in a variety of environments. The appearance isn’t totally tactical and it doesn’t have MOLLE webbing all over it. The pack can bike to work with you and carry your electronic essentials in the organizer pockets. A 15-inch laptop can be secured in the main compartment and the hydration compartment will easily fit smaller laptops and most tablets. It’s large enough to carry a spare clothing and travel essentials but compact enough to fit in an airliner’s overhead compartment. The size and durability also make it ideal to hold survival essentials inside for the time when you’re driving and forced to leave your vehicle in order to make it home.

Find out More about Vanquest Gear

You can find more by visiting the Vanquest Tough Built Gear website at www.vanquest.com or get right to the backpack right here.

Don’t trust your first-aid and rescue supplies to anything less than the best. We test out the latest from the gear professionals at Vanquest, the sturdy and versatile FATPack 7×10.

Rick is a member of Eugene Mountain Rescue, a specialized team in the Lane County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Program. He frequently uses outdoor gear in Search and Rescue (SAR) operations. We asked him to put some gear to work and test it’s performance. 

I carry a considerable amount of first aid equipment when on SAR missions. My kit will contain essentials for treating common back country injuries such as sprains, fractures and bleeding along with dozens of band aids and other small items for treating the small wears and tears that happen in the outdoors. On top of that, I will also carry patient packaging materials and survival equipment such as space blankets, hand warmers and small packs of emergency water.

As I expanded my supplies to fit my mission, my pouch started stretching and becoming more inconvenient to use. At the time I was using a Red Cross pouch that had so far proven to be a trusty companion. However, pulling it out of my pack in rainy or wet conditions started feeling more and more like trying to palm a basketball.

I saw the need for a new pouch and started looking around online. I was interested in a MOLLE system because I could attach it to the outside of my pack for security while using or to my climbing harness when moving in confined areas. Almost all the MOLLE Pouches I found were either small and designed to fit the essentials for treating a gunshot wound or other trauma or too large and lacking the organization that I needed.

Enter the FATPack 7×10.

 

Organized Essentials for Quick Access

I was curious about Vanquest’s latest first aid pouch offering because of its size and unique manner of organizing kit. The pouch has four pockets, elastic bands, a shock cord ladder and small zippered pouch for holding first aid essentials. The design of the pouch is essentially an expanded version of Vanquest’s FATPack pouches. Those and similar pouches had caught my eye earlier but appeared to be too small for my needs.

I was able to fit larger dressings and patent packaging material in the larger internal pockets and a small poncho inside a hidden external pouch in the front of the pouch. Smaller items such as alcohol wipes and band aids fit into the shock cord ladder. The small zippered pouch fits a set of gloves along with aspirin and small packets of antibiotics and hand sanitizer.

Another striking feature of the pouch is how it’s opened. When attached to a MOLLE surface, all you have to do is pull the top handle and it will open up to display all of your equipment. If you’re using the pouch as a stand-alone item, I recommend putting a non-locking carabiner on the tab on top of the back of the pouch to make a secure spot to grab the pouch and open it with two hands.

Durability to Endure Tough Climates and High-Pressure Rescue Operations

To top it off, the pouch is made of 1,000 denier Cordura fabric with a 210 denier orange rip-stop nylon interior. The Cordura is treated for water resistance, although I personally prefer to keep my first aid items inside at the top of my pack away from the elements.

This pouch is a game changer for me. My gear is more accessible and secure at the same time. It’s a far easier item to grab out of my pack even when wearing wet gloves.

Even though it’s a solid pouch, there are still some modifications to be made on my end. I’ll be adding the aforementioned carabiner at the top for easier two handed use when not carried on a MOLLE pack. While the pouch comes with two hook and loop tabs for securing shears, I find that these are difficult to use while wearing gloves and could cause issues in colder environments. I recommend buying a separate dedicated pouch for shears. This pouch can be attached to the FATPack via webbing on both sides on the pouch. An optimal setup would be shears on one side and a tourniquet on the other if those are necessary parts of your kit. I would also love to see the pouch in red or orange for first responders.

Overall, I’m impressed with this product. Expect a follow-up review sometime down the line after this pouch has logged some mission time.

You can find out more about Vanquest Tough Built Gear at their website here. Want to see more modular pouches and pockets from Vanquest? Click here.