I reviewed HSGI’s Soft Taco Stuffit Pouch a couple of weeks ago. I liked the pouch so much, I decided to buy some Tacos for my AR Pmags. I’d owned an X2R Taco in the past. That’s the double AR mag version and it sort of put me off the single ones for no good reason; I found the X2R a bit fiddly but the single ones work a lot better for me, both in terms of drawing mags and reinserting them after bombing up.
If you’re not familiar with the Taco concept, it’s like a 1000D Cordura corset which is elasticated with shock cord:
The sides are plastic and end at the mouth of the pouch in shaped lips, which welcome your mag – or any other object – into the pouch:
The shock cord binds the corset, allowing it to expand and contract around irregular shapes; including, but not limited to, mags of all sorts of different calibers and varieties. AR Pmag:
The shock cord is user configurable, in that it can be tightened using an ITW Toaster CordLoc, located at the base of the pouch:
Like any good idea, the Taco is oft copied. At the budget end of the market, Warrior Assault Systems offers its Quick Mag version; at the gucci end, Tyr offers its Happy Mag. Both examples tinker around the edges of HSGI’s innovative design, but the inspiration remains the same.
Here’s HSGI’s description for its Taco product page:
“This unique pouch uses injection molded polymer sides, Cordura™ front and back, and shock cord lacing to lock just about any rifle magazine into place. USGI, HK, PMAG, ARC, FAL, AK 30/ 40, LR20 and M14 magazines are all held securely and deployed easily and silently on demand.
The TACO® even works for certain radios, flash bangs and smoke grenades and provides this versatility while taking up only 3” horizontal inches on your platform.
The TACO® maintains a positive, adjustable grip on its contents without additional securing systems. However, if additional retention is desired webbing tabs are sewn in on the top for use of “over the top” bungee retainers and loop Velcro is sewn on the interior if the users wishes to use adhesive hook on the magazine.”
A common criticism of the Taco is that it’s difficult to mount and this is not unfounded. The combination of tight MOLLE backing (aside from the middle loops, which are now extended), shock cord and bloody MALICE clips is a massive PITA for the uninitiated.
But, unless you’re moving pouches around a lot, you only have to go through with ten procedure once per pouch. It’s worth remembering this, when you look at the copies and their easy mounting claims. It’s also worth asking what’s the opportunity cost of easy mounting? With some of the clones, it appears to be poorer retention, which really defeats the object.
This video from HSGI should have you all set to mount a Taco. Below that, the tools I use to mount mine.
Pliers. Old cutlery knife.
Use the pliers to open up and stretch the Taco’s MOLLE backing. Use the knife to ease the MALICE clips through the backing, avoiding hang ups on the shock cord, etc.
Once installed, Tacos are golden:
Taco’s provide excellent retention but extremely quick and convenient access to whatever objects you happen to store in them – and that’s the unique selling point here.
Yes, there are other awesome open-top mag pouches on the market, but they are dedicated to just one role. Tacos are arguably as good as any of these, but they are a lot more versatile in terms of what they can receive, hold and release on demand – whether that’s an AR mag, an AK mag, a blank firing grenade or some other ordnance…I’ve even seen people install a shock cord retainer at the mouth of the Taco and use the pouch to carry a pistol.
As per my SOP, I ordered my Tacos from Tactical-Kit. Shipping was fast and the order hassle free. Which is their SOP 🙂
The Reptile House 