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.
