Best Molle Clips

Molle clips are one of the most commonly used fasteners on outdoor gear. They come in a wide variety of colors, styles, and thicknesses. Here you’ll learn how to choose the Molle clips you need for your gear projects.

Clip Backing

The clip backing refers to the system or methods into which you install your clips onto a project. There are two types of backing you can use: loop Velcro or flat straps. Loop Velcro uses hook and loop systems to secure your gear, while flat straps use a buckle system. Both systems are very secure, and you’ll have no issues with them falling off while you’re wearing your project or using it in the field.

Clip Shape and Size

You need to consider what shape you want for your clip and how big you want it to be. There are two basic shapes you can get: rectangle and triangle. Rectangle clips are the most common on outdoor gear because they allow you to insert many Molle straps at once, whereas triangular clips usually only hold one strap at a time. If you have a large item that needs securing, such as a hydration pack, you should go with rectangle clips so you can tighten up a lot of straps at one time, making sure you won’t lose the expensive gear you’ve worked hard to paid for. If you want something easy to secure, you should go with triangle clips. The smaller the clip is, the harder it will be to find room for your to use. Bigger clips offer more options, but you’ll need many straps to hold your bulky items.

Clip Positioning

The positioning of your Molle clips can cause issues if you’re not careful. You can either install them on the top or bottom of your gear and adjust your strap accordingly, or you can have one row at the top and one at the bottom. Both techniques work, fine but you have certain advantages over others depending on what you’re making, which we’ll cover below.

Top Row at the Top

The main advantage of having your clips on the top row is you can quickly access your gear. If you need to get your goggles or helmet quickly, you can easily do so without taking off your pack and digging around for it, but you might not have enough room to hold all your equipment in this position. It’s also good if you have many bulky items you want to secure because there will be more room between the straps that go across your gear to give extra space for your bulky items. This placement works well with rectangular-shaped clips because instead of using two rows of clips, you’ll only need one row, which saves space and allows easier on-and-off accessibility.

Bottom Row at the Top

The main advantage of having your clips on the bottom row is you can pack more items in your project because you have two layers of straps instead of just one. There’s also an increased chance you won’t lose the expensive, bulky gear you want to secure when it comes time to take off your project in the field. This option works well with triangle-shaped clips because you’ll need two rows for your clip, so there will be no extra space between the straps that go across your gear, and you won’t have problems fitting everything inside.  It’s also good if you don’t like having access to your equipment quickly but need a lot of room for bulky items because there will be a less open area between all the Molle straps.

Installing Your Molle Clips

Installing your clips is the next step you should take. There are a few ways you can install your clips depending on what you’re making and your personal preference, but it all comes down to how in-depth you want to get with your project. If you want something that functions well for most of your outdoor needs, you should stick with rubber loops or rubber flat straps because they work fairly well and don’t require much time and effort to install. Most of the time, all you have to do is slide them onto your backpacks, tactical vests, or whatever else you’re making and secure them into place by securing over the top of each loop Velcro strip which works great when taking on. Off you project on short notice, or you can use extra straps if you’re not in a hurry.