To me, mission flexibility means tossing mission-specific items into an assault pack and carting that, too. Otherwise, you need your armor and you need to access 4 things: bullets, band-aids, tools, comms. Flexibility by itself means you can reach them all from virtually any position you end up in after getting flattened. So, I go the other way for what I consider my no-shit Danger Danger Will Robinson kit.
I'm not a big fan of the idea of having to fumble with more than one system, for one. You hang it all on one platform, you only have one thing to put on. I'll go so far as to pull plates if I'm feeling delicate that day, but that doesn't happen often because that armor is required for work, and the weight provides me incentive to keep up with my PT. Otherwise, it's tossed over the head and one side of the cummerbund pulled snug and secured
Two, there's nothing wrong with it being comparatively heavy, since I seriously doubt I'm going to be chasing anybody here the way I had to IOT detain durkas overseas. All my modification/configuration efforts have always been geared toward reducing bulk, which I find to be more tiring than overt weight. A piece of gear can be as heavy as it needs to be if it interferes less with my range of motion than a lighter piece that gets in the way more.
All that said, if I'm just going to the range to throw lead, I've got an Eagle chest harness I wear instead of all that other heavy-ass BS.
Contractor scum, PM Infantry Weapons
Bookmarks