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Just typing out some thoughts on gear, being that I am a gear-whore, and a gear maker to boot... :rolleyes:

Of course the situations will always be fluid, and it will always be a mess of variables.... That said; Here are some examples of gear that may work, or may not work. I am primarily concerned with homestead defense, or base-camp defense, not necessarily for bugging out situations, and definitely not for zombie apocalypses:rolleyes:

The first consideration; What do you foresee as primary purpose of the gear?
Is it for...
Sustained firefights without support?
Militia type engagements with small units?
Short range patrols/scouting? By Short range, no more than a day's walk away from your homestead, base-camp, or BOL.
camping?
Long range scouting/BOL travel? By Long range, more than two days walk, possibly farther, vehicle borne or on foot
Urban defense?
Rural/homestead defense?

Secondly, what is your fitness range? I myself am not quite as fit as I can be, though the doctor claims that I am quite healthy :rolleyes:.
This will drive the gear consideration.... Would you be able to hump up to 100lbs of gear on your person?

Now for the types of gear, and the uses they can have...

Load Bearing/Survival vests
Can be quite useful and lightweight, if not packed down with too much gear or ammo. The USGI stuff is pretty awesome, the older LBV-88s with the fixed mag pockets can be useful in keeping the ammo count limited, but can be augmented by an ALICE belt kit with additional pouches.
The MOLLE series, currently everywhere, and affordable, AWESOME for modularity.... only problem, it is FAR TOO EASY to overpack them with lots of pouches and pockets, that they become cumbersome, and uncomfortable to wear for long period of times. Do not get into the mindset of "I have the space for it, lets add to it!"
Survival vests/5.11 style "shoot me first" vests.... can be decent, much lighter, much less ammo carriage, BUT usually can carry a concealed handgun and mags...might be OK for some situations. Again, figuring out what you are going to carry is the key here, it is also easy to overload the vests, and look like a fisherman who's loaded for everything except what's in season :cool:

Chest rigs
There are many advantages to this idea. Vehicle operations being a key one... interfacing with a rucksack or backpack is another... HOWEVER.. There are many many variations, and many styles to choose from....ranging from the minimalist ChiCom SKS and AK rigs, to the extremely heavy duty, massive chest rigs like the ones available with the ability to carry 12 mags plus misc stuff... I am a fan of Tactical Tailor's MOLLE chest rigs, as I am able to tailor the gear carried to fit my needs, although the negative is.... it can get HOT wearing one with a ruck or backpack...
Load Bearing Equipment(belt kits)

plate carrier/armor rigs
Here, there is a trend and belief that one must be armored at all times in urban situations, and in rural country as well.... many do not run vests or chest rigs, but rather, plate carrier/armor rigs, as the available ones on the market, tend to be covered in MOLLE, or velcro, and can accept magazines, gear, pouches, panels, and whatever you want to carry.....
If you believe that you will engage hostiles on a daily basis, and have support available.. then it may be an option. If you are looking to stay out of sight, and adopt a "gray man" mentality, a concealed armor rig along with covert ammo carriage might be best.
On the other hand, it is again, easy to overload with armor plus gear... I know several troops ended up with far more weight on them than in the past, because they were required to work fully armored, and fully kitted out for sustained firefights. For a non-LEO civilian, this is excessive for the most part, and only in exceptional circumstances would this be expected of a civilian, who is not LEO.
A simple plate carrier rig with up to 6 mags, and a handheld radio for communication, and hydration, small first aid kit, should be sufficient in addition to what's on EDC belt kit. Some like to combine Plate carrier with a "war belt" rig for more ammo, or better load balance.

Load Bearing Equipment/War Belt/ Belt Kit
Here is one option that I am a huge fan of..... that of the tried and true Belt/suspender setup.
It can run the gamut from old school canvas VN era gear, all the way to the modern MOLLE War-Belt rigs.... ALICE is an affordable, popular, and easily set up option... Many of the Cold War Era vets and the in-betweeners can attest to the usefulness of an ALICE rig, and some of the other vets who have served in the UK, can attest to the modularity and usefulness of their PLCE rigs...
It really is a simple basic load, 2-4x mag pouches, 2x canteens, a butt pack if needed, or a medical pouch, and a compass/dressing pouch... all on a wide belt and a Y or H suspender setup. Some people liketo add SAW pouches as dump/general purpose pouches, others like to add Bianchi drop leg panel for their pistols, and pistol mags... An example can be built, 4x mag pouches, 2 of which are dedicated to loaded magazines, 1 is empty, and 1 has medical pull out insert (instead of the old style med pouch), 2 canteens, or 1 2-qt canteen, and a butt pack for misc things. Pads for the belts are available, and in the past, Blackhawk and other companies made padded ALICE belts...
MOLLE belt kits are currently available everywhere, and the nice thing about the MOLLE belt kits, you have a HUGE choice of pouches for your specific weapon/needs. Also, you have a broad range of suspenders/harnesses to choose from, ranging from minimal straps for use under armor, to well padded H harnesses for heavy belt kits... PLCE types of webbing is also quite good, if a little bit limited in what you can get Stateside..... But it is well thought out, and well balanced with 6 points of suspension.
Some MOLLE belts would require the use of a vest panel (1st gen MOLLE), OR modification to enable use with H harnesses, I have an example in another thread for the 1st gen MOLLE belts.

Again, be mindful of just how much gear you carry in the belt kits, however, it is easier to carry heavy loads on your hips, than to carry it all on your chest and pulling the shoulders down.... Another reason why belt kits can be far heavier than usual.
A popular trend with MOLLE "War/battle Belts" is to use in conjunction with armor, and to carry very few items on the belt, with most items on the armor... It is also popular with tactical carbine courses, and you will see competition belt kits with speed load pouches and stuff dedicated to decreasing the time between mag loads. It may not be useful for homestead defense, it might be useful for urban home defense.



Gunslinger belt
For the leather/cowboy/retro people, there is always this option. It may be the most limited option, because there are not many pouches to add to the basic leather gun belt, but it is awesome if your primary weapons are tube-magazine or cylinder fed, as opposed to box magazine fed. It is also awesome if you are carrying just a handgun around the homestead...although I would suggest adding a small first aid pouch of some sort to the belt for incidental injuries. It is a classic set up, and one that would very likely not bring weird looks from anyone out in the country. A certain charm for it can be found by perusing the many western and cowboy action events, in which the belt carries a shiny Colt pistol and ammo for both the pistol and the lever action rifle.
Unfortunately, it is also a quite expensive option, because there are not many companies who makes them. But it should be expected to last quite a long while.
Alternatively, using a police style belt can be beneficial, as there are more pouches available for them, and one can expect it to fit far better.

backpack
Some people prefer the backpack approach, but I find it to be quite a difficult option to use. Because everything is in the backpack, one has to drop it, and open it, and look through it to get to whatever they need; it takes time, and if you are carrying a carbine, or a shotgun, it may not be easy to carry both the long arm and the backpack. HOWEVER, if you are carrying a take-down weapon hidden in the backpack, it can be useful, if your goal is to not look like you're going into combat. It is also decent for those who wish to blend in and leave quietly.


What are your thoughts on these options?

I am personally a fan of LBE/Belt Kits, and also of chest rigs, depending on the situations. If I need to quickly get armed and ready, a belt kit is far quicker and easier to don, than armor. I can have the belt kit hanging at the ready in the vehicle, or already on me if I am on foot around base camp. As I live in a somewhat urban area, a handgun and a few magazines are always at an arm's reach at home. I do not make it a habit to openly carry around town, when I am usually driving and not expecting to run into trouble.
 
I would hope to stay in... BO would be a last resort.
For me, short trips, possibly on foot, to a nearby wooded area for animal-based protein would be the main focus if the bug-in outlasts my supplies.
For those trips, a take-down .22 in a backpack (to provide some degree of anonynimity) would be ideal... if things are "tense", walking around w a slung rifle, even one without scary-looking "features", could bring unneeded and unwanted attention. The tac vest, belt, and all that goes with it would stay home... just a dude walking down the street. Although not ideal, I'd have a couple of handguns and spare ammo just in case my gray-man cover fails.

Since we don't really have extreme weather here, I can't think of any situation short of an earthquake or tsunami/flood that would get me to run. It'd have to be man-made.

One night I was in the shower getting ready to go to work. My GF came home and came in, sat down, and started talking about this and that... then she stops.

"Who are you?" she says. Sounded a little awestruck, not alarmed.

She had spotted the vest and tac gear hanging on the back of the bathroom door (there's a boy's bathroom and a girl's bathroom... mine is downstairs).

"Oh... uh... that's for camping":rolleyes:

.........."oh...." and then she went on w her story.
 
Last Edited:
I tend to use a mixture of my old Army gear ( ALICE Web Gear ) and Rendezvous gear....
Keeping it simple to to the gear that I know works...'Cause I have actually used it in the field , on deployment or when hunting and camping.

Good advice on the :
"Don't get into the mindset of , I can add a pouch and stuff as much "needed" items in it".
Andy
 
@CamoDeafie , excellent write-up. Thanks!

Good advice on the :
"Don't get into the mindset of , I can add a pouch and stuff as much "needed" items in it".
Andy
This. Such an easy trap to fall into.
I think the best resolution to that is to actually get out at least 4-6x per year and practice the activity you are preparing for. The different modalities call for vastly different mind and gear sets. Camper-trailer / car camping vs. wilderness camping / bivouac (a.k.a. 'roughing it').
Every time (and I mean, every time) I go roughing it, I am refining my gear, my packing order, and my organization. And each time, I think, 'yeah, I have this down now. I'm set.' Ha!
 
I have been doing 4 mile walks with a 40lb weight vest a few times a week. I do have a jacked up knee and there is some elevation changes. The walk itself is ok but my knees pay a price a few days later. I am in my 50s.

I know there are lots of folks who can lug a ton of weight and gear but from looking around there is a ton that cannot. A basic plate carrier load out with a days supply will be 30-40 lbs easy unless you have very expensive light weight gear.

Fortunately in America we don't have a lot of recent history to base facts on outside of don't rely on government if you have options. Government tends not to have a Plan B.
 
I tend to use a mixture of my old Army gear ( ALICE Web Gear ) and Rendezvous gear....
Keeping it simple to to the gear that I know works...'Cause I have actually used it in the field , on deployment or when hunting and camping.

Good advice on the :
"Don't get into the mindset of , I can add a pouch and stuff as much "needed" items in it".
Andy


I still have my full ALICE kit and TA50.... haven't used it for forever, but I still have all that "memorized". I acquired one of those LBV-88's years ago, and it's not too bad of a design but was struck by how the slanted magazines constrict your ribs when breathing hard while running and under other exertions... that took some getting used to.
 
[QUOTE="nwslopoke, post: 2071910, member: 39728"
I know there are lots of folks who can lug a ton of weight and gear but from looking around there is a ton that cannot. A basic plate carrier load out with a days supply will be 30-40 lbs easy unless you have very expensive light weight gear.
[/QUOTE]

Exactly my reasoning for staying put and defending the base as my back can't handle the abuse of my younger years.;)
 
For home/property defense (urban) I have a kit I like quite well.

A thin streamlined Plate carrier that can carry anywhere from 2-
8 mags easily.

For a belt I use something similar to an HTC rig, with pistol, knife, IFAK, 2x pistol mags and 2x rifle mags. Believe it or not, if I strip Off the IFAK and knife I can conceal it. 20180426_082120_HDR.jpg
 
For long distance stuff, that is worst case IMO. I would use my HPG recon bag up front. This holds my pistol, + extra mag. I can then add 5 rifle magazines. No plate carrier. Would use my Gucci backpacking backpack for all my camping gear and food.

Not sure how to fight a war while mobile, just too much weight and crap.

If I am in the truck, setup would be similar to the home defense rig.
 
"The first consideration; What do you foresee as primary purpose of the gear?"
Living on the north coast and very much in tsunami land, "the big one" is real and what I have planned for; and our community trains for.
SPEED is the major factor and driving force to survival in that scenario. Get out of the zone ASAP! Reach higher ground. Carry light... a light poncho, space blanket, nylon survival tarp, cord, fuel tabs, lighter, flashlight, Lifestraw.. you get the idea. Just get out of dodge now bag to grab on the way out the door, if the house hasn't fallen down or the ground hasn't turned to mush and sank ten feet from the shaking. A pistol and spare mag is all I plan on taking. Must blend in with the other sheeple. Weight will kill you in this scenario.
That said, I have a stash in the woods (with long gun) to get me by for a few weeks, and many old "logging buddies" living in them thar hills. I'll survive, providing I can succeed in out running the wave.. The rest of the folk will be struggling, as the government will be too busy taking care of the population centers, which will have major catastrophic problems of their own.

Secondly, what is your fitness range?
At 63 I'm good for a ten mile jaunt with light carry.
 
"The first consideration; What do you foresee as primary purpose of the gear?"
Living on the north coast and very much in tsunami land, "the big one" is real and what I have planned for; and our community trains for.
SPEED is the major factor and driving force to survival in that scenario. Get out of the zone ASAP! Reach higher ground. Carry light... a light poncho, space blanket, nylon survival tarp, cord, fuel tabs, lighter, flashlight, Lifestraw.. you get the idea. Just get out of dodge now bag to grab on the way out the door, if the house hasn't fallen down or the ground hasn't turned to mush and sank ten feet from the shaking. A pistol and spare mag is all I plan on taking. Must blend in with the other sheeple. Weight will kill you in this scenario.
That said, I have a stash in the woods (with long gun) to get me by for a few weeks, and many old "logging buddies" living in them thar hills. I'll survive, providing I can succeed in out running the wave.. The rest of the folk will be struggling, as the government will be too busy taking care of the population centers, which will have major catastrophic problems of their own.

Secondly, what is your fitness range?
At 63 I'm good for a ten mile jaunt with light carry.


This is my worst fear. I can never get packed fast.
 
only thing I'm prepared for is if a big earthquake hits while I'm at work, 10 miles and across the Willamette from home. I'll be walking to a bridge, most likely the Tilikum, then out to 82nd, which I'm hoping will not have devolved into a warzone.

Just the usual first aid, a life straw, canteen, a few lights, waterproof fire starters, paracord, good gloves, extra wool socks and hat, extra batteries and a charger, leatherman multitool, space blanket, pistol and mags. Probably some other random bits.
 
I've revised my belt kit.. no pics at the moment... the giant lumbar pack now has ALICE pack straps to be its own patrol backpack; leaving my H harness/MOLLE I modified belt kit much lighter and freed up space... right now;
Left to right;
2x modified CMVS triple ammo pouches, canteen pouch, 2x 100rd SAW pouches (1 with med insert), Ka-Bar adapter with knife on, 2nd canteen pouch, and 200rd SAW pouch doing duty as dump pouch. Sure I could go ALICE style and make it almost symmetrical..... but I will see how the load balances first, and if I need to balance the weight somewhere, I will do so.
 
OK, turns out with 6 mags all on the left, and nothing on the right (relatively speaking); the setup felt unbalanced. So I revised the belt kit... this is what it looks like now, and I added a handgun and pistol mags to it; removed 1 SAW 100rd pouch, and rearranged the locations of the magazine pouches.
DSCF1675.JPG
The Bianchi holster is placed on one of those nifty MOLLE ALICE Adapter panels. It is easily removed and placed on a riggers belt should I need it as a primary.
For two examples of MOLLE vests;
DSCF1640.JPG
Standard MOLLE II FLC rifleman's set with Camelbak Thermobak hydration pouch; This set up carries 12 M4 magazines, 2 grenade pouches, 2 canteen pouches with optional canteens, and the MOLLE II waistpack. Personally I think it is way too much weight, but as this is how the Army issues their Riflemans' kits, mostly in DCU and ACU, the amount of ammo is quite high.

DSCF1641.JPG
This is the MOLLE Combat Medic Vest System; with 4 large Medic pockets and the 2 ammo pouches. Carries 6 M4 magazines, and medic items. Might be decent as a "survival vest", might be best for a Group Medic in conjunction with a Medic backpack. Uses ALICE belt, which could carry ALICE pouches for additional items.

For the chest rigs....
20170526_170231.jpg
Somewhat low profile 6-mag carrier with 9x7x1 zippered pockets on the back of the panels. Great for vehicle ops, perhaps decent when used with backpacks...
20170526_172234.jpg
Other two chest rigs, a Tactical Tailor 1-piece MAV in OD, and a DCU rig I made myself.

Plate carriers.... there are so many examples out there that I do not feel the need to add to them, except perhaps for the Hi Point 995 trunk gun, but I do not own body armor other than an old PASGT vest, so I will not be showing them here, at least until I get actual plates :rolleyes:
I do have more examples of gear I have modified, or made in this long thread, in a never-ending search for better, lighter options, or for specific firearm gear (such as the 20 rd magazines for the Hi Point 995 carbines)
Gear I've made myself and modified
 
I keep a go bag ready and a good size range bag in the safe next to the bed with CLP, cleaning gear, AR mags and ammo to support the AR , shotgun , .22lr and 9s at this time, may be the .45s tomorrow. With firearms to match ready to grab. And a woman with sturdy legs.
 
let's be realistic here. How many people can afford the credit card bills for that monstrous backpack, if that's an Eberlstock backpack? Also, it looks pretty obvious that it carries a rifle or two..... and my take on this? How easy is it to access the rifle section, and to get the stuff needed? I can see it for a back-up rifle, or a long range weapon in addition to the one that's slung on you.... might be OK for hunters who don't expect to run into trouble on the way to their stands or blinds.

Just my perspective. That said, I've done something similar :rolleyes: Used a VISM/NCSTAR carbine MOLLE case attached to the side of a ruck DSCN1710.JPG


And on a bicycle I used to own a long time ago
P4160260.JPG

Now that I have a motor vehicle, the Kia Sportage, I don't need to worry about how weird it is to have an unsecured gun on the bicycle :rolleyes:
 
I keep a go bag ready and a good size range bag in the safe next to the bed with CLP, cleaning gear, AR mags and ammo to support the AR , shotgun , .22lr and 9s at this time, may be the .45s tomorrow. With firearms to match ready to grab. And a woman with sturdy legs.
Sheltering In Place/Bugging in?

If so, then that's fine. What I am thinking is more along the lines of what are you putting on, when you are making the rounds around the property... Sort of like the EDC thread, but maybe expanded depending on situations...such as guarding against increased numbers of looters and criminals for one, or protecting property and livestock for another....
 

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