The MOLLE modular cargo system was designed for the needs of the US Army. The abbreviation comes from Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment (Modular Lightweight Cargo Carrying Equipment). The acronym is pronounced as the female name Molly. MOLLE is coming to replace the previously used ALICE (All-purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment, briefly Alice) system. Its development began in the late 1990s. Today, it has been put into service by the US Army (as well as other, mostly NATO armies), distinguished special police units, fire crews and civil defense units. The system is extremely convenient and practical for civilian use.
In fact, the system consists of two parts - MOLLE and PALS (Pouch Attachment Ladder System). As the name implies, the first is the various compartments for various equipment, while the second is the system of their capture. The mechanism is extremely simple and effective. The nozzles to which the different compartments are attached are horizontal polymeric tapes so sewn on the equipment that they leave at their own intervals a kind of looping grip. The compartments themselves are provided with vertical straps that protrude through the loops and fasten with a tick-button at the bottom. The great advantage over other similar systems is the exceptional ease of materials used.
There is a wide range of equipment that integrates the system - belts, backpacks, bags, tactical and armored vests, holsters, even pants, shirts and jackets. Plug-ins include different compartments and sizes for compartments - from small pockets for fillers, ammunition or phones, to first aid kits and water systems. The MOLLE system is extremely convenient and offers great flexibility in combining and arranging individual equipment. And the possibilities for different combinations are many. This is why the system is gaining in popularity.
