Photo: TSSI
There are a million bags and packs out there in the tactical world. Each one is different and almost all fill a niche in form and function. Increasingly popular are the active shooter response bags, or "bail-out" bags. These bags are designed to carry the extra gear an officer would rely on during a prolonged, active shooter or significant incident scenario. Water, medical supplies, and extra ammunition are just a few of the staples that an officer will likely need to keep themselves in the fight. TSSI has joined the bail-out bag army with its Active Response bag. The main features of any rapid response bag are here for sure, with the addition of a couple of very smart improvements over the traditional nylon pack.
Designed to be a better mousetrap, so to speak, the TacOps Active Response bag is made of heavy yet very pliable nylon with robust zippers and pulls. The exterior features three pouches in the front; two magnetic-closure pouches for AR-15 magazines or similar sized items; and a center zippered pouch for carrying smaller gear. The interior is lined with elastic loops to keep anything from shotgun shells to chem-light sticks secure and within easy reach. The sides of the bag feature MOLLE webbing, which allows for any number of standard MOLLE accessories to be added. TacOps includes two of theirs, a water bottle cage with an elastic loop, and a pistol magazine pouch. Both are very well made and worked great with my Glock magazines and a large water bottle. The ability to swap these pouches around is nice and allows you to customize your rig.
Inside the Active Response bag is a large middle pouch with two smaller pouches behind it. All of them are large enough for a med kit, food, ammo, or even a light jacket to be stuffed inside. The smaller pouches also accommodate a modular pistol holster for a backup gun. The big feature here is the color of the lining. The entire interior of the bag is lined in high-visibility yellow so anything inside can be easily located in low light or under stress. How many of us have hunted for that elusive lithium battery in the dark depths of our standard gear bags? I have and am happy to say it won't happen here.
Deploying the bag is a breeze courtesy of the incorporated and highly adjustable shoulder and waist straps. Sling the bag over your shoulder, quickly attach the waist strap, and you're ready to go to work. Even while fully loaded the straps did a good job of keeping the bag secure and did not interfere with my rifle sling.
Hopefully I'll never have to use the TacOps bag for its intended purpose, but if I do I am confident it will serve me well. If you're not toting around a bail-out bag you might be setting yourself up for failure. You can pick up a TacOps Active Response bag for under $100 and rest easy knowing you'll have the gear you need when it matters most. Check them out at www.store.tssi-ops.com.
