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Strike Hard Gear AK-47 Chest Rig

By on November 16, 2011 in Tactical Gear

In the past, it was a real challenge to find modern AK-47 load bearing gear like pouches and chest rigs. Fortunately for American AK shooters, there are more options than ever and the list seems to be growing constantly. Add the Strike Hard Gear AK-47 Chest Rig to that ever growing list.

This chest rig has some interesting features that set it apart from other rigs that I have seen. It holds 4 magazines in integral shingle type pouches across the front of the rig. Strike Hard Gear also sells an optional 4 magazine shingle that is designed to bolt right onto the front to expand the capacity to 8 magazines. I really like this expandable approach.

Like many chest rigs on the market, this one has storage inside the body of the chest rig. This storage can be used for everything from a tube of lithium grease to keep your AK running smooth, to maps, pens, first aid gear, or whatever else you need. However, the AK-47 Chest Rig from Strike Hard Gear breaks this storage pouch into 3 separate compartments – 1 large and 2 smaller. The largest pouch is in the center of the rig, behind the magazines and is large enough to carry 4 additional magazines. The two smaller pouches are on the outer edges of the rig and can be used to secure a radio or handgun to name a couple of items.

This rig also features full MOLLE coverage for adding additional pouches, shock cord magazine retention, and a padded “X” harness with plenty of adjustment. This looks to be a really full featured rig for the price.

You can check it out at the Strike Hard Gear website.

A-TACS FG

By on November 15, 2011 in Tactical Gear

I am not sure that I have ever seen a more anticipated camouflage pattern than A-TACS FG which was officially released today.

The A-TACS FG (foliage green) is not simply re-coloration of the original A-TACS pattern. It is a new pattern that incorporates the same design features of A-TACS but the pattern has been designed to work better in temperate climates. The same “pattern within a pattern” and depth of field that you have come to love from A-TACS is still intact. In spite of the emphasis on green in the new pattern, it still appears to be quite versatile with plenty of lighter greens, tans, and browns. It is an impressive effort.

The BCS Plate Carrier Cumber in A-TACS FG can be seen in this promotional image.

There is already a host of manufacturers on board to create A-TACS FG gear and there are none better than Beez Combat Systems. In fact, their excellent Plate Carrier Cumber can be seen in many of the recently unvieled photos of A-TACS FG. You can already order BCS gear in the new pattern on their site so check out their full line of armor carriers, chest rigs, and other tactical gear.

Check out A-TACS FG on the A-TACS website.

TacStrike Gift Certificates

By on November 15, 2011 in Tactical Gear

If you are as unimaginative a gift giver as I am, you probably love giving gift certificates. If you are a shooter, you would probably love to get a gift certificate from TacStrike. The good news is that now TacStrike is offering gift certificates in denominations of $25 up to $1000.

Now all you have to do is successfully drop enough hints to the wife and kids to ensure that a TacStrike gift certificate ends up under the Christmas tree with your name on it.

You can purchase the gift certificates on the TacStrike website.

Review: Advanced Outfitters Khyber Belt

By on November 14, 2011 in EDC, Reviews, Tactical Gear

As a shooter and someone who carries a concealed handgun, it seems that my belts become thicker and more rigid with each new belt. Thick, rigid belts work great when you are carrying a gun on your belt all day but there are times when a low profile belt is really what you need. You would be hard pressed to find a more low profile belt than the Khyber Belt from Advanced Outfitters (AO).

The custom Ti G-Hook is the key to how thin this belt is. I'm not sure you can make a belt any thinner than this.

The Khyber Belt is hand made by Kevin at Advanced Outfitters and there are a ton of options. The two main options are 1″ and 1.5″ widths. The belt can also be had in single and double thicknesses. Even the double thickness belts are very low profile. There are additional hardware options (more on that later) and other options like a concealed spot that adds no thickness to the belt to carry cash. I chose the double thickness 1.5″ width since I would occasionally be using this belt with a holster and that is the belt that is the subject of this review.

Buckling and unbuckling is simple.

What’s the Point?

This belt was designed to be low profile. Kevin’s innovative use of an ITW G-Hook as a buckle is the key to how low profile this belt is. The G-Hook is barely thicker than the webbing from which the belt is made. The 1.5 inch versions of the Khyber Belt use a custom made titanium version of the G-Hook which also keeps the belt very light.

There are times when a belt must be able to ride beneath something like the padded hip belt of a backpack. The belt must be capable of holding up your pants but low profile enough to prevent hotspots from a heavy pack bearing down on it. The Khyber Belt excels at these situations. I purchased one to use specifically for hiking and for use under a padded MOLLE belt. It is perfect for both uses.

Try this with your gun belt!

Versatility

The Khyber belt is no one trick pony. The 1.5″ version with double thickness webbing is extremely thin and flexible but still substantial enough to carry the weight of gun though it isn’t the best choice for carrying all day. The belt features some additional stitching that helps to stiffen it enough for some additional comfort when carrying a handgun. I have been wearing this belt frequently over the last several months. Kevin is up front about saying this isn’t a gun belt but it does an admirable job of bearing the weight of a gun for such a slim, flexible belt.

It is perfect for wearing under a load bearing belt like a MOLLE belt rig. This is how I use it most often. I am able to wear my concealed handgun to the range on the Khyber belt and then switch the gun to the belt rig that I use in training. This belt is more than sufficient for traveling to and from the range. In fact, it is low profile enough to wear with a Velcro inner belt. They both fit under the belt loops.

If you aren’t carrying a handgun, you will appreciate how light and flexible this belt is. It is probably as close as you can get to not wearing a belt at all. It won’t look quite right in an office, but it is probably the perfect belt for just about any outdoor activity.

Simple hardware makes for an easy to adjust, easy to use, and very comfortable belt.

Hardware

Now that I have spent a lot of time with this belt, there is something that I would do differently if I were buying one all over again. The belt uses a triglide to adjust the length. Kevin makes this with a plastic version of the triglide(less expensive) and a titanium version (more expensive). The titanium version is considerably thinner than the plastic triglide. If I was starting over, I would definitely spring for the Ti version. The plastic slider is by far the thickest part of the belt and the Ti version fits better with the overall purpose or the belt.

Conclusion

I thought that this belt would fill a niche for me. I didn’t expect that I would find it so comfortable and useful as a general use belt. It is easily the most comfortable belt that I have used under a padded hip belt or padded gun belt. It is also a great weekend belt for outdoor pursuits. The icing on the cake is that it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, even with the custom Ti hardware.

If you want to order your own Khyber Belt, you should contact Kevin. There are some nuances to fitting that he can talk you through (it isn’t complicated). The double layer belts like the one reviewed have a smaller adjustment range than the single layer versions. You can contact Advanced Outfitters through their website, on Twitter, or on the Usual Suspect Network.

Shellback Tactical Banshee Soft Armor Package

By on November 12, 2011 in Tactical Gear, Tactics and Training

The Banshee Plate Carrier from Shellback Tactical seems to be taking the world by storm. Its combination of features, quality, and value have made it a huge success. Now, Shellback Tactical is adding even more capability to this already very capable plate carrier with the introduction of the Banshee Soft Armor Package.

The Banshee Soft Armor Package consists of 4 level IIIA soft armor panels. The larger two panels serve as plate backers. These are especially important for “in conjunction” plates that don’t reach their full protection rating without the addition of IIIA soft armor. The 2 long, narrow inserts can be inserted into the cummerbund to provide side protection. I have found that the additional material provides rigidity to the cummerbund that can make it carry the weight of pouches more comfortably.

Shellback Tactical has the Banshee Soft Armor Package on their website right now.

Keep your eye on Jerking the Trigger for an upcoming review of the Banshee Plate Carrier.

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