SlickStick

I’ll admit that I am a little biased by 5.11’s SlickStick system, but I’ll set that aside for this review, focus solely on features, and go apples to apples as best I can. Both products have their strong points and weak points, depending on what you’re after.

Maxpedition 10×4 Bottle Holder

All of the following should also apply to the wine-bottle sized 12×5 Bottle Holder. This pack is elegant and thoughtful in it’s concept, though barely adequate in execution. Ample Velcro covers the top of the lid for attaching patches, as well as the front panel of the accessory pocket. As with the competition, webbing wraps all 4 sides of this pouch. Yes, I said “sides” – this one attempts to be more rectangular than others, and forces itself to have unnaturally flat sides. While this makes adding even more pockets to the unit a little easier, it can make bottle insertion a little more difficult. The webbing measures 2×2 on the front and 2×3 on either side. The back of the pouch features a snap hook for attachment that will remind you of the Keyper, and either side has D-rings for attaching a shoulder strap. The webbing on the back stops a ways short of the bottom, leaving you at 2×3 rows for attachment that is offset one-half row from the side webbing. I’m not terribly fond of Maxpedition’s choice of “khaki” for their desert color, but I can certainly think of worse and it does its job.

The inside of this pouch is well insulated and I suspect it would keep a beverage hot/cold for hours. The main pocket has room for the taller narrow-mouth Nalgene and then some (you might even be able to get a cup upside down above the bottle). The accessory pocket up front has ample room for several servings of powder or liquid flavoring, purification tablets, or perhaps even a (very) small filtration unit. This pocket also has an elastic strap at the rear to aid in gear retention, and is easily accessible through its large opening.

Here’s where Maxpedition fell short on this pouch: the zipper setup for the bottle pocket sucks. It is extremely difficult to open and close using both hands, and even more difficult to open once attached to a larger pack. It is impossible to open this pocket with one hand. As if that wasn’t enough, the zipper also has a nasty habit of catching on the surrounding nylon. It is so bad I am actually considering replacing this piece with a pocket-free, non-insulated carrier from another manufacturer and forgetting about carrying a cold beverage.

5.11 VTAC Nylon Bottle Carrier

It doesn’t get much simpler than this no-nonsense pouch. One pocket for bottle, no insulation, no accessory pockets, no forced rectangles, and webbing all over. I find I actually prefer the rounded webbing that spans the outside of this pouch, measuring 7×2 in all (with 8 and 9 taken up by SlickStick™). The tall narrow-mouth Nalgene just sits inside with no room to move (good), and the nylon is strong but flexible just like 5.11’s other pouches. I picked up this one to hold a JetBoil setup, and will probably add on a small single-column side pouch to hold kitchen utensils. There are no alternate attachment/carry options for this pouch – perfect for pack attachment and nothing else.

If not for the flaw I mentioned, this pouch would have gotten 5 of 5: Velcro AND SRB is used to access the pocket – very bad idea. First off, Velcro inherently has all manner of noise-related problems I’ve ranted about many many times. In this particular setup, its an extra noisy step to getting at your water/gear with no benefit I’ve been able to find. It doesn’t make the pouch more stable and it doesn’t help secure the contents. While I prefer the SRB alone, I would be happy if they had just gone with either/or.