Introduction
Attitudes to dump pouches are polarising, with vocal proponents for and against their use.
My current practice is a mixture of reindexing (when not under pressure) and dropping mags into a low capacity, front-mounted Crye Roll-up Dump Pouch. This doctrine perhaps representing a middle ground.
Others who use dump pouches – either wholly or in part – may be interested in this overview of the T.REX Arms offering.
The item was provided free of charge by Tactical Kit.
Review
The product presents as a cylinder. It reminds me of a tiny North Face Base Camp Duffel.
It’s easier to see the cylindrical shape at the base, which also features a chunky drainage grommet:
To the rear is one of several features which distinguishes this dump pouch from those I’ve used previously (and I’ve been through a lot of dumpers).
There’s no PALS. That’s not to say it’s incompatible with MOLLE belts, though.
Instead of PALS, reliant on Velcro, black nylon panels combine to loop around belts of various sizes.
Inexplicable as the black-on-Multicam colour combination is, this is a fantastic feature for those of us who wish to mount a dumper on a trouser belt (like the Kit Monster one I’m using in these pics, for instance).
However, the user isn’t limited to slim belts. This system will expand to canalise gunfighter and battle belts, which are much wider.
Once folded around the belt, the face of the channel created is hook Velcro.
I couldn’t work this out when I originally got hold of the item. Why cover the surface which rubs against your trouser fabric with what amounts to coarse sandpaper?
Well, it’s advantageous if you wear a two-part belt like a Crye MRB, for instance. The dumper’s hook Velcro will interface with the MRB inner belt’s loop face.
However, for those of us not using a two-part belt system this is far from optimum and perhaps requires a workaround. My advice is to blank-off the hook Velcro with a sheet of loop – of even some strips of Gaffer tape.
Moving to the business end of the dumper, the mouth opening is delivered in letterbox style.
This means that while you can slip mags in with ease, the likelihood of them jumping out as you ambulate vigorously is curtailed.
As for capacity, if placed carefully you can store six Pmags within.
There’s also a lid which, when not in use, secures to the inside of the pouch using Velcro.
Again, it’s inexplicably black, but does what a lid should – securing the contents and adhering to the colour matched Velcro on the face of the pouch.
It exhibits a pull tab for ease of use.
Aside from the drainage grommet at the base of the pouch, there are two webbing loops which work with the supplied Han Solo-esque leg strap.
The strap is elasticated and to be fair I didn’t think this functionality would be of any use whatsoever, but it is. It effectively stops the dumper doing the pendulum thing when laden.
Lastly, you can roll the pouch for storage – again using the lid.
Conclusion
While this pouch has impressed me, its execution makes it feel a bit like a prototype.
While black is accepted as part of the Ranger Green suite, it looks out of place here. Ideally I’d like to see the black panels replaced with Multicam, given that it’s a Multicam pouch.
Does that affect function? No.
Secondly, I’d like to see the pouch supplied with a loop Velcro blanking sheet to cover the trouser fabric-destroying hook face of the belt channel. Jeans will probably be OK, but hook snarls NyCo and performance fabrics pretty fast.
Does that affect function? No.
Aside from these niggles, it’s pretty damn perfect. It’s well made, easy to use and keeps things where they’re put.
Not only that, but the Han Solo thigh bungee is a master stroke.
The dump pouch is available here.
The Reptile House 