The MOLLE carrying system
The abbreviation MOLLE stands for Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment and refers to a military load-bearing system for attaching pouches and pieces of equipment. Its most important feature is the standardized attachment base in the form of textile straps, which are usually made from particularly durable fabrics.
Structure and function of the MOLLE system
The MOLLE system consists of several components, all of which are standardized. Thanks to this standardization, a wide variety of pieces of equipment can be combined with one another. One example is a combat vest expanded with various magazine and accessory pouches. The individual pouches can be removed at any time and replaced by other items and pouches that also feature the MOLLE system. In this way, the equipment can be adapted entirely to individual needs, depending on the desired function, mission or area of deployment.
The basis of the MOLLE system is formed by the horizontally running straps made of hard-wearing textile material. These are also referred to as PALS (Pouch Attachment Ladder System), while MOLLE stands for the entire load-bearing system. The height of the individual straps is exactly 1 inch (2.54 cm). They are stitched every 1.5 inches (3.81 cm), creating the characteristic loops of the MOLLE system that serve to hold equipment. The vertical distance between individual straps is also 1 inch.
On the counterpart, i.e. the piece of equipment to be attached, there is also such a strip with a loop. In addition, there is a vertically running retaining strap that creates the connection between the individual system components.
Tips and advice: what should you look out for when buying MOLLE gear?
In newer systems, there is no 1-inch gap after the loop; instead, the next loop follows directly. This makes attaching gear even more flexible. If additional retention straps (so-called TacTies) are needed to secure the equipment, these can also be purchased separately.
Additional notes on the safe use of MOLLE gear
To ensure the MOLLE system functions correctly, the vertically running retention straps must be threaded through all the loops both on the carrier side and on the items to be attached. It is also important to secure the retention strap. This can be done, for example, with a snap fastener.
If equipment from older systems (e.g. ALICE – All-Purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment) is to be connected to the MOLLE system, special adapters such as the MALICE clip (Modified ALICE clip) are suitable for this purpose. Unlike conventional ALICE clips, these are made predominantly of plastic rather than metal.
Questions: MOLLE
What does MOLLE mean?
MOLLE is an acronym and stands for Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment. Can MOLLE products be combined with other carrying systems? Items from different systems can sometimes be combined with each other. For example, ALICE clips can be attached to MOLLE systems. In addition, retailers also offer adapters for combining different systems.
