Occasionally when working in this industry you get to see something that really makes you wonder what took so long to develop this? For me, it was the Wilder Tactical Evolution series of AR 15 and Pistol mag pouches. Polymer mag pouches are nothing new, the FastMag has been around forever. What makes the Wilder Tactical Evolution pouch seem so ingenious is the thought that went into their construction. These were designed by an Army Ranger Medic, who served in the 75th Ranger regiment, so the thoughtful construction is a product of experience.
What’s Different
First and foremost, the construction of both the pistol and rifle mag pouches are fluid to an extent. They are designed to change size easily via compression straps that are woven into the design of the mag pouch. The pistol pouch fits everything from my 8 round Walther PPS magazine to my 21 round CZ P09 magazine securely and easily. It seems to fit some SMG mags, like my Colt SMG 9mm magazines, and it’ll likely squeeze in UZI mags as well.
The Wilder Tactical Evolution rifle pouch is designed for STANAG AR 15 magazines, which sounds simple, but you have to factor in the dozens of different AR 15 magazine designed. There standard GI, polymer, and hybrids of different shapes and different sizes. It seems to accommodate the clear majority of magazines, I’ve tested it with the following,
Magpul Pmag
Lancer AWC
ETS Magazines
2nd Amend Magazines
Daniel Defense DD32
Hexmags
CAA Mags
So, a near universal fit is cool. That’s not where the thoughtful construction ends. When you order pouches from Wilder Tactical, you have the choice between a standard 1.5 or 1.75-inch belt loop. Alternatively, you can use Tek Lok or MOLLE Lok. I love Tek Lok panels, so I ordered both the pistol and rifle pouches equipped with Tek Lok.
Tek Lok is a functional multi-use belt clip that allows you to carry a wide variety of different sheaths, holsters and knives on the belt. Several of my knives wear this panel. It gives you a wide variety of options for positions and angles of fit. For example, if I chose I could run these pouches horizontal, or even at an angle.
The last unique portion of the design is that I can stack the two pouches. I can mount the small pistol pouch to the rifle pouch and ultimately save room on my belt. This little ingenious feature is great for a minimalist approach and ensures the magazines for both weapons are easy to reach.
Retention
Retention is top notch. I’ve been packing an extra magazine with the pistol pouch day in and day out haven’t had the mag even budge. The elastic bands do an excellent job of holding the magazine in place. The same can be said for the rifle magazine pouch. I’ve run it through several different drills in multiple positions. Prone, standing, kneeling, and falling over while trying to work a barrier. The mag stayed where it was supposed to be.
Reloading with the Wilder Tactical Evolution Pouches
Both Wilder Tactical Evolution mag pouches present the magazines well, and with the rifle pouch exposes about half of the mag. So, it’s easy to grip, rip, and reload. The retention holds the magazine until its out, so don’t be dainty with it. Just grab it and go.
On the Wilder Tactical Evolution pistol mag pouch, it’s simple to remove full-sized magazines. The P09 mag is about half exposed and easy to grip. The Walther PPS magazine, however, is a bit shorter, so it doesn’t leave a lot exposed to grip and go. A standard 1911 magazine is about as short as you can comfortably go and still easily pull the magazine from the pouch. That being said double stacks are easier to pull than single stacks. That little extra girth pushes the mag further from the body and makes it easier to reach.
Durability
I’ve had the pouches for months and months now, and spent a lot of time with the pistol pouch, introducing it to my everyday carry lineup. The rifle pouch has been used hard for the last 4 weekends and been present for several different rifle drill range days. They seem to be well made and haven’t budged in the retention department, scratched, scuffed, or failed in anyway.
Final Words
I really like these magazine pouches. I like the fact they seem well thought out and well designed. You can certainly tell the designer has been subject to having to use and abuse gear. This isn’t an attempt to redesign the mousetrap, but to improve it.
