PDA

View Full Version : Battle of the micro rigs



Urban Tactical Gear
23 June 2009, 17:52
Quite some time ago Tactical Tailor (http://www.Tacticaltailor.com) released what is generally being labeled as a minimalist rig. It took form in the Tactical Tailor Mini-Mav (http://www.blackstonetactical.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=4&products_id=137). Until lately there has been very little competition for it.

The Tactical Tailor Mini-Mav was provided to me by Blackstone Tactical (http://www.blackstonetactical.com) for the purposes of this write up.

The specifics:
The mini-mav is a light weight chest rig, constructed of folded over single ply cordura. At it's tallest point it measures 6 inches tall and at it's widest point it sits at 14 inches wide. It has two shoulder straps that form an "x" on your back, and one waist strap.
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff298/arolfsen/reviews/tt%20mini%20mav/DSCN1225.jpg

The Mini-Mav is constructed from a single piece of codura, which is folded over, edged and tacked together. The front pals channels are sewn on prior to the sealing of the layers.
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff298/arolfsen/reviews/tt%20mini%20mav/DSCN1253.jpg

It has 6 long channels and two short channels (one on each side). On the rig that I received the channels were not centered, nor the same length.

The first picture depicts the left most row being over 3/4s of an inch off the edge of the rig. The row below that was cut even longer.
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff298/arolfsen/reviews/tt%20mini%20mav/DSCN1254.jpg

The right side was just at 3/4s of an inch off the right side of the rig
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff298/arolfsen/reviews/tt%20mini%20mav/DSCN1257.jpg

The shoulder straps perplexed me a bit. The corner buckles are 1 inch buckles with one inch webbing sewn on to them. About half way up the length of the webbing, Tactical Tailor steps the webbing from the 1 inch webbing 1.5 inch webbing.
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff298/arolfsen/reviews/tt%20mini%20mav/DSCN1222.jpg

Once the webbing reaches the next buckle, it is folded over and shoved through the buckle, and then tacked down.
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff298/arolfsen/reviews/tt%20mini%20mav/DSCN1223.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff298/arolfsen/reviews/tt%20mini%20mav/DSCN1224.jpg

The waist strap is not removable.
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff298/arolfsen/reviews/tt%20mini%20mav/DSCN1252.jpg

Because of the physical size of the rig longer pouches, such as the OSOE rallyman and the HSGI UMMP, tend to hang off the bottom of the rig.
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff298/arolfsen/reviews/tt%20mini%20mav/DSCN1226.jpg
{insert UMMP picture}

However, this rig seems to be designed around the use of shingles, as they are a perfect fit
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff298/arolfsen/reviews/tt%20mini%20mav/DSCN1228.jpg

The webbing on the Tactical Tailor Mini-Mav, like most of HSGI's Gear, is in my opinion, excess.
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff298/arolfsen/reviews/tt%20mini%20mav/DSCN1278.jpg

Front:
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff298/arolfsen/reviews/tt%20mini%20mav/DSCN1276.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff298/arolfsen/reviews/tt%20mini%20mav/DSCN1279.jpg
Side:
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff298/arolfsen/reviews/tt%20mini%20mav/DSCN1277.jpg



Almost a year ago, one of Tactical Tailor's Competitors released their own version of the Mini-Mav. With that release came a couple of new features.

This is the Original Special Operations Equipment (OSOE) Micro Rig, Pals Version. (http://www.originalsoegear.com/microrig.html)
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff298/arolfsen/reviews/osoe%20micro%20rig/DSCN1251.jpg

Like all the other OSOE products i've recieved in the last month, the stitching on this rig is beyond impressive. The edges are quadruple stitched. Where the shoulder straps, waist belt, and pals channels attach, at the edges, the rig is stitched up to what looks like 6 times.

Like the Mini-Mav, It is constructed from folded over cordura. However It differs in size a bit. The MRP sizes in at 7 inches tall by 13 inches wide.... squared. This picture depicts the size diffence of the two. The MRP is on the bottom with the Mini-Mav on top of it.
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff298/arolfsen/reviews/tt%20mini%20mav/DSCN1220.jpg

The squared up difference allows for 8 full sized pals channels, instead of 6. This allows for up to four full sized pouches (full size taking up 2 channels each). Also full sized pouches are a perfect fit, and there is little to no over hang of the pouches from the rig.
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff298/arolfsen/reviews/osoe%20micro%20rig/DSCN1258.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff298/arolfsen/reviews/osoe%20micro%20rig/DSCN1260.jpg

Another wonderful feature of this rig is a rear pocket. It's held shut by a 1 inch by 12.5 inch piece of velcro.
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff298/arolfsen/reviews/osoe%20micro%20rig/DSCN1250.jpg

The OSOE MRP uses 1.5 inch fastex buckles and 1.5 inch webbing for the ENTIRE shoulder strap system. It uses 1 inch buckles and webbing for the waist belt.
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff298/arolfsen/reviews/osoe%20micro%20rig/DSCN1261.jpg

OSOE also offers optional inserts for their micro series chest rigs. for example, the one below is designed for the large GP pouch
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b73/johnwillis123/more%20gear/DSC02611.jpg
They also have one for the rear pocket
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b73/johnwillis123/more%20gear/DSC02611.jpg
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b73/johnwillis123/more%20gear/DSC02609.jpg

Front: (Esstac Mini-Med, OSOE Rallyman, OSOE Gen II)
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff298/arolfsen/reviews/osoe%20micro%20rig/DSCN1272.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff298/arolfsen/reviews/osoe%20micro%20rig/DSCN1275.jpg

Side:
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff298/arolfsen/reviews/osoe%20micro%20rig/DSCN1273.jpg

Rear:
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff298/arolfsen/reviews/osoe%20micro%20rig/DSCN1274.jpg

My final thoughts:
Both the TT Mini-Mav and the OSOE Micro rig are "one size fits all", however I personally feel that tactical tailor went a tad over board with the webbing to make it so. While both Blackstone (http://www.blackstonetactical.com) and OSOE (http://www.originalsoegear.com) supplied me with each of the rigs, My main goal was to find a modular platform to be used while backpacking. For that reason, I've found that the OSOE micro rig is a better suit. The rear pouch is ideal for holding things like a Multi-tool, compass, keys, etc. The fact that it holds full sized pouches is also a plus. Because it is a little more rigid, than the mini-mav, I feel that it would hold a vertical holster, pistol mag pouch, and a water bottle pouch perfectly. The mini-mav, not so much. John makes a h-harness that will fit either rig, which will aid in comfort over the x straps that both products some stock with.