Be advised, there are several knockoff HSP D3CRs on the market. Extreme Gear Labs recently posted images of one of them and the materials and workmanship is extremely insufficient for this type of gear. The problems include mismatched buckles, undersized pockets and flaps, cheap materials with little structure or durability, and insufficient stitch count. If you are in the market for a D3CR, be wary and buy from an authorized dealer.
I will keep banging the drum for small businesses in this industry as long as cool stuff like keeps happening… Wilde Built Tactical made these custom PALS panels for a motorcycle. It is always a challenge to carry and organizer gear on a motorcycle. Now the owner of the motorcycle has a handy platform for attaching various pouches and packs… and… uh…
Oh, sorry. I was just day dreaming about building an awesome bugout dual sport motorcycle that is covered in PALS panels and cool guy gear!
Support a small custom maker with your next project! Check out Wilde Built Tactical.
Steel armor has a few pros and some cons that you better deal with if you are going to rely on it. Steel plate manufacturers have been trying to address one of those cons, a high chance of spalling from impact, for years. So far, the best anyone has come up with is coating the plate with spray in truck bed liner. Unfortunately, that can not take the place of true spall guards. Most of the people in the market for steel plates, are in the market for them because they are inexpensive and probably don’t want to pay extra for spall guards. Thankfully, spall guards don’t have to cost a fortune.
D-RMOR has been making custom armor product for years. I remember talking to them about a set of plate backers several years ago. They manufacture custom spall guards that are designed to fit your specific plate. They have the most common plate patterns in stock and they can custom make just about anything.
Spall, for those unfamiliar, is small bits of a whole that are broken off during impact. In this case, that whole is the bullet itself. When a bullet strikes the steel plate it behaves almost like fluid, “splashing” into the plate, and sending bits of itself out in all directions at very high speed. These bits are often caught by the neck, chin, and face of the wearer.
D-RMOR’s solution is simple. They create a pocket from Kevlar 129 splash defeat material with a 1000D Cordura nylon shell. The plate is inserted into the pocket so that any and all potential spall is contained within the pocket. The Spall Guards also serve to pad the plate slightly increasing their comfort.
D-RMOR also makes side plate spall guards.
Check out D-RMOR’s Spall Guards.
The RE Factor Tactical Chemlight Pocket is designed to keep 4 chemlights close at hand. It attaches via hook and loop to the upper arm pocket found on many modern uniform and combat shirts and features 4 internal elastic loops to retain the chemlights. The exterior of the Chemlight Pocket is covered with loop side Velcro so that you can use the flap on your uniform shirt to close the pocket and so you can continue to use the space for patches and ID.
The Chemlight Pocket adds dedicated chemlight carrying capability to your gear without taking up any additional pocket space or loop material real estate. Check it out at RE Factor Tactical.
This is an interesting idea that I am still trying to get my head around how I feel about it. RETA Kydex is now offering a light rail customization option for their Kydex magazine carrier (pistol and rifle). The option places a small section of rail on the carrier so that you can attach your pistol light and keep it close at hand without needing to have a light specific holster for your handgun.
On one hand, I can see the utility of this and I think it could be useful for some shooters. On the other, I would much rather have my light mounted and ready. Regardless, this is an interesting product and I am glad to see Kydex benders like RETA Kydex continuing to innovate.
Check out RETA Kydex on Facebook.
