Any battle belt converts out there who have ditched the vest/plate carrier?

[ruskitseller]

Hi lads,

 

I am thinking about moving over to the battle belt to distribute weight away from an old and persistent injury. Has anyone converted and never gone back? I did wonder about it pushing the trousers down a bit, but thought some tactical suspenders (careful now! 🤣) will help with that just in case.

 

Any pros and cons, pics of your set up appreciated.

 

Cheers

Edited Monday at 12:57 by ruskitseller

[BigStew]

I did run just a battle belt but there was a trouser issue even with braces so I went to running a chest rig and belt 

[Tackle]

As well as airsoft I've applied my irl experience to this, nearly 40 years ago we didn't have plate carriers, it was 58 pattern, essentially belt & braces kit, but the materials were heavy & got heavier when wet, so I remember switching to belt kit, mainly yank equipment, when ever I could get away with it, army rules & regs etc meant anything involving above platoon or maybe company level would get you a bollocking or worse.

Back then the belts weren't padded, but I had a waist, & blousing your smock gave you a bit of padding to stop things rubbing, assuming you weren't overloading your belt order.

 

Fast forward to when I started airsofting, PC was one of my first purchases, but I soon realised that unless your fitter than a butchers dog, wrapping your core in all that heavy duty nylon/corduroy will soon have you sweating like Jimmy Saville in an orphanage,  plus all that molle MUST be filled, it's the law, so i soon changed to chest rig, type with an open back & not too much coverage on the front, bulle mle remains my favourite,  although I've got plenty of others.

Still trying to get back in to belt rigs but middle age spread has meant I've lost a defined waist, so unless I run it super tight (which aggravates my dodgy lower back) it will slip down a bit.

Alternatively, grab bags, or looking at helikon tmr etc could be a consideration, smaller rigs will force you to reconsider what you carry in game, which in turn should alleviate some of the pressure on you back.

IMHO🤔

[JinxDuh]

Real men carry mags in their pockets 💪

[Impulse]

I use just a belt kit for most of my setups, but I have a proper harness for it so it's like a webbing kit; it's the Warrior Assault Systems PLB belt with the molle harness. It's all molle (and it is ALL FILLED, Mr. @Tackle, because that is the law), but I can still carry everything I need on it. For me, this is 2x double pistol mag pouches, 2x double .308 mag pouches, two medium vertical utility pouches and a medium horizontal utility pouch, all arranged symmetrically for weight distribution, with a water bottle pouch (for HPA tank or gas bottle) and radio pouch on the back and my antenna, headset, PTT and HPA line if applicable all threaded through the back molle and shoulder straps. It lets me go prone, crawl around and get nice and low to the ground which is very useful for sniping, but I still have plenty of space for everything I need on it.

 

The only guns I use a chest rig these days with is my MWSs, because while I can carry 6x MWS mags in those two double .308 mag pouches, plus 4 spare pistol mags in the two double pistol mag pouches, that much weight all on the belt kit around my waist is a bit rubbish and moves about more than I'd like.

[ruskitseller]

24 minutes ago, Tackle said:

As well as airsoft I've applied my irl experience to this, nearly 40 years ago we didn't have plate carriers, it was 58 pattern, essentially belt & braces kit, but the materials were heavy & got heavier when wet, so I remember switching to belt kit, mainly yank equipment, when ever I could get away with it, army rules & regs etc meant anything involving above platoon or maybe company level would get you a bollocking or worse.

Back then the belts weren't padded, but I had a waist, & blousing your smock gave you a bit of padding to stop things rubbing, assuming you weren't overloading your belt order.

 

Fast forward to when I started airsofting, PC was one of my first purchases, but I soon realised that unless your fitter than a butchers dog, wrapping your core in all that heavy duty nylon/corduroy will soon have you sweating like Jimmy Saville in an orphanage,  plus all that molle MUST be filled, it's the law, so i soon changed to chest rig, type with an open back & not too much coverage on the front, bulle mle remains my favourite,  although I've got plenty of others.

Still trying to get back in to belt rigs but middle age spread has meant I've lost a defined waist, so unless I run it super tight (which aggravates my dodgy lower back) it will slip down a bit.

Alternatively, grab bags, or looking at helikon tmr etc could be a consideration, smaller rigs will force you to reconsider what you carry in game, which in turn should alleviate some of the pressure on you back.

IMHO🤔

Cheers for all that mate. Yeah a lot of the lads would chin their kit off back to the cheery QM and almost always buy jayjays (et al) PLCE stuff which had more padding, permanent stitching and fitted better. The gen 4 was very popular and a hefty (but worth it) investment.

 

I am a skinny runt anyway, just a bit decrepit and inept. I can still carry weight but might just run a Ferro Chesty. Maybe a bit of both!

Edited Monday at 13:10 by ruskitseller

[Tackle]

12 minutes ago, JinxDuh said:

Real men carry mags in their pockets 💪

There's definitely an element of truth to that, I mainly use single shot, so can often get away with 1 or 2 hicaps for most of a gameday, & while I always start with some sort of load carrying equipment the break at lunchtime leaves me feeling more knackered than if I'd played through, so I'll often ditch the LCE & play on with one in the gun & another in my pocket.

[ruskitseller]

15 minutes ago, JinxDuh said:

Real men carry mags in their pockets 💪

It is true. Solo made a cool smock for that. Built in dump pouch too. 

https://camouflagestore.uk/products/solo-lrp-smock

Edited Monday at 13:08 by ruskitseller

[JimFromHorsham]

Guess it depends what you need to carry really , where and for how long ? 
 

imo there’s no better weight distribution than a well fitting plate carrier , but if you are spending most of your time on your belly in the woods then a belt kit makes more sense . 

[ruskitseller]

4 minutes ago, JimFromHorsham said:

Guess it depends what you need to carry really , where and for how long ? 
 

imo there’s no better weight distribution than a well fitting plate carrier , but if you are spending most of your time on your belly in the woods then a belt kit makes more sense . 

Good question. I tend to play milsim-like-recce role, normally in a brick. I normally take light kit (camelbak, snacks and gat. I am on my belt buckle a fair bit so that's one of the reasons I thought a belt would be better than chest rig too. 

Edited Monday at 13:14 by ruskitseller

[JimFromHorsham]

Just now, ruskitseller said:

Good question. I tend to play milsim-like-recce role. I normally take a lot out with me including a backpack, but overall its light kit and gat. I am on my belt buckle a fair bit so that's one of the reasons I thought a belt would be better than chest rid too. 

most woodland games I’ll run a chest rig and a pistol on the trouser belt , usually a split front chest rig so if you end up prone for a while you can split the front for a bit more comfort , these types usually give a decent bit of wrap as well so utility stuff ends up under the armpits but with most of the weight forward lower back pain can come on strong . Belt kits have their place for long extended games and especially if you need to carry a pack too , but if you spend a lot of time prone again it can be awkward for the reach around ( ooh err )

 

really depends how much you need to carry , I run Mid & low caps , usually 6 on the rig & one in the gun and like moving around so need to carry enough , but also get to them quite quickly and a belt kit bouncing around doesn’t do it for me. 

 

I’ll say this as well , and it may sound odd but a well fitted plate carrier with some actual weight in it ( dummy or real weighted plates ) is way more comfortable for extended use than a nylon bag with foam in it and all your oddments scattered over it . 
 

 

[Tackle]

27 minutes ago, ruskitseller said:

 I am on my belt buckle a fair bit 

If anyone ever see's me on my belly during a game, please remember to come & wake me at endex,  cos with my knees once I'm down I ain't getting up in a hurry😴

[strykerles]

I used to run an osprey vest when i first started but it got much too hot when moving around

 

when i switched to more eastern gear I started using a smersh yoke and belt similar to the one in the picture but with a slimmer molle style belt

 

Also use braces under my shirt to help with falling down trousers 🤣

Edited Monday at 13:45 by strykerles

[Impulse]

16 minutes ago, JimFromHorsham said:

Belt kits have their place for long extended games and especially if you need to carry a pack too , but if you spend a lot of time prone again it can be awkward for the reach around ( ooh err )

 

Definitely something to be said on this and it's why I run a symmetrical setup on my belt kit. It allows me to have both pistol mags and rifle mags in places that aren't too awkward to reach, as if they're too far back it is very awkward and the movement can easily give away your position

 

And as has been said already, split rigs are also really useful, especially since it sounds like your playstyle is similar to mine. Those are the chest rigs I use with my MWSs, because it allows me to unclip the front and push it aside so I can still get low to the ground. I have the Condor Ronin chest rig and the hydro harness and it works really nicely.

[Tackle]

I've tried the tactical braces for my trousers, but can be difficult to get just right, too loose & I'm still pulling my trousers up, too tight & I end up with a painful cameltoe when I bend over🐪😭

[rj1986]

1 hour ago, JinxDuh said:

Real men carry mags in their pockets 💪

Dunno about you, i just carry BB's in my cheeks like a hamster, and spit them directly into a mag

[Amokura]

For the context of Airsoft. I like to run two configs for LBE.

 

1. Plate carrier (6B46) with battlebelt + light harness. Most weight on the belt

 

2. Only load-bearing vest such as smersh, PLCE, 6Sh117 with the majority of weight and volume distributed around the hips and waist.

 

https://youtu.be/m8_fvqWSEXs?si=dDkWkcp_iPMO5gql

 

https://youtu.be/Qhxz7vEuVb8?si=GtzTTuJXhhBUMKak

Edited Monday at 15:40 by Amokura

[HuttArmouries]

I used to run carriers but these days if im running an lmg I just use a belt and if im running any of my rifles I have a selection of super cheap chest rigs and one nicer one for if I ever decide to go on a milsim. I mostly run stuff like chicom repros from china because at £15 each with a bit of sewing I can have one for each type of mag and they are reasonably nice bits of kit. 

[AK47frizzle]

I went to battle belt for a few years but then eventually went back to the old d3rcm chest rig because:

 

1. Chest rig holds more

2. Easier to grab stuff from chest

3. Doesnt bob up and down as much when running, big one for me

4. Uneven weight distribution on a chest rig is well supported. On a belt, I normally have a utility pouch for extra bbs, co2 etc that ends up being heavier which makes one part of the belt droop down further and feels uncomfortable.

[ruskitseller]

1 hour ago, Amokura said:

For the context of Airsoft. I like to run two configs for LBE.

 

1. Plate carrier (6B46) with battlebelt + light harness. Most weight on the belt

 

2. Only load-bearing vest such as smersh, PLCE, 6Sh117 with the majority of weight and volume distributed around the hips and waist.

 

https://youtu.be/m8_fvqWSEXs?si=dDkWkcp_iPMO5gql

 

https://youtu.be/Qhxz7vEuVb8?si=GtzTTuJXhhBUMKak

Good interesting vids thanks mate. I used to run a smersh many moons ago when I was in a big team. Good stuff. 

 

He is right about fitting the gear to the day/night. I think the old adage sums it up, its the soldier that makes the gear - not the gear that makes the soldier. You don't always need all the bells and whistles to make a good loadout. 

 

Edited Monday at 17:34 by ruskitseller

[ButcherBill]

Well...

 

I started with an old set of 58 pattern coz it's what I wore in the TA but remembered how bloody heavy it was so got a set of PLCE in DPM which was fine until I thought 'Osprey looks cool', after wearing a set of Mk4 for one game I thought 'holy shit how can people wear this?', I then bought a battle belt with a six point yoke which suited me fine until I went GBBR ish and realised I needed loads of mags and pouches for them but once I was game ready I realised most of the mags were out of reach most of the time, I stuck with the belt until an alice set took my fancy but the mag pouches don't sit right with either 20 rnd or 30 rnd pouches, the US influence stayed & I went all ACU with an FLC which I was delighted with coz it fitted my AMPLE frame, I then went all OCD and got more ACU from Germany & the US with a TAP but it's too front heavy when magged up so I got an old issued DPM chest rig off ebay & it's the comfiest & most practical for me (so far), holds all the mags I want & I've fitted a holster to the short & only bit of belt it has.

 

Basically the biggest hinderance to any kit I've tried is my fat gut & the chest rig sits on/above it nicely.

 

p.s. as a fat lad I've had to modify every bit of field gear except the ACU (US army must cater for fatties) & the DPM chest rig.

p.p.s. at some point of all that nonsense I got some Bundeswehr field gear in case I ever took my G36 or G3 to a game but I've not used it or them yet.

p.p.ps. the ACU cost a fortune in postage so I'm unlikely to use them in game.

 

p.p.p.p.s. thank god I'm a collector.

[MrTea]

Depends on where i'm playing and, sometimes, the RIF i'm using.

I've found that i'm much more comfortable with a belt & yoke setup when playing outdoors as it lets me get flatter while not obscuring magazines for a reload but dislike the extra width when playing indoors CQB so I run a chest rig for that instead. After selling my last webbing setup, i've wanted another so i've been building a new one in MC Tropic ready for when I can get back outdoors next. Just need to find some MC Tropic M4 pouches.

As for RIF, the only comfortable way i've found to store P90 mags is in the specific pouches that Viper make from a belt setup. The mags do fit in a chest rig but the length means i'm close to hitting myself in the chin with the mag.

Edited Monday at 19:53 by MrTea

[ruskitseller]

2 hours ago, ButcherBill said:

Well...

 

I started with an old set of 58 pattern coz it's what I wore in the TA but remembered how bloody heavy it was so got a set of PLCE in DPM which was fine until I thought 'Osprey looks cool', after wearing a set of Mk4 for one game I thought 'holy shit how can people wear this?', I then bought a battle belt with a six point yoke which suited me fine until I went GBBR ish and realised I needed loads of mags and pouches for them but once I was game ready I realised most of the mags were out of reach most of the time, I stuck with the belt until an alice set took my fancy but the mag pouches don't sit right with either 20 rnd or 30 rnd pouches, the US influence stayed & I went all ACU with an FLC which I was delighted with coz it fitted my AMPLE frame, I then went all OCD and got more ACU from Germany & the US with a TAP but it's too front heavy when magged up so I got an old issued DPM chest rig off ebay & it's the comfiest & most practical for me (so far), holds all the mags I want & I've fitted a holster to the short & only bit of belt it has.

 

Basically the biggest hinderance to any kit I've tried is my fat gut & the chest rig sits on/above it nicely.

 

p.s. as a fat lad I've had to modify every bit of field gear except the ACU (US army must cater for fatties) & the DPM chest rig.

p.p.s. at some point of all that nonsense I got some Bundeswehr field gear in case I ever took my G36 or G3 to a game but I've not used it or them yet.

p.p.ps. the ACU cost a fortune in postage so I'm unlikely to use them in game.

 

p.p.p.p.s. thank god I'm a collector.

Nice one Butcher that's a great collection mate and thanks for sharing. I wonder...if you could only be stuck with one for the rest of your life, which one would it be?  

Cheers mate!

[ButcherBill]

25 minutes ago, ruskitseller said:

if you could only be stuck with one for the rest of your life, which one would it be?

At my current massiveness I'd say the DPM chestrig but if I was a slimmer & fitter person I'd say the Mk4 Osprey but that's because I'd like to be more milsimy. I do like the idea of using the ACU FLC but tbh it's crappy cam for a Scottish forest (MTP is crappy too), old school DPM PLCE would be my go to if I could only pick one.

Edited Monday at 21:04 by ButcherBill

[EvilMonkee]

I love my SMERSH, really comfy, loads of room and storage.  Being ex mil meself, I too prefer not having anything on my chest.  If I do, its usually a Chicom style rig purely for extra mags as a GBBR user.