I have been interested in the Fast Mags since its latest update, and purchased two of them for testing. I am a security contractor doing PSD ops and have used them on a daily basis in Iraq for over a month.
The Fast Mags were bought from Blue Force Gear, but I could not find any detailed instructions and I had to go back to the online reviews for the information. The Fast Mags were attached to the front of my armored chassis, next to the TT shingles, that I have used for over 3 years here.
First of all, the Fast Mag didn’t give me a lot of confidence. If the thick rubber band broke, you loose the primary retention device. Some of the other reviews mention that the mag locks in, and requires a twisting motion to remove it. I used both USGI mags and Pmags with the rubber band in the upper position, and never had a need to twist it to remove it. I would like to be able to purchase extra bands, and use 2 or three on each holder. Milspec Monkey’s review mentions that he uses a rubber wrist bracelet to reinforce the holder. I have yet to try that.
Here are the problems I found with the Fast Mag-
Dust and Dirt
The design let in more dust and dirt than my TT shingles, so much so that it worked its way into the mags. The rubber inserts on the inside of the mag, the ones that help apply friction, collected dust and turned dark and smooth. So smooth, that it was apparent that the Fast Mag was not holding as tightly as before. The rubber inserts also wear away, possibly more so when using P Mags.
Temperature
The hard plastic shells held up very well. The rubber band seemed to relax in high heat (110-115 F) which is very common in Iraq. This caused the mags to become noticeably loose, until they were returned to room temperature.
Placement
The Fast Mags were placed next to each other, and the outer “clam shell” would sometimes appear to hook partially on the adjacent Fast Mag, once again reducing the grip on the mag.
Some reviews mention that it can be used upside down, but I found that both style of mags would work themselves free. You can use the retention cord to hold it in place, but that defeats the purpose of having a “fast mag” system.
In conclusion, the problems I found with the Fast Mag were environmental related, with heat and dust being a major problem. The rubber inserts do wear over time. All of this led to a loss in retention over a one month period of daily use.
I still like the Fast Mag, but can not recommend for extended operations, especially in harsh environments like Iraq. I honestly don’t see much of an improvement over using a standard shingle.
I am interesting to hearing from the other forum members their observations of the Fast Mag in less than idea conditions.
BTW, the best retention system I have seen is the custom made pouches made for the SAS. They are said to have a soft rubber tube running the length of the shingle on the sides, and can be used upside down…