Review: ITS Tactical - MOLLE Stix

Another item that came in my package from the folks at Hornest was a set of the MOLLE Stix produced by National Molding.I had seen these previously whilst browsing around ITS Tactical's pages and "how to" tutorials, and thought they were a great invention. Since acquiring one of Zulu Nylon Gear's CAOS Admin Pouch I've been hanging out for a way to attach it securely to my rig.

I have a single short MALICE clip, which came with me Gerber stap-cutter, and currently affixes my EOD Breacher Bar to my plate carrier rig. They are sturdy, secure but hard to swap in and out.


The idea of the MOLLE Stix are that they are fast-access, easy to install and easy to remove, giving you "tear-away" access to a pouch, whilst far more secure and reliably attached than hook-and-loop (even in a sandwich setting). Each stick is a polymer bar, 13cm (5) long, and weighs only 42g (1.5 oz) for a pair.

The main tongue of the stick has a reinforcing ridge that keeps it rigid, but the magic of the clip, is the locking clasp at the top. This grips the top MOLLE channel that it fed through, and keeps the entire assembly secure and locked in.

Once the pouch is locked on with the clasps, the MOLLE Stix, having fed through two and three channels apiece, give a rock-solid attachment, but that's not where the story ends. the "type 1" cord that loops through the tops of the clasps, which give a "pull and yank" rapid release, pulling the lock open, the sticks out of the channels and letting the pouch drop free, to be tossed to a buddy, or propped in place, as required. Looping the "type 1" cord between the two Stix in a pair means that a single pull releases both, and the pouch comes free.

For me, I like the idea of being able to mount and dismount my modular collection of pouches, especially when the pouch in question lacks its own mechanism for doing so, like the Platatac PLMRS or the Blue Force Gear - Helium Whisper attachment systems.

I look forwards trying these out with a variety of pouches and on a variety of packs, rigs and configurations, as well as how I can best make use of the quick-release functionality.