Vest for Ground Team?

[brickman]

i have been thinking of getting a vest to use for carrying my ground team equipment for SAR missions and stuff like that. the backpack that i have is very impractical and it gets hard to carry since it offsets my balance. would an airsoft/ paintball vest work for this purpose or would i be better off sticking to my pack?

[Seabee219]

I went on E-Bay and got 2 vests that would work. Go check under battle Vest, paintball or whatever, you can find one there.

[MikeD]

There are plenty of vest threads that are worth a look, and some suggestions in the MOLLE threads. 

Something like this might be cool (but it's a tad pricy): http://www.searchgear.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=177

[Pylon]

Also a tad pricey, but there's also the OpsGear VestBuilder: http://www.vestbuilder.com/

[Eclipse]

If you're talking CAP, this is all you need...

http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=9567.msg173182#msg173182

http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=1071.msg13723#msg13723

http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=3759.msg91494#msg91494

[brickman]

im thinking a little less expensive than some of those...im kinda poor

[Eclipse]

im thinking a little less expensive than some of those...im kinda poor

http://cgi.ebay.com/EMS-EMT-SAFETY-VEST-ORANGE-EBAYS-BEST-MUST-LOOK-BUY_W0QQitemZ400081402861QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item5d26b5bbed#ht_2911wt_913

Can't do much better than $40 for something like this...

[Pylon]

http://cgi.ebay.com/EMS-EMT-SAFETY-VEST-ORANGE-EBAYS-BEST-MUST-LOOK-BUY_W0QQitemZ400081402861QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item5d26b5bbed#ht_2911wt_913

Can't do much better than $40 for something like this...

They should offer a discount for burning peoples' eyes with giant text. 

[Seabee219]

WOW!!! That vest builder web site rocks, you can get what you want and in the color you want. Nice site, thanks for posting it.

[Walkman]

I went round with this for myself recently. I wanted something that was a bit more comfortable than my pack, so I looked into the vest and almost bought one. The only reason I didn't, and this may not be an issue for you, was using it for other activities.

I do a lot of hiking, camping, hunting, scout outings, etc. and I always took my 24 hour pack (the patrol pack from an AF CFP-90) so I'd have basic gear with me if the need arose. With a SAR vest or MOLLE system, I thought I'd look a bit odd out on a hiking trail and stuff might catch my bowstring on a hunt. So I went with a lumbar pack (Thanks grandma for the Christmas cash!).

One of the reasons I went with the lumbar is that when I need to get something, I can just spin it around and open it up, as opposed to having to take it off.

my 2¢...YMMV

[Bobble]

One of the reasons I went with the lumbar is that when I need to get something, I can just spin it around and open it up, as opposed to having to take it off.

I agree with you and have gone the same route.  I think there is a reluctance to use lumbar packs on the part of CAP members because it is seen as a 'fanny pack', which doesn't have the cool factor of the typical 'assault pack' or tactical/molle vest.

Benefits:  Weight is carried low on the back for better balance, allows greater freedom of arm/shoulder movement, easy to wear the required safety vest while wearing the pack, easy access to pack contents (as already mentioned), and easier on and off for vehicle ingress/egress.

Drawbacks: Could be limited in practical volume/load capacity (considering the 24 hr gear requirements plus what you feel you need to carry), not much opportunity for water bladder carry (Camelbak/Hydropak), not 'tacticool'.

See -

http://thepackshack.com/shop/agora.cgi?product=Packs

http://www.wolfpackgear.com/wildland/

http://www.firstinproducts.com/

http://www.mountainsmith.com/

[brickman]

I have found one that i like and i am planning on getting it for NEWGs upcoming SAREX. Thank all of you for your help.

[Spaceman3750]

Soooo....

I had seen that vest from SearchGear and want to get one when they come back in stock. I have a surplus pack that I use for 72 gear but for the future, do you think that the Responder24 pack would fit the required 72 gear (with 24 stowed). I recognize that, by name, it's a 24 hour pack, but it looks petty spacious.

[Shotgun]

There are plenty of vest threads that are worth a look, and some suggestions in the MOLLE threads. 

Something like this might be cool (but it's a tad pricy): http://www.searchgear.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=177

I use this vest for my 24 hour gear and think it rocks!

The one think I would add would be loops for a black pistol belt on the bottom similar to some of the Blackhawk vest. It's a minor detail and pretty much a personal preference.