When the pistol burros arrived in the mail, I was honestly a little underwhelmed. I had visited snakeeatertactical.com before volunteering for this review, so I thought I had a decent idea of what they could do. Even when they arrived from fellow writer Hank Fughes, they just appeared to be some flimsy elastic pouches with kydex inserts. Working with these mag pouches has proven how wrong my initial impressions were. While they are still less visually appealing than some competitors out there, their functionality and usefulness is unbelievable.
The Burro’s simple design is what allows for such a diverse variety of uses. The “flimsy elastic pouch” stood up extremely well to countless reload drills, kept my magazines firmly in place while hiking in the northern Pennsylvania wilderness, and made reinsertion a breeze with the kydex inserts. The month I have had it cannot be deemed enough time to test something’s true durability, but I have confidence these Burros will last me a long time.
Burros can be purchased on Snake Eater Tactical’s website for $25.00. Each Burro comes equipped with a Onewrap loop for mounting to whatever you require. While the Onewrap loop is meant for belts 2” in diameter, it worked surprisingly well with my 1.5” Blue Alpha Gear belt. Eventually I will purchase a different belt adapter, many of which are compatible, but for the sake of the review, I wanted to stick with what came from Snake Eater directly. The Onewrap loop also made for easy removal and attachment of my belt, allowing for quick and easy dry fire sessions while my son napped. While $25.00 is a little higher than some similar items, and you may need to purchase additional adapters, the price difference is nearly negligible.
The only failing point of these Burros is in the category that truly matters the least. Burros are small donkeys, pack animals that are used for their strength and endurance, not their looks. This pistol mag burros can be viewed similarly. They might not be the most attractive mag pouches out there, but they do their job supremely and provide such a wide range of options that their looks are overlooked. There may be flashier racehorses/pouches out there, but when it comes time to hitting the grind, these Burros really seem to shine.
I cannot comment much on the durability of these Burros since I have been using them for a month, but in that time, they have shown no signs of wear. They have been used for hundreds of dry fire reloads, live fire reloads, carrying various items such as knives, flashlights, and even a Snickers bar. I took them on extended hikes, got them drenched through in the rain, and have yet to see a physical change or change in performance. My only worry is that over time the elastic will stretch out, but I doubt that would be anytime soon.
Functionality is where these Burros truly demonstrate their value. I remember when I first watched the video demonstration on the website that, for some reason the nearly limitless options didn’t jump out at me. I also doubted how well reinsertion would go with such flimsy looking pouches. I quickly learned I was wrong. Most other soft pouches utilize bungee or other materials and require adjustment for each item used. The Burros that Snake Eater Tactical built don’t require any such adjustment. You have a 1911? The mags will fit. You have a Glock? The mags will fit. Doesn’t matter if you have a subcompact, compact, full size, or some of those 31 round mags, the Burros can handle it all. No adjustment between single or double stack, or from one brand to the other. I could only test H&K USP magazines and Glock 19/17 magazines as that is what was available, but any double stack magazine should fit.
The Burros ability to hold double and single stack magazines is what gave me the push to dust off my STI Spartan and get some quality dry fire time in with it. Two single-stack .45ACP magazines can fit in one Burro, but for best performance I’d recommend one magazine. The ability to make two mags work in one Burro is just another plus. The only magazines I found that did not fit were single-stack, compact pistols such as a Ruger LC9S or a Glock 42.
The Burros are also completely ambidextrous, without the need for adjustment such as swapping screws and clips around to change them from left to right. Simply move the Burro where you want it and reattach. This ease of adaptability gave me no excuses to practice my weak hand reloads, and what an abomination they were. I will be continuing to work those neglected reloads long after this review is published. The easy swap from left to right is something that may seem simple but is clearly a welcome asset that cannot be overstated.
Reloading from a Burro is slightly different than from a kydex pouch. There is tighter retention, but the magazines will still easily pull free of the pouch when needed. There is also no chance they will come free accidently. My Glock 17 magazines also sit much deeper in the Burros than they do in a Kydex holster. This did take a little getting used to, but the difference in reload speed can be eliminated with some dedicated practice. For smaller mags, like those from a Glock 19, to get proper purchase the magazine cannot be fully seated in the Burro. While this sounds like a recipe for a lost mag, the elastic provides such a firm grip on the magazine that once the magazine is over halfway inserted, it stands little chance of falling free on its own.
The weight of these pouches is so minimal, almost nonexistent. I often forgot I had the pouches on my belt. Barely scraping in over 1oz, these pouches are easily unnoticeable on whatever gear you attach them. The bottom line is these magazine pouches are worth far more than their weight in gold. I cannot fully express how incredibly well made and versatile these Burros are. Once I have some extra pennies to throw around, I’m certain some of their rifle magazine Burros will be in my shopping cart next.
Cost: 4.5/5
Appearance: 2/5
Durability: 5/5
Functionality: 5/5
Weight: 5/5
Total: 21.5/25
Poor/unacceptable (1): Worse than expected, or desirable; of a low or inferior standard or quality.
Fair (2): In conformity with reasonable expectations, but in comparison to competitors is may be deficient
Average (3): Common item; item neither lacks from or is superior to a competitor’s item.
Good (4): The item is desirable and has qualities that excel in comparison to a competitor’s item
Excellent (5): Outstanding, possesses superior quality; remarkably good
Material Disclosure
I received this product as a courtesy from the manufacturer via Spotter Up so I could test it and give my honest feedback. I am not bound by any written, verbal, or implied contract to give this product a good review. All opinions are my own and are based off my personal experience with the product.
*The views and opinions expressed on this website are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Spotter Up Magazine, the administrative staff, and/or any/all contributors to this site.
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