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The best chest rigs are small chest rigs and the Original SOE (OSOE) AK/M4 Micro Rig is certainly small. Lets take a look.

OSOE AK/M4 Micro Rig

My Chest Rig Theory

For me, chest rigs are a necessary evil. What I mean is that I would rather not wear one but they are times when I really can’t do without them. For instance, many instructors are going to expect you to be able to step to the firing line with a minimum of 5 loaded rifle magazines on your person in an organized fashion. This ensures that you can concentrate on the instruction instead of stopping to reload your magazines. I can’t carry 5 magazines on a belt rig (I guess I could but it would be far from ideal), so I use a chest rig. However, this doesn’t let me off the hook in terms of “train like you fight.”

In my world, as a civilian shooter, I am far more likely to be reloading from a belt pouch or even a cargo pocket than I am from a chest rig. That is why when I train, I use the chest rig to reinforce my belt. What does that look like? Well, when it time to reload, I reload from the belt. When I have a moment when the drill is complete, I refill my belt pouch(es) from the hardest to reach part of my chest rig. This leaves the easiest to reach magazines handy just in case I use up what is on my belt and I have to reload from the chest rig. Learning how to rotate and manage ammo and magazines is a vital part of training.

All of what I just wrote above just means this: my chest rig is secondary to my belt which is my primary magazine carriage method. Because the chest rig is secondary, there is no reason to use a large one with a ton magazine capacity. The best chest rig for my purposes will be compact enough to stay out of my way so that I can train the way that I am most likely to fight – without a chest rig.

OSOE AK/M4 Micro Rig Details

I’ll jump right into the dimensions, since as you can guess by the name, the main feature of this chest rig is its compact size. The body of the AK/M4 Micro Rig is about 7″ tall which is fairly standard for many chest rigs. It is the width that sets this rig apart. It is only 14″ wide. That is 3″ narrower than my next most compact chest rig. Those 3″ really make a difference in how the chest rig feels and performs in certain situations.

The magazine pouches will fit 2 AK or 2 M4 magazines.

I suppose that it doesn’t really matter how small your chest rig is if it doesn’t carry what you need. The AK/M4 Micro Rig carries an impressive amount of gear thanks to its pouch layout. It features two magazine pouches that are sized to carry 2 AK magazines or 2 M4 (AR-15) magazines and a 6″x6″ general purpose pouch. There is also a large admin pouch inside the body of the rig (behind the magazine pouches). The interior of the 6×6 pouch and the admin pouch are lined with hook and loop material so you can add accessory organizers. The exterior of the general purpose pouch also has a generous hook and loop field for adding name tapes and patches. The flaps on the magazine pouches are generously sized and adjustable for length.

The general purpose pouch is lined with hook and loop material...

The interior of the internal admin pouch is also lined with hook and loop.

The AK/M4 Micro Rig comes standard with a typical x-harness made from 1.5″ webbing. It also has a waist belt made from 1″ webbing. The x-harness actually does a very good job of carrying the relatively light loads of such a compact chest rig but many users find the Slim Padded H-Harness to be a worthwhile upgrade. This harness is very comfortable and provides a means for mounting the OSOE Hydration Carrier.

The Slim Padded H-Harness is an upgrade in terms of comfort.

The sides of the magazine pouches and the general purpose pouch have MOLLE webbing that allows you to attach a single pistol magazine pouch or flashlight pouch. The bottoms of the pouches feature heavy duty elastic loops that are designed to hold pocket smoke grenades, tourniquets, or whatever else you need. I tested the loops with C-A-T and SOF-T tourniquets and they worked perfectly. The tourniquet is held in a very out of the way location that is still very easy to access.

Quality

If you haven’t handled an OSOE product, you won’t really be able to appreciate how over built they are. I can’t tell for sure but it seems like every surface is made from 2 layers of 1000D Cordura nylon (certainly most of them are). There are no raw edges. All of the edges have either been taped or meticulously folded and sewn down. The tops of the magazine pouches of have been reinforced with heavy webbing. The pouches are quadruple stitched to the body of the chest rig and even quintuple stitched in some places. There are actually very few seams that are only single stitched. Suffice it to say, this rig is built to last.

I dare you to wear out this rig.

Versatility

One of the things that drew me to this rig is its versatility. It can be used with multiple weapon types. The magazine pouches are sized to allow 2 AK or 2 M4 magazines. This is very unusual and it just works. In fact, if OSOE made stand alone pouches just like the ones on this rig, I would have 2 of them on order for a plate carrier right now. The AK mags are tight but they do fit and they can be removed easily.

It can also be used as a bandolier. Lets say you want to keep this in your trunk with your “truck gun” and you may have to access it quickly. Rather than taking the time to put on the chest rig, you can configure the straps so that the AK/M4 Micro Rig can be worn like an over the shoulder bandolier. It is very clever and very handy.

The 6×6 general purpose pouch also adds versatility. The flap on this pouch has quite a bit of leeway with how loosely it can be closed. This allows this pouch to carry any number of items. It can carry common range items like earplugs, a pen, a notebook, gloves, or other common items. It can carry a very complete blow out kit. Some users will even insert a hook and loop holster and use it as a rig mounted flap holster for their handgun.

In Use

Reloading from this rig is easy. An open top pouch will always be faster than pouches with flaps like the ones on the AK/M4 Micro Rig, but I am willing to give up some speed for the extra options and retention that flaps provide. I also do my speed reloads from the belt when possible so flaps on the chest rig don’t bother me. The flaps allow me to run my AK mags with the bullets up. This makes the AK mags much easier and faster to access and manipulate.

The pouches are tight on 2 AK magazines but they appear to be breaking in a bit with use. This doesn’t make the magazines hard to remove, but they can be somewhat tough to insert. This is a small gripe. The pouches really do work as designed. There is plenty of space for two M4 magazines.

2 AK mags make for a tight fit at first but the pouch will break in with some use.

There are no seams or folds on the interior of the pouches. This is especially important for AK users. There is nothing for the locking tabs on AK magazines to catch on when they are being retrieved from the pouch.

The original x-harness is more than sufficient for this rig, but the Slim Padded H-Harness takes the comfort to the next level. I am very impressed with it. User who intend to use the rig as a bandolier will need to stick with the original x-harness.

The 1.5″ side release buckles (SRB) on the top of the rig can be a little annoying when you are shouldering the rifle. I had the rig adjusted to ride very high on my chest and found that I was frequently hitting the buckles with the buttstock of my rifle. Because of the slim nature of this rig, these buckles can end up right over the part of your shoulder that you would hold the buttstock of your rifle in a more squared up shooting stance. This was solved by simply adjusting it to ride lower (it is still quite high).

I really like how this rig carries a tourniquet. Tourniquets are central to my gunshot wound care preparation and training. It is vitally important they are are able to carried in such a way that they are accessible with one hand from a variety of positions and the elastic loops on the bottom of this rig accomplish this nicely.

These loops keep the TQ out of the way and easy to access.

This rig wears very well with a backpack. It is narrow enough to fit in between the straps of the pack. It also wears nicely over a plate carrier.

The only real annoyance that I have with this rig is that my sling tends to catch on the bottom of the Slim Padded H-Harness. This could probably be solved by moving the “cross-member” portion of the rig all the way to the bottom of the shoulder pads. As it is now, there are some corners that the sling tends to slip under. Then, when I bring the rifle up, it pulls against the rig and I have to fight against it a bit. It is annoying but it never prevented me from shouldering the rifle.

Conclusion

I really, really like this rig. It is very small and very versatile. The mag pouches are so well proportioned that it makse me wish they were offered separately. It is completely over built and should last a good long time. Most importantly, it fits perfectly with my idea of what I need a chest rig to do – carry what I can’t carry on my belt and stay out of the way.

Check out the AK/M4 Micro Rig on the OSOE website.

Simple, functional, low profile, effective, rugged, inexpensive… These are all words that can be used to describe the original Chinese Type 56 Chest Rig. The Type 56 chest rig and its variants are sometimes just called Chicom chest rigs. The venerable Chicom chest rigs are so well liked, that you occasionally see present day pictures of members of the Special Forces community wearing them for use as a simple lightweight chest rig. While the Type 56 is very functional, it is not very modern. It uses buttons to close the magazine flaps, heavy canvas material that retains moisture, and the straps must be tied around the wearer.

Now there is a custom gear maker that is making a name for himself by creating modernized versions of the Type 56 chest rig. The maker is 762Tactical and the chest rig is the Chicom Chest Rig. Just like the original, the 762Tactical Chicom Chest Rig is simple, functional, low profile, effective, rugged, inexpensive. Let’s take a closer look.

The Chicom Chest Rig's pedigree is clear the moment you look at it.

More Modern, More Functional

When you look at the trapezoid shape and criss-cross straps of the Chicom Chest Rig it is immediately clear that it pays homage to the Type 56. However, when you take a closer look, there is little doubt that this is a thoroughly modern chest rig.

The user no longer needs to tie a thin strap behind their back. Now they can simple use the durable National Molding side release buckle (SRB) to quickly put on or take off the chest rig.

The heavy canvas material of the original has been replaced with 1000D Cordura nylon which makes the rig more durable and more water resistant. It is also available in an assortment of modern colors. The rig that I have been testing features the Multicam pattern.

Slow toggle buttons have been replaced with hook and loop on the magazine pouch flaps. The flaps are also completely adjustable for magazine height. These flaps make the magazines much easier to access quickly and provides great protection from the elements.

The original Type 56 chest rigs had 3 magazine pouches and 4 small pouches for things like grenades. The Chicom Chest Rig from 762Tactical replaces the small pouches with something far more versatile – MOLLE webbing. It can be used to add a pistol magazine pouch, an admin pouch, or a blow out kit. If it is MOLLE compatible, you can add it.

The shoulder straps are made from a double thickness of 1.5″ wide webbing. This help distribute the load far better than the straps on the original Type 56.

Mags from left to right: 20 round AK, 30 round AK, 30 round AR

The same magazines as above but with the flaps secured.

The magazine pouches on the original Type 56 chest rigs were very deep. This made them difficult or impossible to use with just about any magazine other than 30 round AK magazines. The magazine pouches on the Chicom Chest Rig are sized in a far more versatile way. The pouches on my example (a 3 mag version) were useful for 20 and 30 round AK mags and 30 AR-15 magazines. In fact, the Chicom Chest Rig makes a great chest rig for use with an AR as well as an AK. It is very versatile.

There are other touches that let you know that you are dealing with a well made chest rig. For instance, the fabric on the lip of the magazine pouches is folded out and sewn down. This is a must for an AK rig that is often overlooked. If the fabric is folded into the pouch it creates a snag point for the locking tabs on AK mags. You will also find appropriate reinforcement of straps and stress points everywhere you look on the Chicom Chest Rig. Many of the rows of stitching have been gone over as many as 4 times to ensure that they never come loose.

In Use

I ran drills with this chest rig with both an AK and an AR. It performed admirably for both weapon types.

I found the pull tabs on the magazine pouch flaps to be large and easy to grab even with gloved hands. The pouches are generously sized, so inserting and removing magazines is easy.

The hook and loop that secures the flaps is also generously sized which makes it easy to angle the flaps to more tightly secure 30 round AK magazines. This also allows plenty of room to adjust the flap up and down to adjust for different magazine lengths.

Many people prefer open top pouches on their chest rigs but I really don’t mind flaps. Open top designs are faster, but I use my chest rig as a support item to my belt. I train to go to the belt for my reloads and my two fastest reloads are there in HSGI Taco pouches. I use the chest rig to keep my belt topped off and reload the rifle only when necessary so any small amount of extra time that a flap might add is not a big deal. In fact, it can be a plus with an AK since the flaps allow you to consider running your AK magazines with the bullets oriented up. This makes removing the AK magazines much easier and positions it better in your hand for insertion into the magwell.

The harness is wide enough to carry this chest rig’s light load very well. You really just can’t overload this rig and the harness is more than sufficient. It works very well.

The Chicom Chest Rig is very low profile and rides very close to the body.

I haven’t added any pouches to my Chicom Chest Rig (at least for now). I have really come to appreciate just how trim and light it is without any additional pouches. It is really only marginally thicker than the magazines themselves. The whole rig rides very close to your chest and is quite compact.

The trapezoidal shape puts a minimum of fabric around your body and makes the rig feel more compact than typical rectangular chest rigs. The shape also positions the waist strap midway up the chest rig rather than at the bottom as with most other rigs. I think this plays a role in how close to the body the magazines seem to ride. The higher waist strap doesn’t allow them to lean forward and away from your chest. It is a small but noticeable and welcomed difference.

Price

I typically do not comment about price on this blog. I prefer to let you, the reader, determine what something is worth to you. I am going to break that rule here because price is part of the point of this rig. It is based on the very inexpensive chest rig (the Type 56) and it is very inexpensive itself – prices start at 44.99 which is a steal for a handmade rig of this quality. It may lack a few complexities that can be nice to have, like an internal type storage pouch or more side release buckles on the straps, but in the end these are NICE to haves, not NEED to haves for me. Again, the price is a steal for a rig made from these materials, with this quality, and this well thought out design.

Remember, 762Tactical is a custom shop. They can make modifications to this rig to your specs if it missing something that you just have to have. It may add to the cost though.

Conclusion

The 3 magazine version of the Chicom Chest Rig is a thoroughly modernized version of an already functional design. There is also something extremely cool about a modern chest rig based on a historic design. This chest rig might be the best value on the market.

The Chicom Chest Rig comes in 2 flavors for you to check out on the newly renovated 762Tactical website – the 3 mag version like mine (and the original Type 56) and the 6 mag version.

Disclosure: This chest rig was provided to me by 762Tactical, free of charge, for this review.

The leather pancake holster has been around for a long time because it works. Pancake holsters allow the handgun to be carried high on the belt and tuck the grip in very close to the body which makes them ideal for outside the waistband (OWB) concealed carry. As well as the leather pancake holster works, it can still be made better and that is where the “C” Series Compact OWB Holster from X-Concealment comes in.

Classic Design, Modern Execution

The “C” Series Compact OWB Holster is made from kydex rather than leather. It bridges the gap of the leather holsters of the past to the modern kydex holsters of today by combining classic design and aesthetics with modern functionality and manufacturing. It may look like a simple re-creation of a leather pancake holster in kydex but there are some interest updates that really make the most of the properties of kydex.

The front panel is molded from .093″ thick kydex for durability while the rear panel is molded from .06″ thick kydex. These panels are then glued together and rivets are used to reinforce the bolt loop area. The construction is very sturdy. The front and rear pieces are actually machined rather than being hand cut and this level of precision is obvious with the finished holster. The front panel can be ordered in either black or coyote brown. These colors, along with the attractive and unique faux stitching that is engraved on the front of the holster, make the “C” Series Compact OWB Holster look like a leather holster at first glance.

X-Concealment has really leveraged the unique properties of kydex in the creation of this holster. Kydex can be machined which gives a great level of fit, finish, and consistency to each holster. Kydex is also very rigid which allows the “C” Series Compact OWB Holster to be made more compact than its leather forerunners. It is about 2/3rds the size and weight (2.65 ounces versus 4 ounces) of a comparable leather pancake holster that I own. The holster provides all the coverage that you would expect from a good pancake design but there is far less material around the gun. This can be done without the collapsing and sagging that you might see with a leather holster. Obviously, trimmer and lighter is better for something that is designed to be concealed.

In Use

The particular holster that I have for evaluation is made for the Glock 17. I have used it for concealed carry as well as dry and live fire with a Glock 17 and 19 for the last several weeks. In that time, it has done nothing but impress me. The holster is molded with a very generous sight track that cleared my tallest sights with ease. The molding is very precise which allows a nice friction fit and a positive click when the gun is holstered.

The draw stroke is not unlike any other pancake design in terms of speed. However, it does feel smoother than leather which can tend to have more friction. The shot timer showed no real measurable difference is speed on the draw which is good news – it performs just as well as other classic pancake designs. The draw and re-holstering both feel more positive. Keep in mind that feelings are subjective.

It will be difficult to convey just how much of a joy it is to carry this holster. It holds the gun very close to the body and rides at just the right height on the belt for me. This, combined with its compact size, make for a very concealable package. This is easily the most concealable OWB holster that I own. It doesn’t pretend to be convertible to inside the waist band carry or have multiple bolt-on belt loop styles. It just excels at being a belt holster. It does everything a leather belt holster should, but it does it with less bulk, less weight, no sagging, and no collapsing. It is refreshing to find a holster that is so compact and comfortable at a time when holsters are getting bigger and bigger in the name of modularity (not that there is anything wrong with that).

Conclusion

The X-Concealment “C” Series Compact OWB Holster is manufactured using modern techniques and modern materials and the result is increased functionality. It leverages the lessons of the past and the technology of today to create a holster that is functional and attractive. This is a great holster from a company that is a joy to deal with. Where else can you find a kydex maker with a 3 day turn around time?

You can check out the “C” Series Compact OWB Holster on the X-Concealment website, it is only available for Glocks right now but more models are in the works. X-Concealment offers other great holsters and mag pouches as well.

Disclosure: I was provided this holster by X-Concealment, free of charge, for review.