Paraclete Gear

**Dave L.** · 10-30-07, 07:51

Is there a reason Paraclete never really gets brought up around here? It seems to be solid, US made, and is in stock!...am I missing something?

**HolyRoller** · 10-30-07, 10:52

Paraclete are my homeboys and girls, less than 20 miles away. They make good gear in my limited experience. I don't know why they don't generate more attention. They may just be kind of small and under the radar. I wear a Paraclete IIIA soft vest on duty that I bought myself, instead of taking my chances with the old II they let me pick out of a pile of retired vests at the sheriff's office. It is kind of small on me even though it's the largest size Paraclete makes. Plenty of dealers in the Fayettenam area can hook you up with Paraclete. I got mine from Tactical Assault Gear on McPherson Church Road, but that was when zushwa (code name Josh Burmeister) worked there. Now he has his own place so I'd go to him first.

**TREE FROG** · 11-06-07, 18:27

Hey guys I'm new but wanted to make a coment on this subject:
I have used allot paraclete products in the sand box and have no real complaints I know they sold to MSA but I'm sure they will still do repair work if need be I would never use any other carrier I was so pleased with the product I bought three of the rip away carriers RAV in Smoke green ,Marpat and Tan (the tan was the light weight model ) all three have held up in some jacked up enviormental conditions water operations jungle to desert thay are tough as hell and have proven to me the ability to hold up in a combat enviorment thanks for your time and reading my two cents worth Tree Frog

**M4Guru** · 11-07-07, 06:44

I have been wearing only Paraclete vests for 6 years now, save for a couple months when I tried the Eagle CIRAS and found I didn't like it after all. Elite military units have been using the RAV since it's development. Paraclete was always a good company, and since MSA bought them things have only gotten better. They have a bunch of BTDT guys on staff, their availability is much better now, and their prices on new products are not as high as some of their older stuff was. I would say 90% of my kit is Paraclete stuff. My dump pouch and belt are from ATS and I use a Blade-Tech holster, but everything else came from Paraclete or MSA.

MSA/Paraclete will uphold the lifetime warranty on Paraclete kit made before the merger. The current (and former) management at the company is top notch and extremely responsive to their customers.

I recommend them above all others, especially for an assault vest.

**Dave L.** · 11-07-07, 11:42

Originally Posted by M4Guru

I have been wearing only Paraclete vests for 6 years now, save for a couple months when I tried the Eagle CIRAS and found I didn't like it after all. Elite military units have been using the RAV since it's development. Paraclete was always a good company, and since MSA bought them things have only gotten better. They have a bunch of BTDT guys on staff, their availability is much better now, and their prices on new products are not as high as some of their older stuff was. I would say 90% of my kit is Paraclete stuff. My dump pouch and belt are from ATS and I use a Blade-Tech holster, but everything else came from Paraclete or MSA.

MSA/Paraclete will uphold the lifetime warranty on Paraclete kit made before the merger. The current (and former) management at the company is top notch and extremely responsive to their customers.

I recommend them above all others, especially for an assault vest.

Why didn't you like the CIRAS?

**M4Guru** · 11-07-07, 12:20

It was hard to put on properly with the MAR-CIRAS when it was loaded down, and it is wider than my RAV. I wear a medium in both but it was hard to close my arms when shooting a pistol. I also seemed a little bit longer and heavier. Everyone on my team has the same problem with the chest being too wide for the size vest it is. I like the cummerbund on my RAV also, I put my mags in a TX mag pouch under the cummerbund and it keep my kit narrow by freeing up space on the front. The zip-off back panel on the RAV is a good feature for me, too. I have one set up with a Camelback and PVS-15s for mounted patrols and one of the sewn-on panels with bangers, a med kit, and PVS-15s for assaulting.

**TREE FROG** · 11-07-07, 13:32

I run my mags under my cumber bun as well. for a slimer profile I found that the CIRAS made me feel cumbersom with pouches on it if you ever finde your self in the prone you will under stand what an up side down turtle feels like . I felt bulked up and never could get my plates to ride right also when shooting pistol or getting up on my 240B the loss of movement ( sucked ) the RAV 's cut to me provides more movement but the down side is alot more open space for a rifle round or frag to sneek in but if you can handel the extra weight and add side plates and sholder plates as a gunner like the extra protection and was good to go
I like the flexability and mobility the RAV provides me even when im humping the extra plates if your built like me 58" chest you want the extra room when you have to put on your cold /wet weather gear hope this helps dont get me wrong I'm sure their is alot of CIRAS fans I'm just not one of them If I could not buy another RAV I would probaly buy the Protec plate carrier before a CIRAS

**Snaquebite** · 11-19-07, 13:25

I'm glad you folks have good things to say about Paraclete. I am currently working for them and am seeing some things happening that should be good news in the near future. Things got a little bogged down when MSA bought the company but we are finally seeing some light in the new product arena.
Stand By....

**KevinB** · 11-19-07, 14:23

Snaque -- get them to fix the cumberbund...
Damn I loved my RAV -- ended up having a custom cumberbund made up since the OEM on both my RAV's would sag bad. I ended up going to the CIRAS-M in '06 due to my stichbitch no longer being willing to do c-bund mod's.

While you can load the RAV up way more than the CIRAS you run the rish of making it impossible to go prone with, and while I generally don't favour going prone and giving up momentum - sometime you really do need to find a place to hide, until more firepower arrives.