# Climbing and Body Armor



## Etype (Jul 14, 2012)

I've recently been trying to rethink my gear setup in favor of making climbing and prone firing more comfortable.  I currently have a Blue Force Gear triple on my front, and a double mag pouch on my right side "plate pocket" (the little area on the side of your plate under the cummerbund), I have my radio on the left side with a triple flash bang pouch (two bangers and a light), and a frag behind that.  
I've been trying to come up with a way to get the three mags off of my front because it snags when I mantle, and makes me have to crane my neck when I am prone.  

Any ideas?  I'd be interested to hear from some of you Rangers- there's probably a whole different lot of ideas in the different communities.


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## pardus (Jul 14, 2012)

In the Infantry we used to have nothing at all on the front. Had to be able to go prone without being on top of pouches etc...
Our pouches were big enough to hold a minimum of 5 mags. Not as fast as a single mag pouch maybe but a very large carrying capacity. I generally carried 2 pouches for ammo, 2 for water, one for utility, one for Wet Weather Jacket (swapped out the WWJ for ammo when needed).

It was a great set up for going prone, can't talk about climbing.


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## Etype (Jul 14, 2012)

I'm thinking about leaving the Blue Force rifle pouches there for firing systems (there has to be a plate between firing systems and the body) but not putting rifle mags in them unless the situation dictates.


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## pardus (Jul 14, 2012)

Sounds like an easy fix.


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## goon175 (Jul 14, 2012)

I always kept a tac. tailor triple on the front, with a single right next to it on the left side, to make for a total of 4 mags on the plate carrier, and radio on the right side with a remote antenna on the back of my kit. and then a double mag pouch on the left side of my mission belt. for a total of 6 mags plus one in the rifle. Some guys also put a double mag pouch on the back of their mission belt but attached horizontally and opening to the left, so you could just reach behind you. Kept one banger on the back of my kit on the upper left side,  since the guy behind me would be the one throwing it anyway.  then two frag pouches on the right side of the mission belt. This worked well for me as everything I need to access with my right hand was on the right side, and everythign I needed to access with my left hand was on the left side. The 4 mags on my kit didn't create any problems when in the prone or climbing as they were only one deep as opposed to doubled up.


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## Arrow 4 (Jul 14, 2012)

Etype, take a look at TYR Tactical's set up: http://www.tyrtactical.com/products/details/accessories-PICO/pico-mv-low-back-mag-pouch-556/ I'm wondering how adaptable this would be to other plate carriers? I am truly impressed with TYR Tactical's product line both from a design aspect as well as quality and durability.


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## Etype (Jul 14, 2012)

That is pretty slick.  I work with a guy who uses TYR's abdomen platform- I think he runs it on a PICO but I'm not sure.


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## reed11b (Jul 14, 2012)

That looks like it might have potential as a sniper setup as well.
Reed


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## Etype (Jul 14, 2012)

I put a tac tailor triple on the left side, to the left of my MBITR, and put two flash bangs and a frag on top of the triple. I can still reach all of the mags and the grenade pouches are upside down so they are easy to access. On the right, I put a single mag pouch in the "plate pocket" behind the cummerbund and a on the first two loops of the cummerbund. I left the Blue Force triple on the front, but am going to leave it empty and only use it if I need to carry firing systems.

It seems pretty good when I had it on in the garage, I'll give it a shot on the range on Monday.


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## goon175 (Jul 14, 2012)

are the banger/frag pouches that are over your tac tailor triple going to prevent you from pulling out the mags easily? I'm trying to imagine your set up in my head and it seems like it might make mag changes harder..?


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## Etype (Jul 14, 2012)

goon175 said:


> are the banger/frag pouches that are over your tac tailor triple going to prevent you from pulling out the mags easily? I'm trying to imagine your set up in my head and it seems like it might make mag changes harder..?


Nope, they are stacked, not on top- I guess I worded that wrong. I attached a quick pic. I dropped the 2 single bangers/frag and went with a triple bang/tourniquet for now.

I'll do my bolt lock reloads from the fast mag on the right side, then transfer a mag to it when I readjust. I was messing around in the garage with the protimer and could consistently reload out of the first position on the tac tailor pouch in under 3 secs, and was at about 75% in 2.5, so it's not ideal, but still an option if needed. I can get at the fast mag in 1.5 about 90% of the time, so it's about as fast as an A-zone hit from the draw @ 10m.


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## goon175 (Jul 14, 2012)

ah roger that makes sense. I personally wouldn't want mags wrapping around me that far, but I know other guys who had the same exact set up and they didn't mind it.


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## Etype (Jul 14, 2012)

Tyr's PICO has the side mag pouches built in- it's a super awesome rig.  If I had $600 burning a hole in my pocket, I'd pick one up.


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## surgicalcric (Jul 15, 2012)

Etype said:


> Tyr's PICO has the side mag pouches built in- it's a super awesome rig. If I had $600 burning a hole in my pocket, I'd pick one up.


 
My Tyr is by far the most comfortable plate carrier I have worn to date.  The only thing that comes close is the Crye CPC but is it a bit bulkier.  I utilize one of the two cummerbund mag pouches on each side and the other one remains vacant as I cant get to that mag under my arm.  

The  MBITR pouch can be added to the inside of the cummerbund as well thus decreasing the extra bumps on the outside of the cummerbund.  

In an attempt to move weight from my shoulders (plate carrier) and onto my hips I have moved two M4 mag pouches, my pistol mag pouches, and my BOK onto a Brokos belt.

Crip


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## Arrow 4 (Jul 15, 2012)

Although I don't show the Pico on my website, I can get them as well as any other TYR Tactical products. I just shipped a LWPC to another SS member yesterday at $100 off of TYR's price. The LWPC is what I use as well and am very happy with all of their products.


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## fox1371 (Jul 16, 2012)

I'll go ahead and add my opinion on the LWPC set up options as well.  It is awesome.


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## Brill (Jul 16, 2012)

Arrow 4 said:


> Although I don't show the Pico on my website, I can get them as well as any other TYR Tactical products. I just shipped a LWPC to another SS member yesterday at $100 off of TYR's price. The LWPC is what I use as well and am very happy with all of their products.



Yes he did! 
Etype, I'll show you mine if you show me yours. I should be there next week.


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## Arrow 4 (Jul 16, 2012)

Okay, this thread motivated me to get off my ass....the TYR PICO is now up on the website!


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## pardus (Jul 17, 2012)

Arrow 4 said:


> Okay, this thread motivated me to get off my ass....the TYR PICO is now up on the website!


 
About bloody time!


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## Arrow 4 (Jul 17, 2012)

Ahh, well it ain't the first time I've been accused of being slow. By the way, thanks for the pictures...I hope you killed that bastard Taliban rat!


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## pardus (Jul 17, 2012)

Arrow 4 said:


> Ahh, well it ain't the first time I've been accused of being slow. By the way, thanks for the pictures...I hope you killed that bastard Taliban rat!


 
We used the administration's currently strategy in Afghanistan. We withdrew from the field of battle. That's best right? :-/


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## Etype (Jul 20, 2012)

Arrow 4 said:


> Okay, this thread motivated me to get off my ass....the TYR PICO is now up on the website!


Do the PICOs come with plate backers?  Or is that price without soft armor?


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## Arrow 4 (Jul 20, 2012)

Etype said:


> Do the PICOs come with plate backers? Or is that price without soft armor?


 
The price on my website includes the soft body armor.


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## Etype (Jul 20, 2012)

Arrow 4 said:


> The price on my website includes the soft body armor.


Good to know.  I'm slowly convincing myself I need to spend the money and upgrade.


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## Arrow 4 (Jul 20, 2012)

Let me know, I will do better than the price on the website for you. It is running about 3 weeks to get from TYR right now.


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## surgicalcric (Jul 20, 2012)

Etype said:


> Good to know. I'm slowly convincing myself I need to spend the money and upgrade.


 
If you want, I will bring mine to Bragg mid-August for SOCMSS and you can finger-fuck a medium.

Crip


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## Etype (Jul 20, 2012)

surgicalcric said:


> If you want, I will bring mine to Bragg mid-August for SOCMSS and you can finger-fuck a medium.
> 
> Crip


I'd love to.  Thanks.


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## Clark (Apr 21, 2014)

I just ordered the pico and am looking a the brokos belt system think I might pull the trigger soon the gear looks great and have heard nothing but good things.


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