Newb could use help with tactical gear selection

[Ripcode]

I could use some help with gear selection.

Intent of gear: Local 3-gun matches and future tactical courses and of course Zombies/SHTF.

I was thinking (keeping it basic to start):

TT 2-piece MAV with the X-harness. 5.56 Single mag pouches (4 to 6) and a hydration pouch.

Color - Coyote or OD?? I don't want to look Mall Ninja or airsofter, but then again I don't want to look an operator wannbe.

I hope you can guys can help. It took me a long time to get the guts to post this. I've watched people get ripped apart asking gear questions on ARFCOM.

[Stickman]

Glad you posted. Have you thought about using a warbelt instead of the MAV? The belts have a lot going for them, especially for what you are describing. If you are looking to stay with a harness system, the 2 piece MAV is very worth looking at, but the warbelt might be worth a look as well.

I've got a FDE warbelt setup around here somewhere, I'll see if I can dig up a picture. I'm not trying to change your mind, just trying to give you options to explore so you can get what is going to work out best for you.

[Ripcode]

Glad you posted. Have you thought about using a warbelt instead of the MAV? The belts have a lot going for them, especially for what you are describing. If you are looking to stay with a harness system, the 2 piece MAV is very worth looking at, but the warbelt might be worth a look as well.

I've got a FDE warbelt setup around here somewhere, I'll see if I can dig up a picture. I'm not trying to change your mind, just trying to give you options to explore so you can get what is going to work out best for you.

Stick,

I am open to advice, so yes I would like to see this warbelt setup.

[agentcox000]

Here is a photo of my warbelt setup, to hold you over until Stick posts another one of his awesome photos!

[Paulo_Santos]

Here is a photo of my warbelt setup, to hold you over until Stick posts another one of his awesome photos!

This is what I was going to recommend for 3-gun shooting. In particular, the AR magazine holder. That set-up is much faster than a traditional style chest rig.

[agentcox000]

This "warbelt" setup goes with me on every range trip, where my TT 2-Piece MAV usually stays in the trunk of my patrol car for fulfilling more of an active shooter role. Very fast reloads and high relative comfort are just two of the positive aspects of this setup. I may look into some sort of suspender system for it though, as sometimes is gets a little heavy on the hips when fully loaded with mags and ammo. Another thought I had was rigging up some sort of belt keepers for it.... not sure how well that would work due to the width of the belt, being much wider than my day to day duty belt. All in all, I would recommend this setup to anyone and everyone looking for a run and gun rig. TT MAVs are great, but in my opinion work better to supplement the "warbelt" or police duty belt. Hope this helps.

[Ripcode]

I Googled the warbelt. It is made by ATS?

Who makes those plastic magazine holders?

[Optimus Prime]

I have interest in the belt set-up as well. Been thinking about setting something like that up.

[agentcox000]

The pistol mag pouch is the Magna Mag Double from Tactical Tailor. They have magnets in them that help with retention. The rifle mag pouches are ITW Fast Mags Gen 3. The dump pouch is by CSM Tactical Gear, its the Mini Drop Pouch, the standard one was VERY large and hung to low. The mini is just right. The holster is Bladetech and is holding a Glock 34 with Streamlight TLR-1. To the right of the holster is a Surefire G2L held in a Tactical Tailor Knife Pouch. The belt itself is the ATS Warbelt with a Specter Gear Tactical Operations Belt holding it all up. If anyone has any more questions, feel free to shoot...

[Optimus Prime]

How is the holster attached?

[agentcox000]

The bottom of the ATS Warbelt is open on the sides above your hips. The holster is actually attached to the Specter Gear Belt that is underneath. This makes for a very secure and easy draw stroke because the Spector Gear Belt is rigid and does not allow the whole system to ride up during the draw. To make it easier I snapped a quick photo just now. Also the second photo is to clarify the handgun mag pouches. The black one you see in the photo above is a Blackhawk CQC mag pouch that is actually attached to the Specter Gear Belt itself as it exits the ATS Warbelt. It is my go to pistol mag, then I work my way back.





Hope this helps, any more ?'s feel free...

[TehLlama]

The only question I have is with the holsters hanging directly from the belt, does the draw every lift the belt or get bound by that odd angle. I even have this to a degree with my on-hip placed 6004.

[agentcox000]

I have never had the gun hang up on the belt coming out of the holster. This is because Bladetech builds in an offset along with drop in this model of holster I have. It sets the gun at an outward angle from the body when the belt is worn. This really isn't visible in my previous photos. I did have the whole rig get pulled up while in my draw stroke quite a bit in the beginning. It is definitely a trial and error process getting the holster's retention adjusted "just right" where it doesn't pull the belt up, but at the same time has enough tension to keep the gun in the holster for things like running ect. Now that I have it adjusted perfectly for my draw, I have zero issues getting my pistol into the fight in a hurry. Here are a couple photos showing how the warbelt itself actually tucks in behind the body of the holster preventing hang ups. In the second photo I have the pistol about halfway out of the holster, just so you can see how much clearance there really is. Hope this helps.

[rob_s]

If it's a belt system you want take a hard look at www.usgruntgear.com. He's doing a much better system IMHO that the other pad-over-belt systems. I have a review of his Warhog on my site.

[Ripcode]

These belt systems are nice. I did not know about them!