Helikon Tex TMR (Training Mini Rig)
Use:
Designed for shooting ranges (as the name suggests), it's great for airsoft, carries everything you need and nothing you don't.
Key features:
Made of 500D Cordura, available in a lot of colours and patterns, all legit, multicam will be multicam, a-tacs will be a-tacs and not a weird mix of colours and shades without a sense.
4x rifle magazine pouches, accept both M4 and AK mags, 2 of which can be removed to allow other inserts to be mounted via Velcro
4x pistol magazine pouches
1x medium sized utilty pouch
1x medium sized utility/medical dangler pouch
H Harness straps with a few PALS on them.
Build Quality:
Being made for real steel stuff, it's quite well made, the stitching is great and you can feel the quality just by touching it.
My opinion and overall comments:
First impressions when i got it:
it felt great by touching it, i loaded the rig with what i usually carry on a skirmish, so 3 mags, bbs, radio, valuables (car keys, phone, cigarettes) and some first aid supplies.
Adjusting it is the easiest thing ever. put it on, pull the straps, secure them with tape. done. the waist strap has a G hook, which has a tendency to come loose when not in tension, Helikon solved the problem with a Cordura sleeve that goes around it.
the 4 main magazine pouches are a little odd compared to most chest rigs: the 2 internal ones are recessed into the rig, while the external ones are about an inch (a molle row) lower.. i found them to be intuitive and easy to use despite the odd positioning. the reason for the recessed pouches is to make sure the central utility pouch doesn't bulge out when full of stuff. the central mag pouches are connected via Velcro, this allows the user to replace them with other inserts via Velcro, or to remove them completely and have another utility pouch for documents or a wallet. I believe you can get the holster insert and save space on your belt...
As you can see from the picture i put 3 magazines and the radio in those pouches. be aware that Midland radios don't fit in the side mag pouches when used with a mic/speaker, so i had to put the radio in the central pouch and the last mag on the far right. this doesn't bother me at all, i can still reach that magazine easily.
Oh, and the side mag pouches have a drain hole.
the 4 pistol pouches are fixed to the rig, like everything else but the insert and dangler, and they have adjustable/removable flaps.
I have fitted mine with a multitool and a torch on the right side and nothing on the left (solely because i don't have anything to put in there yet).
The central utility pouch has a few organizer pockets and bands to keep items where they are supposed to, it has a nylon ring to attach keys, a mesh internal zip pocket and an external one as well (they're separate). On the bottom there are three PALS attachment points, so you can secure a CAT there (no, not the one that meows and purrs, the one that saves your life if you severe your arm) or glowsticks or literally whatever.
The dangler pouch is a bit weird, it's shaped in order to open like a clamshell, the bottom is narrow while the top is twice the size. internally it has velcro on both sides, so you can attach whatever you want. i personally use it for a small iFAK and bbs.
The pouch is removable and unveils a row of MOLLE to which you can attach other pouches according to your needs.
The rig can be strapped to a plate carrier with swift clips, although the G hook on the bottom requires you to still use the waist strap (or you can be a man and modify one of the clips to accept G hooks)
I picked it up in A-Tacs iX for 2 main reasons:
1) there were none left here in Italy apart from black and Pencott variants
2) my team camo is A-Tacs FG, i'm planning to get a set of A-Tacs AU and the iX variant is supposed to be the Digital Concealement Systems "multicam"
I got to use it last sunday, although we haven't played much due to the heavy rain/snow downpour. nonetheless i had the chance to have it on in an active environment, running, sneaking, laying prone and i have to say, it's really great!
it doesn't impede movement at all, and my main concern, the dangler pouch, didn't really move at all despite being full of first aid stuff and a bag of around 2000 bbs.
magazine extraction is quick, retention is good even without using the elastic bands, although the 2 middle pouches are not as tight as the external ones, so keep that in mind if you're jumping around trying to be a Novritsch wannabe or simply speedsofting, there's a slight chance of those mags coming loose and flying around.
Magazine index isn't intuitive and the middle mag pouch can be a bitch to put mags back in in a hurry, i suggest to use some sort of dump pouch.
As you can see i used the shoulder PALS to attach my PTT, you can attach torches, knives, zip ties, your grandma there.
Overall rating:
9.5/10, the only reason why it's not getting a 10 is that i cannot fit the radio in the right mag pouch. but that's just me being a crybaby.
The bits to make this. I wanted a triple mk5 flash bang holder that was easy to access etc. Couldn't find what i wanted to figured i would make it myself.
3 pvc tube, 3 tube caps, 3 old warhammer bases, some scappa tape, a few rubber tap washers, some velcro and a strap along with the belt mount from an old pistol mag holder.
Yeah its rough n ready. But the idea is wear it with the lids at the bottom, rip the velcro, flash bang drops out. Can probably use some double sided tape to stick strikers to the top end of the tubes too.
Nah, not really drool worthy.
Just some FMA goggles 😉
And im trying out the 8fields taco pouches. From first look... They appear rather solid. Still need to test the retention but other than that, providing they don't fall apart after a few games, they seem good. Not bad at all for a £4/5 pouch.
I don't think hellish much of their packaging that's for sure.
Other than that, flawless service.
to be clear, this was not transit damage. The grey courier bag this box came in was unmarked. The box they packed the stuff into was far too small for the contents so it appears they just taped it to within an inch of its life, breaking the box in the process, and just hoped for the best.
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