The Tuff Possum Gear “Slap Sack” is a coin purse. It’s a special coin purse, though; in order to review it, I had to travel to a municipality where such things are legal. “Illegal coin purses?” you might ask. Well, yes – in certain circumstances. Specifically, the Slap Sack is a superbly made coin purse that, when full, is heavy enough to be used a palm sap.
Designed by the tactical minds at Delta2Alpha (whose products I have profiled before, and which I carry), it’s a 3-inch by 4-inch 1000 denier CORDURA Nylon pouch with a hook-and-loop closure and a strap bearing a series of coated brass DOT snaps. The snaps make the whole thing adjustable for different hand sizes, to account for the presence of gloves, etc. When you unsnap the strap and unfold the pouch, it is basically a long tube that is open on one end.
There is no zipper closure for the pouch, because (as the company’s website explains) a zipper is a point of weakness. It could tear free from the fabric under stress, in other words. To close the coin pouch, it simply folds over on itself and is secured with the hook-and-loop strip. The snap compresses and snugs the whole thing up in the palm, ensuring that it’s not going anywhere.
The pouch actually has multiple uses. It can be a coin purse, certainly. It can also be a small gear bag — one that you could secure to your belt or pants loop over and inside the waistband, or around the ankle under your pant leg. Around the ankle is probably obvious; to make it an IWB pouch, you make the loop as large as possible, then use it as a belt loop to get the pouch over the waistband line and down behind the waistband:
Most obviously, if you live in a locale where saps and blackjacks are legal, you could also load the Slap Sack with coins (or any heavy items) and use it as a palm sap. Palm saps have a storied history. It takes a surprisingly small amount of weight to turn your palm strike or slap into a leaden wallop that will stagger a man when laid across his jaw, ear, or temple. That’s what the Slap Sack does.
It won’t actually accommodate that many coins and still fold properly, so I was skeptical at first. In the spirit of silence, I slapped myself “lightly” in the jaw with it… and was astonished at how hard it hits. (I don’t recommend this test.) The Slap Sack can also be used to lend weight to the “closed” fist (I say that in quotes because it’s really too big to be a concealed fist load, even in my ham-hands) and also for weighted hammer fist strikes. It does these well, lending authority to even half-hearted blows.
The workmanship is first-rate. The Nylon is heavy, stitched well, and exhibits excellent quality. The snaps are very sturdy and allow for a wide variety of adjustments. Not only can you tailor it for a custom fit, but you can adjust it for when you’re wearing gloves, which is a nice touch.
The best part is that this coin purse does not look like a weapon, nor does it need to be deployed as one. Make no mistake: If you fill it and then use it defensively in a municipality where saps and blackjacks are illegal, the nature of the tool will not save you from a criminal charge. For all others, though, this is an excellent, low-profile, well-made choice for self-defense, particularly in None-Permissive Environments (NPEs).
The Slap Sack is completely “sterile,” bearing no logos or indicators of its provenance. It is also quite affordable. You can get yours here — and I would recommend that you follow Tuff Possum Gear and Delta2Alpha on Instagram as well. Tell them The Martialist sent you.
