the hole in the middle in the webbing clips is so you can feed string through to create a quick pull to slacken off the webbing. My ancient CAF vet dad taught me that when i was wondering the same thing. This is a cool setup. I like the idea of being able to carry different types of mags, different amounts of water, different configurations
@@DefiantTacticalTnWell, I tried this. All of the PALS was too far back to be of use. On MY fat ass. 😂. I used to have the Condor battle belt, but all that bulk is murder down here in South Mississippi. The harness is good though. Works great with 550 loops on a LC2 belt.
@@nomadmarauder-dw9re didn't think about using loops of 550 cord. Good idea! I'd love to see what you came up with if you care to share on a video or something. Either way, good thinking. Yeah I'll tell you what, Southern humidity in the summer teaches you a very fast lesson about what's realistic to carry 😂 I see guys talking about wanting to run around in plate carriers and stuff and all I can say is f*** that 😂 I'd be a heat casualty before you can say the words 😂 Minimal, lightweight, suspender rigs and/or micro chest rigs are the way to go.
While I have a few plate carriers and they have their uses I have always preferred a belt rig or split front chest rig. I managed to snag 1940s BAR belt and shoulder straps from CIF during my first tour of duty in South Korea. I still have it and at the time CIF was still issuing the canvas 20 round mag pouches. It worked well with the 20 round magazines we drew out at unit supply. Second tour I swapped a bottle of Johnny with a South Korean soldier for another BAR belt and some other goodies. I wore it out in the field until around 1984/85. For some reason we had cases of 20 round magazines and very few 30s and the officers and senior NCOs took those. I still have both sets hanging in “my train room”. Split front chest rigs let you air out and are a lot more comfortable to grab sleep in.
That is awesome! I know equipment choices are driven by the kind of war that's being fought but it has been funny to watch modern equipment turn all the way back to belt kit after so many years that it had been considered "old." I'll have to look into the BAR belt. I have a USGI M1 cartridge belt, And while it's not my first choice obviously for other guns, if I had to run my M1 it would definitely do the job. Also, seems typical that the leaders would take the higher cap mags instead of letting the grunts that need them more have them 🙄 Thanks for the comment and for your time in the service!
@@DefiantTacticalTn We always seem to fight the last war and it bites us in the rear. The first people to get new or improved gear and uniforms always seems to be officers and WOGS. I finally was able to draw 30 round magazines when I PCSd to 8th Mech Infantry in Germany. 18 magazines of 5.56, plus two canteens may sound like a lot, but really isn’t and I certainly wouldn’t want to have to wear all that weight at my age. My son brought back his plate carrier with plates and magazines, that darn thing was heavy as heck and uncomfortable. Enjoyed your channel, subscribed and appreciate the thank you.
@@nomadmarauder-dw9re you know I read a book about SOG probably two decades ago and now that you mention it I vaguely remember it mentioning something along those lines. I've never used one but it must have been good kid.
@@DefiantTacticalTn Author name is Gary Linderer. Oopsie, he wasn't SOG but 101st LRRP. There are multiple volumes. So now I'm all confused. Anyway, I read it somewhere. LOL, there's been so many. Have you read any by Bruce Norton? He was a Corpsman with Marine recon.
@@DefiantTacticalTnHave you tried the belt with LBV 88? I like the FLC belt but I've got MOLLE pouches that I like better than Alice. I'll try it out. If it works I'll put an old belt on the FLC. The FLC belt is easier to adjust than the LC2. I know everybody seems to be going back to belt kit, but you really want to be careful with overloading it. We used to put big knives on trouser belt and adjust the gear to fit over. I spent time with some old Ranger types who carried Old Timer sharp finger knives on their H harness instead of K Bar or other big blades. Get the hard leather sheath! They also taught us that grenades are better than pistols or extra mags on the harness. Of course, they had been to VeetNyam. Anyway, nice video, y'all have a GOODN.
@@nomadmarauder-dw9re hey! I think the belt you are referring to is the ALICE pistol belt? I recall two generations of them, one with a metal hook shaped clip and the other later version with a large plastic fastex buckle. I have a fair amount of experience with those, not in the service or anything, but for a very long time I ran an LC2 rig for paintball. I still do in fact when I'm playing in the woods. You can put MOLLE pouches on it, but you'll either need to use ALICE-to-MOLLE adapters, or use some paracord to stop the pouches from sliding around. However, I don't think it would work well on the FLC. When the inner belt is worn on the FLC, the rest of the harness connects to the belt through the MOLLE webbing on the belt. Since there is no webbing on the ALICE belt, I'm not sure that would work so well. I totally agree with the problem of overloading belt kit, and actually any kit. I appreciate the tips from those you served around, it's important to keep that information alive as time goes on. And I'm reading between the lines that you also served, so thank you for that and stepping up to the plate! Cheers!
@@DefiantTacticalTn The advice came from my time at Mechondo school at North Fort Hood as cadre. 1976 It was like Recondo for Mech Infantry. After REFORGER the CO came around looking for recruits. I spent 6 weeks playing guerrilla. 2 of the guys were Rangers, and the CO had been on Hatchet teams. Best time in the Army. Sadly, my new Battalion CO wanted to know why one of his people was running around the woods without orders,etc. I found myself on charges for desertion! Last time I ever took a superior at their word.
@@juweikwen4030 thanks! Yes, balance is super important for this sort of gear. One of those things you might not notice to begin with, but a couple hours into wearing full kit you sure do 😂
Good layout. True a out having to take off to reach rear as I had to do to reach my medical gear and got into fire fight. Used similar layout for e&e in case I had dump my ruck. Used in Vietnam on recon missions.
@@ReinaldLPope You wound up in a firefight while you had your gear off to reach for medical equipment? Talk about bad timing 😂 I'd love to hear more about your experience if you feel up to sharing. Thank you for answering the call when the time came for the Vietnam War!
@@nighthawkshadows also keep the top part of the FLC around, you can make it a split rig chest rig of sorts. I'm going to do a video of one I built soon.
Like your kit, good mods. Better than carrying a rucksack. Waist/butt pack would be used for items I didn’t need frequently, like my backpack stove. Items I need really I keep in a front pouch and in my BDU pockets. That AF rig is neat too
Thanks! Yeah, the USAF rig is pretty cool. It's particularly interesting that while the army was trending further away from traditional LBE, the Air Force for some reason trended towards it. Makes me wonder if the job of USAF Security Forces involved a lot of foot patrolling, which would explain the LBE style rigs the USAF developed.
I have an alice kit setup and love it with the only downsides being the y strap to a degree for comfort, the mag pouches being still quite small compares to eagle mag pouches or those that you have. Next is the butt pouch, Ive yet to find one that is even slightly reasonably priced, and thats for the black hawk ones alone. Went with a rothco I sprayed with some couch water repellent spray, and then shoe gooed some of the weak stitching lines.
Very nice. Definitely consider looking into a h harness to replace that y harness. As for the mag pouches, I think the Alice triple mag pouches are about the same size as the universal mag pouches I have mounted in this video, are they not? The only thing is that the universal ones can be cinched down to hold less, while the Alice mag pouch is fixed. As for the butt pack, That's definitely a struggle. The repro ones are not always great and the USGI ones you can find are not always cheap. Hopefully you can find something that does the job or swap out for a waist pack like in the video.
You could increase storage capacity on the belt by placing a 2 liter bottle at the center of the sipine in a hydration sack supported by the two vetical straps eliminating the canteens from the belt. Adding tubing with bite valve up front you also gain on the go hydration, not having to stop, remove, use and replace a canteen. With the water stored at the center of your spine, you significantly reduce the side to side thrusting motion of perhaps your heaviest load.
Hey thanks for the suggestion. I do have the ability to run a CamelBak if I want to. I'd likely run a separate backpack so that I can easily add or remove it from my kit. I could either go with a thin Camelback or one a little bit of storage depending on what I'm doing. But if I'm being honest, I hate camelbacks. I know they're ubiquitous now, but I just can't stand sipping from the hose. Especially when I'm working hard or in a lot of heat I want to be able to drink rapidly and I just prefer drinking from a canteen. Doesn't mean I wouldn't if, for example, I needed the additional storage space of those canteen / GP pouches for additional sustainment gear or something. It's just that if I have the choice, I would take a couple of canteens over a Camelback any day.
I was looking to make this exact rig w my flc belt, those other rigs were very cool. I have a og camelback assault pack, I think I may be able to combine the flc vest with that, to make a SADF style battle jacket.
Thanks very much! I have slowed down a bit while figuring out how to use a new go pro camera but have some more footage to put up this week hopefully!!!
I've had ALICE gear for 40 years and now have just about everything that is issued in MOLLE II with the exception any Air Force issued gear. I have several FLCs and just got a TAP panel. I like the fact that with your example I can integrate ALICE and MOLLE II gear to make something unique. Thanks for sharing.
@@steveturner3999 thanks! I'm glad you liked it. It kind of is sort of a best of both worlds in some ways. What do you think of the TAP? I have one too, I don't know if I've done a video on it. I think it's a little too big to be a real chest rig, but I like wearing it a little bit lower over my belly. I like the built-in mag pouches, and I don't like having a whole lot right over the center. Gets bulky fast.
@@DefiantTacticalTn I agree with you about wearing the TAP lower down. I like it overall as it gives you options and can be "tricked out" like any of the load carrying gear. I’m so glad for UA-cam in that it can put people together from all over to share their ideas and actually show the results of their ingenuity. Thanks again for sharing yours.
How do you dye your pouches and what are they? Guessing USMC surplus because it's all one flat color instead of a pattern. I'd love to do this to some of my kit so it doesn't stick out so much when worn.
Most of that gear started life as army surplus UCP, believe it or not. I used Rust-Oleum camo colors from Walmart! It worked really well, though with enough scrubbing it will rub off a little. No matter, easy to reapply or change for changing seasons.
@@DefiantTacticalTn Really, just straight up spray paint? I've used that on other stuff but haven't tried it on any nylon or anything. That's really the biggest reason I asked honestly. They practically sell UCP by the pound and dying or painting it into something usable would be really cost effective. Awesome stuff, thank you so much!
Same as you, I don't like my G-gear. I can't say why. I just kinda don't. I run a flc, but I guess that's cause my first line rarely changes while my pack and sustainment always changes.
Isn't it strange the U.S. MILITARY went away from the H-harness? The earliest H-harness kits in Vietnam were way better than the Y-HARNESS. the Airforce GWOT YRS H-harness is a fantastic setup it's padded shoulders & waist pluss its split in front and the pals back panel for packs/pouches . Thanks for sharing ❤
Really glad you liked this! What kind of rig do you use? And I definitely agree. Our experience with belt kit dating back to World War II and possibly before all indicated that the h harness was extremely effective. The switch to the Y harness doesn't make any sense except perhaps to save a little bit on nylon cost. I'm sure somewhere a document exists where design teams laid out logic for the change and it was approved. I'd love to read those one day.
I like this setup. I just looked and because I recognized those strap end attachments. On the back straps of the TAPS chest rig have those same metal tabs but instead of the old clip snaps you just thread the webbing. I built my web gear back in 1977 but I used the 1950s H-harness and butpack with the BAR pouches and belt. When the BAR pouches broke I went in for the Alice pouches in the 90s. I just up graded in 2024 I grabbed a FLC then rapidly went to the airforce LCS H-harness a TAPS a padded battle belt and a London bridge plate carrier 😅 I went bonkers this year fell in love with the ABU tigerstripe all of it is in this camouflage. with the exception of the taps. Fun to find your site and somebody else into web gear....yes I still call it that😊
O on your sons kit you can put the 100 ounce bladder on the back and use it as a nice size backpack pocket . I haven't invested in LCS V2 they do have that extra belt pals space. Yes it dose seem the airforce went with the more battle ready web gear versus the ground assaulting military.
@@DefiantTacticalTn I'm using the Airforce H-harness now. Plus I can throw my battle belt on for more mags. I live behind enemy lines California 10 round magazine's.
Cool rigs! I have a very similar setup to your first one, but with an H-harness like the Air Force one on your second rig. I liked the H style with a small panel in back ( I eventually used a Condor one) that you could attach a hydration pouch to.
Nice! I think that would be a good addition to a suspend a rig. I considered it, but I also wanted to be able to run a Camelback or small assault pack, so in my case I think it's easier to just throw on the Camelback if I want a bladder. Tell me more about the h harness that you have that's like the USAF rig. Is it USGI? Commercial? Did you pull it off of some other equipment to use here?
@@DefiantTacticalTn It is a crappy Condor from Amazon but works fine. Probably better off just putting on a Camelback or pack, in retrospect. I really liked the idea of just having the hydration carrier attached at the top of the H-Harness panel, but in practice, the bottom of the carrier will flop if running, and try to come over your shoulder if you go prone quickly. Haven't messed with it in a couple of years though...
@@wretchedmess yeah there's something to be said for a grab and go rig, something that you don't have to assemble with a small pack plus the rig plus other stuff, And that's one of the appeals of belt kit like this, So I definitely get what you're going for. Most important is that you're getting out and using it and experimenting with it to improve your gear. Keep it up!
@@DefiantTacticalTn Off topic a bit, but I watched a really cool video about "map cutting" by RangerSurvivalandFieldCraft on YT. Wonder if you have any experience with it, and might make a cool video for you to make a version of. Wish I would have known it when I was active duty.
Sometimes the old ways are the best 😄 What kind of LBE did you use in the Canadian army back then? If you still have it, you should throw up a video showing it. I'd love to see it!
US Army has the ATAP's now. Truely we come full circle. My guess is that we are going to take the british doctrine and modify it slightly to our needs with belt kit being the standard line of kit and body armor being an extra layer over it that can be chosen for the mission. May the blet kit reign supreme. Now, excuse me, I have a flc to disembowel.
Hey I'm glad that you liked it and as I said in this video, I still find it absolutely crazy that other people find this interesting and especially interesting enough to maybe even take something from it. Really glad to hear that it brought some value to you. I'd be happy to do another video on it, I've been thinking about taking it out in the woods. Is there something in particular you'd like to see? A particular use case, talking about some aspect of it, configuration, etc?
Just an update, maybe different configurations. Ive been thinking of substituting the waist pack with a molle 2 ruck sustainmentpouch. As well as i have an m56 harness that i have sewed molle into to hold a sustainment pouch on my back, and it's so comfy. The way this combo distributes weight is crazy. Im actually planning on making a video of mine.
@@krunglebung8993 That's awesome! I'd love to see how the sustainment pouch turned out. I swear I saw a rig like this on Reddit months ago where someone had used a sustainment pouch as like a giant butt pack. Definitely look forward to seeing your video.
@@blakebrewton9346 as with any web kit, when worn at the right height, the waist pack / butt pack sits right where the kidney pad on a ALICE pack should sit. That said, it works fine with a medium Alice pack without a frame especially if it's being carried in the assault configuration. Maybe I'll do a video on that sometime too. Thanks for the question and thanks for watching!
@@blakebrewton9346 no worries! :-) I was a teen during the early 2000s when we were transitioning so my earliest kit was ALICE LC2 kit. Belt kit like this is typically worn right around the kidneys / small of back. I wasn't in the service, but for road marches or when wearing an ALICE pack, the front would be unbuckled and lowered / the back raised up. The butt pack could also be removed and stowed while rucking, but then you still have the kidney pad against the belt, which has keepers / suspender hooks in it, which would dig into you, so that's not a great option either. A small pack that sits on the upper back integrates well, but that limits amount of weight you can carry.
Ive got MOLLE plate carrier but i perfer a.l.i.c.e. style gear, even i use suspenders on my duty belt when i work armed security. Even my carpentry belt i swear looks like a.l.i.c.e. gear to me.
@@Kq4hcuDan it all definitely has its place. ALICE It's hard to beat if you're walking around on foot a lot. Our bodies simply carry weight better around our waste than anywhere else. Be careful out there running security!
@@DefiantTacticalTn I worked it for 13 years and four months all facets from executive protection, high threat psd convoys, to regular armed security guard lol. Not anymore lol
Hey! I took a little Paracord and went through the top MOLLE loop, I think 2 or 3 columns in on either side if that makes sense. Hooked the suspenders right to it.
@@DefiantTacticalTn , Yeah, That's what I figured. I had some 2"webbing with fastex buckle running though a padded Condor 2 row "battle" belt that lacked he inner belt. The FLC belt is way lighter and well enough padded. I had converted the rest of the FLC into it's chest rig configuration. Thanks for this video. My gear is lighter,
@@DefiantTacticalTn , I don't know what a confirm belt is. It was an ALICE belt last year with an Eagle industries mid 90's belt pad. I didn't like the amount or 550 cord I needed to stop the MOLLE pouches from sliding so I went to the overly padded Condor belt, which is really a sleeve that needs an inner belt. It was overly bulky, so when I ran across this video I rebuilt my rig around the flc belt. I lost about 4 columns of molle, but I really didn't need it anyway.
@@tonyvillarreal3610 I use a Gerber strong arm and when wearing this LBE I would put it on my belt instead of on the LBE. There isn't any space on the LBE itself and I'd rather have it right on my person. My compass, which when I filmed this video was in another rig, would go in one of the side pouches on the GP/canteen pouches. In the video I mentioned that an IFAK could fit in a number of different pouches. Since I typically run a USGI IFAK, The insert can go in one of the GP pouches as well. Finally, there's no sidearm with this rig. If I'm wearing this kind of LBE it's because I'm doing rural patrolling and I'd rather replace the weight of a handgun with something else: (rifle ammo, food, water).
@@tonyvillarreal3610 it is one of my favorite knives. If you have a few you must like them too 😁 What are your thoughts on it? Any other fixed blade knives you love?
@@DefiantTacticalTn I love fixed blade knives I have several Gerber knives, ESEE Knives, Becker bk knives , I've got several custom knives that I've designed as well
@@DefiantTacticalTn I really like the strongarm I have a coyote tan fine edge, and a black serrated/ fine edge, I love the versatility of them , very durable too , although I am thinking about making a Kydex sheath to carry my coyote one in I've got the black mounted on a vest
the hole in the middle in the webbing clips is so you can feed string through to create a quick pull to slacken off the webbing. My ancient CAF vet dad taught me that when i was wondering the same thing. This is a cool setup. I like the idea of being able to carry different types of mags, different amounts of water, different configurations
Thanks for the context, that definitely makes a lot of sense.
It's definitely very flexible, I look forward to getting it out more this summer.
@@DefiantTacticalTnWell, I tried this. All of the PALS was too far back to be of use. On MY fat ass. 😂. I used to have the Condor battle belt, but all that bulk is murder down here in South Mississippi. The harness is good though. Works great with 550 loops on a LC2 belt.
@@nomadmarauder-dw9re didn't think about using loops of 550 cord. Good idea! I'd love to see what you came up with if you care to share on a video or something. Either way, good thinking.
Yeah I'll tell you what, Southern humidity in the summer teaches you a very fast lesson about what's realistic to carry 😂
I see guys talking about wanting to run around in plate carriers and stuff and all I can say is f*** that 😂 I'd be a heat casualty before you can say the words 😂
Minimal, lightweight, suspender rigs and/or micro chest rigs are the way to go.
While I have a few plate carriers and they have their uses I have always preferred a belt rig or split front chest rig.
I managed to snag 1940s BAR belt and shoulder straps from CIF during my first tour of duty in South Korea.
I still have it and at the time CIF was still issuing the canvas 20 round mag pouches.
It worked well with the 20 round magazines we drew out at unit supply.
Second tour I swapped a bottle of Johnny with a South Korean soldier for another BAR belt and some other goodies.
I wore it out in the field until around 1984/85.
For some reason we had cases of 20 round magazines and very few 30s and the officers and senior NCOs took those.
I still have both sets hanging in “my train room”.
Split front chest rigs let you air out and are a lot more comfortable to grab sleep in.
That is awesome! I know equipment choices are driven by the kind of war that's being fought but it has been funny to watch modern equipment turn all the way back to belt kit after so many years that it had been considered "old." I'll have to look into the BAR belt.
I have a USGI M1 cartridge belt, And while it's not my first choice obviously for other guns, if I had to run my M1 it would definitely do the job.
Also, seems typical that the leaders would take the higher cap mags instead of letting the grunts that need them more have them 🙄
Thanks for the comment and for your time in the service!
@@DefiantTacticalTn We always seem to fight the last war and it bites us in the rear.
The first people to get new or improved gear and uniforms always seems to be officers and WOGS. I finally was able to draw 30 round magazines when I PCSd to 8th Mech Infantry in Germany.
18 magazines of 5.56, plus two canteens may sound like a lot, but really isn’t and I certainly wouldn’t want to have to wear all that weight at my age.
My son brought back his plate carrier with plates and magazines, that darn thing was heavy as heck and uncomfortable.
Enjoyed your channel, subscribed and appreciate the thank you.
@@DefiantTacticalTnSOG ran the BAR belts in Vietnam.
@@nomadmarauder-dw9re you know I read a book about SOG probably two decades ago and now that you mention it I vaguely remember it mentioning something along those lines. I've never used one but it must have been good kid.
@@DefiantTacticalTn Author name is Gary Linderer. Oopsie, he wasn't SOG but 101st LRRP. There are multiple volumes. So now I'm all confused. Anyway, I read it somewhere. LOL, there's been so many. Have you read any by Bruce Norton? He was a Corpsman with Marine recon.
I've definitely come down with belt kit fever lately, lol. Oh well, super cool stuff sir, thank you.
"I've got a fever and the only prescription is MORE BELT KIT" 😂
@@DefiantTacticalTnHave you tried the belt with LBV 88? I like the FLC belt but I've got MOLLE pouches that I like better than Alice. I'll try it out. If it works I'll put an old belt on the FLC. The FLC belt is easier to adjust than the LC2. I know everybody seems to be going back to belt kit, but you really want to be careful with overloading it. We used to put big knives on trouser belt and adjust the gear to fit over. I spent time with some old Ranger types who carried Old Timer sharp finger knives on their H harness instead of K Bar or other big blades. Get the hard leather sheath! They also taught us that grenades are better than pistols or extra mags on the harness. Of course, they had been to VeetNyam. Anyway, nice video, y'all have a GOODN.
@@nomadmarauder-dw9re hey! I think the belt you are referring to is the ALICE pistol belt? I recall two generations of them, one with a metal hook shaped clip and the other later version with a large plastic fastex buckle.
I have a fair amount of experience with those, not in the service or anything, but for a very long time I ran an LC2 rig for paintball. I still do in fact when I'm playing in the woods.
You can put MOLLE pouches on it, but you'll either need to use ALICE-to-MOLLE adapters, or use some paracord to stop the pouches from sliding around.
However, I don't think it would work well on the FLC. When the inner belt is worn on the FLC, the rest of the harness connects to the belt through the MOLLE webbing on the belt. Since there is no webbing on the ALICE belt, I'm not sure that would work so well.
I totally agree with the problem of overloading belt kit, and actually any kit.
I appreciate the tips from those you served around, it's important to keep that information alive as time goes on. And I'm reading between the lines that you also served, so thank you for that and stepping up to the plate! Cheers!
@@DefiantTacticalTn The advice came from my time at Mechondo school at North Fort Hood as cadre. 1976 It was like Recondo for Mech Infantry. After REFORGER the CO came around looking for recruits. I spent 6 weeks playing guerrilla. 2 of the guys were Rangers, and the CO had been on Hatchet teams. Best time in the Army. Sadly, my new Battalion CO wanted to know why one of his people was running around the woods without orders,etc. I found myself on charges for desertion! Last time I ever took a superior at their word.
@@nomadmarauder-dw9re sounds like fun! And that's horrible, did your CO not have your back?
Good, very balanced deployment on both right/left sides to ensure body movement & payload in equal.
@@juweikwen4030 thanks! Yes, balance is super important for this sort of gear. One of those things you might not notice to begin with, but a couple hours into wearing full kit you sure do 😂
Good layout. True a out having to take off to reach rear as I had to do to reach my medical gear and got into fire fight. Used similar layout for e&e in case I had dump my ruck. Used in Vietnam on recon missions.
@@ReinaldLPope You wound up in a firefight while you had your gear off to reach for medical equipment? Talk about bad timing 😂
I'd love to hear more about your experience if you feel up to sharing.
Thank you for answering the call when the time came for the Vietnam War!
This is great, needed this idea years ago. FLC disassembly inbound
@@nighthawkshadows You're welcome sir 🫡
I'd love to see what you put together!
@@nighthawkshadows also keep the top part of the FLC around, you can make it a split rig chest rig of sorts. I'm going to do a video of one I built soon.
Quality content is appreciated no matter how you capture it
@@ClaudeBohls truly appreciated! I need to make a few more, the summer has kept me really busy
Absolutely love this video and your resourcefulness!
@@michaelwoods6754 thank you! It was pretty fun to put together.
Like your kit, good mods. Better than carrying a rucksack. Waist/butt pack would be used for items I didn’t need frequently, like my backpack stove. Items I need really I keep in a front pouch and in my BDU pockets. That AF rig is neat too
Thanks! Yeah, the USAF rig is pretty cool. It's particularly interesting that while the army was trending further away from traditional LBE, the Air Force for some reason trended towards it.
Makes me wonder if the job of USAF Security Forces involved a lot of foot patrolling, which would explain the LBE style rigs the USAF developed.
Great comparison video. Thank you!
You're welcome. Thanks for watching!
I have an alice kit setup and love it with the only downsides being the y strap to a degree for comfort, the mag pouches being still quite small compares to eagle mag pouches or those that you have. Next is the butt pouch, Ive yet to find one that is even slightly reasonably priced, and thats for the black hawk ones alone.
Went with a rothco I sprayed with some couch water repellent spray, and then shoe gooed some of the weak stitching lines.
Very nice. Definitely consider looking into a h harness to replace that y harness. As for the mag pouches, I think the Alice triple mag pouches are about the same size as the universal mag pouches I have mounted in this video, are they not? The only thing is that the universal ones can be cinched down to hold less, while the Alice mag pouch is fixed.
As for the butt pack, That's definitely a struggle. The repro ones are not always great and the USGI ones you can find are not always cheap. Hopefully you can find something that does the job or swap out for a waist pack like in the video.
Great video very informative and thanks for sharing!
Glad you enjoyed it! ☺️
You could increase storage capacity on the belt by placing a 2 liter bottle at the center of the sipine in a hydration sack supported by the two vetical straps eliminating the canteens from the belt. Adding tubing with bite valve up front you also gain on the go hydration, not having to stop, remove, use and replace a canteen. With the water stored at the center of your spine, you significantly reduce the side to side thrusting motion of perhaps your heaviest load.
Hey thanks for the suggestion.
I do have the ability to run a CamelBak if I want to. I'd likely run a separate backpack so that I can easily add or remove it from my kit. I could either go with a thin Camelback or one a little bit of storage depending on what I'm doing. But if I'm being honest, I hate camelbacks.
I know they're ubiquitous now, but I just can't stand sipping from the hose. Especially when I'm working hard or in a lot of heat I want to be able to drink rapidly and I just prefer drinking from a canteen.
Doesn't mean I wouldn't if, for example, I needed the additional storage space of those canteen / GP pouches for additional sustainment gear or something. It's just that if I have the choice, I would take a couple of canteens over a Camelback any day.
Exquisite video and very informative, awesome job! Definitely subscribing and hoping to see future videos from you.
I was looking to make this exact rig w my flc belt, those other rigs were very cool. I have a og camelback assault pack, I think I may be able to combine the flc vest with that, to make a SADF style battle jacket.
Thanks very much! I have slowed down a bit while figuring out how to use a new go pro camera but have some more footage to put up this week hopefully!!!
this is for air force security, hence defensor fortis, part of their motto. so they do have to patrol the base and airfields on foot with this
That definitely makes sense for the design and use case then. Thanks for the comment!
I've had ALICE gear for 40 years and now have just about everything that is issued in MOLLE II with the exception any Air Force issued gear. I have several FLCs and just got a TAP panel. I like the fact that with your example I can integrate ALICE and MOLLE II gear to make something unique. Thanks for sharing.
@@steveturner3999 thanks! I'm glad you liked it. It kind of is sort of a best of both worlds in some ways.
What do you think of the TAP? I have one too, I don't know if I've done a video on it. I think it's a little too big to be a real chest rig, but I like wearing it a little bit lower over my belly. I like the built-in mag pouches, and I don't like having a whole lot right over the center. Gets bulky fast.
@@DefiantTacticalTn I agree with you about wearing the TAP lower down. I like it overall as it gives you options and can be "tricked out" like any of the load carrying gear. I’m so glad for UA-cam in that it can put people together from all over to share their ideas and actually show the results of their ingenuity. Thanks again for sharing yours.
How do you dye your pouches and what are they? Guessing USMC surplus because it's all one flat color instead of a pattern. I'd love to do this to some of my kit so it doesn't stick out so much when worn.
Most of that gear started life as army surplus UCP, believe it or not.
I used Rust-Oleum camo colors from Walmart! It worked really well, though with enough scrubbing it will rub off a little. No matter, easy to reapply or change for changing seasons.
@@DefiantTacticalTn Really, just straight up spray paint? I've used that on other stuff but haven't tried it on any nylon or anything.
That's really the biggest reason I asked honestly. They practically sell UCP by the pound and dying or painting it into something usable would be really cost effective. Awesome stuff, thank you so much!
Great video and presentation sir. 🫡
Thanks very much!
Great video, thank you!!!
You're welcome! Hope it was useful.
Same as you, I don't like my G-gear. I can't say why. I just kinda don't. I run a flc, but I guess that's cause my first line rarely changes while my pack and sustainment always changes.
As long as it works for you and you get out and use it it's golden!
Isn't it strange the U.S. MILITARY went away from the H-harness?
The earliest H-harness kits in Vietnam were way better than the Y-HARNESS.
the Airforce GWOT YRS H-harness is a fantastic setup it's padded shoulders & waist pluss its split in front and the pals back panel for packs/pouches .
Thanks for sharing ❤
Really glad you liked this! What kind of rig do you use?
And I definitely agree. Our experience with belt kit dating back to World War II and possibly before all indicated that the h harness was extremely effective.
The switch to the Y harness doesn't make any sense except perhaps to save a little bit on nylon cost.
I'm sure somewhere a document exists where design teams laid out logic for the change and it was approved. I'd love to read those one day.
I like this setup.
I just looked and because I recognized those strap end attachments.
On the back straps of the TAPS chest rig have those same metal tabs but instead of the old clip snaps you just thread the webbing.
I built my web gear back in 1977 but I used the 1950s H-harness and butpack with the BAR pouches and belt.
When the BAR pouches broke I went in for the Alice pouches in the 90s.
I just up graded in 2024 I grabbed a FLC then rapidly went to the airforce LCS H-harness a TAPS a padded battle belt and a London bridge plate carrier 😅
I went bonkers this year fell in love with the ABU tigerstripe all of it is in this camouflage. with the exception of the taps.
Fun to find your site and somebody else into web gear....yes I still call it that😊
O on your sons kit you can put the 100 ounce bladder on the back and use it as a nice size backpack pocket .
I haven't invested in LCS V2 they do have that extra belt pals space.
Yes it dose seem the airforce went with the more battle ready web gear versus the ground assaulting military.
@@DefiantTacticalTn I'm using the Airforce H-harness now.
Plus I can throw my battle belt on for more mags. I live behind enemy lines California 10 round magazine's.
Cool rigs! I have a very similar setup to your first one, but with an H-harness like the Air Force one on your second rig. I liked the H style with a small panel in back ( I eventually used a Condor one) that you could attach a hydration pouch to.
Nice! I think that would be a good addition to a suspend a rig. I considered it, but I also wanted to be able to run a Camelback or small assault pack, so in my case I think it's easier to just throw on the Camelback if I want a bladder.
Tell me more about the h harness that you have that's like the USAF rig. Is it USGI? Commercial? Did you pull it off of some other equipment to use here?
@@DefiantTacticalTn It is a crappy Condor from Amazon but works fine. Probably better off just putting on a Camelback or pack, in retrospect. I really liked the idea of just having the hydration carrier attached at the top of the H-Harness panel, but in practice, the bottom of the carrier will flop if running, and try to come over your shoulder if you go prone quickly. Haven't messed with it in a couple of years though...
@@wretchedmess yeah there's something to be said for a grab and go rig, something that you don't have to assemble with a small pack plus the rig plus other stuff, And that's one of the appeals of belt kit like this, So I definitely get what you're going for.
Most important is that you're getting out and using it and experimenting with it to improve your gear. Keep it up!
@@DefiantTacticalTn Off topic a bit, but I watched a really cool video about "map cutting" by RangerSurvivalandFieldCraft on YT. Wonder if you have any experience with it, and might make a cool video for you to make a version of. Wish I would have known it when I was active duty.
@@wretchedmess I haven't heard the term but may know it by another name. I'll look up the video and watch, then get back with you 😊
Tactical Taylor makes a pretty cool IFAK insert that fits in their universal mag pouches.
@@joshuadeanb You know I had forgotten all about those! I'll have to see if I can get some to use with my kit. Do you also use them?
@@DefiantTacticalTn yes, it’s a handy way to carry a blow out kit.
Local surplus store has full rifleman flcs, gonna make some rifleman belt kits now for 15 a pop.
Fantastic; I'd love to see what you come up with!
Going to build an affordable belt kit with surplus m81 gear now.
Awesome!!!! I'd love to see what you put together.
All of this gear was UCP originally, but a little rattle can action fixed that 😂
Takes me back to the Canadian Army in 2002. :)
Sure it's old way, but you could go for days on just that pack.
Sometimes the old ways are the best 😄
What kind of LBE did you use in the Canadian army back then? If you still have it, you should throw up a video showing it. I'd love to see it!
I just realized I said "back then" as though 2002 was a long time ago 😂
I'm a millennial so I accidentally made myself feel old 😂
@@DefiantTacticalTn To be fair, I think a similar rig was used in Vietnam too. :)
One Millennial to Another, it's okay to feel "old". :)
An excellent video creative and economical
@@davidb.cooper3296 thank you sir!
Obviously, do what you need or want at the specific occasion.
Yep flexible
US Army has the ATAP's now. Truely we come full circle.
My guess is that we are going to take the british doctrine and modify it slightly to our needs with belt kit being the standard line of kit and body armor being an extra layer over it that can be chosen for the mission.
May the blet kit reign supreme. Now, excuse me, I have a flc to disembowel.
@@m00se37 it is kind of funny to see how we've come around like this. Whats old is new again.
"FLC to disembowel" had me 😂
Awesome Video!
Thanks!
I like it man
Thank you sir! I've got another video on some rigs for the M1 Garand and M1A in the works, stay tuned :-)
Another video on this please. I am copying this exact rig
Hey I'm glad that you liked it and as I said in this video, I still find it absolutely crazy that other people find this interesting and especially interesting enough to maybe even take something from it. Really glad to hear that it brought some value to you.
I'd be happy to do another video on it, I've been thinking about taking it out in the woods. Is there something in particular you'd like to see? A particular use case, talking about some aspect of it, configuration, etc?
Just an update, maybe different configurations. Ive been thinking of substituting the waist pack with a molle 2 ruck sustainmentpouch. As well as i have an m56 harness that i have sewed molle into to hold a sustainment pouch on my back, and it's so comfy. The way this combo distributes weight is crazy. Im actually planning on making a video of mine.
@@krunglebung8993 That's awesome! I'd love to see how the sustainment pouch turned out. I swear I saw a rig like this on Reddit months ago where someone had used a sustainment pouch as like a giant butt pack. Definitely look forward to seeing your video.
How does it ride with an Alice pack?
@@blakebrewton9346 as with any web kit, when worn at the right height, the waist pack / butt pack sits right where the kidney pad on a ALICE pack should sit. That said, it works fine with a medium Alice pack without a frame especially if it's being carried in the assault configuration. Maybe I'll do a video on that sometime too. Thanks for the question and thanks for watching!
@@DefiantTacticalTn web gear was before my time but I am starting to see the need for the belt style setup.
@@blakebrewton9346 no worries! :-)
I was a teen during the early 2000s when we were transitioning so my earliest kit was ALICE LC2 kit.
Belt kit like this is typically worn right around the kidneys / small of back. I wasn't in the service, but for road marches or when wearing an ALICE pack, the front would be unbuckled and lowered / the back raised up.
The butt pack could also be removed and stowed while rucking, but then you still have the kidney pad against the belt, which has keepers / suspender hooks in it, which would dig into you, so that's not a great option either.
A small pack that sits on the upper back integrates well, but that limits amount of weight you can carry.
Ive got MOLLE plate carrier but i perfer a.l.i.c.e. style gear, even i use suspenders on my duty belt when i work armed security. Even my carpentry belt i swear looks like a.l.i.c.e. gear to me.
@@Kq4hcuDan it all definitely has its place. ALICE It's hard to beat if you're walking around on foot a lot. Our bodies simply carry weight better around our waste than anywhere else. Be careful out there running security!
@@DefiantTacticalTn I worked it for 13 years and four months all facets from executive protection, high threat psd convoys, to regular armed security guard lol. Not anymore lol
love your content. the first ad I see I will unsub.
Thanks. I don't have any plans to add ads anytime soon, not even sure how that works lol. Right now I'm just a dude making videos with his phone 😂
I missed how you attached the front of the suspenders to the FLC belt?
Hey! I took a little Paracord and went through the top MOLLE loop, I think 2 or 3 columns in on either side if that makes sense. Hooked the suspenders right to it.
@@DefiantTacticalTn , Yeah, That's what I figured. I had some 2"webbing with fastex buckle running though a padded Condor 2 row "battle" belt that lacked he inner belt. The FLC belt is way lighter and well enough padded. I had converted the rest of the FLC into it's chest rig configuration. Thanks for this video. My gear is lighter,
@@kevinwinter7365 glad you enjoyed the video. :-)
@@kevinwinter7365 did you swap over to the FLC belt instead of the confirm belt, then?
@@DefiantTacticalTn , I don't know what a confirm belt is.
It was an ALICE belt last year with an Eagle industries mid 90's belt pad. I didn't like the amount or 550 cord I needed to stop the MOLLE pouches from sliding so I went to the overly padded Condor belt, which is really a sleeve that needs an inner belt.
It was overly bulky, so when I ran across this video I rebuilt my rig around the flc belt. I lost about 4 columns of molle, but I really didn't need it anyway.
YO I just put one of these together with a Blue Force Gear SOC-C
Sorry I meant to reply to this. Thanks for watching and commenting! That belt looks pretty slick. How did you set it up?
@@DefiantTacticalTn left to right: leatherman multitool, 1 Eagle 2xmag pouch, 1 radio pouch, 1 ecstacy kywi medium, gp/1qt, waist pack, IFAK, knife, 2x Eagle 2 mag pouches, compass
@@DarkMatter946 nice! Sounds like it's everything you need and nothing you don't.
Where's your knife, compass, ifak, sidearm?
@@tonyvillarreal3610 I use a Gerber strong arm and when wearing this LBE I would put it on my belt instead of on the LBE. There isn't any space on the LBE itself and I'd rather have it right on my person.
My compass, which when I filmed this video was in another rig, would go in one of the side pouches on the GP/canteen pouches.
In the video I mentioned that an IFAK could fit in a number of different pouches. Since I typically run a USGI IFAK, The insert can go in one of the GP pouches as well.
Finally, there's no sidearm with this rig. If I'm wearing this kind of LBE it's because I'm doing rural patrolling and I'd rather replace the weight of a handgun with something else: (rifle ammo, food, water).
I got a couple of Gerber strongarms
@@tonyvillarreal3610 it is one of my favorite knives. If you have a few you must like them too 😁
What are your thoughts on it? Any other fixed blade knives you love?
@@DefiantTacticalTn I love fixed blade knives I have several Gerber knives, ESEE Knives, Becker bk knives , I've got several custom knives that I've designed as well
@@DefiantTacticalTn I really like the strongarm I have a coyote tan fine edge, and a black serrated/ fine edge, I love the versatility of them , very durable too , although I am thinking about making a Kydex sheath to carry my coyote one in I've got the black mounted on a vest
More content Sir
@@ClaudeBohls thanks! I'm working on getting some more out soon!