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Who runs a chest rig? What do you use?

These aren't "battle belts" like what's been popular for a while. They're more like ALICE style load bearing belts with suspenders and big pouches and some sort of butt pack.
 
I use a mini chest rig for hunting.
IMG_8938.jpg
Left to Right.

-IFAK

-2x mag pouches (Universal rear, 556 front holding Leica 2800I rangefinder)

-1x Mag pouch and knife

-Pouch for Thermal spotter

Both magazines in the rig in that picture are 6.5 Grendel
 
I use a mini chest rig for hunting. View attachment 8398632Left to Right.

-IFAK

-2x mag pouches (Universal rear, 556 front holding Leica 2800I rangefinder)

-1x Mag pouch and knife

-Pouch for Thermal spotter

Both magazines in the rig in that picture are 6.5 Grendel
Nice setup! Very simple, and enough utility for hunting/field work. What blade is that?
 
Nice setup! Very simple, and enough utility for hunting/field work. What blade is that?
RMJ UCAP. It's nice and flat but can gut and skin a deer or take the back straps off a hog. I have added a few pistol mag pouches between the knife and 556 pouch. I usually have a flashlight and 1 pistol mag in them. I looked for a while to find a one and done solution but in the end I just bought the plain chest rig and then started experimenting with various pouches that fit my specific need. On the flip side my brother uses a HPG Chest pack and that works well for him.

RMJ UCAP Knife
 
Belts :). Like chest rigs, plate carrier and Pringle’s, you can’t have just one.

A ton of great belts my current favorite two piece is the Ferro Bison. Super light weight, stiff as fuck and holds my shit right. BUT, I have to tuck in to use it. When it’s cold out this is a no go. For that I have a T-Rex Orion with a set of Crye suspenders I can just throw in over my snivel gear. Does the same shit, just needs to lengthen the thigh strap for the pistol. Strap also helps keep it from riding up when you’re doing slack lines and shit.

Been eyeballing the BEAR Solutions belt but I really have no reason to change away from the Ferro at this point . If I was starting from scratch, I’d give it a hard look.

Again, YMMV. You’re likely going to have to try some shit to find what’s right. Go to a run and gun and when it’s over and everyone is breaking down their kit, see if you can check out some of the set ups . I promise you will see every manner of kit made, including some homemade amazing shit.
 
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Go to a run and gun and when it’s over and everyone is breaking down their kit, see if you can check out some of the set ups . I promise you will see every manner of kit made, including some homemade amazing shit.
I would but they sell out too fast. I'm convenient to Heartbreaker and Guardian and they always sell out in minutes.
 
Legion sells out quick too, which would also be fairly close. Ellis’s should be doable, if you don’t mind traveling. NC, SC and WV shouldn’t be too far.

 
Blue Force Gear 10 Speed SF Chest Rig. As far as loadout, that's going to be mission specific. Hard to recommend without knowing a bit more info on what you intend to use it for.

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Didn’t know anyone did chest rigs anymore. Battle belts FTW. Seriously though, if you’re not in armor putting a chest rig on doesn’t do anything other than make it hard for you to get over an obstacle and chafe your nipples.
Hmmm. No. Battle belts are all "sprung" weight. Chest rigs for "unsprung" weight. I'd rather carry things on my chest than directly on my hip flexors. Chest rigs carry mags and equipment; battle belts also aren't armor. If you're going to treat them as an either/ or I'll take a chest rig everyday. Battle belts are for range princesses. You can still run a holster, dump pouch, frag pouch, bang pouch, and A/C tie down off a rated belt. Doesn't require a 20lb spare tire around your waist.

My only question is...what are you suburban commandos doing with your tactical Timmy gear? I shoot 5 days a week, shoot matches, drive and camp in the national forest once a month. What are you? Posing in front of a mirror? Patrolling your yard? Instagram'ing on the flat range?
 
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Hmmm. No. Battle belts are all "sprung" weight. Chest rigs for "unsprung" weight. I'd rather carry things on my chest than directly on my hip flexors. Chest rigs carry mags and equipment; battle belts also aren't armor. If you're going to treat them as an either/ or I'll take a chest rig everyday. Battle belts are for range princesses. You can still run a holster, dump pouch, frag pouch, bang pouch, and A/C tie down off a rated belt. Doesn't require a 20lb spare tire around your waist.

My only question is...what are you suburban commandos doing with your tactical Timmy gear? I shoot 5 days a week, shoot matches, drive and camp in the national forest once a month. What are you? Posing in front of a mirror? Patrolling your yard? Instagram'ing on the flat range?
Interesting. My first deployment was in 2004, I’ve got more than 60 month’s deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan, and 8 months in Ukraine (training a few years back) among seven other countries I’ve been paid by the government to go to. My most recent experience in Iraq was less than eight months ago. I’ve left the ramp on missions with as much as 140 pounds of gear…I don’t like it. I’ve had to get over walls while being shot at and understand how much I don’t like much on my chest that will slow me down (a chest rig is not body armor BTW). Short of a long tab you probably can’t name many Army schools I haven’t been to. On top of that, I haven’t lived inside city limits in more than 15 years even though it’s a total ass pain to move so often and sell places like that, but if I can’t shoot off the back porch I don’t live there. Actually the last two places have had 100+ meter ranges.

But hey, you shoot and go to the national forests all the time so I’m sure you know better how to best carry gear.
 
Interesting. My first deployment was in 2004, I’ve got more than 60 month’s deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan, and 8 months in Ukraine (training a few years back) among seven other countries I’ve been paid by the government to go to. My most recent experience in Iraq was less than eight months ago. I’ve left the ramp on missions with as much as 140 pounds of gear…I don’t like it. I’ve had to get over walls while being shot at and understand how much I don’t like much on my chest that will slow me down (a chest rig is not body armor BTW). Short of a long tab you probably can’t name many Army schools I haven’t been to. On top of that, I haven’t lived inside city limits in more than 15 years even though it’s a total ass pain to move so often and sell places like that, but if I can’t shoot off the back porch I don’t live there. Actually the last two places have had 100+ meter ranges.

But hey, you shoot and go to the national forests all the time so I’m sure you know better how to best carry gear.
I think there is room for different gear for different people and different situations. There’s no way I’m carrying 140 lbs anywhere.and to be honest I can’t even figure out how one would carry 140 lbs on a battle belt.
 
I think there is room for different gear for different people and different situations. There’s no way I’m carrying 140 lbs anywhere.and to be honest I can’t even figure out how one would carry 140 lbs on a battle belt.
I don’t have to fk your goat I’ll only sit back and critique, maybe hold the horns if it’s a friend🤣

There’s no single “right” way but lots of “a” ways.
 
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I've never had to beat another human to death with an E tool but I would suggest the Spiritus MK4 placard with cheapo Amazon M4 mag expander wings. 5 mags plus one in the gun. Alternate white light source, spare pistol mag, tourniquet, fixed blade and you can grab it out of the truck and throw it on when you need to Instagram your biceps.
 
I don't see how the sprung/unsprung metaphor works for the human body.
Put on your kit and sprint, not seven strides barricade to barricade but something like 50-150 meters and you’ll get the idea. Anything that bounces is the enemy, literally gonna be different strokes for different folks.
 
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Put on your kit and sprint, not seven strides barricade to barricade but something like 50-150 meters and you’ll get the idea. Anything that bounces is the enemy, literally gonna be different strokes for different folks.

Speaking generally here…

This is one of the best reasons to shoot tactical biathlons. ( LARPing ? Maybe) You’re gonna run between 3-10 miles and do obstacles in this shit. If it can rub a sore sport or fall off, it will. Not combat by any means, but it’s a good way to shake down kit with some self induced stress.

Some guys run to win. Super minimalist stuff, often nothing on the hips. Some guys go all in, 45+ ruck, plates, helmet. All the shit and everything in between. In my limited experience , I don’t know anyone who doesn’t come off an event thinking they’re set up perfect.
 
I have a couple actual chest rigs, Haley Micro, Spiritus MK4 that is built up with wings and pouches. I also use Hill People gear kit bags from time to time, but the one that seems to fit my normal use and be most versatile for me is the Fulltang Tactical Kit Bag, it blends the Hill People with a mag carrier type chest rig and is very modular. I can go from a fishing low key chest pack to a fully loaded out ammo dumptruck with the change of just a few parts and pieces. I use mine for concealed carry on day hikes and will use it for courses and hunting when the opportunity arises. Everyman has different preferences so take it for what it's worth. https://fulltangtactical.com/products/modular-chest-rig-kit-bag
 
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