I have huge admiration for AXL’s products. The company has a talent for out of the box thinking which manifests in its designs.
With each new product the premise seems so simple, but until AXL has brought the item to market it’s not obvious and evidently no one else has thought of it.
One such item is the SLAP.
SLAP
If by chance you have a favourite utility which could work as a drop pouch, it’s worth looking at AXL’s Fixed Sub Load Adapter Panel (SLAP).
As usual, it’s a simple but smart premise well executed. The double sided velcro end can be fastened at the rear of an industry standard chest rig, or under an applicable PC front flap.
That said, in this example I’m using AXL’s equally excellent AVS/CPC SLA (Sub Load Adaptor) as reviewed previously. When a drop pouch is mounted using this product, it is bulwarked by the wearer’s abdomen – so it doesn’t swing back and forth like the under-flap method.
The SLAP featured here is 3 PALS columns wide (also available 4,5 and 6 wide) which is the perfect size to mount a Crye 6x6x3 GP pouch.
Aside from its velcro attachment point the SLAP is composed of laminate, but with a really cool Tegris half-stiffener.
This plastic is really taking off in the tactical nylon industry and after Matbock, AXL was the second company I was aware of which used it. And unafraid to use it they are. Here it’s essential to how the SLAP functions, because you wouldn’t want a floppy backer would you?
By reinforcing the uppermost PALS slots, the pouch gets proper support; and the SLAP doesn’t pucker or warp when threading the pouch backer, or when in use.
Fitting the SLAP to a Platform
It’s that simple.
Conclusion
AXL products are always useful and always well made. The SLAP is no different – its precisely laser cut form is complimented by excellent materials and stitching. While an important functional component in its own right, the Tegris section looks amazing – which makes it a shame that it’s hidden. But you’ll know it’s there!
The SLAP is available direct from AXL, so strap in for a bit of a wait as items are made to order (this can take 3-4 weeks). Shipping to the U.K. was quite reasonable and I didn’t mind the wait because of that.
Made in the USA.
The Reptile House 