Plate Carriers - What are they actually for in Airsoft?

[Duff]

I found the same issue once my plates were removed until I shortenend/tightened the shoulder straps and now it's pretty steady when running.

 

[Druid799]

 your actually right, & sometimes young guys aren't as fit as they'd like to believe, or have poor levels of stamina, causing them to whine & cry off mid game, I've seen every variation of the above in airsoft, prob not helped by the Cod generation ?, or in cases like my own, been a real warrior & pro athlete, & my heads writing cheques that my body can no longer cash lol.

Nail on head ! BIG difference between fitness and stamina , yes you may have the body of a young god and can bench press 4 cows and a goat but have you got the metal attitude to keep going when your on your chinstrap ? Sad to say most haven’t and even sadder Is the fact that by the very nature of the game we’re going to get the the ones playing who you’d expect to be more that way inclined due to the nature of the game ? (running around shooting AND getting shot by other players) sad but true .?

Me and you both in the same boat Tackle , and a fair few of the guys at my regular site ! ??

 

[Tackle]

Does it move about at all? I’ve only tried cheap chest rigs and stuff before I got my plate carrier, and I didn’t like them for running in. They used to slosh about with the weight of the mags. I keep looking at those Hayley strategic mini rig things, I just want something to not shake about. 

Its actually really good, no movement at all, prob helped by the fact I run 4 TacTailor short 7.62 mag shingles on it, they technically are a smidge wider than 2 molle rows, but I squeeze 4 pouches on 8 rows of molle, this gives the rig a "figure hugging" curve & rigidity, they work with m4 & m14 mags, plus I run an inverted serpa & leaves room for 1 last m4 shingle with a twin pistol mag on top of it, which is just above my left hip, as a super lightweight non restrictive set up I've found nothing better.

Talk to gazmeister, he's copied it & I believe he's loving it.

Edit: heres pic of gaz's, couldn't find one of mine, will have a hunt around

View attachment 36076

View attachment 36077

Heres a crape old pic of mine, squinting at it I can see its got all m4 shingles, changed to the 7.62 shorter shingles since, works even betterer ?

 

[Wo1f]

@Tackle I’ll look into it. Sounds like it might be the way to go for a scar H rig

 

[MisterG]

 your actually right, & sometimes young guys aren't as fit as they'd like to believe, or have poor levels of stamina, causing them to whine & cry off mid game, I've seen every variation of the above in airsoft, prob not helped by the Cod generation ?, or in cases like my own, been a real warrior & pro athlete, & my heads writing cheques that my body can no longer cash lol.

In my head I have the body of Apollo.

In reality I'm more like a middle aged Buddha.

I tend to amble and think rather than rush in, but still manage to have fun.

Cheers

G

 

[EvilMonkee]

I am a bit old fashioned as I generally prefer just normal webbing, as its easier to go prone in.

 

[Tackle]

Nail on head ! BIG difference between fitness and stamina , yes you may have the body of a young god and can bench press 4 cows and a goat but have you got the metal attitude to keep going when your on your chinstrap ? Sad to say most haven’t and even sadder Is the fact that by the very nature of the game we’re going to get the the ones playing who you’d expect to be more that way inclined due to the nature of the game ? (running around shooting AND getting shot by other players) sad but true .?

Me and you both in the same boat Tackle , and a fair few of the guys at my regular site ! ??

yep, bout 7yrs ago I should've kicked the bucket, went down with pancreatitis, 2 burst ulcers, sepsis & kidney stones all at once, wasn't a pretty site, looked like homer (I was even yellow lol), bout 6 months after getting out if intensive care I decide fuck it, I need to get back in to playing & what better than a 72hr milsim on a woodland site in late September or early October ?.

Wife said I was barmy, talk about baptism of fire but to me it was a kinda rite of passage game, had to do it for "myself" if you know what I mean.

Anyway, very immersive game, everything needed was carried in large gs Bergen, typically weather was shite for lot of it, when it wasn't raining it was cold etc etc, & I was part of a team of about 16, on the run throughout the weekender while being pursued by much larger hunter force (bout 40 ?).

Not gonna lie, was on my chinstraps a few times, on the run/wet/cold/tired etc, but didn't want to quit, thing is there was only one guy my age on my team, everybody else was literally half our age, including some serving squaddies, at least 2 of which had driven from Germany for the game ffs.

By the end of it we were down to about 7, everybody crying off with feeble excuses.

Afterwards few of us headed to McD's, in civvies but filthy with cam cream still on necks, ears & in beards lol, & I say to one of the guys who'd driven from Germany (his mate had quit), "did you wobble at all ?", his reply was "loadsa times but if you old gits were keeping going, id have been shown up".

I'm sure theres a moral there somewhere lol

 

[Duff]

yep, bout 7yrs ago I should've kicked the bucket, went down with pancreatitis, 2 burst ulcers, sepsis & kidney stones all at once, wasn't a pretty site, looked like homer (I was even yellow lol), bout 6 months after getting out if intensive care I decide fuck it, I need to get back in to playing & what better than a 72hr milsim on a woodland site in late September or early October ?.

Wife said I was barmy, talk about baptism of fire but to me it was a kinda rite of passage game, had to do it for "myself" if you know what I mean.

Anyway, very immersive game, everything needed was carried in large gs Bergen, typically weather was shite for lot of it, when it wasn't raining it was cold etc etc, & I was part of a team of about 16, on the run throughout the weekender while being pursued by much larger hunter force (bout 40 ?).

Not gonna lie, was on my chinstraps a few times, on the run/wet/cold/tired etc, but didn't want to quit, thing is there was only one guy my age on my team, everybody else was literally half our age, including some serving squaddies, at least 2 of which had driven from Germany for the game ffs.

By the end of it we were down to about 7, everybody crying off with feeble excuses.

Afterwards few of us headed to McD's, in civvies but filthy with cam cream still on necks, ears & in beards lol, & I say to one of the guys who'd driven from Germany (his mate had quit), "did you wobble at all ?", his reply was "loadsa times but if you old gits were keeping going, id have been shown up".

I'm sure theres a moral there somewhere lol

Wow glad you made a recovery from that mate.

 

[Druid799]

No where near that severity but 6wks ago ? Was at a game , and by lunchtime was limping a bit couple of times had players come up to me with looks of concern on there faces asking if I was ok ? (as in “the old man must have hurt him self!) I turn round and say “nah I’m fine I had knee surgery 2wks ago so it’s pulling a bit” (had a bucket handle tear of the cartilage repaired , re-surfacing of the patella and a repair to the PCL tendon) and there looks of concern change too looks of horror with multiple comments asking why I was there and not laided up at home .?

pain is an old friend , just crack on ! ?

Wow glad you made a recovery from that mate.

He walked it off ! ?

?????

 

[Countryman]

I started out with a Blackhawk assault vest and drop leg kit that I had picked up on my travels buckshee. In my first couple of games I couldnt feel anything. I was in juggernaut mode. Definitely something I will wear for CQB but not in woodland.

I rapidly swapped to a lightweight webbing set. Suits me perfectly. I can feel my hits and carry what I need. (I likes grenades) 

My kid whacked on an Osprey vest and was uncomfortable and hot. I bought him a really cheap Plate Carrier and it was just perfect for him with a few mag pouches and pistol holster. Think of it as Assault Vest light.

Protection. Totally secondary in airsoft.

 

[Tackle]

pain is an old friend , just crack on ! ?

View attachment 36087

 

[Adolf Hamster]

Its actually really good, no movement at all, prob helped by the fact I run 4 TacTailor short 7.62 mag shingles on it, they technically are a smidge wider than 2 molle rows, but I squeeze 4 pouches on 8 rows of molle, this gives the rig a "figure hugging" curve & rigidity, they work with m4 & m14 mags, plus I run an inverted serpa & leaves room for 1 last m4 shingle with a twin pistol mag on top of it, which is just above my left hip, as a super lightweight non restrictive set up I've found nothing better.

Talk to gazmeister, he's copied it & I believe he's loving it.

Edit: heres pic of gaz's, couldn't find one of mine, will have a hunt around

View attachment 36077

Heres a crape old pic of mine, squinting at it I can see its got all m4 shingles, changed to the 7.62 shorter shingles since, works even betterer ?

where'd you get the bandolier? i've been contemplating that a bandolier might be a nice way of mag carrying for my russian loadout (which is aimed at being ultra lightweight so if i need to go heavier i can keep the lot on and grab the mg)

would be nice as i'm running it on a hicap atm which is the work of the devil.....

 

[Tackle]

Mine came from ebaybanned at least 12 years ago, good copy of a discontinued Blackhawk one, only one I've seen that looks close to it is this one, dirt cheap on eBay:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Airsoft-Molle-Chest-Rig-OTS-Platform-6-Colors-BK-CP-TAN-BROWN/111655596183?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&var=410666840751&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649

I think its the one gazmeister has & I believe he's very happy with it.

Hope that helps.

Mark

 

[Druid799]

I like a plate carrier , but as others have said there prone to getting over loaded (we’ve all been there , there’s space I’m filling it ! ?‍) SO back beginning of the yr I was looking around for a small light weight one and I came across this one on TaiwanGun , bought it , it arrived was very impressed with the quality for the price and since then I’ve bought 4 more in different colours , and if you get some of the pouches aswell you can put together a nice little carrier for under 30 quid ! Now don’t get me wrong this ain’t no Blackhawk! Rig ! ? BUT for the price I think there an excellent purchase and as plenty have said “you don’t need ballistic in Airsoft !” ??

http://www.taiwangun.com/en/plate-carriers/simple-plate-carrier-with-dummy-soft-armor-inserts-black-8fields?from=listing&campaign-id=19

 

[Aengus]

LARP. Take away from gameplay imo would rather have them banned unless they were necessary due to health issues etc.

 

[AshOnSnow]

Molle space. And extra weight if like me you make good use of airsoft as fun fitness training - I filled hollow dummy plates with concrete and put them in when I’m playing the ridge. Started when I was training for RAF, but when that didn’t work out, I just carried on. Great workout on the thighs. I need a carrier rather than a rig anyway since I like to carry my pistol and radio on my chest, so a wide carrier works really well.

 

[Seven]

I get why people wear them. Realistic look etc.

For some people, looking the business is just as, if not more, important as playing the game, especially in the hardcore milsim circles.

But, from a relative outsiders opinion, I think if they have thick padding foam or hard plastic inserts that stop you feeling hits then they need to be removed for play and inserted for photos.

Again, im an outsider going to play my first game day this Sunday so feel free to educate me, but im dreading the day someone's BB hits me somewhere and I don't see, hear or feel it. I'll feel shite.

Some people don't share my concern though... Cest la vie!

 

[Aengus]

But, from a relative outsiders opinion, I think if they have thick padding foam or hard plastic inserts that stop you feeling hits then they need to be removed for play and inserted for photos.

Ah so naive, yet to encounter the oh so common I didn't feel it plate carrier twat ?

 

[MisterG]

I can't feel the hits against my Osprey vest, but I can easily hear them. 

I enjoy wearing it when it is less than 10 degrees out, keeps me warm enough, provides good lumbar support, and has loads of pouches and takes the weight of the sling.

And matches the rest of the outfit ?

Cheers

G

 

[Duff]

Molle space. And extra weight if like me you make good use of airsoft as fun fitness training - I filled hollow dummy plates with concrete and put them in when I’m playing the ridge. Started when I was training for RAF, but when that didn’t work out, I just carried on. Great workout on the thighs. I need a carrier rather than a rig anyway since I like to carry my pistol and radio on my chest, so a wide carrier works really well.

Concrete? I mean... nah I got nothin' man...?

I get why people wear them. Realistic look etc.

For some people, looking the business is just as, if not more, important as playing the game, especially in the hardcore milsim circles.

But, from a relative outsiders opinion, I think if they have thick padding foam or hard plastic inserts that stop you feeling hits then they need to be removed for play and inserted for photos.

They do have a certain look and even when I swore blind I wouldn't become a geardo I now have a spare room full of this shit!

I removed my plates cos they made taking it on and off awkward. (I put it on like a pullover, as I am too lazy to pull all the velcro apart to put it on and off) I was going to put some bedroll inserts in but I think I'll just run it empty. I have mags and a pistol and a hydration bladder rigged on it so it has enough weight not to flap all up in my face like yer grannies tittays!