History of Tracer Tactical
Tracer Tactical is a small Veteran owned and operated company based in the United States. The company is focussed on developing and manufacturing custom solutions for Military and Law Enforcement units with their aim to satisfy the end user. Tracer Tactical further is proud to use Berry Compliant (Made in USA) materials in their products.
For more info - visit the Tracer Tactical website.
Why the Kangaroo pouch, strap and mag insert by Tracer Tactical?
A fantastic quote by Garand Thumb was that 'volume of ammunition wins the firefight'. What he means by this is that whichever side has the greater ammunition stockpile available will ultimately be the victor as they're able to outlast ammunition expenditure over time and put down a greater number of rounds down onto the enemy. Carriage of more ammunition into an operational environment is easy to do and can be achieved in a variety of methods, more magazine pouches, locate it in daypacks / bergans, strap more pouches to a beltkit, all are the atypical way of doing so. This is where the kangaroo pouch from Tracer Tactical comes in. A relatively unknown company to me, based in the States, the pouches and equipment it sold on its website piqued my interest. Wanting for a while to increase magazine capacity on my Spiritus Systems Mk3 chest rig, there was no real add-on / accessory that fitted the bill. Yes I used one of the radio pouches on the wings as a mag pouch but I needed more. Cue the Kangaroo Pouch, a simple addition to the rig requiring an additional strap to secure it in place and suddenly I could increase magazine carry +3. After several messages to Tracer Tactical, I took the plunge and ordered what would ultimately be an invaluable add-on.
Product details
Herein lies the product descriptions from the website;
Add on pouch for the Lowpro Chassis. Loop Velcro interior. Requires a magazine insert to hold mags and the Flank Strap to secure to chassis. Grommets on bottom for running shock cord to hold a tourniquet. Compatible with AXL zipper inserts and flaps, including the DSM Flap by Triple Feed.
Designed to secure the Kangaroo pouch and Crayon Box to the Chest Rig Chassis. 2” wide.
4” MilSpec elastic. Hook Velcro on both sides. Works with the Scout chest rig, Chassis, Kangaroo Pouch, DUFF, etc.
Packaging exterior
The Kangaroo pouch and components were shipped in a simple USPS foam padded envelope.
Components
The package contained; Kangaroo pouch, 2" flank strap, Triple 5.56 x .45 magazine inserts 3x 56cm black elasticated shock cords and 3x top cord retainers. In addition to this was a Tracer Tactical business card and a free sticker.
Kangaroo pouch exterior in detail
The Kangaroo pouch is manufactured using Ranger Green coloured 500D Cordura material as well as velcro hook and loop sections across the pouch.
Measurements
The Kangaroo pouch measures;
Height 12 cm
Width 23.5 cm
Depth 2 cm
The Kangaroo pouch weighs 57g
The Kangaroo pouch measures when fully opened up;
Height 25.5 cm
Width 35 cm
Depth 1.5 cm
As mentioned, the Kangaroo pouch is manufactured using strengthened Ranger Green Cordura material throughout. It further uses a single large velcro loop panel on the front panel which measures 21.9 x 10.3 cm. This provides ample real estate on which to attach patches, smaller velcro backed pouches or in this case the 2" Flank Strap. The front panel is void other than the velcro panel and the Tracer Tactical label on the lower right hand edge. Of note is that in the photos below, the magazine insert was fitted.
The rear of the Kangaroo pouch again is featureless save for a large velcro hook panel which measures 21.9 x 9.3 cm.
When opening the pouch completely it can be seen that the design is simple, clean and crisp. Double sand single stitching throughout ensures that the velcro panels and pouch panels are strongly connected to each other.
On the rear left and right hand sides are the foldover velcro flaps as seen in image one below. These connect the front panel to the rear panel and due to the dimensions of the pouch can be used to make the pouch larger, accommodating larger tactical equipment, or tightened to ensure kit carried in the pouch is kept tightly and securely in place. On the base of the pouch are two metal grommets which enable water drainage from the pouch and also a mounting option / point through which shockcord can be passed and used to secure a tourniquet in place if required.
2" Flank Strap exterior in detail
The 2" Flank Strap is again manufactured using Ranger Green coloured 500D Cordura material as well as velcro hook and loop sections across the front, rear and ends of the strap.
Measurements
The 2" Flank Strap measures;
Height 5.5 cm
Width 53 cm
Depth 0.5 cm
The 2" Flank Strap weighs 40g
The 2" Flank Strap is designed to be used in conjunction with the Kangaroo pouch and is an extra attachment point and securing method to attach the Kangaroo pouch to the front of the Spiritus Systems chest rig. It's length ensures that it's adaptable depending on the size of items put within the Kangaroo pouch and can be quickly and easily moved if required as well as tightened with one hand.
The front of the strap has a section of velcro loop measuring 21.5 x 5.4 cm of patch real estate which is a handy bonus.
Triple 5.56 x .45 magazine insert exterior in detail
The Triple 5.56 x .45 magazine insert is manufactured using black Milspec rated elasticated material as well as velcro hook and loop sections across the pouch.
Measurements
The magazine insert measures;
Height 10 cm
Width 22 cm
Depth 1 cm
The magazine insert weighs 30g
The magazine insert is a simply designed 3x magazine capacity insert for use with the Kangaroo pouch. Both the front and rear of the exterior features 6x 5 x 5 cm velcro hook patches designed to hook onto the loop velcro panels on the interior of the Kangaroo pouch. The insert can fit 3x magazines and vertical stitching separates each individual magazine insert. The top of each of the individual inserts features 2x laser cut tabs (1 front and 1 rear) through which the magazine retention shockcord can be passed. These tabs are stitched onto the insert between the insert itself and the smaller velcro hook patches on the front and rear.
The magazine insert comes with additional components, namely 3x 51cm lengths of black shockcord and 3x laser cut retention tabs. If required the shockcord can be used to attach the tabs to the insert and used as an additional layer of security / retention for magazines seated in the insert.
Fitting Triple 5.56 x .45 magazine insert in Kangaroo pouch
Fitting the insert is simple and can be achieved by opening up the Kangaroo pouch fully as seen in image one below and simply attaching the insert to the front interior panel of the pouch.
Fitting 2" Flank Strap to Kangaroo pouch to Spiritus Systems Mk3 chest rig
The option to add the magazine insert to the Kangaroo pouch is up to the individual user, for myself, I have opted to use the Kangaroo pouch as an admin pouch and instead added the magazine insert to the central pouch as seen in image one. Ensure that the Kangaroo pouch is full secured and pressed home with the velcro attaching to the front of the Spiritus Systems chest rig as shown in images one, two and three. The 2" Flank Strap can be attached to the exterior of the Kangaroo pouch as seen in image four, and can be placed at the bottom of the pouch, centrally or at the top, again I opt to place it across the top of the pouch to prevent bulky items pulling the pouch forwards and open. It's advised to put the items you're going to carry in the Kangaroo Pouch (in this case 3x magazines using the insert) before attaching the Flank Strap on the left and right hand sides. This will ensure that when you fit the Flank Strap in place you don't have to make any adjustments. Once the front panel is attached, the left and right hand ends of the Flank Strap will need to be passed around the exterior of the other pouches on the chest rig and then velcro'd on the panel in this example between the main pouch and rig panel as shown in images five to eight.
Testing
The Kangaroo pouch, Flank Strap and magazine insert used together adds more functionality and options to your chest rig. Having used Config2 as highlighted below over a weekend event and twice on the range, I can confirm the extra real estate is super useful. The main point worth noting is that as expected the addition of the Kangaroo pouch on the front of your chest rig increases the depth from front of rig to your back. If you're expecting to be on your belt buckle a lot, this extra distance will keep you that little bit further up and away from the ground. Secondly the extra depth at the front means that accessing the dangler under the rig is slightly hampered. The front pocket is easily accessible, however the main pocket is less so and requires a little bit of movement to get into it.
Config1
The images below illustrate when the full setup is added to a Spiritus System Mk3 micro rig. This upgrade provides additional magazine or pyrotechnic carriage. In this config I've added the magazine insert to the Kangaroo pouch on the front of the rig, keeping the admin pouch in between the two magazine pouches. This config is useful when carrying 6x magazines however the weight is slightly uneven with additional weight at the front of the rig. An instance where this config could be used is by removing the front 3x magazines and using the insert to secure 3x pyrotechnics in their place, saving them being buried in a side pouch, assault pack etc, they'd then be readily available for deployment.
Config2
In this config I've added the magazine insert to the middle pouch and used the Kangaroo pouch as the admin pouch. This config is better suited for the full 6x magazine carriage as the whole rig is centred closer to the body in regards to comfort and weight distribution. Noticeably I've also utilised the Hi-Top Zipper Insert by AXL Advanced in the Kangaroo pouch, which I've previously reviewed here - Micro Fight Hi-Top Zipper Insert.
Maintenance
Maintenance of the Kangaroo pouch, flank strap and magazine insert is standard when compared to looking after the external faces of your plate carrier or chest rig.
Use stiff or soft brush to remove excess dirt from the interior and exterior of the products.
Warm water can also be used in conjunction with tougher to remove debris though do not use bleach or harsh soaps as this may cause discolouration or damage to the material.
Allow products to dry naturally by being hung outdoors if possible.
Periodically check the velcro patches, stitching and shock cord for wear and tear and if required, make repairs to ensure the products won't fail you when using them.
Thoughts and opinion
The ability to adapt to an operational environment and increase magazine or pyrotechnic carriage is likely to be extremely useful. The Kangaroo pouch, magazine insert and Flank Strap all enable a quick, no fuss, simple upgrade and can serve multiple purposes depending on your configuration and requirements.
The ability to quickly add it on or remove it, coupled with the fine craftsmanship used means that it's a welcome addition to my otherwise standard Spiritus Systems Mk3 chest rig. Having trialled the full setup using both Config 1 and Config 2, for me personally, Config 2 was the winner. Used during an event and on the range during day and night time scenarios, I can confirm that it is certainly most welcome, especially the extra magazine carriage provided and a larger admin pouch to house my Petzl TickTakka headtorch, Leatherman Wave, spare AA / CR123A and 18650 batteries.
With all three items not costing the earth, being available in a multitude of colours to suit most individuals and quick to ship, if you're after an after-market upgrade for extra boom room, then I genuinely recommend you check out the Tracer Tactical kit on offer.
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Final Note
I am not paid for my blogs by the manufacturers or companies that I purchase my items from. I am not offered freebies to promote a product. These blogs are purely written from my own experience in truth to help advise and inform others who may wish to purchase the items or understand more about them. If I am sent a freebie to review this will be stated at the beginning to make you aware.