Gear Sector GS-2P Review

[m24shooter]

The Gear Sector GS-2P Sling

The GS-2P shares some features with other 2 points on the market, but the progressive details put into the Gear Sector version gives it some additional attractiveness. I’m no stranger to Gear Sector slings, and I have found their products to be well made and highly functional. I’ve used a GI two point patrol type sling for some time, and have considered buying one of the purpose-built adjustable two points several times. Many of the two point offerings were and are great slings. I just didn’t see enough innovation to overcome using the slings I already had. I came very close to buying one of the dedicated two points several times, and was just about to do so when Gear Sector released their 2 point GS-2P.



Now here was a 2 point sling that had all the benefits of a 2 point that I liked and it brought the Gear Sector modularity along. This meant that when I didn’t want the sling attached for whatever reason, it was a simple matter of releasing the QDPs and taking the sling off the weapon. As a bonus I could use the sling with more than one weapon. And still another feature was that I could use the two point on my carbines as well as my rifles if I wanted a more versatile sling than the ASP or ASP-V.


Hardware and Construction:
The sling is constructed of 1” tubular webbing. While this may concern some in terms of comfort, I have found the tubular webbing (as opposed to the flat single thickness of some other slings) is actually quite comfortable, even for prolonged wear. The tubular web resists roll-over of the edges, and also prevents the edges from biting downward into the shoulder and neck. It is smooth and flexible without being too soft. In this the tubular webbing is actually comparable and frequently more comfortable and durable than single ply flat webbing that is 1 ½” in width. All of the stitching is done with heavy duty thread, and reinforced at stress points.



The hardware is all quality US made ITW GhillieTex pieces. I am a long-time user of Gear Sector stuff, from back when they were originally TAG. The hardware being used at that time on their slings was good, and very durable. Jason has since started using this new hardware in the Gen II offerings of previous models, and on the GS-2P. This new hardware is some serious stuff, and very solid. It is color matched so that there is no longer the Universal Black, and has the low IR signature that some users will find of more benefit than others.
The hardware is also part of Gear Sector’s biggest asset: modularity. While there are more attachments and hardware than on a more conventional two point sling, it is actually easier to attach and detach once the adapters are installed on the weapon. It is a one-time action.



The auxiliary adapters with their QDPs are used as the interface between the sling and the weapon or weapons. The adapters are looped through the sling swivels of the weapon and locked on with the two-piece loop lock. Some users will not have to bother with this step as Gear Sector offers several types of adapters. HK hooks and the new QD button adapters come already assembled and don’t have to be mounted and threaded to sling swivels or Burnsed loops. For weapons that don’t have rear sling swivel or other means of attachment there is an adapter made to be used around a rifle or shotgun stock.
A point that should be mentioned is that weaving the adapter web through the loop lock will be difficult. Not impossible, but difficult. I found that carefully inserting a corner of the web strap through the system and then pulling the remainder through was easiest, and sometimes a pair of pliers helped. While at first this might seem aggravating it actually benefits the user; that web tab is not going to loosen up in use. In fact, the harder it is pulled tighter it grabs.

Attachment and adjustment:




With the GS-2P, I attached an adapter at the rear edge of the railed foreend and another on a receiver end-plate. This allows the sling to be attached to either a rifle or a carbine without having to adjust the length of the sling when switching between the two. With the adapters on the weapon, the sling is ready to be attached via the QDPs and adjusted.





The main loop of the sling is quite generous. For new 2 point users (and even some that have used them for some time) it may seem that it is too short. Jason mentioned this to me in talking about the sling while I was waiting to get one. Once I got the sling in my hands it does seem short to someone used to using a GI type or IDF sling in the two point patrol type carry. However this is probably due to those slings being mounted with the two attachment points being located fairly far apart. If you keep the sling attachment points in close to the receiver there is plenty of loop. I am very broad through the chest and I found that there was enough loop for the sling to fit me so long as this is done. For those that want to attach the sling farther out on the weapon, Jason is developing a rifle-length GS-2P that will allow for more distance between attachment points.



The sling is intended to be used with the loop running from the rear point over the strong shoulder, around the back, and between the support arm and the body to the forward point. The ladder-loc and rip cord are located at the front QDP where they can be easily manipulated by the support hand. The sling length is adjusted with the ripcord fully retracted (the D ring end should be hanging free from the ladder-loc at its full length, and the front QDP should be up against the ladder lock). The rip cord should be oriented so that it is on the “outside” of the sling and away from the body when worn. The sling is adjusted for fit by moving the base lock, which shortens or lengthens the loop of the sling along the back of the body. The use of the double loop on the back of the sling to adjust the length prevents large tails of unused webbing hanging from the sling. Once the user is comfortable with the length of the sling, check to make sure that the weapon can be shouldered from all positions without loosening the rip cord. The ripcord adjustment will allow the user to lengthen the sling for when more length is needed. Once the base length of the sling is set, you’re done. No need to adjust it, you just click in and go.



Use of the GS-2P:
I was used to the ripcord adjustment from previous experience with the ASP and ASP-V. The principal is the same, but the positioning of the rip cord makes it a little different. Jason recommends stabbing downward with the support hand and trapping the sling material below the ladder-loc between the index and middle finger. The user then sweeps rearward levering the ladder-loc “open” with the knuckle of the middle finger so that the ripcord runs out and the D ring is now up against the ladder-loc. I’ve used that, and it works. However I also blade the hand and trap the web in the V between my thumb and index finger, using my index finger to manipulate the ladder-loc. I haven’t yet decided which way I am more comfortable with. They both work, and feel about the same to me although Jason’s method might be edging mine out. When I want to keep the weapon in tight, I keep the ripcord retracted. In this position I can orient the weapon so that the muzzle is pointed outside of my left foot, and it is still possible to quickly bring the weapon up to fire if needed. With the ripcord extended, I can transition to the off shoulder or let the weapon hang more freely. When used on the carbine, I found that I could transition with the ripcord retracted so long as I shot squared to the target; with the stock partially retracted it was even easier. With a rifle, the only way I could transition was with the ripcord extended. To transition, simply rotate the muzzle down and bring the stock over the rear QDP adapter and to the support shoulder.



Just like the ASP the GS-2P webbing allows the sling to be comfortably worn. It also allows for the sling to be easily slid around the body and gear to a resting or carry position that better fits the situation. The narrow webbing again makes it easy to route the sling over and around chest pouches and gear. The position and size of the ripcord makes it very easy to operate. When retracting the ripcord, I really liked the large grip area of the reinforced web strip above the D ring. I’m not sure how popular this method is, but I prefer the web hold to the D ring hold. The D ring just seems like too small of a target for me to be comfortable with, and relies on lining a thumb up with the ring in the proper orientation. With the web strap it is much easier to grasp and pull, no dropping the eyes off-target. Furthermore, the “slickness” of the webbing material lets the adjustment be made easily in either direction.

Conclusion:
In the time I have used this sling, I have completely rediscovered two point slings. On rifles that I had previously used two points on, I now had an added degree of flexibility thanks to the ability to shorten or lengthen the sling as needed. When I need to work on an upper or lower or separate the two for cleaning, it is an easy matter of releasing the QDPs and removing the sling for convenience. On carbines that I had run single points on, the GS-2P allows a sling with more versatility to be used which can be quickly removed and switched out for a single point if needed without having to mess with buckles and attachments.
In short, this is the two point sling I was waiting for and it took Gear Sector's interpretation of the two point to convince me to get one. I am once again completely satisfied with a Gear Sector sling.