10/20/08 - I'm proud to introduce my latest collaboration with EMDOM USA, the TNT (Tactical/Non-Tactical) Bag. The TNT project started back in mid 2007, when I expressed my desire to Ken at EMDOM to design a bag that is practical enough for EDC (Every Day Carry) use, doesn't look overtly 'tactical', but still has some gun-friendly/tactical features concealed internally. I have seen most of the 'messenger/Spartan/tactical man-purse, patrol, tactical briefcase, bail-out bags' out there; and there are some very good designs to fit a variety of needs. But, none of them were matched exactly what I had in mind, so I set about thinking and sketching up a design. Over the next few months, Ken and I exchanged numerous drawings, diagrams, emails and phone calls, and went through three prototypes to arrive at the production version. As usual, I was very impressed with the way EMDOM's prototype/pattern maker was able to translate drawings into a finished product and figure out how to fabricate the more challenging features in the most elegant way possible.

Design philosophy - I envisioned a shoulder-carry bag. A shoulder carried bag is easy to access and stable enough if a waist strap is provided. I didn't want a messenger bag style flap. Flaps get in the way if you're trying to access the contents of the bag. I wanted everything to be relatively easy to access when the bag is being worn (that's the whole point, I think). The bag also had to be stiff enough to have some shape when loaded up, and not act like a floppy duffle bag. Just like a backpack, the heavier the load, the more support is needed. This bag would need a stiffening sheet and be padded vs. an unpadded fabric-only soft bag. Padding would also provide protection for the contents and make it more comfortable when wearing the bag against the body when it's banging around.

I decided against MOLLE/PALS, inside or outside. I wanted the bag to look relatively non-descript, and not stand out in a crowd as something unusual that might attract attention. MOLLE webbing on the outside shouts 'tactical', and while I like modularity, and the ability to customize the inside of the bag with MOLLE-compatible pouches, I feel that most MOLLE pouches and the attachment method takes up too much space and is too bulky for inside use, especially for a bag of this size. 1000D pouches are overkill for internal organization. That's additional weight to carry. Most pouches are not designed to be used internally and can be difficult to access unless the bag opens out flat. One of the issues with bags that open out flat is that the zippers can open up too much if you're opening the bag while wearing it and the weight of the contents can end up opening the bag all the way. With the TNT, the main compartment zippers only opens until about a third of the way down the side of the bag and won't open up accidentally. You can run the TNT with the main compartment zippers completely open without fear of the bag opening like a book.

The gear needs to be organized inside a bag, not necessarily retained with a velcro flap and SR buckle. I decided to try and design a universal and effective layout of internal and external organization that should fit many needs, so the bag is good to go and is ready to load up from the start, without having to buy an additional $80 worth of pouches to organize your gear. I also wanted to avoid too many individual small pockets on the outside that looked busy. It was also important that all the features or compartments were easy and convenient to access, whether the bag was being worn or not.

I'm fortunate to have a wide array of bags to examine, which helped me determine what size would be most practical. It couldn't be too small, so it could carry a binder or two, papers/magazines or some medium sized laptops (up to a 15.4" screen), but not too large since it's an over-the-shoulder bag. Even a relatively small bag can be quite heavy when loaded up with a pistol and ammo, plus rifle magazines. The first prototype was actually too small, and we increased the size by an inch in all dimensions which provided more usable space inside the main compartment. What we ended up with is a medium-sized shoulder bag, sort of in-between a messenger bag and tactical briefcase, which I think is just about the right size to be very practical for regular, every day use. It's not overtly 'tactical', yet it has features incorporated into the design which also make it a bag for fighting out of - suitable for concealed weapons carry and rifle magazines, which is where I came up with the 'TNT (Tactical/Non-Tactical)' name - it serves both functions.

Coyote TNT Prototype

MultiCam TNT production version

SDU Grey production version

Note that the Coyote TNT shown in the photos is the second prototype, and has small differences from the final production versions, shown here in Crye MultiCam and SDU Grey . The only differences between the production versions and the Coyote prototype shown here are:

• Metal D-rings instead of plastic hardware for the shoulder strap attach points
• Shoulder strap attach points have been reinforced and extend down further
• Front pockets are 1" taller on the production version than the Coyote prototype
• SDU Grey version has an added snap on the rear "newspaper compartment" opening
• Internal slot pockets have elastic retention
• Internal pockets will have contrasting 420D nylon.

Everything else is the same - the SDU Grey represents the final production TNT bag. The Coyote prototype is shown here for illustrative purposes only.

TNT Bag specs and features (detailed descriptions are below):

• 1000D Cordura construction, YKK zippers and mil-spec velcro. Total volume approx 1600 c.i. (main compartment and external pockets). The TNT is the first EMDOM item to be offered in SDU Grey. EMDOM's manufacturing partner in Hong Kong makes nylon gear for Hong Kong's Special Duties Unit (SDU) in a special grey nylon, so since they had it in stock, I figured it'd be a great non-descript colour for the TNT. It's a medium grey and matches foliage green hardware and webbing very well. The TNT is also available in EMDOM's standard colours: Crye MultiCam, Sewer Green (OD), Coyoteish (Coyote), and Black. Some people have asked "will you make it other colours like Navy Blue or ACU?". Not at this time, as EMDOM does not carry those fabrics.
• All internal edges are finished and seam taped. You will not see any exposed edges of material that will fray. The quality and attention to detail that EMDOM puts into their products will match or exceed any other top of the line tactical gear manufacturer, which is why I chose to work with them. Compare them inside and out, and judge for yourself.
• ITW Ghillietex metal and plastic IR hardware
• Main compartment estimated volume 1000 cu.in. (stuffs out when loaded), protected or padded on the bottom and four sides
• Four folding slot pockets in main compartment to hold 8 M4 mags
• Three mesh pockets in main compartment
• Two pleated/low profile Side Stash pockets (150 c.i. each) with contoured opening for bottle retention, elastic shock cord closure, internal dummy cord tabs. Sized for Nalgene bottles, USGI canteens or four M4 mags
• Drilex lined padded stowable/removable shoulder strap
• Stowable/removable waist strap
• Quilted rear panel on the back for comfort and grip
• Top zippered Frequent Access Compartment for small items with divisions
• Low profile/stowable carry handles with padded wrap
• Velcro lined, quick access pistol compartment with adjustable pistol holder and magazine holder. HDPE stiffener sheet to support weight of pistol
• Rear 'newspaper' compartment for flat items, or stowing handle, shoulder and waist straps
• Two large front organizer pockets (150 c.i. each) with internal 420D nylon organizers for phones, PDAs, pens, CD/DVDs. magazines etc
• Two hidden/concealed passport pockets
• Weight - 3.75 lbs
• Approx overall dimensions: 18" wide x 12" tall x 6" deep.

Overall Features and Dimensions - Externally, the TNT bag body measures approximately 15" long x 12" tall x 5.5" deep (not including external pockets). Subtract about a half inch from those dimensions for the main compartment internal dimensions to allow for padding. It has one main compartment, padded on both sides and the bottom with internal organization, two front pockets, a front pistol compartment, rear newspaper/magazine compartment, a top frequent access compartment, and two side stash pockets. 4" x 3" loop velcro fields are provided on the front two pockets for ID, patches etc. The design, sizing and dimensions for the pockets and internal organization were based on multiples of the M4/AR-15 30-round magazine, as you'll see below.

The TNT is constructed completely of 1000D cordura with 420D used for internal organization. ITW ghillietex metal and plastic hardware is used throughout, as well as YKK zippers and mil-spec velcro (the good stuff). EMDOM customers should already be familiar with EMDOM's bomb-proof construction, quality of workmanship, and attention to detail.

Shoulder strap -The TNT comes with a padded, Drilex lined shoulder strap with one HK snap hook. The TNT shoulder strap is designed to remain attached to the bag, and stowed in the newspaper compartment when not in use. The HK snap hook allows the front of the strap to be released relatively quickly, but not so easily that someone else can do it. We chose not to make an SR buckle on the shoulder strap a standard feature for EDC in public because an SR buckle on the main strap can make it very easy for someone else to release the bag and run off with it. For users in the military, where this might be less of an issue, or if someone wants a emergency release feature on the shoulder strap, a split-bar/field repair ITW SR buckle (not included) can be installed on the D-ring loop as shown below. It's a tight fit, but it works.

The 18"-long padded portion is 2" wide and the straps are 1" webbing with dual ITW ghillietex metal bar sliders. It's more comfortable than webbing-only straps, and with the fixed pad, there's no separate pad to slip and slide on the strap. It's also more low profile than most padded shoulder straps. I found that there was no reason to have 2" wide webbing for the entire strap - the 1" webbing gets in the way less and with over 1500 lbs of breaking strength, it's more than strong enough. We experimented with different padding options for the padded portion, and found that adding more padding didn't make it more comfortable. If you chose to, you can add any removable shoulder pad designed for 2" wide straps from other manufacturers. However, try it and you'll see that it might not be more comfortable. More padding also meant more bulk when you stow or fold the shoulder strap away inside the TNT.

Normally, there is no need to attach and detach the shoulder strap as it is stowable without removing it. There are four metal D-ring attach points, giving the user a choice - two on the rear and two on the front. Attaching the shoulder strap to the rear D-rings allows the bag to sit against the body better than if they were attached to the sides/middle of the bag. This allows complete access to the main compartment without the compartment being pressed against the body and compressed.

The rear panel of the TNT is padded and quilted, for comfort and to provide some 'purchase' when wearing it snug with a waist belt. The carry handles are 1.5" webbing, and are short for the lowest profile possible. There is a padded velcro handle wrap for connecting the carry handles together if desired.

A removable waist strap is also included. This is 1" webbing with a SR buckle, and attaches to the TNT body with metal bar sliders that route through 1" tab loops on the body. The waist strap stows when not in use, and need not be removed under normal use.

Top Frequent Access Compartment (FAC) - Whatever bag I carry, I always find myself wishing there was a small compartment for keys or frequently accessed items that was easy to get to, not buried inside the main compartment. The solution? The top Frequent Access Compartment (FAC). The FAC is sewn to the top panel of the TNT bag, and is a long, flat zippered pocket with two internal dividers, creating three compartments. Each compartment is 4" long and 3" deep, and can hold items like keys, a small folding knife or multitool, pack of gum, etc. The FAC is sized as large as allowed by the dimensions of the bag. Making it larger would require an increase in size of the bag.

I've illustrated the FAC with a Leatherman Wave, a Petzl E-Lite, and my cell phone in the separate compartments. Great for storing business cards as well. That's where I put my keys so I can get to them conveniently. The zipper is concealed with a rain flap and only the cord zipper pull shows. Note that the compartments are not completely separated from each other - there's about an inch where the partitions stop short of the zipper. So, small loose items things like coins or single keys might migrate from one compartment to the other.

Main Compartment - The main compartment two-way zipper opens down to the top of the Side Stash Pockets and are protected by a rain flap. The main compartment opening is more towards the front of the bag instead of in the middle. During experimentation, we found that when the opening was too close to the body, it was more difficult to access the contents. The offset zipper also makes room for the top Frequent Access Compartment. The main compartment is protected by closed cell foam on the bottom and sides, slightly thinner padding on the rear panel, and the HDPE sheet in the front panel. The main compartment will fit most laptops up to 15.4" screens.

Slot Pockets - Sewn to the inside rear panel are four bellows slot pockets made out of 420D cordura with elastic retention. These slot pockets fold flat out of the way when empty. Each slot pocket is 6" tall and is sized to fit two M4 30-round magazines or one .308 magazine. Whatever fits in a double M4 pouch will fit in these pockets. They can be also used for radios, PDAs, etc. The elastic on the outside of the slot pockets can be used to retain flashlights etc. The advantage that these have over magazine pouches attached to internal molle inside a bag is that besides being lighter and less bulky, there isn't any flap to contend with. You can have the zipper partially open, reach inside, and pull mags out with ease, just by feel.

Mesh Pockets - On the inside of the front panel are three mesh pockets. The one on the left is a full 12" tall, and the ones on the right are 6" in height each. All are 7" wide. The mesh is sewn baggy so that the pockets are not flat, but have volume to hold more items. Each has a zipper opening with short pull. When empty, the mesh pockets lay flat and don't take up any internal volume.

Of course, adding items in the slot and mesh pockets takes up internal volume, but with the slot pockets flat, I'm able to put a couple of three-ring binders inside, with some room to spare.

The TNT is a complex and labour-intensive bag to make with all the internal organization built in (it takes a full 8 hours to produce one TNT). If you add up the cost of buying the equivalent molle pouches plus the added weight and bulk, you'll see that the TNT offers the least costly and streamlined way to carry and organize all that stuff. It's not a cheap bag, but it isn't overpriced. People will shell out the same amount of money for a rail system for their rifle and even more for a decent optic without hesitation, but go cheap on a nylon bag they'll use every single day.

It's completely biased of me to say "the TNT works perfectly for my needs" because I designed it specifically with those needs in mind. But it really does work as I imagined it would, thanks to the help and hard work by EMDOM to make it into a reality. Hope you find it as useful and practical as much as I do - thanks for looking.

For ordering info and a ton of other photos, visit EMDOM USA's TNT Bag page.