spatial
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Post by spatial on Apr 17, 2022 21:40:48 GMT 10
I am in favour of the use of chest webbing. The designs over the years have changed quit dramatically. Was watching some Greek survivalist YT channel and he had a Helikon-Tex Chest Pack Numbat.. Googled it and found it is available in Aus. $109. www.survivalsuppliesaustralia.com.au/Helikon-Tex-Chest-Pack-Numbat?quantity=1&custcol3=46There are a number of positive YT reviews... anyone have any experience with the product or the company selling them...
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rastus
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Post by rastus on Apr 18, 2022 14:31:39 GMT 10
Good for camera work - have seen bushcraft youtubers using them, and it makes sense for someone who is juggling things like lenses or go-pros (or even gps etc).
Not for me tho. I am pretty clumsy and need a bare side to safely fall on*. Especially on steep inclines. If I stored a go-pro for 2 weeks in that pack it would end up as glitter.
* (I don't know how else to describe it. When you fall often, you get good at falling without tensing up and hurting yourself. But if you try to protect gear and such, you can get hand/arm injuries easy)
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Post by Stealth on Apr 18, 2022 14:50:40 GMT 10
They look ok, but IMO if you're needing to go prone in a hurry you're probably not going to want anything pricey in your chest rig because whatever is in it is going to eat it first when you go to ground. I prefer to have things on my hips or lower back (bum-bag style) because they're less likely to take punishment.
But that's only my own personal impression of chest rigs. I can see benefits, they just would be outweighed by the disadvantages for my own personal experience.
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spatial
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Post by spatial on Apr 18, 2022 18:44:55 GMT 10
They look ok, but IMO if you're needing to go prone in a hurry you're probably not going to want anything pricey in your chest rig because whatever is in it is going to eat it first when you go to ground. I prefer to have things on my hips or lower back (bum-bag style) because they're less likely to take punishment. But that's only my own personal impression of chest rigs. I can see benefits, they just would be outweighed by the disadvantages for my own personal experience. I did fall off a kayak once and had a bit of difficulty getting back on as I had a small chest rig on with all my fishing gear. The rig was designed by a Canadian geologist to carry maps, gps, phone compass, and mapping pens. Chest rigs are now standard in all military's. I use hiking poles they make a huge difference when walking, give much more stability, speed and some of the weight can be transferred to upper body especially on gradients. Why not just store first aid, rain gear and snacks, maps, gps, torch, bandana, mossy net, water, binoculars etc.. give one some padding to fall on. For woman if carried under or on the chest it might be beneficial in a fall. There are handy things to have available when hiking or hunting... I have never fallen down and landed chest first, I would prefer to break equipment than get serious injury.
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Post by Stealth on Apr 18, 2022 21:22:42 GMT 10
Chest rigs are now standard in all military's. I use hiking poles they make a huge difference when walking, give much more stability, speed and some of the weight can be transferred to upper body especially on gradients. Why not just store first aid, rain gear and snacks, maps, gps, torch, bandana, mossy net, water, binoculars etc.. give one some padding to fall on. For woman if carried under or on the chest it might be beneficial in a fall. There are handy things to have available when hiking or hunting... I have never fallen down and landed chest first, I would prefer to break equipment than get serious injury. Not to be a smart ass (ok maybe ever so slightly ) but to my knowledge there isn't any military that uses this kind of gear that you're looking at as standard. Most countries use their own variation of what our military uses, the Tiered Body Armour System (TBAS). There's similar items available even in Australia but they're not standard military issue even if they're patterned to look like it. TBAS is a whole great whopping vest with armour plates in it that you have to throw over your head and hope not to accidentally give yourself a concussion as you do so. Chest rigs without armour are basically just a tacti-cool bumbag with a premium price to have your junk up front. If that's your jam, fill your boots! There's nothing wrong with using a specific bit of kit because it suits your needs. But there's a reason that military rigging all centers around the hips. It's your strongest pivot point and low center of gravity is what you want for balance and weight baring. You should be carrying bulk on your hips, not your upper chest. Ask any well-endowed female how well that works for your lower back over time if you want to doubt that concept. And as a female, this provides absolutely no benefit to physical safety or comfort when falling/diving to the ground and often times makes things even worse. Ask me how I know. Actually you can probably guess that one. So experience with this exact product? Nope. But I've carried a bumbag cross-chest fashion in the past and I didn't really find any benefits to having it on my chest vs. on my back. I'm not saying it was worse. Just didn't provide any reason for me to think 'hey yeah, this would be way better if I could always carry it here!'. Obviously these kind of things are all deeply personal and comfort varies for everyone. I guess the take-away here is maybe see if you can find one in store to try on. That way you can figure out if it suits you and your lifestyle.
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spatial
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Post by spatial on Apr 18, 2022 22:15:49 GMT 10
1980s South African military chest rig that I used, is basically for spare magazine maps and a few odd items. Sill have it but is a bit heavy and difficult to use with a backpack. I have 80L backpack and use chest webbing in the front for quick items like maps, GPS, binoculars etc... The image below is the newer rigs that came out a year or so after I left the military.
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Post by Stealth on Apr 19, 2022 8:43:53 GMT 10
I hate to be 'that guy' but the 1980s was forty years ago. Like I said there's a chance that a current military uses something similar to this day, but none of the partner forces I've worked with in the last decade have frontbumbags. The modern day fighter goes into fray with armour on. The mags go on the armour. If you're inclined to be heading into a boogaloo you are NOT going in with additional ammunition carriage and no armour. You're not going to need to be extra bombed-up if you're already dead because you caught a round to the chest. And every single range day I've been on even the range leader wears standard issue kit because that's all you're allowed to wear. Webbing belt, shoulder attachment, mag pouches, minimi pouches or dump pouch, water bottle holders. That's it. Mag holder pouches attached to molle on harness rigs? Sure. Bumbags on adjustable clipped straps? Naw. They'd fall apart the second you hit the deck. There's a significant difference in durability and functionality to what even the additional mag pouch attachments that were/are used vs. that particular item.
We could go in circles all day. Like I said, if it's your style then rock it. I just personally think there's far more functional and durable kit that's out there. If your South African kit is too heavy and unwieldy (and I'd warrant that's extremely likely, everything I've seen from the 80s is like wearing cement) and you're disinclined to the standard patrol order set up that's currently used then rolling with a frontbumbag doesn't hurt anyone. You can just find a bumbag and chest-sling it for a heck of a lot cheaper is all.
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spatial
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Post by spatial on Apr 19, 2022 10:44:29 GMT 10
I hate to be 'that guy' but the 1980s was forty years ago. Like I said there's a chance that a current military uses something similar to this day, but none of the partner forces I've worked with in the last decade have frontbumbags. Chest webbing is not for military purposes, many people use them today for geological exploration fishing, hiking, hunting, photography, clay pigeon shooting etc.. To not use chest webbing due to the fact you might fall over and damage your equipment to me is so weird. and boggles the mind.
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norseman
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Post by norseman on Apr 19, 2022 14:21:19 GMT 10
Twenty years ago Hill People Gear were among the first to manufacture and popularise a type of Chest Pack they called it the "Kit Bag". Now it comes in many variants some of my mates own Kit Bags and seem to really like them. While I own some HPG the Kit Bag is not one of them. hillpeoplegear.com/Products/CategoryID/1
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spatial
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Post by spatial on Apr 19, 2022 18:59:55 GMT 10
Twenty years ago Hill People Gear were among the first to manufacture and popularise a type of Chest Pack they called it the "Kit Bag". Now it comes in many variants some of my mates own Kit Bags and seem to really like them. While I own some HPG the Kit Bag is not one of them. hillpeoplegear.com/Products/CategoryID/1The Kit bag is a good alternative with plenty of moly, just over 2L where the Helicon is around 3L. Watched a few reviews on them - some use them for concealed carry or get home bags.
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