PALS Webbing

Strictly, PALS names the specific 1-inch webbing rows stitched at 1.5-inch intervals on a carrier or rig's outer surface, while MOLLE is the broader system and pouch-attachment method built to work with that grid — most people say MOLLE for both without much confusion in practice.

Because the spacing is standardised, a pouch designed to the PALS spec will fit correctly on any compliant carrier regardless of brand, which is the whole reason modular load-bearing gear has been able to mix and match across manufacturers for decades without a proprietary lock-in.

Counting rows before buying a carrier is a practical habit — a panel with only three PALS rows fits noticeably fewer pouch configurations than one with five, which matters more once a loadout grows past the basics.