New vest options...

[Scrivah]

Hey guys, looking for a new vest. Just curious what a popular option would be and from what site? What are most people wearing (MOLLE, pre stiched etc). Don't want the cheapest vest out there but also dont want to break the bank.

Also what would be the best colour option? I wear a lot of Woodland so OD would be an obvious choice, but is there a certain colour that can be used with most BDU setups, as I dont want to have to buy 4 different vest colours.

Thanks!

[Ozone06]

http://lbtinc.com/modular-extra-larg...carrier-3.html

LBT is serious gear but you'll never need another one. I picked MC because it can go both Green and Tan. Nice if you need to pick a side for games.
Also it's what preacher uses in the new Medal of Honor game. ;-)

I have an OD blackhawk! RRV and it has been used and abused for games and hiking for years and it still is going strong.

[Scrivah]

Originally Posted by Ozone06

http://lbtinc.com/modular-extra-larg...carrier-3.html

LBT is serious gear but you'll never need another one. I picked MC because it can go both Green and Tan. Nice if you need to pick a side for games.
Also it's what preacher uses in the new Medal of Honor game. ;-)

I have an OD blackhawk! RRV and it has been used and abused for games and hiking for years and it still is going strong.

Haha I would put that vest in the "breaking the bank" category!

I was thinking more along the lines of a NcStar crossdraw or a Condor crossdraw. These any good?

[Brian McIlmoyle]

Eagle Universal Chest rig.. Under $100

go to SKD tactical .. and check out their version with 2 Molle panels on either side.

solid.. real.. serviceable and no zippers to get shot out.

AAAAND discontinued .. or at least no loger available at SKD

[lurkingknight]

OD tac gear still works on tan clothing.. but the best universal color is generally coyote tan/brown... or black... since black goes with everything, only issue with that is that you can see it from a long ways off.

Looks good on film though :P

[panzergrenadier]

Eagle and LBT make excellent gear!
I'm using an LBT-2586A with a mix of LBT and Eagle pouches.
Either way you go for a rig, you'll never need to buy another.
As for color I've always been a fan of Coyote Brown, it blends decently in almost all environments.

[m102404]

Some Khaki's are very Coyote Brown...some Coyote Browns are pretty brown...etc... Some "OD"s are really green, other more muted, etc... Don't sweat it really. Go with CB. It will work with woodland...and it'll go with a "tan/brown" set of bdu's if you go that route down the road.

MOLLE is nice for options or if you want to fiddle with gear. Some setups are less of a hit to your wallet if you get the platform and then add a few pouches at a time over a period of time (or pick them up onesy/twosies off the classifieds...or at a swap meet).

Rigs with built in pockets are usually designed with what's proven to be a good combination in practice....so there's a lot of merit there. They tend to be really well built and will be lower weight vs. a MOLLE rig with all the same pouches.

The Eagle/SKD tactical universal rig is a great one. You'll see RRV a lot (Rhodesian Recon Vest)...Blackhawk calls it a Commando Recon Chest rig or something like that. They're great too.

It's hugely tempting to get asian made cheap clone gear. They're really horribly made and not worth the $40.

Pantac make very decent stuff, with most of their rigs. Some of their LBT stuff have oddly short pouch flaps...but most of it's very well made for what you'll use it for. Don't jump at anything though...because for the same price or maybe just a little more you can sometimes get real gear (Eagle, Blackhawk, Mayflower, LBT, etc...) from the classifieds. And without a doubt the real stuff is much better made.

[horto]

TT MAV in coyote, with x-harness. Super versatile. Get something you can put a hydration carrier on the back. (Which is why I suggest the X-harness add-on).

$0.02

[Scrivah]

Originally Posted by m102404

Some Khaki's are very Coyote Brown...some Coyote Browns are pretty brown...etc... Some "OD"s are really green, other more muted, etc... Don't sweat it really. Go with CB. It will work with woodland...and it'll go with a "tan/brown" set of bdu's if you go that route down the road.

MOLLE is nice for options or if you want to fiddle with gear. Some setups are less of a hit to your wallet if you get the platform and then add a few pouches at a time over a period of time (or pick them up onesy/twosies off the classifieds...or at a swap meet).

Rigs with built in pockets are usually designed with what's proven to be a good combination in practice....so there's a lot of merit there. They tend to be really well built and will be lower weight vs. a MOLLE rig with all the same pouches.

The Eagle/SKD tactical universal rig is a great one. You'll see RRV a lot (Rhodesian Recon Vest)...Blackhawk calls it a Commando Recon Chest rig or something like that. They're great too.

It's hugely tempting to get asian made cheap clone gear. They're really horribly made and not worth the $40.

Pantac make very decent stuff, with most of their rigs. Some of their LBT stuff have oddly short pouch flaps...but most of it's very well made for what you'll use it for. Don't jump at anything though...because for the same price or maybe just a little more you can sometimes get real gear (Eagle, Blackhawk, Mayflower, LBT, etc...) from the classifieds. And without a doubt the real stuff is much better made.

Really like the Eagle Universal Rig and looks to be a popular choice however it seems to be out of stock everywhere i look. I also like the idea of buying the Eagle MOLLE chest rig and adding what I please.

I will look into the Rhodesian vest and the Blackhawk one mentioned.

After all the replies I will settle on getting a decent vest. Would really like the Eagle Universal rig or something similar.

[coach]

Originally Posted by Brian McIlmoyle

Eagle Universal Chest rig.. Under $100

go to SKD tactical .. and check out their version with 2 Molle panels on either side.

solid.. real.. serviceable and no zippers to get shot out.

AAAAND discontinued .. or at least no loger available at SKD

The SKD Eagle All-Molle Chest rig is my favourite rig to date. It's a shame that they no longer carry it.

[Gato]

If molle isn't a requirment, Marom Dolphin makes some nice stuff, though they also make molle these days. Not sure of their prices, but I got my IDF medic vest for under $100

[Scrivah]

I am thinking of holding off until Eagle comes back with something like the Universal Rig. Its such a good price and although it is discontinued I am sure they will have something in the near future because of demand.

Since I have a Camelback and also a Pistol holder currently do you think I could get away with just purchasing a m4/m16 leg extension mag holder that hangs from my duty belt? (i think it carries 4 mags). I usually only have 3 120rd mid caps on me anyways.

I know a vest will offer me everything I need but I dont want to do an impulse buy on something I dont REALLY want.

Do you think my plan with the leg extension mag holders will work for a little bit?

[MaciekA]

Leg platforms are annoying as hell for actual real gaming, you'll end up just leaving it at home if you get one.

I'll echo what the above guys said and definitely say that you should avoid ACM rigs/vests/carriers/pouches/etc at all costs. They are terrible and not only do they fall apart after a few games but any metal parts like buttons and fasteners will rust, snap, crack and generally fall apart faster than you can say MOLLE.

Personally, I recommend you start with something like this Condor rig:

http://www.warfightertactical.com/co...est-rig?page=2

And one of these triple pouches:

http://www.warfightertactical.com/co...ar-mag-shingle

And you're off to the races. Much less expensive, lightweight, and durable enough for the beginner. Condor is the minimum step above ACM that you should be considering if your budget is tight.

[MaciekA]

Also I should mention that Warfighter is one of the retailers on ASC and if you tool around on the Condor website and find things you might want to custom order, he can make that happen for you and at a good price. Awesome service!

[ccyg8774]

If you are looking for cheap but good vest... How about the FLC vest that was issued in US military? They are very cheap, between $5 to $30 on ebay (without the pouches), and the quality is good.
The CB coloured FLC (for USMC) should fit with most camoflage, but that is a little hard to find. An older (and cheaper) woodland or desert camo FLC are also not bad.