Surplus LBV?

[SoDak]

I'm picking up a few things at warden's supply co and I see they have these surplus LBV vests for not a lot of money. Vest seen here.
http://wardenssupplyco.com/cart/inde...roducts_id=102
While I think I might just pick one up because it is cheap, I wanted to know what you guys thought of them and if I should get one. I don't have much experience with this type of gear except for some alice stuff and wanted some feedback.

[Parabellum9x19mm]

Good:

1)cheap
2)durable
3) pretty comfortable
4)works better from prone than most chest-rig style set ups

Bad:

1)very limited...you're pretty much stuck with how its set up....and a symetrical load out is nice for weight distribution, but might not be the best in terms of practicallity. i try to keep admin stuff on the right and ammo on the left as much as possible.
2)no place for pistol mags
3)hydration carrier needs to be rigged with 550 cord
4)grenade pouches aren't very useful if you don't have grenades
5)the two single mag pouches are ok, but the two dual mag pouches kind of suck.



i notice these don't come with the belt, so if you buy one of these LBVs, make sure to get the Blackhawk pistol belt, they are easier to adjust and just plain better than the original USGI pistol belt with metal hardware. i really hate those belts.

[HES]

In addition to whats already been mentioned here is another down side...Heat retention. I remember when these were being introduced. The only unit that I knew of that really adopted these were the 101st. Everyone I spoke with said they were not happy with them. If you are looking for a surplus LBV, Id suggest looking for the GEN II MOLLE LBVs. They are a lot more comfortable, dont hold in the heat like the one you are linked to, and since they are MOLLE they are customizable.

[crusader377]

In addition to whats already been mentioned here is another down side...Heat retention. I remember when these were being introduced. The only unit that I knew of that really adopted these were the 101st. Everyone I spoke with said they were not happy with them. If you are looking for a surplus LBV, Id suggest looking for the GEN II MOLLE LBVs. They are a lot more comfortable, dont hold in the heat like the one you are linked to, and since they are MOLLE they are customizable.

I can confirm this. When I was in the Army, I served with the 101st from 2000-2003. In Afghanistan in 2002, I knew alot of soldiers myself included that ditched the LBV and went to the older LBE. The LBV is very hot to wear and IMO very impractical while wearing any sort of body armor.

[Parabellum9x19mm]

i know the LBE is cooler and breathes much better (because there's really not much to it at all)

but i really hate the LBE and would prefer the LBV, even tho it has a lot of weaknesses.

the LBE straps get twisted very easily, the 3x magazine pouches aren't great and feel awkward riding on the belt....and then there's the belt itself. have i mentioned that i hate those things?

when i was in, there were some old timers who still preferred the LBE. they'd seen more stuff than i could ever hope to (or would want to), so i wouldn't presume to question their choice of gear. i just prefer the LBV, even if it is hotter and doesn't really excel at anything.

but it is the 21st century now. there's a lot of new options out there. i'd look into some of those, instead of going to old surplus

[SoDak]

Thanks for the advice. The vest sounds like it would fit some of my requirements(especially the works good for prone shooting), but the heat retention issue might be a problem. Where I'm at the temp can vary wildy over the year from -20 to 100(although in one f*#ked up year it was 110), so it might be unusable part of the year. That's one reason I went with an LBE since it wouldn't be hot. I just found that trying to use the belt and suspenders to hold 6 or so mags was not ideal. Hence I was looking at this vest so I could carry more mags in what I thought might be a more comfortable way. I'll definately have to give this one some thought and kick myself for not getting one of those new surplus molle vest sportsmansguide had for $15.

Regarding the belt, I actually kind of like the alice belt. I agree it is a bitch to adjust, but it's sturdy and can actually hold gear. I'm currently trying out a belt kit with one using a single alice mag pouch(for times when 3 extra mags would be enough) and a canteen with plans to add some more stuff(leatherman, flashlight first aid kit). This is kind of a test run to see if I want to spend the dough on a molle belt and make a nicer kit, although I might just upgrade to tactical tailor gear that will work on an alice belt.

[SoDak]

I was able to snag a couple molle II vest from sportsmansguide, which came today. So far they seem like a decent deal(brand new for $14.95) and for my uses they should work fine. In addition they had surplus molle mag pouches where you got 5 for 14.95. They are a bit light in construction(made by federal covers & textiles), but they give me an idea of how to configure a molle setup with a number of pouches. I would say at $30 for a new vest and 5 new mag pouches that it is a decent deal and I think that the vest might be the way for me to go.