Discuss your GEAR thread?

[jeeves915]

Hey guys:
I know there is a GREAT thread discussing a user's particular AR layout. I was curious though, if some of you would be willing to share your work/play/training/shtf gear layouts. Some of us less enlightened members would probably hugely benefit from the experience you guys.

Thanks!
-Adam

[rob_s]

My take(s) can be found here

Evolution of a Chest Rig (http://tacticalyellowvisor.net/8343/50303.html)
and
Load Carriage for Training Classes (http://tacticalyellowvisor.net/8343/56227.html)


More important than any "I use an ZYX because of ACB" is the following excerpted from the second link



First and foremost, the gear must work for you, in your intended role, and not encumber other items of necessity. What the hell does that mean? It means that you need to select your gear as a system, not as individual parts and pieces that may conflict with one another, and that the items in this system will have a priority list. For example, civilians (both LE and non) will most often have a primary focus on a handgun because that's what they are most likely to have on their person in an emergency. Whether attached to a duty belt, attached to a pants belt in plain sight, or attached to a pants belt and concealed, the handgun is the primary weapon for the vast majority of civilians. As such, it's the gun you're most likely to have on your person when a need for a firearm arises. At best it is likely to be the tool you use to "fight your way to your carbine". So, does it make sense to choose a load carriage system that doesn't work with your handgun in it's normal mode of carry? If you're a police officer that carries a rifle and load carriage system in the trunk, does it make sense to select a vest that covers your holstered duty weapon when you put it on? It is critical to make gear selections that complement one another.

Secondly, and keeping the above in mind, is a layering approach to the system. Start with your primary handgun in it's CCW/duty rig with spare magazine(s) and other daily carry gear, and build from there. If attending pistol-only training then here is where it should end; bring your CCW/duty holster and mag pouch(es) and be done. You may wish to add a dump pouch attached to the belt for carrying additional ammunition or magazines to the line, but this pouch should be used to feed the belt-mounted magazine pouches and not the gun. From there, begin to add gear in the same way as you would in an emergency situation. What is the least amount of gear you might be able to grab with a rifle? The gun itself? Perhaps a spare mag with it stuffed in a pants pocket? A spare mag in a belt-mounted carrier? A bandoleer? A chest rig? A full armored plate-carrier? Build up layers as you would in real life and based on your role. Remember that it all has to work together as a system.