Originally Posted by
kombayotch
After using these for nearly a couple months, this is what I've found:
Pump Pillow
Not as useful as the Todd Tac-Pad, but when it's useful, it's very useful. In most cases, it could be replaced with a backpack that had a jacket or something stuffed in it. I haven't found any reason or advantage to putting my arm through it. I've attached a 1.5 foot long piece of para cord to it and made a loop on the end that goes into a Grimloc on my mag belt. So, it just hangs behind my leg till I want to use it. If I need more slack, I just open the Grimloc and release the cord. Where it excels:
-Shooting over a steep peak where the Todd Tac-Pad would not be high enough
-Barricades that are too high to support your elbow on your knee, but low enough to force you to squat
-Positions on barricades where you are between being able to put your elbow on your knee and being able to use the Todd Tac-Pad under your elbow on the ground.
-Between your hips and the barricade on odd shaped barricades to support your midsection (eg. a pile of tires, etc...)
Again, it could be replaced by a stuffed pack if one was handy. In real life, that would be more practical. In a match, the pump pillow is definitely more convenient having it hanging off the belt.
Todd Tac-Pad
Of the three backs, this one is the most versatile. Things I've used it for:
-Rear or elbow support on rooftops that aren't steep.
-As a barricade bag on barricades that don't have small openings.
-As a rear bag on both flat and uneven surfaces.
-Low barricade positions, between my elbow and the ground.
-Barricades that are too high to support your elbow on your knee, but low enough to force you to squat (but lower than where the pump pillow can be used.
-Standing position as shown above.
-"Canadian" kneeling position. This is where you put the mag on your knee. I put the bag between the butt stock and my belly on the shooting arm side for added support.
-Tradition sling kneeling position. I put it on my support arm and rest in on my belly and knee for added support beyond what the sling and knee-arm are providing.
-As ankle support for kneeling positions.
-Supporting the rifle in rollover (urban) prone low side position.
-On its side, in every situation the Pump Pillow is used in. It can be used in the same way, it's just not as stable and compresses more if you put weight on it.
If I had to choose only one of these three bags, it would be this one.
SAP Run N' Gun
To be honest, I haven't really warmed up to this bag. It doesn't offer anything over the Todd Tac-Pad as a barricade bag. I prefer my Corebox over either as a barricade bag or a rear bag because it fits into tighter places. I've been using this bag mainly as ankle support. I strap it to my ankle and it's always there. Plus, it moves with me when I adjust my positions to engage different targets.