Tactical Vests

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Does anyone use the CPF 90 ?

I was thinking about getting one and using the patrol pack for 24 gear and the main ruck for 72. OR the main ruck for the mission gear and the patrol pack to hold a 1st Responder/BLS medkit.

Thoughts/comments.

Stonewall and Walkman use them.  Stonewall posted about it in some other threads.  I don't remember which ones but some searching may pop up something.  Walkman just got one recently.  You can try PMing him to get his opinion.

[winterg]

I have this vest made completely in international orange.  It is great!  Room for everything comfortably.

Here is the url: http://www.specialforces.com/store/catalog/product_27264_OP_Survival_Vest.html

[Eclipse]

I still say the sarmed's are the way to go for 99% of our missions.  Since my posting below,
I have used this for just about everything a GTM/UDF guy is gonna do with no issues.

I can't remember the last time I strapped into the tac vest, and frankly am starting to look around for an eLBV again as it was much better suited to the task.  I had one I dropped $25 on from eBay, it served my actively for several years including the "big one" and then I sold it when someone who was moving basically gave me the tac vest.

I miss my eLBV.   

Here's a good place to get a great vest:

http://tinyurl.com/yjt8z5

I took off the medic patch, replaced it with Velcro and added some nametapes:


I can vouch for the quality and markings noted are in places you can hardly see, or wouldn't care (i.e. inside the vest).

I intend to use this for UDF, traffic details, and lower-impact days. 


Field days / bivouavcs, etc.,  will likely see me using my new TAC vest with the retro tape:


and lighted shoulders:  http://group22.net/files/other/vest/vest.wmv

with a high-vis orange or green vest underneath:

http://group22.net/files/other/vest.jpg

The SARMED-type vests worked very well in the field during Katrina, and are much more comfortable if you are getting in and out of a vehicle a lot, the trade-off is no ALICE attachments and limited storage.


Note:  John Desmaris has seen this vest at NESA and indicated that he liked the tac vests with the tapes affixed, commenting that it >should< be the standard, because the web gear, etc, that many of us have worn for years has too many strings and loose-hanging parts to be good in heavy field.

I prefer a lime-green vest, mainly because I think they are higher-vis, but with that said, I fully acknowledge that the vest is now a uniform item and it could be an issue both liability-wise and reg-wise.  I always carry a nice orange vest as well, and, while the ILWG DOS has indicated on many occasions that as long as its high-vis, its acceptable, I would not argue with anyone who made an issue of it.  Regs are regs.

Getting this post back on track...

Below are photographs from this weekend - first time out with the new tac vest.

There is no question, that while mine w/ the stripes is visible, the blaze orange is far superior, especially from the air in heavy canopy or brush.

[isuhawkeye]

These are great. 

I have come to really enjoy the concepts of the new tactical/SAR vests, and finding them in orange has is great. 

Has anyone found one in Orange with MOLLE attachments?

[JesusFreak]

For GES I have a Journalists Vest, and it does not work very well. Is there any place where I can get a new vest for a cheap price that works very,very well? On my last mission, I had trouble finding some things.

[Eclipse]

For GES I have a Journalists Vest, and it does not work very well. Is there any place where I can get a new vest for a cheap price that works very,very well? On my last mission, I had trouble finding some things.

There's a link above (for starters)

[isuhawkeye]

For those of you who dont like vests because they are to hot.....

Take a look at this one

http://www.truenorthgear.com/product_detail.php?path=0_11&p_id=212

[Eclipse]

OK, just great. 

I'm going to have my wife call you when she sees the credit card bill.  That set up is SWEET!

(...it will be mine...it will be mine....) 

[isuhawkeye]

Sorry to dig into your check book like that.  I was interested to see that it comes in safety orange.

I'm also interested in seeing what this thigh rig conversion is all about. 

here are a few more pics for everyone.


http://www.truenorthgear.com/_large/212av100_lo_01.jpg

[JohnKachenmeister]

Nice for the independently wealthy.  Me, I'm a retiree on fixed income trying not to have to eat dog food!

I have a $50 tactical vest that carries everything I need and looks good.  I use the mag pouches to hold gear, and added a canteen, cup, and cover to the belt.  The pouch on the canteen cover works great as a holder for water purification tablets, which makes sense, since that is what it was designed for.

I use soap dishes (BX, 88 cents each) to hold small items, and slip the soap dish into the mag pouches.  I located small (5-inch long, 1-inch diameter) smoke bombs at a fireworks store and have several colors in the pistol mag. pouches.  I keep one rifle mag pouch empty for the hand-held radio.   

[Eclipse]

The leg bag conversion ability is what really caught my eye.

To John, yes this stuff can be pricey, as much because in a lot of cases its being bought by an agency instead of a single person, but as I'm sure you know, a BH Tac vest starts at about $150, and that's before you add the toys.

Sounds like the vest you have is similar to the eLBV I pine for, sometimes the simplest solutions are the best for a reason.

One thing that gets under my skin a little is when a cadet complains about how they "can't afford a field jacket, hat, etc..." because "...they are too expensive..."and then you see them on Facebook in full ACU battle-rattle playing airsoft or paintball with a $300 gun.   

While one of the reasons I love CAP is it gives me a plausible excuse for stuff I used to buy when I was twelve at the surplus store, the toys are secondary, and someone motivated can be an assest, especially when they are in training mode, with a school bag, two bottles of water and a sandwich from home. 

[JayT]

One thing that gets under my skin a little is when a cadet complains about how they "can't afford a field jacket, hat, etc..." because "...they are too expensive..."and then you see them on Facebook in full ACU battle-rattle playing airsoft or paintball with a $300 gun.   

Bingo.

[flyerthom]

FANNY PACK!  OPEN FIRE ON THE MURSE!  Yeah I don't think I could ever wear that.

I might try it for work. Could work well in the rotorwing job.

[AL1EN]

I too am looking to rework my gear, and was wondering if anyone has tried the Blade-Tech pilot's vest - looks like a tac medic vest with a pack attached to the back i/o attachment webbing, but it IS mesh, like a tac vest.  Any opinions on this gear (I know - it's pretty pricey...)?

http://www.blade-tech.com/Pilot-Survival-Vest-pr-987.html

Thanks,
C Julien
2nd Lt. CAP

[Stonewall]

Does anyone use the CPF 90 ?

I was thinking about getting one and using the patrol pack for 24 gear and the main ruck for 72. OR the main ruck for the mission gear and the patrol pack to hold a 1st Responder/BLS medkit.

Thoughts/comments.

Stonewall and Walkman use them.  Stonewall posted about it in some other threads.  I don't remember which ones but some searching may pop up something.  Walkman just got one recently.  You can try PMing him to get his opinion.

I think you're talking about this thread.

[KyCAP]

Found this vest while trolling around looking for Incident Command Vests

http://www.initial-attack.com/fireline/Pages/Firefighting%20Home.htm

they have this also
http://www.initial-attack.com/fireline/Pop%20Pages/FP121.htm

And even the CAP ORANGE version (HA!)
http://www.initial-attack.com/fireline/Pages/EMS-Safety%20Page%201.htm

[isuhawkeye]

hey, now thats a sharp vest.  good work

by the way.  true north just shipped me a vest.  once it gets in ill post a few reviews on my site

[isuhawkeye]

^^^ Hey Eclipse look what came in the mail today.

Expect to see a review on my site in the next few days






So far, I have been pretty impressed with this vest.  Well see how it holds up in the next few days

[Eclipse]

Wow - nice, looks like it would be great for hot climates, too, since it's really open.

Where the envy emoticon?

[DNall]

doesn't look like it carries the load very well.