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Accessories very usefull for Airsoft, reviewed in this section.
Review: Chest Rig 4 magazine pouches
In this review we are going to take a look at the Chest Rig 4 magazine pouches from combatkit. We recieved this rig from Combatkit.net, many thanks for that! We will give you some detailed information of the chestrig. In this review u will learn more about the functionality and quality etc.
Combatkit.net
The creed of combatkit is “Aiming for top quality equipment” and they sure do that. The manager is an ex-soldier from the Norwegian army (Normal trainings are extremely heavy there), were he served for 8 years. All his good experiences with tactical gear can be found in his own products. A new design is always tested by himself and soldiers of course, and the feedback he gets is directly added to compliment the design, so that u will have a truly durable piece of equipment.
The company is active on two places, the company top in Norwegian and the production process takes place in Croatia. His products are used by numerous armed forces, for example; Norwegian and Sweden.
The service is very quick, mostly u will get a reply on your e-mails in a day or so, they will provide you with all the information u ask for. The delivery of the items is very quick aswell, we ordered this rig on a Wednesday and we received it on the next Friday, if that isn’t quick!
The product range goes from a wide selection of accessories, like pouches, holsters, chestrigs and even complete battle vests. Almost everything is available in a wide variation of camouflage colors; Norwegian forest, Norwegian Desert, DPM, DPM desert, Flecktarn, Australian, Swedish M90, Danish M80, Central Europe, US woodland, US 3d desert, Black, Tan, White and Olive green. Since a short time they also got their own line of leather products, holsters and magpouches, Even rucksacks are available on his site, at a very nice price.
The first impression
The first time when I glimpsed at this rig I was a little bit disappointed, the chestrig didn’t look that impressive, and I had such high expectations of it! But luck ally that was only the first impression, when I fully loaded the thing with all kinds of stuff, it proved itself worthy and wearing it was comfortable. At your first look at this product u can see that it is made with excellent craftsmanship and that they have do their utterly best to provide you with a top notch product.
More details
When I was packing the rig I noticed how well it was finished, all seams were secured tightly with triple stitches, and the MOLLE (= Modular Lightweight Load-Carrying Equipment) fasteners are also very tightly fitted to the rig. In the process of testing, I’ve pulled a single molle fastener a few times (not to gently) and it didn’t gave way at all. More about the MOLLE functions later in this review. The magpouches are fully lined with pvc for durability, except the rear of the pouches (against your chest), but that isn’t really necessary. There are 2 ways of closing the magpouches, with velcro or fastex clips. U can enable or disable the use of velcro with a small piece of velcro so that u can use fastex clips only for a ’silent operation’. The fastex clips are nice to handle and very solid, closing a clip is very easy, but as always it makes a little ‘click’. Overall the fabric doesn’t feel rugged and seems vulnerable, but it still is 1000 d corduroy, so it’ll withstand the harshest conditions, and I noticed that during the testing. As u all know, after a good skirm everything is dirty, but the dirt comes of easily. The big an broad shoulder pads feel very nice and comfortable, they are specially designed for use with a rucksack, so they won’t get in the way or cut into your shoulders. The padding in the straps is 1,5 cm thick (when it is processed, afterwards it is pressed firmly in the strap) and the strap itself is 8cm broad. Here is a line-up of all the pouches on this chestrig:
* 4 magpouches, each can take; 2 x G3 mags, 3 x M4 mags, 3 x AK 47 mags (Tested and they fitted very well), 2 x G36 mags or 4 x MP5 mags.
* 2 large stuffing pouches under your armpits (for your water bottle or as a storage pouch) the left pouch has a built-in section for a weapon cleaning kit. This looks very professional. This pouch is also provided with 2 firm elastic bands where u can store a gas can for your GBB.
* MOLLE webbing on the side of both stuffing pouches, and on the side of the 2 outer magpouches.
* 4 D rings at the bottom of the rig to attach extra gear.
* Fastex clips on all straps, for dumping in difficult situations.
* 2 small medic pouches on both sides of the stuffing, pouches for storage of an FFD or a grenade.
* MOLLE webbing on the shoulder straps, double!
* A map pouch, placed behind the magpouches, closes with velcro.
* The back strap has the possibility to take a few pouches, attached with Alice clips.
Camouflage Colors
As mentioned before the rig is available in many colors and camouflage patterns. The available patterns are as following; Norwegian forest, Norwegian Desert, DPM, DPM desert, Flecktarn, Australian, Swedish M90, Danish M80, Central Europe, US woodland, US 3d desert, Black, Tan, White and Olive green. As u can see on the pictures we have received the olive green version. It’s a standard Nato olive color and it is easy to combine that color with a load of different camouflage patterns.
Material usage
The rig is made of 1000 D corduroy, sadly not IRR coated, but for airsofters that’s not really relevant isn’t it. Foam padding of 1,5 cm in the shoulder area, the harness goes over the shoulders and then there are 2 fastex clips added (for dumping the rig in difficult situations like a med-evac) and then the harness goes on without padding. The map pouch is well protected behind the pvc coated mag pouches and is also very easy accessible, but it makes a lot of noise do to the Velcro! The mag pouches are coated and fitted nicely with a layer of pvc on the inside, and will take AK magazines without any problem, the pouches are secured by a strip of Velcro or by fastex clips (his own design, large and very good to use) The big pouches under your armpits are easily accessible and they will take a lot of gear in them, on these pouches there is a small pouch for a grenade or a field dressing. The MOLLE straps are sewn solid to the rig and pouches and will not fail at all, they dint gave way after pulling hard on them a few times.
The fieldtest
The rig has withstood the test excellent; you really notice that u bought a top notch item when u are wearing it. From my own experience with other rigs, I can tell that this one feels better than the Webtex rigs and even those of Arktis! Fully loaded with gear and mags it’s an easy to wear item and isn’t constraining your movement at all. Only when I was prone and started to crawl the hard coated pvc pouches where showing some minor resistance and make it a little bit harder to crawl silently.
The verdict
This retailer has a load of quality stuff and his chest rig is perfectly suited for airsofters. The only problem is the price it’s quite expensive… for no less than € 162,95 the rig is yours, and with that kind of prices you get awfully close to the price of a complete battle vest. I must say that you will have a dandy rig for all your airsoft adventures! Just take a look at this retailer’s site, as mentioned before he sells a lot of accessories for MOLLE vests. Quality products, service and a fast delivery are on the top of the list at this dealer.
Final Grading
Dealer: *****
Quality: *****
Reliability: *****
Comfort: *****
Value: ***
Over-all: *****
Review: Chinese Canvas Chest Rig
Let's start this review by thanking Flecktarn for providing this Chest Rig for review purpus. Fot those who on't know, Flecktarn.co.uk is the specialist when you are looking for a need airsoft out-fit. It is a very nice onlineshop in the England with all the camouflage you can dream of. They are a military clothing and equipment supplier specialising in German, British, Danish, East German and Black military kit for the UK/World market. Their aim is to provide you with the best quality at an honest price. Let's hav a look if this Chinese "ChiCom" Canvas Chest Rig is worth his price...
We are ready for the chest rig now. We start with a quote taken from the website of Flecktarn themself. It will provide some general information about this Chinese "ChiCom" Canvas Chest Rig. Here we go:
"Classic design Chinese chest rig for the AK 47. Made of heavy-duty cotton canvas, this chest rig will hold one full-sized AK47 magazine in each of the front three pockets. There are two smaller pockets on each side, two of which are lined with vinyl, which are designed to hold items such as grenades and other small utility items. The magazine pockets are made in two stages to ensure correct and regular sizing. All pockets are double stitched onto the chest rig base. Pockets are closed with flaps, which are secured into place with wooden toggle and loop closure. Chest rig shoulder straps are adjustable through a self-tensioning adjustment metal ring and bar system and excess strap length is secured into place under a vinyl loop. The chest rig is tied into place around the back. The chest rig is completely silent in operation, extremely stable when worn and maintains a low profile. A classic piece of kit suitable for airsofters, role players, re-enactment and film/theatre."
First impression
Build quality
The chest rig is made from thick olive green cotton canvas and is exceedingly hard wearing and will last a long time for sure.
The rig will hold three AK-47 magazines close to the user's chest, giving a low profile, the magazines require a little bit of pushing to get them in completely initially, due to a stitch line along the bottom of the pouch, but this soon becomes easier and is the same with all of these designs of chest rigs. The pouches are closed by folding a canvas flap down and securing it with wooden toggles.
This looks like a fiddly procedure and is made more difficult with full finger gloves. It is however surprisingly simple to use after some practise. Due to the length of the magazines it is unlikely for them to fall out during running or other excited movement and so closing the pouches is not necessary if speed of reloading is an issue.
On either side are two smaller cubed shaped pouches. The furthest left pouch, from the wearer's point of view, is lined with a thin plastic vinyl sheet. This is designed for storing an AK-47 cleaning kit and oil bottle, but can be easily used for any other purpose.
The side pockets ideal for holding small smoke grenades, BB grenades, 1500 - 2000 BBs in a folded bag, or any other similar sized items such as the small Motorola Radios or a pair of gloves.
The rig is held to the user with two simple canvas cross-shoulder straps and another pair of straps tied together behind the user's back. This is simplicity at its best. The shoulder straps have a metal wire buckle that is used to adjust the length and excess material can be held out of the way with a leather loop. These straps are pretty simple but i think they don't provide the maximum comfort. Personally i prefer something more than only straps. This is just a personal thing...
Camouflage and Colors
The chest rig is made from olive green cotton canvas. And as far as we know there is no other color availeble. When you go for the Vietnam look, the olive green color is all you need.
Usage
I totally agree on the quote from the Flecktarn.co.uk website. The chest rig is indeed completely silent in operation. No "kling" from any clips, zippers or what ever, ideal! The vest is also extremely stable when worn and maintains a low profile. No shaking, banging etc. It fits really good. The straps are ok, but as i mentioned before i prefer something more then only straps, maybe because i am used the a tactical vest. The straps can be easily adjusted and even me (quite big) can fit the chest rig perfect. However the green cotton used is of a very high quality and you can feel it will last a long time!
Further more the pouches can be easily accessed and the usage is just fine. No frustrations to open the pouches, i didn't loss and gear and so on.
The verdict
This is an excellent choice for any re-enactors or themed airsofters looking for a good quality piece of kit that fits the Vietnam image. Despite the simplicity of the design, it is comfortable to wear and hangs stady and above all it is very usefull! The pockets availeble are simple to use and easily accessed and they perfect fit AK type magazines. The price is also very reasonable coming in at only £15 from flecktarn with other surplus providers prices ranging from £15 - £25. I think Flecktarn did a very good job here!
Final Grading
Dealer: *****
Quality: ****
Reliability: ****
Comfort: ***
Value: *****
Over-all: ****
External Links
Review: RICO Alpha 9 Tactical Light
I received lately the Rico Alpha-9 flashlight from Redwolf Airsoft. I first had my doubt about the tactical light. It looked kinda wierd and when do we play at night? But it does provide a cool look, esspecially the the built in "navigation" LED lights. The specifications on Redwolf Airsoft provided me more insights on this product. The light delivers a 250 lumen output and was originally designed for actual military use (a replica of the Surfire M900 series!), and it is not a toy but a serious flashlight designed for weaponry. It also has a 3mm poly-carbonate lens making it virtually indestructible to airsoft gun fire. And all this for only 169 USD (an origional Surefire M900 will cost you over 650 USD). This flashlight is it really worth to have in your inventory. So thanks go out again to Redwolf Airsoft and in special Paul Chu himself who provide us with the oppertunity to review this piece of equipment. Here we go...
General information
This tactical light is designed to produce sufficient amount of light to allow an operator in a low light environment to safelu illuminate targets. According to RICO themself. Here is some additional information from Redwolf Airsoft:
Quote
Stylish new tactical weapons system from RICO is rugged and a high performer, and is a similar design as the SureFire M900 sold for over USD650. As seen used by US military personel. Constructed with a high quality polymer body and aluminum skeletal frame, this light is impact resistant from a 2 meter drop, as well as water resistant. Super strong 3mm poly-carbonate lens means that the flashlight lens is indestructable with any airsoft gun. Full aluminum lamp housing with striker flashlight head and butt cap. Powered by three CR123A batteries, which drives the 250 lumen INSIGHT bulb for very strong illumination! Dual integrated white LED lamps serve as navigation lights for stealth movement. Thumb screws ensure tight attachment on your gun. A main high power bulb is activated through either a twist knob on the back of the main flashlight housing, or by dual-sided pressure switches on the broom-handle grip. The navigator lights on either side of the main bulb can be activated using a third pressure switch onthe back of the unit, allowing the operator to light up an effective 10 - 15 feet of visibility with white light for moving around. MSRP is USD275 but you can get it here for USD168! Note that this Alpha-9 unit is designed for serious training use and is not a simple toy. It's ruggedness and performance exceed that of many real-steel lighting systems. Highly recommended!
Characteristics
Here we will provide you with some common characteristic details of the tactical light weapon system. The packages comes with the tactical light, a usefull handguide and that's it. Unfortunately batteries are not enclosed, but you can find the CR123A 3 volt batteries in every comon electronic shop. Further you are ready to go! The tactical light is standby and ready for usage... Here some detailed info on the light itself:
Weigt (w/o battery) 640 g
Weigt (w battery) 690 g
Length 182 mm
Width 52 mm
Height 145 mm
Water Resistance Operates under heavy rain
Brightness (Main Lamp) 250 Lumens Peak
Drop Resistant 2 meters max
Continous Operation approx. 60 minutes
Further below is a quick overview of the major components:
Main Light - 250 lumen replaceable lamp unit
Main light pressure switch - Pressure-activated on either grip side
Navigator light - Two integrated white LEDs for private illumination
Navigator Light Pressure Switch - Activates navigator lights
Rocker Switch - Selects between "allways-on" and "pressure-on"
Case - The body is made from high impact composite materials
Chassis - Milled aluminium skeleton chassis is strong and durable
Looks
At first view it might look a bid odd to you. A wierd combination of asome sort of light bulb together with a grip. But when attached to a rail system it really looks great! Together with for example the CA M15 CQB this light really gives you the professional looks.
Operation
Aside from the fact that the grip looks gorgeous there are a lot of buttons and pressure pads on it. How do they operate? The grip is basically a vertical RIS grip with a lamp system built into it, featuring two sets of illumination sources. A whit and bright shining main flashlight and a white LED powered socalled "navigation light". To either side of the grip you'll find carefully placed pressure pads, so the grip can be operated by the left or right hand!
Firstly the rotary switch at the back of the lamp, also named the Rocker Switch can be seen as the power button. The switch has 3 functional options; on (right position), off (center position) and pressure switch (left). In the off position the main lamp won't work. In the on position the main lamp will constanly be turned on. And offcourse in the pressure switch mode the main lamp will only turn on when you push the pressure switches, either the left or right pressure switch. This switch does not influence the usage of the "navigation" LED lights!
Second the smaller pressure pad on the back of the grip activates the two low wattage 'navigation' white LED lights at the front of the grip. The low wattage LEDs are designed for 'covert' use, in situations where the main light is just too bright and will really give your location away. Socalled private illumination. Simply when you push the pressure pads the "navigation" light's turn on, when not puched the lights are of.
And last we have the main pressure switches which we mentioned above, they turn the main light on and of when the tactival light is in the "pressure mode".
Further the attachement and detachment of the tactical light is really easy to do. It just works like the most rail systems; loosen te two mounting screws, bring it up onto the rail and slight the retainer claws over the edge of the rail. When all is in place, thighten the mounting screws back again. When all went well the light should fit perfect to your rail. One big advance to this system is that the light is now already properly aligned with your rifle!
When having problems with the 250 lumen (!) main light, the light bulb can be easily replaced. Just unscrew the lamp housing (counter-clockwise) and the bulb can be removed. It is not adviced to insert a larger lightbulb because of heating probelms. And really with a light bulb of 250 lumens this is really not necessary!
Usage
To start we need to insert the batteries. The batteries are stored in the grip (3 CR123A 3 volt batteries are used), unthread the graphite coloured grip base to insert the batteries. Remark to insert the battery polarity with the + facing inwords. Be sure to insert the batteries properly because it might cause serious damage. Also ensure that the water resisting o-ring is seated properly.
Unscrew the bottom of the grip and insert 3 CR123A batteries. There you go!
The Main light provides the ultimate beam for close to medium range engagements. The light is good concentrated and even for 50 yards the tactical light is still useble. Unfortunately the light uses quite a lot energy and can only be used for 60 minutes. This is way to short during a full 12 hour night op.
Ergonomically the grip is a pleasure to hold, and the fact that the lamp is built into the grip itself means that it is placed close to the muzzle, and therefore the lamp will shine more accurately in the direction of the target.
Pressure pads work well and react accurately. The pressure pads are also large enough to be very useable with gloves on.
A lot of 'quick detach' gear tends to fall off very easy. This is happily not the case with this tactical light, even though the attachment system is very simple it is incredibly effective, and only going to come off when assisted by a user.
The navigation LEDs are spaced far enough apart to be well out the way of any extended muzzle breaks or barrel additions. The navigation lights are commonly used for personal illumination. Actions like reading your map, opening your bag etc. This light can be really usefull for your team. It can even be used for signalling to your teammembers, very handy!
The verdict
I really like the RICO Alpha 9 Tactical Light Weapon System! If you want a powerful light and are serious about it, this is the product for you. Really a good piece of equipment to have in your inventory. It will help you in airsoft situations lacking appropriate lighting, whether it be outdoors or indoors. Unfortunately it will only help you for 60 minutes, so my advice is; take some extra batteries with you. The operation and usage of this tactical light are great! And offcourse has Redwolf Airsoft a very nice pricing on this product, only 169 USD. Besides Redwolf also sells a Flashlight Package 195 USD, this package includes the batteies and a 2 spare light bulbs! So my doubts are gone and I am looking forward to my next night op! In the furture we will add some nice in-action photo's. To finish with we have a nice wallpaper included made by Redwolf Airsoft, some manufacturer warnings and a comparison between the Rico Alpha 9 Tactical Light and the Surfire M900 series.
Here are some of the latest warnings from the manufacturer:
- In some rare situations in extreme cold, the main light may flutter a bit during full-auto fire (when mounted on an AEG). The reason is the battery spring on the lower end cap becomes a bit stiff and hops the battery up and down thereby breaking electrical contact intermittently. An easy fix is simply to pull on the spring and lenthen it a bit. This solves the problem completely.
- Please make sure you have read the instruction before you put the batteries into flashlight, wrong direction of batteries installation will damage LED light.
Also compare this RICO Alpha 9 Tactical Light Weapon System with the real Surfire M900 series! Are there any differences? For sure in price ;)
External links
- Redwolf Airsoft - www.redwolfairsoft.com
Review: MICH Replica Helmet
General information
The MICH (Modular Integrated communications Helmet) TC 2000 is the replacement for the PASGT. The MICH is now used by the US Army/Airforce along with many other units around the would. It comes in tan or olive for a desert or woodland environment. Remark that the helmet is a replica! It can not by used as real head protection!
Configuration
The shell is made of high impact ABS plastic and has a rough finish to it. The MICH has an updated suspension system which consists of 7 soft pads that fit in to the helmet by means of 16 Velcro disks so the fit can be tailored to the wearer. This really enables you to suit the helmet for your own use. You don't need to focus on your equipment anymore but you can focus on the mission!
The inside of the MICH helmet, you can clearly see all the 7 soft pads. The helmet is held on to the head by means of a 4 point system with a neck pad and opens with one Fastex clip.
The verdict
This helmet got everything you might expect from a helmet. Comfort, weight en usage are just fine. The helmet also looks durable and certainly suiteble for airsoft employment. The helmet only comes in tan and olive drap but you are able to buy several kinds of helmet covers in your favorite camouflage. So this won't be a problem. Even nightvision tools can be mounted on the helmet! So the helmet certainly has a lot of functionality. A nice addition to your equipment. However I still prefer a boonie head or cap, just because the looks and the weight.
External links
Review: Guarder Replica ELCAN 4x Scope
Introducion
Guarder have produced a very nice replica of the ELCAN SpecterOS3.4 scope. Maybe even a better replica than the Samurai scope! This 4x zoom scope has some of the best optics we have seen so far, with great clarity and a smart and easy reticule. With a solid rubber housing it looks to be up to the ruff and tumble of even the most active skirmisher. If you pop this on a M4 you have got a cool looking gun, which you can claim is an SAS rifle for they are known to use the Canadian setup of Diemaco carbine with ELCAN! Either way this is definitely one to add to your wish list...
The Scope
The optical clarity of this scope is outstanding. The scope body is very robust, to the point of being somewhat heavy (you can clearly feel the difference playing with or with-out the scope)/. The outside of the scope is kind of rubber coated. There are no windage and elevation adjustments which minimizes the risk of problem (where water could penetrate the assembly for example). There are no focusing or parallax adjustments. My overall impression is that the scope body is VERY sturdy and robust. Actually what I am missing is some protective caps at the front and the back! However a nice detail is there, and that is the "fixed" front sight and "fixed" rear sight...
History
The ELCAN C79 scope was adopted by Canada in 1989 and is currently in-service on the Diemaco C7A1 rifle. It is now also been used in other countries like The Netherlands. ELCAN (a division of Raytheon, Inc). has also designed and marketed telescopic sights upon a similar platform in 6X and 10X called the Hi-Mag and night vision sights called the Blackcat.
Use ability
The 4x zoom is quite perfect for airsoft. In woodland conditions the scope is useful. Not really in CQB/buildings but maybe from building to building to scope provides you extra accuracy. Especially those irritating people behind the windows :) Also for recon purpose the scope can be used to spot the tango's far before you normally do... A zoom more than 4x would be irritating for airsoft since we operate at max 50 meter. 3x or 4x zoom is perfect.
The mount
The mount clamps onto any standard 20mm rail. It is tightened via two thumbscrews on the left-hand side of the mount. The mount also contains the windage and elevation adjustments. Windage adjustments are effected using a coin. The windage adjustments are located on the front left side of the mount. Unfortunately, even though there is a clock-wise arrow cast into the mount above the windage screw, there are no markings that indicate what direction (left-right) your group will move when you adjust the windage screw. The mount is just fine and easy. But all windage and elevation adjustments are external, there is a possible way that dirt, mud, snow, etc., could jam the elevation adjustments.
Looks
This scope looks soooo cool! It really is the nicest scope out their in my opinion. The scope is used by several special forces is Canada and The Netherlands (KCT). Above all you don't need any extra's on your rifle to have this cool looking rifle. Just rail on this scope and maybe some camo covers for your rifle and that's it. And impressive, cool looking scope and you are totally in style. Some scopes seems to be larger than your rifle and kinda over done, this one has a nice small style...
Adjustable
The scope is perfectly adjustable for any rifle if there is 20mm top rail availeble. If your gun is shooting straight you can perfectly align your gun with the scope. You don't need any tools or what so ever. On the image below you can clearly see the adjustment wheel, the wheel works with small clicks. With the windage adjustment tool you can align the scope even better, you will find it at the front left side.
The reticule
As shown below this scope uses a quite simplistic recticule to aim with. There are two horizontal hash marks, there are also two longitudinal hash marks on each side of the picket. I think this reticule is really simple and easy to use. This does not look like a sniping reticule as there is not an easy way to easily compensate for windage etc. This simple reticule is perfect for airsoft even more because airsoft rifle's are not that accurate and we mostly operate at max 50 meter. To be clear this is not a red dot scope as other ELCAN replica's do have. Even in bad whether conditions the scope is still usable. Now we are talking about the whether, in very good whether conditions were sun is shining right the scope is very well usable. The scope has a little "sun cap" that prevents the sun shining into the lens. However it's small, it is useful.
Trade Marks
No special things here. The original scope has only one trade mark at the top of the scope stating "ELCAN". Guarder has replaced this by "ELKEN" obviously because of copyright reasons.
Pricing
The ELCAN original scope retails in at about $850,00 USD. This replica sells at around $180,00 USD which makes it more affordable for airsofters. However it is still quite a large amount for an airsofter. But for what you get, a scope nearly as good as the original ELCAN scope, I think it's really worth it. Especially when you are going for the special forces look or the Diemaco look it's really a must.
Real Elcan vs Guarder Elcan
I had the pleasure to also see this Elcan scope in real for a few seconds. I was playing in Belgium where a Dutch soldier had his ELCAN with him! I showed him my replica and he was impressed for sure! Sizes, material and color are all the same. The only quite large difference is the zoom, the orriginal has a 3.4x zoom and this replica has a 4x zoom. There is a little difference in the front of the scope, but from a distance you couldn't see the difference. Really cool to have such a good replica!
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