Pop Packs by Triumph Systems

Triumph Systems' Pop Packs were something I discovered during the Big 3 East Spring Media Event. They are essentially Capri Sun-sized bags of brightly colored gel, but that does them a disservice. Let me explain what they are and why they're awesome.

They're Distinctive
As you can see from the picture above, they come in three bright (practically day-glow) colors and have a variety of shapes and numbers on them. The picture above is not exclusive in that manner -- for example, not all pinks are circles or have a number three on them.

These were mine, until we shot them. 

This is useful because you can perform "call out" drills with them: you can say "pink triangle" or "green two" or even "first one to shoot all the yellow wins", and not only does it give  a challenge, but it's more decisive than many of the non-reactive competitive shooting targets out there.

They're Fun
Oh my, these are fun. When you shoot one in the center, its explodes in a shower of brightly colored gel. You KNOW you hit it, and there's a visceral thrill in making things go boom and splat. And the best part is that the bigger the caliber, the bigger the splat; when I was at Big 3 there was a woman there who was shooting them with an AR, and it was like being at a Gallagher concert -- gel went everywhere, including onto the spectators, and it was awesome and hilarious. 

They Don't Make a Mess
But despite all of this, and unlike a Gallagher concert, they aren't messy. Sure, gel sprays everywhere, but it's non-staining and water-soluble, so it washes right out of your clothes. (I know this from direct experience-- my 'Princess Luna dual-wielding TAR-21s' shirt got sprayed good and hard, and it washed out good as new.) It's also bio-degradable, so if it doesn't wash away in the rain it'll break down in the air and sunlight. And unlike watermelons, there aren't large pieces to pick up; when The_Jack and Oddball shot the ones I brought to the East Tennessee Bloggershoot in May, the ruptured packages were still in one (admittedly ruptured) piece, making it easy to police the range afterwards.

They're Great for Kids
This ought to be self-evident. They're bright, they explode in a good way, there's no concussion like with Tannerite, they don't stain and cleanup is easy. These are all-around good clean fun, and that makes them perfect practice targets for kids who are leaning how to shoot, as the instant feedback of shooting is married to a "Wow! Whee!" factor.



They're Inexpensive
You get a dozen of them for $19. That's roughly $1.60 for a single target, which is probably what you'd end up spending if you mixed the gel yourself and put it into baggies, but then there'd be more work involved on your part. It will add up if you buy a bunch and burn them all at the range, sure; but the same can be said for ammunition. Plus, these strike me as more of a "special occasion" kind of thing rather than a regular target.

Buy them through Triumph Systems' website rather than from Amazon; shipping is only $7, while the ones I've seen on Amazon start at $26 and then require $4.50 in shipping.

They were designed by a Navy SEAL

That's me at Big 3 East with Jared Ogden: Navy SEAL, Ultimate Survival Alaska participant, Eagle Scout, and all-around great guy. Yes, I am a fan.

My Recommendation:  A+, will buy again.