Not having any experience with plate carriers and such, I have a question, maybe better pointed towards BB...will a normal chest rig work if you had a large chest area so to speak? I've not seen options for women so I'm not sure what women are using.
Without getting too awkward, I'll try to explain my opinion.
Chest rigs work differently for different people. 'Chest rig' itself is a bit of a misnomer, as it would be better served being called 'upper abdomen rig'. The nature of body mechanics generally make it easier to grab mags the lower they are on your torso. When I actually use a chest rig, I find it is adjusted for me the best when the bottom of the harness is just above my belt line. This way I can bend and move, but still access my pouches easily. I think the comfort of a chest rig for you would depend on the length of your torso, and the err.....elevation of the bosom. If you find a chest rig uncomfortable, a 'battle belt' might be of better use to you.
Python, why the drop leg if you aren't running a plate carrier? I find a belt holster is much more secure and provides a better draw stroke then a drop leg, whenever feasible.
^ This.
Also, if you don't need a whole lot of stuff a lightly padded MOLLE belt with suspenders can be a really great option. My ex-GF friend was... truly blessed in this regard but she also had a very short torso. I set her up an ATS Warbelt and had a holster for her 1911, several magazine pouches for the same and a double M4 mag pouch. It carried the weight very well upon her hips.
Another potentially easier option is some sort of 'split front' rig or which the Tactical Tailor 2-peice MAV listed above is one such option.
Ek
Also, if you don't need a whole lot of stuff a lightly padded MOLLE belt with suspenders can be a really great option. My ex-GF friend was... truly blessed in this regard but she also had a very short torso. I set her up an ATS Warbelt and had a holster for her 1911, several magazine pouches for the same and a double M4 mag pouch. It carried the weight very well upon her hips.
Another potentially easier option is some sort of 'split front' rig or which the Tactical Tailor 2-peice MAV listed above is one such option.
Ek
Ain't that the truth!!!
Thanks. I guess I was looking at it wrong. I don't see any foreseeable need for actual body armor/plate carrier type stuff. I just wanted something that I could load the pouches up and grab n' go should the need arise and I think my light load carrying vest will work for that.
Throw a couple dozen mags, det cord, grenades ,claymores, Klackers and a few LRRPS or K rations in the ruck, three or four canteens on the belt with a pistol, and in my case a PR-25 radio on top of all of that sucked.
Been there done that, but with a M60/PIG!!
My experiences with chest rigs and PCs has lead me to the conclusion that I would prefer a PC/body armor for urban/direct action/CQB type incidents and light chest rigs for field/woods work.
For a grab-n-go situation, I would prefer mobility and lack of weight, thus a chest rig would be preferable for me.
I would like to chime in on the SKD/Eagle (or PIG) universal chest rig. This is in my opinion the hands down best buy for the money. I have run this rig (Eagle version) at work for several years now. No complaints on this rig at all. Its plain jane all you need in an inexpensive package. I wouldn't trade this rig for any of the higher priced versions. You can only find the Eagle version on rare occasions, but it is well worth looking for.
