Month: November 2011

Not quite…

For those that remember Airsoft G.I. carried a line of gear licensed and sold under the HSS trademark. Although we still carry some HSS products on our website the complete line of HSS Tactical Gear products has been discontinued. The remaining in stock items being what is left of our HSS inventory. However, we have continued to receive inquires about HSS products and the HSS Chest Rig specifically.

Many of you will recognize the HSS Chest Rig as the primary rig Tim has been using over the last year or so; probably one of the reasons we receive so many inquiries. That aside I can vouch for the chest rig as I own and use one myself. It has a range of features that make it a valuable addition to any collection. The combination of 8 internal magazine pouches and a face covered in MOLLE webbing gives it the potential to carry a large number of magazines so I use it for mil-sim events that require mid capacity magazines.

Those interested will be happy to know that we will be carrying the same chest rig from J-Tech, the OEM manufacturer for HSS. The sample we received from J-Tech actually has a better color; leaning more towards the brown side of the “tan color spectrum”, instead of yellow. Plan on seeing it available on the Airsoft G.I. website in the near future along with new J-Tech products.

Best Regards,

Phantom

** UPDATE: The above chest rig is now listed as the “J-Tech 1000D Cordura CP-4 Combat Chest Rig” on our website. **

That was the initial thought that went through my head when I picked up the “J-Tech / SOCOM Gear Mesh Plate Carrier”. It is made up almost entirely of nylon mesh. I was stuck on the question “why would someone make a plate carrier almost entirely out of mesh?” But, I quickly came to a realization that I often forgo the use of a plate carrier and use a chest rig because frankly plate carriers get hot, especially in the summer. The use of mesh will certainly allow the vest to “breath” more easily and allow for better airflow. Additionally the use of mesh will result in overall weight savings.

My mind then moved to the next important question, “what about durability?” A light weight material like mesh will not hold up as well as 1000D Codura but it doesn’t need to. There is already precedent for the use of lighter weight materials being used to save weight. More recently many high end U.S. gear manufacturers have begun producing their products in 500D Nylon instead of the coveted 1000D Cordura to save weight with a decrease in long term durability. J-Tech just takes that a step further.

Aside from nylon mesh the remainder of the vest is made up of 1000D Nylon and uses YKK buckles. All MOLLE webbing appears evenly and properly spaced. The edges of the carrier are reinforced to prevent wear and fraying. The features of the “J-Tech / SOCOM Gear Mesh Plate Carrier” breakdown as follows:

Front and Back Panel:

The front and back panel have an internal suspension system for holding a plate. Instead of letting the plate bottom out in the pocket as many plate carriers do the suspension system ensures the plate is raised to the top of the pocket regardless of its size. That also has the added benefit of creating dedicated space for soft armor plate backers. The rear panel also has a drag handle for buddy aid.

External Cummerbund:

The external cummerbund is made up primarily of mesh like the rest of the vest and attach conventionally, under a flap in the front. The cummerbund has 3 rows of MOLLE nylon webbing for the addition of MOLLE pouches. Also, the cummerbund has an internal pocket for 6×6 or 6×8 side plates.

Internal Cummerbund:

The internal cummerbund allows for a tight and secure fit. I have found an internal cummerbund useful as weight added to the front of a plate carrier in the form of magazines and equipment can cause the whole vest to shift as you move. The internal cummerbund allows the front of the vest to move “somewhat” independently. I would however prefer an elastic cummerbund as I like to have the inner cummerbund tight but I also like to breath.

Cummerbund Adjustment:

The adjustment for the cummerbund and the primary adjustment for the plate carrier is located on the rear panel. The adjustment is quite simple. Just open the flap and tug on the ends of webbing shown to make it smaller. The center straps are for the internal cummerbund.

Shoulder Pads / Straps:

The shoulder pads are also made of mesh albeit unnecessarily as they are wrapped around pieces of 2″ wide nylon webbing. Each shoulder pad, unlike many on the market, has some padding so the width an padding of the shoulder pads will help comfortably distribute weight. Although each shoulder strap has adjustment it is realistically almost non-existent.

So, if you are looking for the modularity of a plate carrier without the draw back of being sweaty then the “J-Tech / SOCOM Gear Mesh Plate Carrier” is an option worth considering. For airsoft the mesh will not be a large drawback in terms of durability but it saves weight and the user from heat stroke.

Best Regards,

Phantom

P.S. “J-Tech / SOCOM Gear Mesh Plate Carrier” is a tentative title as this item is not yet listed on our website but expect to see it in the near future along with other J-Tech / SOCOM Gear products.

The NC Star Rifle & Pistol Magazine Wallet is one of our numerous new products. When it came in it immediately caught my eye. As a gear whore with a slight case of OCD I am always looking for a means to organize and divide up all the equipment and gear I drag to the gun range or airsoft field. For examples, I generally like to carry my unloaded magazines in a separate container which until recently was a job reserved for a cardboard box.

Anyway, my concern following the initial inspection of the NC Star Rifle & Pistol Magazine Wallet was the fact that each magazine is only retained by a loop of elastic webbing so I immediately conducted a “shake” test (shake test being a scientific term :P). I filled up each elastic loop with a different magazine. One side M16 magazines and the other P- Mags of various make. The “shake” test was admittedly probably excessive as a simulation and involved me jumping up and down wildly, flailing my arms. I managed to loose only one magazine during the “shake” test, a King Arms Gas Blowback M4 magazine, which weighs about a half pound more then a fully loaded 30 round magazine. So, retention is decent for rifle magazines.

As a disclaimer, the magazine wallet can carry pistol magazines but given the internal size of the wallet and the means of retention for the magazines I would not recommend it for that purpose. I did not even bother to perform a test to determine that. It would have been for my own amusement at that point.

The front and back panels have a stiffener to help the magazine wallet keep its shape and the edges are reinforced to prevent fraying and wear. For added convenience it folds flat when empty for easy storage. While on the topic of storage; the wallet can also be used to store you magazines in a dedicated manner more stylish then a card board box or ammo can.

So if you are like me and you are looking for a self contained means of transporting and storing your magazines then here is a cheap and effective solution.

Best Regards,

Phantom