Product Review: 5.11 TACTEC TACTICAL CHEST RIG

The 5.11 TACTEC Tactical Chest Rig has been in our inventory since 2013. It was a new release at the time when 5.11 was becoming a recognized brand. Nutnfancy, Instructor Zero, and various channels gave good early impressions.

Like all zombie hunters, I needed a way to carry equipment on me at a moment's notice.  It was inexpensive but had enough features to suit a variety of mission profiles.

Here is how the chest rig evolved over the years.

2013-2014 - "Do it All"
The setup was built around the Kel-Tec SU22. Around this time I maxed out the magazine capacity and even added an additional double AR mag pouch to the front right side. With 8 magazines I could throw more than 200 rounds of suppressed .22lr at the hordes of undead.

Also MOLLE'd to the front is a Maxpedition admin panel, a 5.11 vertical trauma kit and a radio pouch that holds a Versa Alerto dual band ham radio that has the same capabilities as the popular Baofeng UV5R.

I connected a big rectangular pouch to the back strap of the chest rig to hold additional medical supplies. If you look at the upper right photo, my medical supplies at the time were rudimentary and came from the local equivalent of your CVS or Walgreens.

This era of chest rigs could be described pretty well by the following links.

25 lb Tactical / Survival Loadout + 72 Hour Bug Out Survival Kit - Best Budget Tactical Chest Rig?

Drug Smuggler Interdiction Lightweight Loadout

2015-2016 "Maximum Ammo"

I switched to feeding our AR15. I didn't have a plate carrier then but the AR500 plate slid easily into the mesh pouch makeshift-style.

I again carried as much ammunition as I could. That was 8 mags plus one in the rifle. No battle belt meant everything was on the rig and it held up!  Observe the three 19-round .40 pistol magazines. The good news is nothing fell out even if I ran up and down the range in IPSC-style courses of fire.

2016-2018 

I already had a proper plate carrier by this time so we didn't need to throw everything on it plus the kitchen sink.

Enter the light weight configuration. Gone are most of the accessory pouches and this is how the manufacturers intended it to be used.

Magazine count is down to five so the rightmost side carries a bleeder kit and compass. The Vortex Ranger 1000 was a favorite toy. Back when the .22lr was our primary zombie blaster having a rangefinder was an absolute must because I needed each shot to land between the eyes up to 200 yards.

2019-present

Its my daughter's chest rig now. 

Using her "logic", all of my stuff is now her stuff. Fine then. >:3 (she typed that squiggle face, deal with it. YEET)

This mission profile is for long range zombie hunting with her suppressed long guns. Her sidearm is a MetroArms Mac 1911 Classic 9mm. Its got a match grade bull barrel and all EGW upgraded internals and hammer. 

Her favorite item is her knife the Schrade SCHF13.

I only had to tighten a few straps at the back harness to fit her 11 year old-frame. She used it a few times at the range and she also gave it a positive score!

More on this whole big igloo kit later.

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7-Year Evaluation

Good: 

• Elastic mag holders good as new after 7 years!
• Affordable
• Soft but durable fabric
• Stitching has held up. Even the mesh pouch compartment is still good. 
• Lightweight, easy to stuff into a backpack. 
• Dries quickly if left in the sun. Doesn't smell. 
• Carries all kinds of AR magazines.

Instructor Zero also uses this chest rig for extensive training programs around the world if you needed me to mention a noteworthy internet celebrity zombie slayer.

Bad:

• TacTec sounds like "tic tac". aaaaaargh I can't get over it
• Every two pouches are not separated by a wall. What actually holds the magazines are an elastic loop that's about 3 inches wide. Its adequately secure but because there is no divider for the two "pouches", they can slide around if you only use the top flap to secure each magazine. You could use a sewing kit and 10 minutes if you can't stand it. 
• For a long while this particular feature bugged the heck out of me and a lot of users to this day. I eventually got over it.

Ugly:

You might be tempted to get carried away accessorizing it like I did. That's the magic of MOLLE. It can hold up to whatever suits your fancy as I happily found out.

Score: 8/10


Summary: 

If you need a versatile, sturdy, and well-made LBE, the 5.11 TacTec will get it done. There are more popular choices out there today but this was one of the not-so mainstream options in 2013 and it still holds up. As stated before, the weird mag pouch thing is a minor thing if you can just get over it.

Our chest rig has endured seven years of service and will continue to do so in these interesting times.

Stay vigilant!

The Battle Belt

click to enlarge

I prefer to call this piece of kit by its funky nickname: the Boogaloo Belt. Many moons ago I devised a makeshift one composed of stuff that collected over the years. It was relatively low on my "to-do" list but I'm very happy that I finally put this one together. 

What's it for? Its a rig that holds my secondary weapon, extra magazines, and a trauma kit.

*****

THE OLD: 

My previous system used to have a Serpa holster (cringe away), nylon-buckled condor belt, a few soft 5.11 magazine pouches, maxpedition drop pouch, and a Condor rip-away mini trauma kit. Of all the items on that old rig, that last one was actually very good.  All this stuff didn't match but they'd get the job done. I'll say it again: the Condor Rip-Away Mini is solid, you damn elitists.

I could plug holes, make holes, and keep my pants from falling.

THE NEW: 

This is as high-speed & low-drag as you could get. I really wanted to add a knife, tomahawk, and second AR15 magazine pouch to this but I stood my ground. Perhaps I'll add one last pouch behind the holster and move my Leatherman over there from my plate carrier. 

One of my goals was to reduce the weight on my hips, and I've succeeded. 

*****

click to enlarge

Components: 

HSGI Cobra Belt with velcro inner belt

2 HSGI polymer taco pistol magazine pouches

1 HSGI polymer  taco AR15 magazine

Voodoo Tactical tourniquet pouch that holds 1 CAT tourniquet and trauma shears

Blue Force Gear Trauma Kit Now Mini: standard trauma kit inside

Safariland QLS system holding a mid-ride 6004 series holster

That itty-bitty trauma kit packs a ton in a miniscule pouch that you could tug from the left or right side. Its soft and flat enough that I can sit down in a car and not have anything poking my back.

Firearm: Para-Ordnance P16.40

Capacity: 18 rounds

Caliber: .40 S&W

This is my old competition pistol from 1997. To clarify, I used it from 2008 to 2014. It has never let me down. I can run it hard for over 1000 rounds without cleaning. Its utterly reliable, accurate, and has light recoil. We put a Bar-Sto match barrel in there too. 

*****

I've run competition holsters for nearly a decade and really appreciate the sturdiness of this Safariland system. The QLS lets me unhook the holster from the Han Solo style thigh rig. That leg strap also keeps things very stable with all the running I've done.

Having a belt like this allows me bring it anywhere. Try to fit those other heavier ones in a backpack, mine can.

I can't emphasize "lightweight" enough. My main strength as a fighter is speed. I'm fleet of foot compared to a lot of guys and I'm going to make the most out of it.

My tests have proven that it is indeed sturdy and gives me no movement penalties whatsoever. Heck yeah I love this thing, lets rock!

Stay vigilant!