I got tired of seeing tags inside my nylon gear that said, “Made in Some-Asian-Country-istan.” I have been trying to throw my hard earned treasury notes at more products Made in our United States of America. When I sought out a new hydration pack, I typed “Made in USA” into the all-knowing search engine.
One of the top entries with which I was rewarded was BDS Tactical. BDS makes high quality nylon gear in their production facility in Oceanside, CA. The president and CEO of BDS Tactical is Michael Bornfriend, a USMC 1st Recon Bn and Baltimore PD veteran, who tired of failed tactical equipment.
BDS Tactical makes a rugged array of military, law enforcement, and civilian nylon gear that “is designed, manufactured, and assembled in the United States.” Okay, that gets my attention!
My most recent purchasing requirements were for a lightweight, simple hydration pack for my exercise forays. 1. It is very hot and humid in Florida. 2. I go out into #1. I am the second to admit I try to take too much stuff with me when I egress the primary residential portal. I just wanted a stripped-down way to carry some water on long walks with my spouse (the first one to admit…).
Surfing the BDS website, I clicked on the Hydration tab and saw their HydroBull Taurus. It is a low profile hydration backpack that holds a 100 oz. bladder. The Taurus comes in 8 colors: Coyote Brown, Multi Cam, Army Cam, Black, Ranger Green, OD Green, Foliage Green, and Air Force Cam. The hydration bladder is included in the purchase and comes with a color-matched tube cover and a valved mouthpiece.
I ordered a Coyote Brown Taurus straightaway. I was happy with the MSRP of $90.00, but BDS runs sales on their website and the price on the day I purchased was only $76.50. A check today showed the Taurus priced at $72.00.
My Taurus arrived about two weeks later and I was pleased with its construction. The materials are robust and the stitching is well executed. BDS gear is manufactured exclusively with 1000 Denier Cordura and mil-spec webbing. A lifetime warranty is offered on all BDS products.
As I said, I wanted a minimalist water carrier. The shoulder straps on the Taurus are a single layer of webbing. It’s just what I wanted. Since the payload is H20, there is no real burden to require padding and such. After wearing the Taurus for hours at a time, I find no discomfort. Two nylon strips are sewn in the top of the hydration compartment. These are inserted into the two holes in the bladder to hold it upright.
Standard to the Taurus are an elasticized sternum strap, loop field for patches on the top flap, and three horizontal rows of PALS webbing on the lower third of the pack. I added a coyote brown sheath (found in my junk drawer) on the PALS to carry a camera for that occasional snap. Of course, the Taurus could be used without the water bladder to haul light loads.
As ecstatic as I was finding the HydroBull Taurus, I discovered another of BDS Tactical’s many products that I had to have. It arrived with the ‘Bull and I may just be happier with that find. I’ll let you know…
Randall
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