Chest Rig or Battle Belt?

**RMiller** · 11-19-12, 01:08

Moving away from a plate carrier. As a civi I haven't a need for armor. A search didn't yield what I was looking for specifically.

I'm looking into chest rigs and battle belts. I'm using this strictly for my AR. 30 rd pmags is all I use.

My intended use is shooting, and a "grab and go" for a shtf, natural disaster type of situation.

I carry a standard loadout of 6 mags + 1 in the rifle. So I would like it all contained on this rig. Other items considered are an IFAK, dump pouch, plus a few other smaller pouches.

Hydration was a concern at first, but I do have a separate camel pack if need be.

I like this as a battle belt:

http://www.hsgi.us/proddetail.php?prod=HSG-SGPB&cat=18

This coupled with a couple of their TACO mags, and maybe a flapped pouch for reserve. Then spread my gear about the rest of the belt. I like how the mag pouches would be down low and easier for me to grab during mag changes. Suspenders could be added for support.

If I were to jump on the chest rig band wagon I would go for one like this:

http://www.bravocompanyusa.com/BCM-0...ness-s/124.htm

What I like about the BCM rig is the integration of a hydration system. And it seems like it'll hold all my stuff. Bad..... is the mags being kept up high? Better suited for a vehicle.

I'm a little stuck, my budget is around $150ish -$200. Mags and all. Hoping to attain all of this used to keep cost down.

Your advice is greatly appreciated.

**AKDoug** · 11-19-12, 01:30

I'm running the HSGI belt with two pistol Tacos,two AR tacos, dump pounch, IFAK, and then a pistol holster. I honestly can't think of any situation I'd be called upon to need more than my 49 rounds of pistol ammo and my 90 rounds of rifle ammo. I hang the belt beside the bed, next to my rifle, with the pistol in the holster. It makes for a fast grab and go.

**peruna** · 11-19-12, 10:13

Originally Posted by RMiller

If I were to jump on the chest rig band wagon I would go for one like this:

http://www.bravocompanyusa.com/BCM-0...ness-s/124.htm

What I like about the BCM rig is the integration of a hydration system. And it seems like it'll hold all my stuff. Bad..... is the mags being kept up high? Better suited for a vehicle.

Those BCM rigs have been out of stock for ages. Does anyone have any info on when/if these will be available again?

**RMiller** · 11-19-12, 10:32

Originally Posted by AKDoug

I'm running the HSGI belt with two pistol Tacos,two AR tacos, dump pounch, IFAK, and then a pistol holster. I honestly can't think of any situation I'd be called upon to need more than my 49 rounds of pistol ammo and my 90 rounds of rifle ammo. I hang the belt beside the bed, next to my rifle, with the pistol in the holster. It makes for a fast grab and go.

The more I research, the more I'm leaning towards a battle belt. Mainly because I could just roll it up and stash it, and probably more easily unroll it when needed. A question for you AKDoug, do you find a need for the suspenders, or is the grip material enough to keep it in place?

Originally Posted by peruna

Those BCM rigs have been out of stock for ages. Does anyone have any info on when/if these will be available again?

They are hard to find new, but I've seen a few floating around on here for sale.

**Chameleox** · 11-19-12, 10:47

Given the scenarios you mentioned, I'd stick with your regular EDC stlye belt loadout, with the ability to maybe add a long gun mag, and run additional mags and gear off of a chest rig. I'd look at a good, sturdy belt, holster, pistol mags, and maybe 1 carbine mag. Here's my rationale:

1- Your belt set up remains the same, for training and muscle memory purposes.

2- If you have to ditch all the extra gear (go low profile or if its weighing you down/drowning), you still have a basic loadout on your belt.

3- Low profile. If you want to go low profile or at least not attract attention, it'd be easier to put a jacket over a thin chest rig vs a MOLLE belt. Open carry-wise, which would attract more attention: a MOLLE belt or an EDC belt (with maybe 1 added rifle mag), with a chest rig under a jacket or concealed nearby?

4- Training modularity. Scale up or down based on your needs and goals.

5- All of this assumes that you see the validity of being able to stay low profile, even in a SHTF situation. Even in those situations, I want to keep, or have the ability to quickly switch to, low profile. Besides, ever sit in a car (like you would if buggin out) in a MOLLE belt?

Outside of an openly carried, heavy loadout, to-hell-with-low-profile set up, AKDoug's scenario as a bedside rig is about the only advantage of a MOLLE belt that I can think of. i do own a MOLLE belt, with suspenders, and while I like it, its not the end all be all for my needs. In fact, its often too much.

**drck1000** · 11-19-12, 12:01

Originally Posted by AKDoug

I'm running the HSGI belt with two pistol Tacos,two AR tacos, dump pounch, IFAK, and then a pistol holster. I honestly can't think of any situation I'd be called upon to need more than my 49 rounds of pistol ammo and my 90 rounds of rifle ammo. I hang the belt beside the bed, next to my rifle, with the pistol in the holster. It makes for a fast grab and go.

Originally Posted by RMiller

The more I research, the more I'm leaning towards a battle belt. Mainly because I could just roll it up and stash it, and probably more easily unroll it when needed. A question for you AKDoug, do you find a need for the suspenders, or is the grip material enough to keep it in place?

They are hard to find new, but I've seen a few floating around on here for sale.

I have the same setup as AKDoug, except for the IFAK. IIRC, AKDoug ran with suspenders (we were in the same carbine class). I don't run my HSGI belt with suspenders and even fully loaded, the belt has enough grip from the neoprene pad. Even when running with a full loadout, it stayed in place for me.

I do like that I can throw the HSGI belt over my clothing and not have to string my belt through anything. The "grab and go" aspect is one of the big reasons I went with the HSGI setup.

**Grizzly16** · 11-19-12, 12:38

Originally Posted by RMiller

Moving away from a plate carrier. As a civi I haven't a need for armor. A search didn't yield what I was looking for specifically.

I'm looking into chest rigs and battle belts. I'm using this strictly for my AR. 30 rd pmags is all I use.

My intended use is shooting, and a "grab and go" for a shtf, natural disaster type of situation.

I carry a standard loadout of 6 mags + 1 in the rifle. So I would like it all contained on this rig. Other items considered are an IFAK, dump pouch, plus a few other smaller pouches.

Hydration was a concern at first, but I do have a separate camel pack if need be.

I like this as a battle belt:

http://www.hsgi.us/proddetail.php?prod=HSG-SGPB&cat=18

This coupled with a couple of their TACO mags, and maybe a flapped pouch for reserve. Then spread my gear about the rest of the belt. I like how the mag pouches would be down low and easier for me to grab during mag changes. Suspenders could be added for support.

If I were to jump on the chest rig band wagon I would go for one like this:

http://www.bravocompanyusa.com/BCM-0...ness-s/124.htm

What I like about the BCM rig is the integration of a hydration system. And it seems like it'll hold all my stuff. Bad..... is the mags being kept up high? Better suited for a vehicle.

I'm a little stuck, my budget is around $150ish -$200. Mags and all. Hoping to attain all of this used to keep cost down.

Your advice is greatly appreciated.

Do you already have a plate carrier with plates setup how you want? If this setup is for shtf how can you know you won't need plates? For other stuff you can pull the plates out to save weight.

**AKDoug** · 11-19-12, 12:49

I have suspenders because I am fat

I wear suspenders with my construction tool belt, so I am used to them. Nobody in our class that ran without suspenders seemed to have an issue at all. The number one reason I went with a battle belt was having a pistol in the holser, attached to the belt, ready to go. If I didn't have a pistol as part of my plan, a chest rig would have been a great way to go.