Like all preview posts this one will be full of pictures and some info on how the item works but won’t be a review with a rating.
The Triple Aught Design Control Panel 1 showed up today and it is definitely an awesome accessory. It connects to the top of the a number of packs and hangs down in the back as an attachment point for more gear.
The length on it is built to fit the new Triple Aught Design Litespeed perfectly. You can see in this picture as it reaches the bottom perfectly.
If you pack has any kind of hooks in the top then there’s a chance that the Control Panel 1 will fit in it. The pack on the right is a Tom Bihn Smart Alec and you can see that it fits right in.
The only available clips I had were some slightly rusted small metal clips but they did the trick. I plan on picking up some Gate Keeper clips from Tom Bihn in the future to better strap this in.
Opposite to the MOLLE side are two zippered pockets that seem very useful. If you keep that side flat against the back then most people won’t even know there are items in it. Keep some spare money in there or something else you need to keep but don’t want people to find.
The sewing on this is spot on which is something I’ve come to see in most TAD items. The side Velcro can be used to either attach it securely to the pack or to hold in other items like pens, flashlights, or a knife.
It’s really easy to flip the Control Panel 1 in and out of the pack due to how it’s connected. If you have stuff on the back of it then your gear is only a flip away.
Here’s how it attaches inside the TAD Litespeed V2. There are some small clips that allow this thing to slide right in making it right at home.
Here’s how the foliage Control Panel 1 matches up with a Wolf Grey GR1. It’s a close match but it’s definitely not exact.
The Control Panel 1 can be attached to the inside of a GR1 using the one row of MOLLE webbing.
Due to GORUCK using a weird ~1.9″ column (while everyone uses a 1.5″ column width) this be three columns wide which means it will be off-center. Even though it’s not exact it still looks great and is completely usable in the pack.
Just like with the Litespeed or Smart Alec the Control Panel can easily flip out so that the back pockets can be accessed at a moments notice.
If you’re interested in picking up a Control Panel 1 you can check them out in Black, Coyote, and Foliage on the Triple Aught Design Website. They currently retail for $45.