REVIEW: Clawgear Low Profile, Universal and Backward Flap Magazine Pouches

There is a whole set of new magazine pouches from Clawgear: Low Profile, Universal, and Backward Flap are available. Which one should you choose? Well, we help you in making the decision and give you an overview of the Clawgear pouches and their respective features. Let's start with a general overview. In the first row are pistol magazine pouches. In the row below, the same design, but for rifles. The pair on the far left is the biggest innovation from Clawgear, the "Backward Flap Mag Pouch." In the middle is the "Universal Mag Pouch," and on the far right is the "Low Profile Pouch." The back side - and thereby the threading type - is the same for all of them. Using the new Tacticoat material, the pouches are all very light, yet durable and also NIR treated (meaning they do not shine white when viewed through a night vision device). Cut with laser, the pouches have excellent finishing without any fraying of the fabric. All pouches are MOLLE compatible. Threading is made easy thanks to the Tacticoat material. At the end, there is a stiffened piece that is inserted back into the pouch through the MOLLE loops from below to ensure a secure fit. This is how it looks when the pouch is mounted on the carrier. The ends with the hole stick out at the bottom of the pouch, but as you can see, this is useful. When you pull on the end, the stiffening piece is directly removed. Thankfully, you don't need pliers for this, and it is quick. A big advantage when changing pouches... The overall construction of all pouches is very good. The seams are clear and strong. The material used is light and top-notch. Most of the cutting was done with a laser, and Clawgear even took the time to engrave their logo with a laser. Doing good and talking about it, for sure. The even and fine engraving shows the quality. Our test setup on the plate carrier. On the left is the Backward Flap Rifle Mag Pouch, in the middle is the Low Profile, and on the right is the Universal Mag Pouch. In the two outer ones, you can see the bungee cord at the bottom, allowing adjustment of the holder's height. Convenient! Additionally, a flexible 4-Way-Stretch fabric provides grip.

All pouches are open at the bottom on the left and right, allowing water or dirt to enter and exit as well. The black Low Profile Mag Pouch (center) is the only one that does not have a top securement. However, you can upgrade if desired. The securement can be added later using shock cord and the two holes at the front and those on the back if you prefer more security. With the Low Profile Pouch, you can also store other items besides conventional 5.56 magazines like those from AR15 and Steyr AUG. We, for example, stored our blank firing grenade in it. Thanks to the rubberized surfaces inside the Clawgear pouches, all magazines are protected from unintended falling out. The Low Profile, when empty, does exactly what it promises, it lies flat. Now, the Universal Pouch, you can see there is still some space. Besides 5.56 magazines, it can also accommodate AK47/74, SIG 55X, and G36 magazines. Additionally, the Universal Pouch has the option of attaching additional MOLLE pouches to the front. But let's move on to the highlight from the Clawgear forge: the Backward Flap Mag Pouch. Suitable for 5.56 AR15 magazines and Steyr AUG, the folks at Claw have come up with something ingenious here. The pouch can be worn either open at the top or closed. But without a big flap over it... On the left, you can see the closed state from the side. Simply pull on the tab, and in a natural movement, the laminate goes over the magazine and is held open by the natural tension. The pull tab is fixed at the bottom thanks to Velcro. We really like this system! The only possible drawback would be if you have a magazine base where the bungee cord could get caught, as with a mag pod. For the pistol pouches, it looks pretty much the same, just smaller. From left to right: Universal, Low Profile, and Backward Flap Pouches.

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