A while back I decided I wanted a belt to keep a ‘ready’ amount of gear on. The sort of thing that you’d grab to go investigate something rousing the dogs in the yard or that sort of thing. Regardless, I wanted something where I could just wrap a belt around my waist and have the basics.
I wound up purchasing the Viking Tactical Skirmish Belt. In conjunction with my Safariland holster its a very nice combination. But..I need a couple mag pouches for the AR and G17 to add to the belt. (I’ll also be adding one these .) So what pouches? Well, I wanted something without the usual over-the-top retention bungees. So I looked around and found what seemed like a good choice. Wound up with the High Speed Gear Tacos .
I rather like these. The MOLLE attachments are easy to use, the retention tension is adjustable, and there’s a good bit of rigidity to the pouch but the magazines pull free easily. I’ll need to take this setup to the range this weekend and play with it a bit, but I’m rather impressed with the HSG product. Made in the USA, which puts it a notch of Blackhawk and a host of other pouch makers.
I’m not looking for a Batman-belt of every possible survivalist advantage. I just need something with a gun/holster, some extra mags, a first aid kit with TQ, and maybe a flashlight and multitool. Thats it. If I need six AR mags, three Glock mags, a huge sheath knife, radio, medkit, and a dump pouch…well…thats a whole different bunch of kit. I just want a fairly straightforward rig for when you want something a bit more robust because the times have gotten a bit more interesting than usual.
But..this is about the pouches. I’ll be playing with them at the range shortly, but so far they look like theyre exactly what I’m looking for in this particular usage.
I’ve been looking for a similar arrangement using a banana republic-style vest. Shrug it on quickly and get a pistol, a couple mags for it, an AR mag or two, a tac flashlight, a multi-tool, cheap flip cell phone, a decent 3-4″ fixed blade knife, a few important keys, safety glasses, maybe ear plugs. When not needed it’s hanging on the inside of the safe door. The “fancy version” would have the pistol holster on the inside and flaps on the mag pouches so it looks like “just a regular vest”.
It could be gussied up with a couple kevlar panels on the front (overlapped to cover the front zipper area) but that’s probably overkill for the usual simple “bump in the night” stuff.
Why not just get a plate carrier at that point?
Times have gotten a bit more interesting than usual. This, incentive enough to up one’s posture and equipment. This is an appropriate set up for home base needs as well as an upfitted, raised level of gear carried if out and about on tasks or routine forays. The good old days of waddling around box stores with just “a comfortable to carry” (codeword for “cuck carrying”) gun and nuthin else, is NGMI. I run a like minded belt set up for spicy at my compound as well. I would add a hand torch flashlight and pouch so as to have a bright light available for bumps in the night. If one has a light bearing holster and gun set up, cool, this is a needed redundant. Spicy times works night shifts too, so act accordingly. Simplistic, yet enough needed kit to toss on over your stretchy pants when rolling your trash bin out or whatever else your spouse told you to go do. Elevate your Defcon, so as to stay frosty.
Pepper spray may be a good idea to add.
That does look a nice set-up. Nothing too tactical, just gets the job done.
One of my acquaintances made a sustainment / patrol bag for his Ruger Mini-14 suing little $$$. Using a G.I 2 quart canteen bag, he secured a pair of single 20 round magazines on both sides of the flap. He figured with a magazine in rifle, 40 rounds wasn’t much of a burden to carry. The contents was a 1 quart canteen w/ cup, a baggie of GORP, BIC lighter and a multi-tool and that was it, no more room.
Medical is way more relevant than snacks.
Unless it’s Peanut butter M&Ms
Check out usgruntgear.com. I have their Infidel Belt and love it!
I’ve been using use one of the HSG tacos as a flashlight holder for the past year for a Surefire Outdoorsman. It works great!
That sounds like a good set-up: everything you might need short term, and nothing extra. I’ve been very happy with the HSG items I have; well built and versatile, and think you’ll like them. There’s a place for flapped mag pouches, but for what you’re thinking, these should be great.
As a subscriber to the ‘get all your crap in one bag’ philosophy, the ubiquitous backpack has all my gear right next me. The extra pockets on my cargo pants has all the kit I need for when I’m away from the bag.
If you want ‘Made In America’ U.S.G.I. kit, check out ebay. For chest rigs and pouches, they are hard to beat.
I keep a carbine and a shotgun in an ‘inside the studs’ cabinet (not safe) in the house. I can open the cabinet and grab them quickly, without dealing with the safe combos – I have handgun within reach pretty much all the time besides.
To feed them all, I have an old (canvas) GI butt pack with a shoulder strap. Inside are six loaded mags, a box of 12 ga #4 Buck, a few slugs, and a headlamp.
On the outside I have a IFAK (in the old field first aid kit case), and a bottle of water.
I can grab it, sling it over a shoulder and be loaded for whatever….in about 4 seconds.
If I have time of course, I’ll dress including a plate carrier, which has all that and more – but this lets me respond in the house very quickly
I like tacos for roles like this. A balance of accessibility and retention that works good.
Another benefit of tacos vs mag specific pouches is you could switch to an AK or I presume the G3 with the same rifle pouches.
I have a reload for my shotgun in mine right now.
How do you like that belt system? Are you running it with inner velcro belt or alone?
My normal everyday belt is a rigger-style belt that has some velcro on it already which mates to the overbelt. https://specops.us/riggers-belt-reg-cyb.html#spec-ops
If you don’t want or need a “real” knife you may have found a place for one of the Mora knives you have laying around.
What’s your heartburn against Moras, SAM? Not everyone who needs a knife is planning to baton with a 4″ club. My 3-blade Schrade Old Timer pocketknife serves my cutting needs probably 98% of the time, so that makes it a “real” knife IMHO.
I have a number of HSGI Tacos; I find them to be well made and adaptable. While most are MOLLE, they also have a belt-mounted variety that uses two Velcro-covered straps to make a belt loop the size you need. I like that the Taco bungees allow it to work for a Glock 17 magazine and a smaller/thinner magazines without the need for any adjustment. They also have longer models designed for the Glock and other extended 9mm magazines. I believe it would fit a baton as well.
For “things that go bump in the night” you don’t need some elaborate rig with snacks, a set of VS-17 panels and a portable kennel for a sentry dog.
Think plate carrier with pouches for a couple or three magazines for your rifle, a good flashlight, and a very minimal IFAK (TQ and some pressure dressings). Something you can literally throw on over your head and close the cummberband straps around your belly, grab the rifle and run out the door.
A small simple fixed-blade like a Mora would not hurt.
For checking out your own property, a set or two of handcuffs — or better, some zip-cuffs — might be worth considering. To be applied by the subject if you find someone misbehaving and have grounds to hold them for the po-po. “Put these on, and put them on tight or I will kill you” has its place in the boondocks at 0330.
Eye protection and a set of active hearing protectors.
A cellphone with a fully-charged battery. Or whatever it is you use to call for police/fire/EMS if you’re not within cellular coverage.
Built a battle belt from a commercial carpenters belt,Y harness that fit attachment points on belt,canteen,small buttpack,SAW pouch for M1A mags,USMC fighting knife/bayonet,IFAK,pistol holster. It is built for 24-72 hr sustainment with necessary supplies in butt pack. The advantage of the carpenters belt was cost effective and it is built to daily carry heavy balanced loads on job sites where balance can’t be disturbed(up on a ladder ,walking roof joists etc) To test comfort and balance,loaded full canteen,200 rd 308,and 40# lead bars in buttpack for 5+mile rucks to adjust everything.
I was going to add that one thing I do is keep some 18″ long, thick zip ties that I run through the outer belt for “securing” things momentarily. They weigh next to nothing, and you won’t know they are even there until you need them. Nice simple setup. Not every situation calls for Tier 1 Operator full kit.
Since I like to be able to swap gear sets from 300BLK to 308 Win in a jffy, I like the Tacos for my “fast mag” on my battle belt since they will hold either a 30 rd AR15 or 20rd AR10 mag without any drama. If you were going cheap and wanted to use all Tacos, you can put a bungee on the tops of the ones you need to be more secure. I use swappable Esstac shingles on the plate carrier because they are super secure with no bungee but YMMV.