For many paintball enthusiasts, a proper platform for carrying gear while competing is almost as important as the paintball gun itself. That is why many paintball competitors choose to deploy with a paintball tactical vest. Tactical vests are a mobile gear and equipment platform that can be configured to fit the users needs. Military and law enforcement officers use tactical vests on a regular basis to do just this – carry all of their duty related gear in a convenient and simple manner. Tactical vests come in many varieties, which will be discussed below.
Crossdraw vests are tactical vests that come with pre-attatched pouches for accessories and gear. This helps reduce the price of the overall purchase, since additional pouches don’t need to be bought. But it does limit the overall customization capabilities of the vest itself. For paintball, the pouches can be modified from original pouches to hold everything needed to engage in competition, such as extra paintball holders, spare carbon dioxide cartridges, and tools to repair a disabled paintbal gun in the field (hex wrenches, squeges, o-rings).
Plate carriers come as a ‘blank canvas’ tactical vest. No pouches are pre-attached, so purchasing extra accessory pouches is an additional necessity and cost. However, this allows the user to fully customize the tactical vest how they see fit. Pouches can be placed anywhere on the vest to increase availability of neccessary gear and to increase speed of reloading and maintenance. This customizability is a huge advantage of the plate carrier system over the cross draw vest system.
Chest rigs are similar to plate carriers because they usually do not come with pre-attached pouches. They are smaller in size, and usually just have chest mounting capabilities, whereas the crossdraw vest and plate carrier vests wrap completely around you, providing 360 degrees of platform and capabilities. Chest rigs are designed for high speed and low drag, reducing the loadout capabilities, but decreasing the bulk and the occurrences of snagging pouches and gear on brush. These are ideal for stealthy deployments.
These three main types of tactical vests can be modified to hold all the gear you would need for a paintball competition. Because most tactical vests are wrapped in molle webbing, most pouches are able to be configured anywhere on the vest to suit your needs.
To better simulate real combat situations and training during paintball competitions, use a paintball tactical vest to carry your gear into the field. This will also increase your intimidation factor, as well as enjoyment. Check the different prices on the market for the different models and types before making your purchase. Since there are many different options available, make sure you do your research and compare prices and reviews before making your decision. Click here for more information on tactical nylon and other related topics.