REVIEW: Velocity Systems Elastic Placard

Some weeks ago we took a look at Mayflowers UW Gen IV Placard and Terra B’s Discreet Pouches. BOTH featured some nice approaches in load bearing. Today we will take a closer look at Velocity Systems Elastic Placard. A System I like to use for a lot of flat Range Stuff, or when I really need to carry odd shaped items. The placard is based on a layer of 500den Cordura with some hook velcro on the backside to better fix it to a platecarrier.

Main attachment is done by either SwiftClips, “Crye Style” PALS velcro or by simply velxroing to small strips of velcro into any kangaroo pouch. Simple and stupid, I really like it. Since I own this placard for a very long time now I ditched the SwiftClips and just rely on the velcro strips as this even more reduces the weight of the system.

The pouches are sized for any items in the size of AR15 magazines but can also be used for securing OC Agents, radios, TQs, field dressings or other items along this lines. It even works with some collapsible batons.

The actual use of this system and elastic pouches in general, is pretty limited. It’s a minimalist, low profile solution, especially useful when you wear a slick carrier and don’t have any rifle mags on person but you want to be prepared in case that you have to. It’s also great for cutting down weight. It’s nothing I would wear for actual military direct action or recce applications, because you will need some kind of retention for your mags. But the Elastic Placard is great for the range, law enforcement and close protection or other security details where every layer of fabric can give a concealed mag away. As I said several times I’am not a fan of the “slick is king and three mags are all you need ” loadouts you see popping up on Instagram (mostly combined with hawaii shirts and skinny jeans) in recent times, so as much as I like the quality of this product I can only say that this Item is not made for everybody and is not a replacement for a classic mag shingle. But if you are sure that you are in need for just this kind of product, the elastic placard is way to go.

As a top notch gear developer and manufacturer Velocity Systems has recognized that the elastic placard is just a gap solution and discontinued this product in favor of a magnetic version which sticks to every kind of steel plate and really makes more sense for low profile applications.