Hello everyone!
I was looking into purchasing some molle for the squadron FTXs and SARXs but I am not sure which to buy, the backpack or the tactical vests. I'm just looking for the pros and cons of each.
Thanks in adtvance for the responses.
Did you try searching? I think this has come up a couple times before.
No, actually I didn't. Thank you for the advice.
To make it a bit easier though, MOLLE vests are very versatile, and can be changed around easily, and keep your equipment very accessible. The biggest drawback that I can think of is only for a few people, and that is that it looks very military.
Packs can either look military or not, just depends on what you get. The plus, they can hold more, the negative is that generally it takes longer to find what oh need.
I just went with the GI issue MOLLE FLC (Fighting Load Carrier), aka the molle vest. If you pack lightly and shop wisely, chances are you can find everything you need for your gear on Ebay for under $100. This includes pouches, adapters, a hydration system, the works. This time around, I bought all of my new gear, sans one of the pouches, on Ebay for $75.
Quote from: manfredvonrichthofen on March 14, 2012, 05:09:26 AM
The biggest drawback that I can think of is only for a few people, and that is that it looks very military.
Agreed, however in my squadron, that really doesn't come into play. Quite a few of our SM's are AD veterans, and >50% of our cadets are headed for the military in some capacity. This is never a problem, however it does result in some interesting gear selections every now and then... ;D
Personally, I use the MOLLE 3 Day Assault (don't get hung up on that word 8) )Pack by Voodoo Tactical. I have used it for almost a year, and has served me very very well. It is extremely modular, so I can put on and take off many pouches, sometimes too much for my own good. >:D It has great carrying capacity on the inside, and a spot for a Camelbak bladder. Some downsides are that it is a bit heavy (because of construction and all the stuff I put in there), the straps aren't super padded, but that can be fixed by adding aftermarket straps. It is also fairly large, but nothing super super huge. Of course as always, there is price to consider on it as well... Get what works best for you, as GTCommando said, Ebay. I bought all my gear straight off the shelves and spent a pretty penny on it... Also, don't get something just because it looks "hard-kewl." I would advise against using the drop leg system for any GT work beyond a UDF team though, as they are not the most secure or comfortable way to hold your gear.
Quote from: superLt1995 on March 14, 2012, 10:25:21 PM
I would advise against using the drop leg system for any GT work beyond a UDF team though, as they are not the most secure or comfortable way to hold your gear.
+1
I used to have a thigh rig that I used to carry my compass and first aid kit (which was too big to begin with). I took it off after the first SAREX. It felt like I was carrying a tumor on my hip whenever I had to walk or jog anywhere. ;D
Unless it's a dump pouch for empty mags, I will never use a drop leg, they are just way too much hassle.
Think about your budget. Everything you need for your 24 hour gear and your extended duration pack can be purchased for about $75. You don't need to have the latest and greatest thing that the real military might be using to get the job done. You do not have to look like you walked out of an Army commercial. A lot of the members in my squadron have a backpack similar to what they take their books to school in. It works and it doesn't get caught up on everything. Along with budget, you should think about how much you want to spend on something that you may only use 3 or 4 times a year for training and maybe once or twice on a real mission if you're lucky.
When it comes to SAR it is a matter of utility and comfort. Your gear can look cool and it can look high speed, but if it doesn't work when you need it and you aren't comfortable walking in the woods carrying it, it doesn't do you much good. It has to work for you and you need to be able to find what you need efficiently. CAP does nothing that will be a life and death issue in a matter of seconds, like changing a magazine in a rifle under fire. The only things that need to be readily accessible are your first aid kit, notebook and pencil, compass and water source. From my perspective as a GTL, I want my people to have what works, doesn't slow them down, and will last.
Personally, I like my ALICE gear. It works well for me and I can get to what I need when I need it. Remember you need to have a safety vest compliant with section 7 of CAPR 62-1. If you can afford something doesn't mean it will work well than what you have. Try out different types of equipment before you buy anything and check e-bay and craigslist.
Good luck in your search for what works for you.
Quote from: MajorPayne on March 14, 2012, 02:57:36 AM
Hello everyone!
I was looking into purchasing some molle for the squadron FTXs and SARXs but I am not sure which to buy, the backpack or the tactical vests. I'm just looking for the pros and cons of each.
Thanks in adtvance for the responses.
MOLLE packs look cool but the ALICE packs serve the same purpose, The MOLLE vests spread the weight better but you can't put alot of stuff on it.
Quote from: Spartan on March 15, 2012, 06:27:38 AM
You do not have to look like you walked out of an Army commercial.
And for the love of all things SAR, please don't! I've seen both cadets and SMs alike come out to a SAREX, or even a squadron meeting, geared up to the max. Super tactical everything, and even have seen plate carriers a time or two being used as a 24 hour vest. ::) I prefer the MOLLE style gear because it is super modifiable and can outfit it in almost no time. With the vests, don't put too much stuff on in the front, because it really upsets the weight distribution and can make you fall on your face in mountainous terrain (seen it happen before)...
Quote from: GTCommando on March 15, 2012, 01:13:25 AM
Quote from: superLt1995 on March 14, 2012, 10:25:21 PM
I would advise against using the drop leg system for any GT work beyond a UDF team though, as they are not the most secure or comfortable way to hold your gear.
+1
I used to have a thigh rig that I used to carry my compass and first aid kit (which was too big to begin with). I took it off after the first SAREX. It felt like I was carrying a tumor on my hip whenever I had to walk or jog anywhere. ;D
I know what ya mean there, BTDT. ;) Back when I was working an airshow and my team/squad leader had a dropleg system, I thought it was super awesome and all that bla bla (this was when I was about 14 now mind you), and so I went out and got one myself. When I put it on, lets just say that it didn't quite work how I expected it to. >:D The straps chafe your legs after an entire day outside, and plus it's rather fun to see people try and walk through doors wearing them... 8)
I use a system that can either be a harness or a leg system. There's pro's and cons - I like not having things on my top half so I can put quick-access stuff like cell phone, ID, etc in the pockets on my orange vest but it requires that I use a separate hydration system (as opposed to the one built-in if I wear it like a harness) and it's really strange to have that much weight pulling on my pants (you get used to it though).
Wow guys! Thankyou for all of the great responses. It looks like I have quite the desision to make.
Quote from: superLt1995 on March 15, 2012, 02:52:51 PM
Quote from: GTCommando on March 15, 2012, 01:13:25 AM
Quote from: superLt1995 on March 14, 2012, 10:25:21 PM
I would advise against using the drop leg system for any GT work beyond a UDF team though, as they are not the most secure or comfortable way to hold your gear.
+1
I used to have a thigh rig that I used to carry my compass and first aid kit (which was too big to begin with). I took it off after the first SAREX. It felt like I was carrying a tumor on my hip whenever I had to walk or jog anywhere. ;D
I know what ya mean there, BTDT. ;) Back when I was working an airshow and my team/squad leader had a dropleg system, I thought it was super awesome and all that bla bla (this was when I was about 14 now mind you), and so I went out and got one myself. When I put it on, lets just say that it didn't quite work how I expected it to. >:D The straps chafe your legs after an entire day outside, and plus it's rather fun to see people try and walk through doors wearing them... 8)
I use a modified magazine dump dropleg rig for holding water bottles during airshows or parking lot duty myself. It is a lot easier than lugging around canteens and I dont notice real discomfort utilizing it for that kind of thing. You just need to adjust it properly!
In the field on sarex or missions it would NOT be a good option because it would continually get whacked by branches but for any kind of parking or show activity they work great and hold two standard water bottles easily..
Buy a MOLLE vest and a MOLLE backpack and have a few people try it out to see what they like better. I prefer vests because it is much easier to organize gear in pouches on a vest than it is to shove everything in a backpack. YMMV.
I've had great experience with this company, mainly because the prices lower than usual and the products are extremely durable. They make backpacks that you can have embroidered and sell them in a variety of colors/camo's. http://www.survival-supply.com/military-bags-accessories-c-168.html?osCsid=8d5216ed78ac8bc66988415c56dae8e7 (http://www.survival-supply.com/military-bags-accessories-c-168.html?osCsid=8d5216ed78ac8bc66988415c56dae8e7)
I'm sure there is MUCH cheaper MOLLE vests out there, but Blackhawk makes some high quality gear. I've never used their MOLLE vests before, but they are sure to be great. http://www.blackhawk.com/product/STRIKE-Elite-Vest,753,87.htm (http://www.blackhawk.com/product/STRIKE-Elite-Vest,753,87.htm)
Blackhawk does make amazing gear, very high quality, durable, comfortable. But of course you get what you pay for. I have the blackhawk's STRIKE elite vest and all the pouches and the dump pouch are blackhawk strike. But the vest alone is $165 on the blackhawk site. I got the vest and all the pouches at a considerably lesser price at botactactical.com
Blackhawk gear has substantially become more and more shoddy over the years. If you do get BHI gear, make sure to look for the older stuff, as the new stuff is pretty bad, quality-wise. The exception to that rule is their riggers belts, which are excellent.
Eagle, LBT, TAG, First Spear, Tactical Tailor, Crye Precision, all those companies are excellent manufacturers of military equipment, MOLLE and otherwise. I use a TSSI M9 Aid Bag as my 24-hour pack, and it fits most everything in it. It's fairly modular as well.
I ended up going with a Fox Tactical medium assault pack. I had a chance to try it out on an FTX and it worked great. It had a spot for my Camelbak bladder and plenty of storage space. It also had a good ammount, ( at least I think so), of space for MOLLE adaptations. So far it has proved quite trustworthy and useful. Thankyou all for your wonderful posts, they really gave me an idea of what I was looking for.