real blackhawk/eagle vs redwolf gear

[swordsaint]

i bought a blackhawk commando recon cutaway vest and I need some pouches (pistol, m4/m16) and i would like some advice on buying real vs copy. Redwolf seems to have pretty good gear but how does it stack up to the blackhawk/eagle gear. If you have had expience with both please tell me what you thought of them. If redwolfs stuff is high quality I could save a lot of cash.

[Endymion]

Of the various repro brands I've tried and had team mates try, Pantac/Phantom consistently comes out on top as the most consistent and reliable quality for repro gear. As for the differences compared to the real deal, consider that real gear is made to take a beating and continue to work properly where an operator's life is at stake. Most players will never rely on or beat their gear to this extent. The decision of whether to go real or repro is largely a personal cost/value assessment.

[AcidFire]

One advantage to buying Eagle as opposed to the repro stuff is the lifetime warranty, though i can't speak for Blackhawk. I love my Eagle gear vs repro, just feels like its made better, and its nice to know in the odd situation you are rough on it, it's a lot less likely to fail than repro stuff.

[Yuxi]

Since Redwolf does not produce gear, your question should be as to what company produces decent quality replica gear.

Like Endymion said, Pantac/Phantom produces the best quality replica equipment, in my opinion, and his too.
Their prices are affordable, and you are very unlikely to have their stuff fall apart on you with regular use.

There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to gear quality, sometimes very good companies can produce somewhat low quality gear, and very bad companies can produce decent gear.

Eagle gear is very top notch stuff, but the price for the MLCS lineup (which are the pouches you probably want) will cost you several times more than the Phantom/Pantac copies of the same pouches.

It is your choice which you want to buy, but normal airsoft use is unlikely to cause major failures in Pantac/Phantom equipment.
Though Eagle gear is made well enough that to date, I do not know anyone personally who has had to return Eagle gear for their warranty.
You can interpret that two ways, both would be correct. That Eagle gear is of a very top notch quality, and that the warranty should largely be a non-factor in purchasing their equipment if all you intend to do is airsoft with it.

[swordsaint]

Yuxi I guess i should of been clearer.. i was talking about the brands they sell in general.
Anyway I see a few people really like eagle over blackhawk, i am curious as to why. Me I like blackhawk and i have never had a problem. i know the nylon they use is different but does it make a difference?

[Yuxi]

Originally Posted by swordsaint

Yuxi I guess i should of been clearer.. i was talking about the brands they sell in general.
Anyway I see a few people really like eagle over blackhawk, i am curious as to why. Me I like blackhawk and i have never had a problem. i know the nylon they use is different but does it make a difference?

No worries, I would just stick to Pantac for most replica gear needs, their prices are fair (Unlike others) and their quality is quite good, even relative to some real gear companies.

Eagle is usually recognized as more original in design than Blackhawk, as well, they have many contracts to supply the military which Blackhawk does not have (at all, vs. only some, I can't say for sure, though speculation is that their stuff not being made in the USA hurts their chances of snagging a contract), also their build quality is generally seen as higher than Blackhawk.
Build quality is often hard for airsofters to judge since most of us do not really abuse our gear the way real soldiers do, but to professional soldiers who consistently push their gear to their limits, Eagle's quality shines out.

Me personally, I try to keep a balance in my setups between price, availability, and realism towards whatever impression I am trying to work on. Sometimes I compromise and buy the cheaper item, other times I just bite the bullet and buy the more expensive piece of equipment if proves to be essential to have the real version.

[pugs144]

Blackhawk's STRIKE lineup is a copy of the Eagle Industries MLCS kit and is generally well built but at much lower cost than EI.

[kullwarrior]

blackhawk has those fancy stuff nowadays so far in my research, like speed clips which is pretty good stuff. Eagles is used by US army so far so it is not terrible. (Can't say its good after 882/5000 jams for their m4 test)

[REXTER]

I've had more Eagle failures than I care to remember, however it was kit I bought about 5 years ago (failed in the first year of ownership). Their newer gear might be better. I have their PC carrier that has held up well so far. It is the only bit from Eagle I now have.

Never had a failure with Blackhawk and I've owned tons of the shit. Stuff is cheap and easy to find and it works. Some of their new fancy gucci kit is crap, stick to their nylon.

I would never buy anything replica. Shit, made piss poorly, bad stiching, just plain bad. I've bought some in the past and been highly dissapointed. Note, I beat the fuck out of my gear. It gets used hard.

Originally Posted by kullwarrior

blackhawk has those fancy stuff nowadays so far in my research, like speed clips which is pretty good stuff. Eagles is used by US army so far so it is not terrible. (Can't say its good after 882/5000 jams for their m4 test)

Speed clips were Blackhawk's ill-conceived attempt to stop paying royalties on the Nattick Snap (MOLLE). They are GARBAGE.

[swordsaint]

blackhawks serpa holster sounds like a great product. makes drawing a gun a lot quicker and natural. I am pretty sure its a technology they developed.

[REXTER]

Serpa holsters suck. Period. Sure they might be fast and cheap but they are just that cheap. I would never buy a holster with a lock that can fail with a small piece of dirt, jamming your gun in. Unless you shoot in a clean enviroment, or like gay carbon fiber, by all means have at it. Buy a Safariland, Raven concleament or Blade-tec.

[swordsaint]

I am a nylon fan myself. I am just saying that mold injected holsters are a good idea and would good for police.