Police Product Test: 5.11 Tactical AMPC Pack

5.11 has expanded its already impressive lineup of packs and bags even further recently with the addition of the All Missions line. Available in several different sizes and configurations, the main feature of the All Missions lineup is the ability to customize the pack to your mission. One of the smallest and most purpose-built packs in this family is the AMPC, or All Missions Plate Carrier pack.

Coming in at only 16 liters the AMPC isn't a huge pack by any means but that isn't the intended purpose. Designed with the armored operator in mind, the pack is intended to attach to the back of an armored plate carrier as a supplement to the wearer's existing kit. Not all operators have the ability to carry all of their necessary gear on the vest and adding a traditional pack over armor is cumbersome at best. The AMPC solves that problem by attaching directly.

If you have a 5.11 plate carrier already the AMPC will mate directly to it via special clips on the back of the pack. No 5.11 armor? Not to worry. The shoulder straps on the AMPC are thin and designed to be run through the existing shoulder straps of an armored vest for seamless integration. Secure the bottom of the pack as well and the complete setup is very stable, even with a heavy load.

The design of the AMPC, whether used with armor or stand-alone, is minimalist. Its profile is very thin and there are only two pockets in addition to the main compartment; a small outer zippered pocket and an internal mesh pocket. That said, the AMPC is wildly customizable via the honeycomb-styled HexGrid MOLLE panel on the front and large loop Velcro panels inside and out. Dubbed the Gear Set system, 5.11 basically took all of the pockets and pouches found on a traditional pack and made them modular. Now you can essentially build your own custom pack like a set of Legos, hence the reason for the All Missions name. Having gone through a truckload of packs in my lifetime as I search for the perfect configuration, I think this is a genius move.

I've been carrying the AMPC as my EDC pack for a few months now, have changed the configuration a few times, and am completely impressed with its durability, design, and function. Available in black, ranger green, and kangaroo tan, the AMPC retails for just under $120. Check it out at www.511tactical.com .

A.J. George is a sergeant with the Scottsdale (AZ) Police Department who is assigned to the Technical Operations Unit, Special Investigations Section. He has more than a decade of law enforcement experience in patrol, field training, and traffic enforcement.