Chest rig vs belt rig

[harrym]

Hi guys. First proper post here, hoping to get some advice. I did a quick search but nothing much turned up.

I'm just starting out and am wondering about what to buy for my loadout: chest rig vs a belt.

Mostly, I want to make sure that whatever I get won't limit my movement too much. I want to be able to sprint, and to be able to go prone, crawl through undergrowth & bushes, and stuff like that.

It's not clear to me what would be best - what's less likely to get caught on stuff? What's going to flap around more and be annoying if I'm sprinting to cover? Should I go for a crossdraw vest or a thigh holster for the pistol?

I have seen people with gigantic chest rigs that look great but I can tell would be a total pain for my playstyle (foetal though it may be). I rarely see belts full of kit, which makes me wonder if there's some disadvantage I haven't thought of.

So what do you think? Should I go for something like *RETAILER LINK REMOVED*, or something more like the police have?

Thanks in advance!

Edited to add: Forgot to say that I'll be carrying a few high/mid caps for my m4, a pistol and a few pistol mags, a dump bag, and occasionally some pyro.

[Jelliffe99]

Re: Chest rig vs belt rig

I would suggest a chest rig for easy access to mags

[Machaon]

Re: Chest rig vs belt rig

It's horses for courses. If you're going to be crawling through the undergrowth, then I should think a belt (with harnesses to spread the weight evenly) would probably be your best bet. With a belt kit you need to be more brutal about what you take out with you, and what you leave back at the safe zone, simply because you won't have the space to take the kitchen sink.

If your local site games are long, or all-day affairs, or you're very trigger happy, you're really going to need all the mags you can bear to carry. If they're usually, not more than an hour long, you may get away with less.

If you're going for a belt, go with either a hip holster or drop leg. Drop legs tend to work loose, swing around a bit, and are too fiddly for a quick draw (unless you've got a Serpa). But they'll probably give you a bit more room on your belt for more pouches.

I personally find hip holsters a little awkward to draw from, but they won't flap around as much.

If I had your playing style, I'd have a belt with harnesses, with three mags on the left, three on the right, and at the back I'd have a utility pouch and maybe a double pistol pouch. On my dominant side I'd have my pistol in a Serpa holster, on a drop-leg platform, and on my other side I'd have a drop-leg platform with a dump pouch.

[Bump]

Re: Chest rig vs belt rig

I'd go with a chest rig, everything is that little bit closer then which can always make a difference.

[Rainbow6]

Re: Chest rig vs belt rig

I used to use a molle vest but have just gone over to a belt rig (mags on the left, drink and speedloader / spare high cap on the right and spare ammo etc around the back - nough room for 5 magson the rig). Ive only used it once but so far its made movement a hell of a lot easier. I tend to use it when wearing just tan combats and polo shirt but then go back to vest when wearing full multicam. I only spent £15 on my belt set up as I had all the pouches on my molle vest so was easy to swap.

If crawling then dont go for a holster that is front mounted - got for a belt or leg one

[Razur]

Re: Chest rig vs belt rig

I would use the chest rig, you can get good light ones which can carry enough mags without weighing you down for too much for cheap as chips!

[bigshep]

Re: Chest rig vs belt rig

1: you can't link to other traders here.

2: For your first vest, get a viper vest. Looks like the the one you linked and can be had for £20-30 and works well for airsoft. If you want a crossdraw then look at a webtex vest, which is around £40

viper vest up to 12 m4 mags and other bits, has belt to add dump pouch to
http://www.zerooneairsoft.com/produc...roducts_id=351

available in loads of colours

webtex vest (not in stock, but you what you get, and can search other retailers, if they existed, which they obviously don't)
http://www.zerooneairsoft.com/produc...roducts_id=908

dump pouch is about a tenner and slides on the belt

lot cheaper than shelling out £120+ for your first vest

want a belt rig, have a look at PLCE, worked well for the army for shed loads of years and is as light or heavy as you make it. I use 4x double m4 mag pouches for mags (6) and a bag of bb's and a spare battery, and one utility pouch for water.

[FraGGer224]

Re: Chest rig vs belt rig

i suppose everybody has a different opinion
I used a Viper vest when i started off and then looked into a chest rig, then decided to get a viper molle belt
i have everything i need on there
all on the side and back so i can lie and crawl comfortably.
i have a 4 mag quick draw pouch on the left ( to avoid the vlcro giving away my position and also i use high cappa mags)
droppleg dump pouch droppleg pistol on the other
and a utility pouch and another dump pouch at the back and some pistol mag pouches on the right side
i dump the mag in the pouch and quickly draw the next from the side... speed is no issue to be honest. the whole set cost me as much as a whole rig would.

reasons i changed from a vest to belt
quick access, personally dont see a diff in speed
i can move around more, rigs and vests are kinda stiff and limit the amount of movement
i do feel a difference in speed though, alot faster
i would recomend a belt as i used both and decided whats better for me.
the only downside is you feel the BB's more (nipple shot><)
and u cant really carry a camelback unless you get a with a harnest that has molle on the back... then again the harnest might limit you again

but in the end of the day it's what you would prefere.
maybe buy a belt (quite cheap) and the pouches you need and try it out and then brow a plate carrier of someone and give that a go to see what suits you more

[heroshark]

Re: Chest rig vs belt rig

I've been perfecting my kit for years, and decided on both .I was running just my belt but I got some braces and some extra strapping and modded a little bit to take molle pouches on the front I also got a couple of drop legs for my mags if I'm running a rifle. Helps spread the load, so theres only gear on the hips and not on the front n back of the belt .Heres a pic.

[BringOnThunder]

I have both, ricas for my m4 and belt for my shotgun, I would hate to try set my belt up for my m4 as even with just my pistol and shotgun I have filled it! I think they do work well but you have to refine what you carry a LOT!

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