For as particular as I am about bags in general, I am more laid back about organizers within my bags. These are typically called Admin Pouches, and most of the good ones are made by the more tactical focused companies out there.
The ones I use often are either GORUCK’s Field Pockets (article and here) , or ones by Triple Aught Design (OP1 and Context Organizer). But Prometheus Design Werx sells a few that are much lower in price, and on paper look just as good as the others. So I went all in a bought a bunch from them to try out.
Admin Organizer Size 2 (AO2)
First up is Admin Organizer Size 2 which I was pretty excited to try. At $29 it is a bargain compared to any other admin organizer I have tested. But, I missed something. You might note, that in the pictures it shows this with elastic loops inside, but those are optional additions to the organizer. Which is spelled out on the website, but I missed completely. And those organizers are $10 each, putting the overall price in line with other admin pouches.
(On the right.)
However, I didn’t buy those organizer tiles as they didn’t look great to me, and honestly this organizer isn’t great to begin with. I decided that if I liked the size and use of the organizer I would get the tiles, but after testing it out, I don’t think this one is worth the money.
It is too thin to really be all that useful and when compared to something like the OP1 (which comes with the elastic loops and many other great features), it is not nearly as good. Pass on this one.
Accessory Pod (AP)
Next up is the long and skinny Accessory Pod, which at $17 is another bargain from the brand. This seems really geared towards pens and things of that nature. I actually bought two of these, as I had a hunch they would be the best of the items. And they do mostly live up to that expectation.
(Vertically in 26L GR1 next to OP1)
They are very simple and to the point, and they work extremely well. Where they have problems is that they are a touch on the long side. At 9” long they take up nearly the entire width of my GR1, and seem a little like overkill. If they were about 7” long they would be perfection.
Attached at the top so it can swing up and out of the way of the lower pocket.
As it is, they are still very good, especially considering the price. I know they will be serving in my bags for a long time to come. I am a big fan here. If you need a good modular pen case, put this near the top of your list.
(Horizontally in 26L GR1.)
Stash Pouch Size 1 (SP1)
Last up, is the Stash Pouch Size 1 which I tossed in as a why not for the purchasing that day. At $25 it seemed like it was cheap enough not to worry about. But, as it turns out, this is the best of all the pockets I got from PDW.
(Shown here, in its natural habitat, a 34L GR2.)
It is a fantastic size, shape, and price. Highly useable and something I am likely to buy more of. I really like this one. So I will spend a bit more time on it.
What I really love about this pouch is the size and simplicity of it. The dimensions are 6” x 4.5” x 2” which makes it compact, but with enough volume to hold a lot. And because it is the softer 500D Cordura, it will sit rather flat in your bag when empty. Meaning there is little reason to ever remove it.
The no-nonsense nature of this pouch is what makes it great. It does not open fully so you don’t need to worry about stuff spilling out. It has a small pocket on the exterior and just one mesh pouch inside. The bright orange makes it easy to see into the pouch to get what you need. Stash pouches like this are fantastic, because they don’t force an organization system on you, and yet they willingly hold a ton of shit.
To me, this stash pouch is a better version of GORUCK’s Field Pockets. Where this one is made to be used while opening in a bag, the Field Pockets are made to be opened flat. You can simply stuff more in this PDW stash pouch, and I hope they sell more sizes of this pouch. I am a fan.
Attaching This Stuff
All of these pouches have an MCA backing, which is MOLLE compatible. But its just a grid of slits so that you can use your attachment method. I loathe this, so I bought the HAL1 Straps which PDW sells to mount things with.
And they are meh to use. Easily the worst attachment system you can buy, but they don’t suck outright and seem to hold up well. This is where the bargain price shows. GORUCK offers a cumbersome but highly secure and low profile MOLLE attachment on their pouches. It is the gold standard and holds the pouches so close to the bag that they look sewn on. Triple Aught Design ships theirs with a semi-rigid strap system that adds a bit of bulk, but is just as secure while being much easier to fasten stuff.
Both are better systems than what PDW offers, which is unfortunate for how good the setups are. I know there are other attachment systems out there, and I would encourage you to look at those over the HAL1 straps sold by PDW.
Overall
Overall, these are all solid for the price, but what is holding me back from buying more of them, is the attachment system. This from Triple Aught Design is very similar to the SP1 from PDW, but offers a superior means of attaching. I would rather buy that, for the attachment system alone.
To each his own, as PDW certainly offers a compelling price point and well made goods. If you are someone who already has a preferred means of attaching MOLLE pouches, then these might become some of your favorite pouches.