REVIEW: MJ6 Hydro Pack

Secret tip from Poland? MJ6 Gear. A small tailor shop that produces great products with extremely high standards at affordable prices. Today we show you the Hydro Pack.

The Challenge: To build a backpack that fits exactly with the dimensions of the plate carrier, but still provides enough organization and compartmentalization to carry the essentials. Admittedly, MJ6 is not the first with this concept, but the implementation, choice of materials, and workmanship are first class.

The Hydro Pack is made of 500d Cordura fabric. Hardware and zippers are from ITW Nexus and YKK. Every seam is precise, the backpack gives a very good overall impression at first glance. The dimensions are 32cm length, 18cm width, and 8cm depth.

On the front, you'll find a large Velcro field for patches. Below that is an attached pocket that is operated with a simple zipper. Inside, there is a Velcro hanger and no further division.

Tactical Tip: Shoo Goo can be used to glue Velcro areas. This way, you can sew loops with existing Velcro organizers or with some manual skill using materials from Extrem-Textil, and then Velcro them in.

Additional gear fits behind the front pocket. This space already has a Velcro back and can directly accommodate two AR15 magazines with separately available loops. But the bolt cutter or M79 Thumper can also be stored here since this area is open on both sides.

To secure this equipment, two compression straps are available. These can be fastened at three points and are completely removable thanks to the Duraflex Slik Clips. They can also be used as compression straps for a jacket on the bottom of the pack.

Under the Velcro field, there is an additional slot where MJ6 has included a small BooBoo Pouch. It can hold the most essential medical supplies. The pouch itself has a color-contrasting handle that stays in shape with wire. If you don't use the small pouch, you can also fit other flat objects in here.

The sides feature 2x2 rows of MOLLE.

The bottom usually has two rows by three loops of MOLLE. We wanted a modification, namely, access to the main compartment from below. Voila, a second zipper can now be found here.

Normally, the backpack is laced with MOLLE straps, as seen in the first image, to securely attach the pack to the plate carrier. In this setup, you cannot access the magazines yourself, but the person next to you can. This is achieved with a super stable laminate that secures the backpack to the carrier.

To make the system more modular, we have modified the backpack with additional straps so it can also be removed over the head. If you are interested in the details, you can watch it in the video. The result is a well-fitting pack that can be brought to the front by the wearer. Convenient for self-access and in vehicles. The bonus: With our modification, plate carriers that do not have MOLLE on the back by default, like the Ferro Concepts Slickster (HERE the review), can be used.

A few words about the main compartment. It is not further divided and, apart from a hanger for hydration bladders, has nothing else to offer. The size of the backpack fits 1 or 2-liter hydration bladders. If you use the 1-liter bladder, there is still some space below, which is perfectly accommodated by the second zipper.

For more rigidity, we have inserted a framesheet, which can also be sewn/glued with Velcro to create more organization.

We have been testing the backpack in the setup shown above for a while now and are very satisfied overall. There is enough space to accommodate the essentials and at the same time, it is small enough so as not to overload the backpack. This is a frequently underestimated point: when the pack is attached to the plate carrier, if it is too heavy, it will pull the carrier up on the front and sag in the back.

CONCLUSION: Brilliant backpack that can also be worn with shoulder straps and fits perfectly on a medium-sized plate carrier. Clean and well-made, stylish design, made in Europe. The best part: It costs just around 60 euros, that's how it should be!

The Hydo Pack is available in Black, Coyote, Multicam, Woodland, Ranger Green, or other colors/camouflage patterns upon request directly from MJ6 on their website. You can also discuss special requests directly via Facebook Messenger, with a high level of responsiveness. Here is the link to the Facebook page.

MJ6 Gear on the Internet: mj6gear.pl