EMDOM USA is based in New York City, and was founded in 2004. Since they make a variety of Military, Law Enforcement and EMS-related products that can be used for 1st, 2nd and 3rd line gear, I figured I'd put them all on one page instead of spreading them around the site. EMDOM's design work is based in the U.S., and the products are manufactured in Hong Kong. They're very open to new ideas and are constantly striving to bring out new products or improve on the ones they already have.

All their products use 1000D Cordura, and high-quality materials. Stitching and construction are excellent. All are MOLLE compatible (using malice clips) and modular.

EMDOM USA's website is one of the few manufacturer sites that feature extremely detailed photos and descriptions of their products, and include views of their products mounted in different configurations. So, rather than being redundant, I'll keep my descriptions brief, and urge the visitor to check out EMDOM's site for the nitty gritty - I've provided the links to the individual product pages in my writeup.

Ken at EMDOM has put together a page showing the different fabrics offered by EMDOM alongside other common items for colour comparison - "Colour Matters".

4/12/07 - MM 3o2 Pistol Mag Pouch - Ever since we came out with the 6o4 pouch below, a number of people have asked for a 'half-size' version - with only one compartment. Some don't need to carry 6 or 4 mags, only 3 or 2, and wanted to utilize a single columns of PALS. So, to accomodate those requests, here it is.

The 3o2 (Three-oh-Two) pouch is essentially single-column 6o4 pouch. It works exactly the same as the 6o4 - it can hold three single stack .45 mags or two double stacks mags. It has the same internal elastic divider, which has now been shielded from wear by the addition of a piece of nylon. The lid now has a piece of hook velcro to hold the lid in the folded position when the tab is tucked behind the retention loop. These changes were also made to the 6o4 in mid-production. The lid is adjustable and removable.

The 3o2 attaches with a single Malice clip and takes up one column of PALS. The Emdom-MM 3o2 pouch is currently available in MultiCam, Coyoteish (Coyote brown), green, UCP and Black.

4/30/06 - MM 6o4 Pistol Mag Pouch - I'm proud to present my latest collaborative effort - the MM/EMDOM USA 6o4 Pistol Mag Pouch. The problem I found with single mag pouches was that they took up a lot of real estate on a rig (unless stacked on top of other pouches) and since they were spread out (on my bib, side etc), reloads weren't as quick as there I sometimes found myself fumbling to 'find' a pouch with a full mag after just a couple of reloads. Lack of proper training, no doubt. The EMDOM CQB pistol mag pouch which holds two .45 single stack mags was a step in the direction of making better usage of PALS real estate. Even so, I felt that the idea of consolidating some of the pistol mags into one area had merit, as such a pouch wouldn't take up so much space and reduce the 'fumbling' around for mags, since all reloads would be from the same general area.
I figured that in order to utilize the space of two PALS columns most efficiently, but without adding too much bulk, the pouch would be no deeper than a double M4 mag pouch. That would mean 3 single stack .45 mags or 2 double stack mags. I came up with a design/sketch in late 2004, and finally got together with EMDOM to re-design/refine it and produce it after more than a year. I really liked EMDOM's CQB pistol mag pouch, so I changed my original design to utilize that particular pattern instead.
We named it the 6o4 (six-oh-four) pouch, as it holds six single stack .45 mags, OR four double stack mags for just about any pistol, in two compartments. The 6o4 pouch replaces six (or four) single pouches. The lids are adjustable/removable, or can be tucked back behind the pouch for quick access to mags. The pouch will hold all .45 single stack mags, all Glock mags, Para-ord .45 mags, SIG mags, Browning mags etc. It'll also hold flashlights or multi-tools for use as a combo pouch.
There is an internal elastic divider put in the middle of each compartment. When used with double stack mags, it acts as a divider and retention for the 2nd mag after the outer one is pulled out. There is elastic retention on the outside of the pouch for the first mag. When used with .45 mags, the elastic retains two mags behind it, while the first reload is again retained by the outside elastic. It's easy to insert mags and extract them, and they're pretty secure. A full pouch will retain all its mags upside down, and the inner two .45 mags with the first one out.
I was worried that extracting mags might be difficult in a rush as they're next to each other, but I found that it wasn't a problem for me. I was able to extract them one by one without grabbing two at the same time, working from the outside in.
Optimum location for the 6o4 pouch is on the weak side of the hip on a belt or rig, but it's up to the user where he wants to locate it. Either way, it takes up less real estate and costs less than the equivalent number of singles or doubles it would take to carry the same mags. Saves space and money. It comes in MultiCam, Coyote, Army UCP, Woodland, Black and Smoke Green.

Shown below is the 6o4 pouch on a BH STRIKE chest rig and belt. Note that I'm a lefty. A couple of people asked me about magazine retention when the lid is open. When each compartment is full (either 3 .45 or 2 double stack mags), I can hold the pouch upside down and the elastic will retain fully loaded mags. Of course, if you shake it up and down, they'll eventually work their way out. If the outer .45 mag is removed, the 2 remaining .45 mags will still be held. Of course, if only one .45 mag is in either compartment, there's not enough elastic tension to hold it in upside down. Just treat it like any other pouch with elastic retention and use common sense when deciding whether to keep the lid open or closed.

I used the 6o4 pouch in a steel pistol match, and it came in handy for carrying a bunch of extra mags as the round count for some of the stages was high (ok, I was missing a lot :-P). For the match, I removed the lids for quick access. Using malice clips, you can mount the 6o4 to most regular pistol belts.

8/2/06 - Recon Waist Pack - I've been using a prototype version of this waist pack since late last year. In fact, some of you noticed it sneak into some of my photos (see below) in other reviews and inquired about it. Well, it's finally in production. Sure, there are other waist packs out there, but in true EMDOM fashion, the Recon Waist pack has a few more features/details that set it apart from the rest.
Overall profile is of a wedge from the side, and upside-down trapezoid from the front, instead of a rectangular blocky shape. Worn in front, in the back or on the side, it's a relatively streamlined shape. It's more roomy than it looks. The pack body is 10" at its widest point at the top, and 7" tall. It's 4" deep at it's deepest point at the top of the wedge. The zippered access main compartment has an elastic top mesh pocket on the inside for organization, and 550 cord loops for dummy cords. On the back of the pack is another zippered compartment, about 7" x 3.5" in size. This is useful for flatter items. On the front of the body is an external pouch, approx 6" x 4" x 1.5" in size. Both the main compartment and front pouch have drain grommets at the bottom. All zippers have 550-cord pulls.

When Ken was in the process of designing this pack last year, I suggested he make the 1" waist belt removable. Instead of going with a SR buckle quick detachable-type system, I wanted something as low profile as possible and we ended up using the metal slider/plastic common loop attach method that's used by Kifaru on many of their products (after checking with them first, of course). The ITW ghillietex metal slider on the belt end is simply threaded through the common loop at the corners of the pack and is a very simple, low-profile attach/detach method. The webbing loops at the upper corners of the body also serve as attach points for slotted SR buckles or siamese slik clips. This gives the user multiple options for using the pack. The waist belt is long enough to accomodate waists up to 54".
On the back of the Recon Waist Pack is a PALS grid for attaching the pack to a duty belt or rig. The waist belt can be stowed in the rear compartment of the waist pack. One use that I had in mind when discussing the design with Ken was mounting it directly at the front of a molle belt. I used siamese slik clips to mount it on the front of my Crye Blast Belt, over the buckle. It was easily removable for donning and doffing, and eliminated the need for the 1" waist belt. That setup can be used on any molle-compatible belt.
Slotted male and female buckles can also be used to attach the waist pack to a belt, rig, or pack - the slotted male/female buckles are only available from Duraflex. ITW currently does not make a slotted male buckle, unfortunately. You can also use the loops and a couple of ITW Grimloc buckles to attach it to molle webbing.
Shown below are some various ways of attaching the waist pack, using the web loops at the end.

I've used the Recon Waist pack since last year for daily wear around my waist, or even as an over-the-shoulder pack by extending the waist belt fully. I've used it at the range and desert to carry extra pistol mags and loose ammo, both attached to my Crye belt and as a stand-alone waist pack to suppliment my STRIKE setup. You can see from the photos below that it's relatively unobtrusive due to its wedge shaped profile. It's low profile enough not to get in the way when worn at the front, side or back. Most recently, I've got it stuffed with a trauma pack/first aid kit as it's easier to remove and access than a rig-mounted pouch.

Baby Shingle - 6/5/06 - Finally, one of my favourite new little pouches is finally in production. The Baby Utili-shingle Pocket is a half-sized small shingle that you'll keep finding new uses for. It measures 5.5" x 3.5" x 1.5" and fits where larger pockets won't. It can straddle 3 or 4 channels of PALS, due to the spacing of the molle grid on the back. Small malice clips can be used, or the two web straps with snaps which are supplied. Once you get the hand of the strap, they're pretty easy to use, and don't protrude out the bottom like malice clips. The pocket opens via the double zipper pulls on top, and inside is a dummy cord loop for securing contents. On each side of the pocket are two rows of PALS, for attaching a single-column pouch, grimloc biner, or for more dummy cording. I've had a prototype for a few months prior to the production version coming out, and used it on my Kifaru pack waist belts (see the Snow Hike section - you can spot the prototype on my right hip). It fits perfectly there, where I carried a compact digital camera, energy bars and gels. It also works well as a small, quick-access pocket on the outside of packs or bags. On a rig or body armour, it provides a pocket for those small items without taking up too much real estate. The problem with the baby shingle is that they're addictive - you can't just buy one! So beware. They come in MultiCam, green, coyote, and UCP.

5/14/05 - "Grobes" Glove Dispenser Pouch - The "Grobes" pouch is a small pouch designed to hold latex exam gloves. It can hold 2-6 pairs of gloves, depending on the type (thickness). The pouches is attached to PALS webbing or a belt by two 3" malice clips. The name "Grobes" came from a LF post from a Japanese collector, who referred to 'gloves' as 'grobes'. The term stuck. Gloves are loaded from the top of the pouch, and are dispensed through the opening in the overlapping elastic panels in front. It works best when the gloves are folded and stacked one on top of the other, then insert into the pouch. That way, each glove is dispensed individually, instead of a bunch coming out when you pull on one. A logical place to mount the Grobes pouch would be on the outside of a medical pouch.

Strobe Pouch - The EMDOM Strobe Pouch is based on the old SDU-5E pouch, but updated with new materials and features. It will fit the older SDU-5E and the newer MS-2000S stobes, or any small, similarly sized items. It's a perfect fit for my compact Sony digital camera. The pouch has a snap closure, and the flap can be folded back and secured via velcro to expose the top of the strobe. When closed, two grommets in the flap allow the strobe to be used when reduced output is desired. A dummy cord loop is provided inside the pouch and an internal strip of hook velcro lines the front of the pouch, to secure a strobe that has hook velcro stuck to it. Two horizontal rows of webbing allow additional pouches to be attached to it. The loop velcro square on the upper row serves to keep the top flap open, or a place to stick an IR square.

Utili-Shingles Stackable Pockets - The Utili-Shingle Stackable Pockets come in two sizes, Small and Large. These unique pouches provide a low-profile means of adding storage where too much bulk/depth unwanted. Both pouches are 1" deep, but will 'stuff out' with much thicker items. The top edge opening has double zipper pulls, and a dummy cord loop inside. Their low profile encourages them to be stacked, or other pouches mounted to the outside. I mounted one on each side of my Crye Chassis, but as the armour came high up on the side, the openings were a bit difficult to reach. They're more easily accessed mounted a row lower down than I've shown here. I currently have the large one mounted on the front of my Multicam Kifaru Marauder, and it's the perfect outside pocket addition to that pack. The small one has found a home on my STRIKE chest rig.

B.O.M.B. Blowout Medical Bag and 4X4 SUV GP Pouch - The B.O.M.B. is a 7"x5"x3" blowout-type kit pouch with an assortment of internal elastic loops and a front slot pocket to organize the contents. The adjustable 550 cord drawstring varies the amount the pouch opens. You can set it to open partially, so none of the contents fall out from the front flopping completely open. A label or patch can be attached to the velcro on the outside of the pouch. Additional pouches can be mounted to the two rows of PALS webbing across the front - a logical place for the "Grobes" glove pouch.
The 4X4 SUV GP (General Purpose) pouch is a 'standard', large sized (9"x6"x3") pouch that can hold quite a bit of kit. The dual zippers open halfway down the sides for easy access to the contents. It'll fit canteens, Nalgene bottles,up to 50oz camelbak bladders (I stuck a 35oz one in) etc.

Wide Load 3" Multi-purpose pack - The WL 3" is a highly-organized pack/pouch that can be used alone (by attaching a shoulder strap to the D-rings) or attached to the outside or inside of a pack. It was based off the organizer panel of the Camelbak BFM pack. It's definitely useful for organizing smaller items in packs that don't have their own segregated pockets. The dual zipper runs along the top and sides, allowing the WL to open up flat. The 550 cord drawstring limits the amount it can be opened. Velcro cinch straps on the sides compress the WL, and also serve as zipper stops halfway down. On the front are 3 rows of PALS webbing and 1" loop velcro tape for nametags etc. On the bottom are drainage grommets and web loops for attachment of additional pouches.
The contents are organized on the inside by a full-size mesh pocket on the inside front with zipper closure, 3 mesh pockets on the other side with elastic openings, and a velcro-closed full-sized main pocket behind them. Elastic bands at the bottom of the WL can further secure items.
I have it shown here mounted to my Marauder, and it looks like it was made for it. At 12"x7"x3", it's not too large for that pack.

Fattie Wide Load Multi-purpose pack - The FWL has twice the volume of the WL, having the same width and height, but double the depth at 6". Internal and external layout are essentially the same as the WL. Bottom webbing and internal elastic loops at the bottom are 6" instead of 3" wide, of course. Because of its size, it'll work well as a stand-alone bag, with the addition of a shoulder strap. Instead of mounting it to a pack, I attached it to the Kifaru Tailgunner platform (shown below). In that configuration, it provides yet another option to the Tailgunner line.

10/10/07 - H2O Hydration Carrier - I've been using a prototype of EMDOM's H2O Hydration Carrier since mid 2005, but it was put on the back burner to make way for other products until now. Some of you with sharp eyes caught pictures of it attached to my STRIKE rig in my KP Industries Knee Pad writeup back in 2005, and I've been getting emails inquiring about it ever since.

The EMDOM H2O Hydration Carrier is constructed of 1000D Cordura and designed to fit a standard 100 oz (3 L) reservoir. External seam-to-seam dimensions are 16" tall x 6" wide x 3" deep. The H2O carrier can either be used as a stand-alone pack using optional removable shoulder straps, or attached to the back of any MOLLE vest or armour carrier using the new EMDOM-MM MOLLE attachment system. No Malice clips are needed. The H2O is a mid-size carrier with a low profile shape making it less cumbersome in tight quarters. Mil-spec webbing, materials, zippers and ITW IRR Ghillietex hardware is used throughout.

The H2O has 8 rows x 4 columns of PALS on the front and 6 rows x 2 columns on the sides for attaching additional MOLLE-compatible pouches. The 4" x 3" velcro area for ID and patches on the front is part of the PALS webbing. There are also four tab loops on the front for use as tie-downs or lash points.

There is a full length front pocket with two zippered openings - one at the top, and another one halfway down. This was done, instead of two separate short pockets, to allow longer, thin items to be stored in the H2O carrier, such as antennae or tools. Shorter items that end up at the bottom of the pocket are accessed by the lower zipper.

The main compartment zipper is protected by a rain guard. The dual zipper has snaps on the pulls for more security. Inside the front of the main compartment is a 4.5" x 4" zippered mesh pocket for hydration accessories like connectors, bite valves, cleaning tablets etc. Behind the mesh pocket is a large 4" x 4" loop velcro field for storing extra patches and ID.

The reservoir mesh pocket has an elastic opening and a 4"-wide elastic compression strap near the bottom. A paracord loop at the top is provided for hanging the reservoir. The elastic hose port at the top of the carrier is wide enough for most bite valves and attachments to pass through.

As I mentioned above, I've been using a prototype of the H2O Carrier since 2005 mounted to my STRIKE rig. I've actually found that mounting a double M4 magazine pouch upside down on each side of the H2O at the bottom gives me four extra mags to replenish my mag pouches in front. It's another well-made and thought out product from EMDOM.

The H2O carrier can also be attached to the EMDOM-MM Battle Suspenders using a couple of Siamese Slik Clips. It's shown here used in conjunction with a CTOMS X-Belt PS.

1/14/09 - Vehicle Hydration Carrier - The EMDOM Vehicle Hydration Carrier (VHC) is a shorter, wider version of the EMDOM H2O hydration carrier shown above. It is designed primarily for vehicle drivers and operators who prefer a shorter hydration carrier. Being shorter and wider, the bottom of the VHC does not touch the seat when sitting, so it eliminates the problem with the armor being pushed up by an attached hydration carrier when seated. A shorter hydration carrier also allows the user to carry a bigger fanny pack or pouches at the center of the back at the waist on the belt with less interference from a hydration carrier. Mil-spec webbing, materials, zippers and ITW IRR Ghillietex hardware is used throughout. The VHC carrier is available in MultiCam, ACU, Coyoteish, Sewer Green, Foliage Green, and Black.

The VHC is constructed of 1000D Cordura and designed to fit a wide 70 oz (2 L) reservoir. The VHC features full coverage of color/camo-matched MOLLE webbing on the front and sides for attachment of MOLLE pouches. External seam-to-seam dimensions are 14.5" tall x 7" wide x 3" deep. The VHC carrier can either be used as a stand-alone pack using optional removable shoulder straps (not included, available separately), or attached to the back of any MOLLE vest or armour carrier using MALICE clips. At the back of the carrier is the MALICE Clip matrix. Each VHC comes with three long and three short MALICE clips, offering secure mounting to any MOLLE platform.

The VHC has 6 rows x 5 columns of PALS on the front and 4 rows x 2 columns on the sides for attaching additional MOLLE-compatible pouches. The 5.5" x 3" velcro area for ID and patches on the front doubles as the first two rows of PALS webbing. There are also four tab loops on the front for use as tie-downs or lash points.

There is a full length front accessory pocket with two zippered openings - one at the top, and another one halfway down. This was done, instead of two separate short pockets, to allow longer, thin items to be stored in the VHC carrier, such as antennae or tools. Shorter items that end up at the bottom of the pocket are accessed by the lower zipper.

The main compartment zipper is protected by a rain guard. The dual zipper has snaps on the pulls for more security. Inside the front of the main compartment is a 5" x 5" zippered mesh pocket for hydration accessories like connectors, bite valves, cleaning tablets etc. Behind the mesh pocket is a large 4" x 4" loop velcro field for storing extra patches and ID.

 

 

The reservoir pocket is mesh and has an elastic opening and a 4"-wide elastic compression strap near the bottom. A paracord loop at the top is provided for hanging the reservoir. The elastic hose port at the top of the carrier is wide enough for most bite valves and attachments to pass through without disassembly.

I've illustrated the VHC here with the Source 70oz hydration reservoir, which it fits perfectly. It's also sized better for short-torsoed folk like me. When I mount a hydration carrier to a vest, it usually hangs off the bottom. Shown below is the VHC mounted to a BattleLab Predator vest. Also shown is the H2O carrier beside it for comparison. You can see the differences in height and width. The H2O carrier is shaped more for the long-neck type of hydration bladders, and the VHC for the shorter, wider style.

 

10/20/08 - Click here to go to the TNT Bag Writeup.

Coyote TNT Prototype

MultiCam TNT production version

SDU Grey production version

 

PALS 2" buckle Drop Leg Hanger - The PALS Drop Leg Hanger can be used to attach drop leg rigs or holsters to a MOLLE belt or rig. It's basically a small panel with 3 rows x 2 columns of webbing on the front and back. A female 2" buckle is sewn to the panel. Malice clips are supplied for mounting the hanger to any PALS webbing. I had modified my Safariland 6004 a while back to singe leg strap configuration for a higher ride by shortening the hanger strap and cutting the leg panel with a saw and dremel tool. Usually I have the 6004 attached to my Crye Blast Belt, but also wanted the option of attaching it to my STRIKE rig and not wearing a belt. I used the EMDOM Hanger and attached it to the side of my STRIKE rig, then the 6004 to the male SR buckle. I then put a small shingle over it - the hanger allows pouches to be placed over it, as it has PALS on the outside - you don't lose any space on your rig. The 6004 is supported by the STRIKE rig - it's actually more comfortable than hanging off a belt, in my opinion. It's up to you to decide whether a rig-hung holster fits your needs, though. Some like the rig separate from the pistol and belt.