Tactical/Emergency Vest Setups
 

Hey guys and gals!

I've been wanting to post a post (LAWLS) about this for a while now but haven't had the chance to think about it. Now I do!

I've been wondering how you all...and I know there are plenty of people out there who have been thinking about this or already have one rigged out...have your tactical vest/plate carrier (whatever you have) rigged out to fit your need and/or desire for any emergency situation that arises.

I call bull**** on the whole 2012 hype, but there is always a chance that some emergency situation may come up.

I have a condor pull away plate carrier set up as well as backpack full of MREs, lightsticks, water cleaners, etc., a medical kit, and some other stuff.

I've changed the contents of the pouches that are on the vest around quite a few times, but I'm almost coming to a decision on what to hold in them.

I can snap a picture and show you guys what I mean if you want.

I'm quite curious as to what you all have and how you have it all set up. I'd like to get everyone's input on what they have and, as always, pictures would be delightful!

I do not think anything is going to happen. I also think if the end of the world does happen. Your vest isn't going to do Sh17. Just saying...

Outside of that .... I am not worried about how I look I do not have time to have a fashion show. I grab the AR, the Springfield, Both .50's and all the ammo I have. And call it a day after heading to the hills. If it comes down to that.. I have much bigger things to worry about then a vest.

Sorry if that's not what you want to hear. But its the truth for me. Set the stuff up for what works for you.

[QUOTE=old.guy;3188363] Your vest isn't going to do Sh17. .[/QUOTE]
agreed

How much training do you have?
Are you prior service?

Any of these [URL="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=survival+guide"]Survival Guides [/URL] makes for great reading.

But until you've actually gone out into the woods & practiced, you'll never know your shortcomings.
Until it's too late.

I've done a couple tactical rifle courses and have had a couple years military experience, so I can say I can hold my own if it came down to defending myself with my weapons. I'm not a fan of all this zombie apocalypse stuff, but I do believe it's good to be prepared for emergency situations. I do think we all need to do whatever it takes to ensure our and our family's safety.

As for my vest not doing sh1t for me, that may or may not be true. As you have pointed out, my vest isn't for a fashion show. That's one of the things I hate when I hear people brag about rigging their gear out. I thought about being practical in my setup. That being said, I have 4 main 30round magazines for easy access in the center of the vest with 2 spare magazines in 1 pouch, a few spare handgun magazines in pouches, 1 field stripped MRE in 1 pouch, multiple light sticks in 1 pouch, and a small bino in the last pouch.

My setup works for me as I don't intend for it to last me more than 2 days or so. It's easy access, as are my weapons, and It's only for supporting myself for a short while until I can link up with authorities or it all ends and everything is fine. I'm not trying to be put on a show with my gear. That's not how I operate. It's all for practical purposes. Just curious about how other people set their stuff up, because I know some set it up for tactical, medical, rescue, mix up, etc.

I run a full plate carrier vest for each person in the household. I have 5 day backpacks set up for the 3 of us plus saddle bags for the dogs. Everything is loaded out for having to walk out of the bay area during/after a natural disaster.

Think about the kind of things that will hit us in this area and plan for that. Do we need snow gear, no, but you will need foul weather gear. Ammo is a must, but don't carry so much that you are overloaded. Also plan out the layout of the gear, you need magazines in front, food can be stored in the backpack, water in a camelback, and so on. A good "tactical"(I hate that word, overused) layout takes into account speed, need, and long term use.

By any chance are you the Sergeant of a three-man Rapid Tactical Force at one of America’s largest indoor retail shopping areas?

old.guy my .50 is not in my bug out plan. Too heavy. I am taking my 22 because I can carry 5,000 rounds of ammo ALL DAY.

**** this, Who is with me on Stealing one of those attack choppers? I'm certain 1 or 2 could defend all of iclub.

[QUOTE=Joe250;3188388]By any chance are you the Sergeant of a three-man Rapid Tactical Force at one of America’s largest indoor retail shopping areas?[/QUOTE]

lol oh crap! I remember that thread from the mall cop on GlockTalk, talk abourt old school :rofl:

[QUOTE]Last year I made the decision to trust my life on the street to Second Chance body armor. I got the level IIa because it stops the most rounds. plus I got the Trauma Plate for the front.

What scares me is that, although I can fit an extra trauma plate in the front, I cannot fit a second one in back. As of late I have taken to duct-taping a second trauma plate to the area of my back where the heart and vital organs are located. Then I put my vest on.

Here is the questions. The ducttape solution, although tactically sound, is hot and painful to remove. I would like to go to the single-plate solution in back. What I am worried about is repeated hits to that area with .308 ammunition. I have a high-risk security job and I fear that I would be the target for repeated long-distance shots to my back.

Are any of you aware of a thicker plate that could stop, say, .338 Lapua or something like that? Is there a better way to do the second plate?

BTW, I am, of course, usually carrying a pair of ceramic plates in my briefcase so that I can shield my head. My SO (we work as a team when necessary) has a similar accessory containing a breakdown NEF single-shot 300 WinMag with an 18" bbl. [b]The plan is that I shield us with my body and “catch the rounds” while she assembles the NEF. I lay down covering fire with my 23 (Bar-Sto .357 Sig barrel) and she makes the long shots. I will then throw smoke grenades to obscure the area while continuing to lay covering fire.[/b] The problem, of course, is when I have to turn my back to run, and then the problem crops up.

Thanks![/QUOTE]

[IMG]http://img841.imageshack.us/img841/7620/blart.png[/IMG]

[QUOTE=Krinkov;3188434]lol oh crap! I remember that thread from the mall cop on GlockTalk, talk abourt old school :rofl:
[/QUOTE]

[IMG]http://cdn.overclock.net/6/69/69311c75_mother-of-god-super-troopers.jpeg[/IMG]

[QUOTE=FW Motorsports;3188380]

But until you've actually gone out into the woods & practiced, you'll never know your shortcomings.
Until it's too late.[/QUOTE]

BAM, exactly.


No amount of gear will help you if you're not trained to survive. That vest isn't going to do anything for you... Spend your money on some valid training courses, not just firearms training courses, but actual survival courses where you kill your own food, make shelter out of nothing, learn to adapt to your surroundings, and most importantly, how to wipe your ass with rocks.

yeah the original thread is long gone but heres the transcripts, some of the **** he said is classic

[url=http://lonelymachines.org/mall-ninjas/]Shrine of the Mall Ninja » LonelyMachines[/url]

[QUOTE]I do not understand the “joke” or the “Rambo.” I am in a high-risk job. It is not the Mall of America, but Ill tell you what its no podunk mall either.I am a responsible citizen who has made the choice to carry at all times. I defend others. If something happens at the Mall then I would be the hero, not those of you who are making fun of me for no reason. Yes Im not a Green Beret but guess what neither are you and unlike you I have to face unruly shoppers every day.My REAL problem is that, like any LEO, I have enemies because of my job. They may have access to high-powered rifles. My job starts and ends at the same time every day. Although I use four rotating routes to drive to and from work, I am still vulnerable during the walk to and from my car. This is the time that I load up on the trauma plates because I DO NOT WANT TO BE SHOT DEAD!Also, someone said that my Tac Team doesn’t get training. Not true. We meet at the range every night and shoot 400 rounds each through weapons that closely resemble our duty setup. We also practice unarmed combat. [b]I am a Master of three martial arts including ninjitsu, which means I can wear the special boots to climb walls.[/b] I don’t think any of you are working as hard as I am to be prepared. I asked a serious question about tactical armor and I wanted a serious response. [b]If you want to laugh at somebody, try laughing at the sheep out there who go to the mall unarmed trusting in me to stand guiard over their lives like a God.[/b][/QUOTE]

[IMG]http://images.travelpod.com/users/dancollinsaus/1.1264958232.hilarious-mall-cop-on-a-segway-hahaha.jpg[/IMG]

[QUOTE=brucelee;3188472]BAM, exactly.


No amount of gear will help you if you're not trained to survive. That vest isn't going to do anything for you... Spend your money on some valid training courses, not just firearms training courses, but actual survival courses where you kill your own food, make shelter out of nothing, learn to adapt to your surroundings, and most importantly, how to wipe your ass with rocks.[/QUOTE]

My vest has more of the stuffs packed into my rucksack. High density food, water and water treatment supplies, medical equipment, and a bigass knife. It also has two pistol mags and one spare rifle mag.

My logic: If I need more than 60 rifle rounds and 51 pistol rounds I am probably completely ****ed anyhow. It's far more likely that I would get the drop on someone (or they get the drop on me) and the encounter is going to be finished with a single **** anyway which means someone is going to get some free ammo.

AHAHAHA!! MALL COP! That was a funny movie!


Anyways, exactly.

[QUOTE=irrational x;3188487]My vest has more of the stuffs packed into my rucksack. High density food, water and water treatment supplies, medical equipment, and a bigass knife. It also has two pistol mags and one spare rifle mag.

My logic: If I need more than 60 rifle rounds and 51 pistol rounds I am probably completely ****ed anyhow. It's far more likely that I would get the drop on someone (or they get the drop on me) and the encounter is going to be finished with a single **** anyway which means someone is going to get some free ammo.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Overbear;3188385]I run a full plate carrier vest for each person in the household. I have 5 day backpacks set up for the 3 of us plus saddle bags for the dogs. Everything is loaded out for having to walk out of the bay area during/after a natural disaster.

Think about the kind of things that will hit us in this area and plan for that. Do we need snow gear, no, but you will need foul weather gear. Ammo is a must, but don't carry so much that you are overloaded. Also plan out the layout of the gear, you need magazines in front, food can be stored in the backpack, water in a camelback, and so on. A good "tactical"(I hate that word, overused) layout takes into account speed, need, and long term use.[/QUOTE]



I don't intend for my vest to be used for long term. My intention is for it to be used for short term as a quick and easy means of protection until order can be restored. May be against the law to use such high cap magazines and weapons, but I will deal with the consequences after the emergency has subsided.

My vest is easy access for me as is my backpack that is loaded with MREs, medical supplies, water filtration, etc. My backpack contains the emergency items. The way I have it set up is perfect for me to provide protection if needed and continue to be highly mobile. Like I said, I don't intend for it to be used for long term, My vest is what I use for protection for the time being.

Thanks for your constructive criticism guys and gals.