On the Hunt for a New Rig, Sniper Edition

[Skara]

Well, I am moving away from MOLLE stuff.

While it's true that you can set your pouches where you want, it is also true that the extra webbing adds a lot more bulk and weight. Plus the cost of a base + all the pouches can get incredibly high.

@LozartI don't have 7.62 ak mags, I run either 5.45 or 5.56 ak mags (heresy, I know). Nonetheless the top part is the exact same for all three kinds and it's the one that needs to fit inside the pouches.

I've gone through a few google searches but can't find anything at all in Europe..

 

[Cannonfodder]

@Skarahave you looked at the SADF M83 chest rig? They're lightweight, durable and will easily hold 6 AK mags

http://www.gbfmilitaria.com/shop/webbing-and-field-gear/sadf-chest-rig/

 

[Skara]

@Skarahave you looked at the SADF M83 chest rig? They're lightweight, durable and will easily hold 6 AK mags

http://www.gbfmilitaria.com/shop/webbing-and-field-gear/sadf-chest-rig/

I have, and concluded that it is way too tall for me. I have a relatively short chest so anything taller than 3 molle rows is gonna want to sit low and interfere with my belt.

I know, I'm picky. Since I'm gonna be dumping a hefty sum, I just want to make sure I buy the right rig.

 

[GeorgePlaysAirsoft]

I have, and concluded that it is way too tall for me. I have a relatively short chest so anything taller than 3 molle rows is gonna want to sit low and interfere with my belt.

I know, I'm picky. Since I'm gonna be dumping a hefty sum, I just want to make sure I buy the right rig.

I must admit I am completely stumped. If you hold an ak mag against your chest, with the top of the mag just below your nipples, would the bottom of the mag interfere with your waistline? The SADF chest rig for example is maybe 2cm higher than an AK magazine.

edit: my boring suggestion is that you stick with the TMR cause you know it works for you, have a fanny pack sitting below the shooters belt for smaller items like your mobile and speedloaders or whatever and a backpack of whatever size you need to carry the other larger items.

 

[DerDer]

Three or four cell Chicom perhaps? Cheap & cheerful. 

 

[Davegolf]

I’ve got a drop leg setup for the P90 as those mags are lonnng, even for people with full size torsos!

Il ping some pictures up when home if you’re interested 

 

[Tackle]

I once had an amazing zahal idf commando vest, no molle but came with a couple of different style small back packs that nexus/velcroed in place, was made of a very soft (but strong) material, super lightweight when empty, literally no weight to it & amazingly comfortable, covered in useful pouches, & mag pouches big enough to take galil mags.

only reason I got rid was I'm 6.2 & it was short in the body, possibly a plus for you @Skara

only problem is I now can't remember the model name, & googling is just coming up with the more recent molle vests they're now using.

EDIT: another search is now making me think the vest was made by marom dolphin rather than zahal ?

another option is an old gen hsgi Denali or Warlord chest rig ?

 

[Skara]

Way too big.

Okay, let's remove the ak mags from the equation. M4 mags only.

 

[Lozart]

@LozartI don't have 7.62 ak mags, I run either 5.45 or 5.56 ak mags (heresy, I know). Nonetheless the top part is the exact same for all three kinds and it's the one that needs to fit inside the pouches.

I've gone through a few google searches but can't find anything at all in Europe..

If you're happy to have a knock off, Emerson Gear make a good Gen V rig.

 

[Skara]

If you're happy to have a knock off

I'd like to have the real thing, to be honest.

 

[Lozart]

I'd like to have the real thing, to be honest.

Fair.

https://victory-outdoor.com/uw-chest-rig-gen-iv-multicam.html or https://www.scopex.fr/en/products/tactical-chest-rigs-and-harness/ or https://www.insidersl.com/product/uw-chest-rig-gen-iv/ are the main EU distributors for Mayflower but they only seem to have the Gen IV. Might be worth contacting them to see if they can get the Gen V in for you? None of them are cheap mind you!

As and when they have stock, Tactical Kit will ship to Europe.

 

[Davegolf]

So how much kit are you wanting to carry?

Whats the load out goal?

 

[Skara]

So how much kit are you wanting to carry?

Whats the load out goal?

Good question.

3/4 magazines, radio, knife (4" blade), a multi tool of some sort, gps, compass, notepad + pens/pencils, first aid stuff, small torch, snacks, gardening shears, length of cord, batteries for rifles and electronics, bbs, essentially everything one would need for a 8h+ game with no safezone nor resupply point apart from the occasional water fountain/stream, plus "mission essential items" such as optics, night vision, fake explosives, smoke grenades.

I'm pretty sure I could get away with the tmr but it is not meant to carry much more than just mags, all the weight is at the front and concentrated in a relatively small area and it's noticeable (for example when I run 4 mags and a full bag of bbs or a water bottle in the dangler).

I will of course have a backpack to carry water and those items which are not needed in a hurry like waterproofs or warm clothes, extra first aid gear, stuff like night vision during daytime or those mission essential items we already used or won't be needed for at least another 3/4 hours, maybe a small gas can and my mk23 (disassembled) if stealthy ninja stuff is required.

The load also varies according to the field I'm gonna be playing in, the last time we played at such events it was a shitshow of steep climbs, exposed tiny trails and consistent rain for 8 hours straight, I made the mistake of loading the TMR to the max which, to be 101% honest, sucked big black cocks as it made me give up on life just past 4 hours (I still feel bad about it after two years)..

EDIT: also forgot to mention that we use M4s in these events, so we can share magazines with each other.

 

[Lozart]

Good question.

3/4 magazines, radio, knife (4" blade), a multi tool of some sort, gps, compass, notepad + pens/pencils, first aid stuff, small torch, snacks, gardening shears, length of cord, batteries for rifles and electronics, bbs, essentially everything one would need for a 8h+ game with no safezone nor resupply point apart from the occasional water fountain/stream, plus "mission essential items" such as optics, night vision, fake explosives, smoke grenades.

I'm pretty sure I could get away with the tmr but it is not meant to carry much more than just mags, all the weight is at the front and concentrated in a relatively small area and it's noticeable (for example when I run 4 mags and a full bag of bbs or a water bottle in the dangler).

I will of course have a backpack to carry water and those items which are not needed in a hurry like waterproofs or warm clothes, extra first aid gear, stuff like night vision during daytime or those mission essential items we already used or won't be needed for at least another 3/4 hours, maybe a small gas can and my mk23 (disassembled) if stealthy ninja stuff is required.

The load also varies according to the field I'm gonna be playing in, the last time we played at such events it was a shitshow of steep climbs, exposed tiny trails and consistent rain for 8 hours straight, I made the mistake of loading the TMR to the max which, to be 101% honest, sucked big black cocks as it made me give up on life just past 4 hours (I still feel bad about it after two years)..

EDIT: also forgot to mention that we use M4s in these events, so we can share magazines with each other.

How about an LBT1961A?

 

[Davegolf]

Ok a lot of gear then.

Do you have a belt setup at the moment?

I think I have a winning setup for you ?

 

[Tackle]

Eureka, I think I've got it ? 

Condor hydro harness mated to your TMR, it has a four row wide molle section on the lower back, allowing fitment of an extra utility pouch or even bigger ?, but it's still low profile enough to put a pack on over it.

Plus it'll be more comfortable on your shoulders than the skinny TMR straps.

View attachment 73933

 

[alxndrhll]

Ok a lot of gear then.

Do you have a belt setup at the moment?

I think I have a winning setup for you ?

Is it this per chance?

View attachment 73934

 

[Skara]

LBT1961A

I have considered it, two things put me off though:

Double stack pouches (they flap about when half empty) and the lack of swift clips, I understand that they are not necessary but I'm not willing to mod a €440 rig (it's also out of my budget by a fair bit).

Do you have a belt setup at the moment?

I think I have a winning setup for you ?

Yes I do, I run a FRV belt (not always though) with just two pistol mags, one rifle mag, dump pouch and holster if I fancy a sidearm..

One thing o forgot to mention is that sidearms are typically dead weight in these events and I carry one only if requested by the organizer. As I said the only one would be the mk23 but I'll be storing it inside my backpack until I need to use it (for more than 5 seconds, that is).

And no, a split front Mav is not a winner

Condor hydro harness mated to your TMR

It's not compatible unless I extensively mod it (swap all the webbing and buckles from 1.5" to 1").

 

[alxndrhll]

More food for thought than anything else, but on a more serious note I just think a broader consideration of what you’d consider ‘needing in a hurry’ might be worth having.

So much of the, being blunt, what I’d call unnecessary junk that you’d have down as wanting to carry on a rig would at best be in a backpack/rucksack for me.

In no way trying to say there is a right way of doing things, if there was I imagine all of the answers here would have been identical (budget permitting). It’s just kinda clicked for me that you ultimately want to carry a whole load of stuff, conveniently, comfortably, in a balanced capacity all on a chest rig with no direct counter ballast. Something like the Thing 2 from Spiritus would do a much better job of spreading/supporting that much weight but I ultimately think you’d wind up in at a not entirely different experience to the TMR after a few hours (at least without a better harness, i.e. the AirLite one but we’re in silly money territory at this point).

I’m open to being wrong, it’s been a long time since I felt the need to carry all but the kitchen sink with me. Just my thoughts having considered what it is you’re seemingly looking for. Especially in the longer games you have more than enough time to whip a backpack off and scoop out what you need, the only stuff you need immediate access to would be the same shite you’d want on what I’d call a ‘regular skirmish day’ i.e. your ‘combat stuff’ and hydration (mags, speedloader, maybe additional ammo on top of the speedloader contents, water, a spare RIF battery, pyro if that’s something you care for).

 

[Tackle]

It's not compatible unless I extensively mod it (swap all the webbing and buckles from 1.5" to 1").

Fitting 4 buckles to the hydro pack is hardly "extensive modification" , especially when you consider for £50 (or prob less) your adding a whole new aspect to a rig you already get on with, better comfort, h2o carrying capacity (which also offsets some of the weight on the front, plus some extra molle on the back, I've got an assortment of pouches that fit on mine, from a regular utility pouch, a much larger hsgi pouch to a Tasmanian tiger monster pouch that'll take respirators etc, lots of options for very little outlay ?

failing that, I doubt anybody makes what you want lol?

Lol, all this talking about it makes me want to go out & get a tmr, do the mag pouches on it take m14 or fal mags ?