Chest rigs with rear carry capacity

[Gunboat Diplomat]

The short version is I want carry capacity for 4-6 M4 mags, a grenade, radio, speedloader and odds and sods with the facility to carry a HPA tank on my back. Plate carriers naturally fit this bill, but I dislike the idea of their bulk and heat retention, plus if I’m honest I find them a bit silly for Airsoft since I don’t need armour. 
 

Any decent chest rigs that have a rear mounted pack for a tank?

[Tackle]

Warrior used to do a molle back panel that worked with their line of chest rigs at the time, not sure if still available now ? (If they are, ive got an awesome dar rig in OD that would suit ?)

Alternatively, look for a chest rig, such as a bullet mle or similar that has the small molle panel on the yoke approximately between the shoulder blades, you could then fit a full length bladder pouch that has molle on the exterior, gives you a large pouch for a bottle & ample molle for some extra pouches ?

[Impulse]

I used one of these for my HPA m14. Condor split rig with the hydro harness

https://www.military1st.co.uk/mcr7-001-condor-ronin-chest-rig-olive-drab.html

https://www.military1st.co.uk/242-001-condor-hydro-harness-olive-drab.html

 

Worked well for me. I don't tend to use it much these days as I don't use HPA any more and would rather have a backpack I can take on and off for my gas, ammo, water etc.

[Gunboat Diplomat]

Cheers, good suggestions. Warrior 901 with the back panel add on looks like all the capacity of a plate carrier without the bulk so that has gone to the top of my list. No stock of Ranger green so I might end up with boring multicam though. 

[Tackle]

1 hour ago, Impulse said:

I used one of these for my HPA m14. Condor split rig with the hydro harness

https://www.military1st.co.uk/mcr7-001-condor-ronin-chest-rig-olive-drab.html

https://www.military1st.co.uk/242-001-condor-hydro-harness-olive-drab.html

 

Worked well for me. I don't tend to use it much these days as I don't use HPA any more and would rather have a backpack I can take on and off for my gas, ammo, water etc.

I've got a 3 of the condor hydro packs too, great kit, make rigs more comfy, but not much molle on them which is a shame.

Or is it ?, I'd probably overload it then lol 🤔

[Tommikka]

Wrong thread

 

Edited Saturday at 15:46 by Tommikka

[Lyndication]

Fair points, but also wrong thread?

 

I just think Rhodie paintjobs look like shit tbh.

[Adolf Hamster]

Worth looking at some of the more old school load carrying gear, the butt pack on them can be handy for hpa.

 

Alternately a gutted camelbak or similar small backpack then carry the rest of your accoutrements de guerre using your preferred method.

[EvilMonkee]

South African Assault Vest

[Cannonfodder]

It's not a chest rig but have you looked at the SADF M83 assault vest? The original ones are almost bomb proof and they have loads of pouches for magazines and other bits and bobs along with a pouch on the back. Just avoid the viper copies

Edited Saturday at 18:23 by Cannonfodder

[EvilMonkee]

6 hours ago, Cannonfodder said:

It's not a chest rig but have you looked at the SADF M83 assault vest? The original ones are almost bomb proof and they have loads of pouches for magazines and other bits and bobs along with a pouch on the back. Just avoid the viper copies

originals are really expensive, been looking for one myself

[Cannonfodder]

6 hours ago, EvilMonkee said:

originals are really expensive, been looking for one myself

Bloody hell they've gone up, just had a quick look and the cheapest I could find was £110.

[Danhc92]

Qore has a chest rig compatible pack panel for their ice plate which has molle on it for additional pouches. And has the added bonus of keeping you cool.

https://www.qoreperformance.com/collections/iceplate-exo/products/iceplate-backpack

 

Or a haley strategic flatback, which is a low profile pack that integrates with chest rigs?

https://haleystrategic.com/flatpack

[Lyndication]

4 hours ago, Cannonfodder said:

Bloody hell they've gone up, just had a quick look and the cheapest I could find was £110.

 

They got really fashionable in the US for a while after Admin and Vickers made a load of videos about them. Kommandostore made really expensive repros, and the surp market started upping the prices to match them.

 

Apparently they're popular with Rhodesia enjoyers despite being introduced a half-decade after Rhodesia collapsed.

[Lozart]

On 08/11/2025 at 08:35, Gunboat Diplomat said:

Cheers, good suggestions. Warrior 901 with the back panel add on looks like all the capacity of a plate carrier without the bulk so that has gone to the top of my list. No stock of Ranger green so I might end up with boring multicam though. 

 

I have the 901 with a back panel, and yes, it has ALL the capacity. All I would say is that while it is a chest rig, it is quite well padded and can still be quite bulky and sweaty (despite having "spacer mesh" type backing).

 

Most of the Spiritus Mk3 or 4 or the Haley DC3R type chest rigs will let you attach it to a MAP style assault pack (there's loads of knock offs floating around). The pack straps basically replace the chest rig straps.

 

Alternatively, take a look at the WTF stuff. They started out making tacticool gear for paintball so they have a number of air tanks specific pouches and packs (including a 13ci pouch that will sit horizintally on your belt if you want to get shot of the backpack completely). They do a range of modular chest rigs, and having used their gear, I would vouch for it over Chinese Spiritus clones!

https://www.wtfidea.com/air-tank-pouches/

[Barny]

Not the best photo, but gives you an idea. Hueys/OPS Minimo has a small molle section on the H-pattern cross thingy bit on your back. Using two i think MHA plates to help stabilise the tank and the idogear GP pouch lashed with the included bungie resulted in a surprisingly comfy lightweight cool option. There are 3x 7.62 mags on the front placard, with wing space for one more either side. Dangler hanging below. 2x more mags on the belt with a grenade pouch (empty) too. 

 

Cant add photo??

[GeorgePlaysAirsoft]

platatac chicom y harness

 

https://platatac.com/products/platatac-chicom-y-harness?srsltid=AfmBOooOO5ez2ncW7WHtSevIYlrdMTJ_3kO2jz7rscyo8G4JZtxx8hxm

 

they do another one with more molle columns too.  

 

will work with platatac rigs obviously but also other ones that have a similar set up, here's my rig which is a spiritus "thing 2" replica 

Edited 22 hours ago by GeorgePlaysAirsoft

[Impulse]

2 hours ago, Lozart said:

I have the 901 with a back panel, and yes, it has ALL the capacity. All I would say is that while it is a chest rig, it is quite well padded and can still be quite bulky and sweaty (despite having "spacer mesh" type backing).

 

It also takes armour plates in the front, so it's kind of like a hybrid between chest rig and plate carrier. I actually really like them (though I would run it without the back panel), just a bit too expensive for me considering I already have a number of chest rigs and a nice expensive WAS plate carrier setup.

[Tackle]

16 minutes ago, Barny said:

 

Cant add photo??

Probably something to do with the imminent "upgrade", with a lot of features being migrated to the new set up ?

[ButcherBill]

39 minutes ago, GeorgePlaysAirsoft said:

platatac chicom y harness

 

https://platatac.com/products/platatac-chicom-y-harness?srsltid=AfmBOooOO5ez2ncW7WHtSevIYlrdMTJ_3kO2jz7rscyo8G4JZtxx8hxm

 

they do another one with more molle columns too.  

 

will work with platatac rigs obviously but also other ones that have a similar set up, here's my rig which is a spiritus "thing 2" replica 

How did you manage to upload a pic?

[Cannonfodder]

11 hours ago, ButcherBill said:

How did you manage to upload a pic?

Either he's already posted it here in the past or uploaded it from another website.

[lokkers]

If you're running 5.56, my recommendation would be a Warrior Pathfinder chest rig (can fit 6 mags plus a radio and something else), combined with either a Haley Strategic flatpack (gucci), a Viper flatpack clone (if you don't mind VCam), or a Pew Tactical flatpack (supposed to be one of the better repros).  

 

I run a D3CRM plus expanders with a flat pack during summer and it's a nice light setup