Tactical vests refer to equipment worn by certain soldiers externally to increase the carrying capacity of various ammunition. They are made of high-quality military nylon webbing and have characteristics such as wear resistance and lightweight. It can be worn outside the bulletproof vest without causing any obstruction to the vest, radio, parachute bag, etc.
Tactical vest, also known as "tactical carrying vest", belongs to a type of "tactical carrying equipment". It is a type of individual combat equipment that can integrate and wear most of the equipment required for personal combat, making it convenient and quick to access various equipment during combat.
Tactical carrying equipment is an indispensable component of individual equipment, and its emergence and development are as ancient as the history of human warfare. It makes soldiers and weapons and equipment form a whole.
The tactical vest is mainly composed of fabric, equipment bags, buckles, and vehicle stitching. The prerequisites for selecting fabric are: non combustible, durable, waterproof, and so on. Early vests were mostly made of materials such as leather and canvas, which added weight due to the tank's water absorption. Later, nylon material was used as the fabric choice for the vest, not only reducing weight but also increasing its durability.
Nylon materials are divided into two types: smooth and rough. Rough nylon is more prone to generating static electricity, so the tactical vest price of rough nylon is lower.
Next, let's take a look at common tactical vest styles in various countries.
US Tactical Vest
The development and use of individual field portable equipment by the U.S. military started early. Since the introduction of ALICE system during the Gulf War, the U.S. military has developed a variety of tactical vests, suitable for various application scenarios.
One of the most classic tactical vests of the US military is Eagle's TAC - V1 N series tactical vests, which can still be seen worn by police or military secret service personnel to this day. This tactical vest has strong versatility. It can be used in general towns or for special missions deep into the jungle. TAC - V1 N uses reinforced nylon mesh as the substrate and sews bags for various purposes on the vest.
Among them, there are about six magazine bags in the abdomen, and each magazine bag has elastic straps on both sides to secure the magazine and avoid making a collision sound. There are different models of horizontal equipment bags on the chest, with devil's felt inside, which can fix various module equipment.
The larger horizontal equipment bags also have elastic straps to secure the contents. General auxiliary ammunition, grenades, knives, etc. can be placed inside. The equipment bag on the shoulder can hold items such as a compass and emergency bandages. There is also a document pocket on the inner side of the vest, which can hold important documents or flat objects. The hem of the vest has a fixing ring for the waistband, which is fixed with copper buckles and devil's felt. There are ALICE fixed mounting points on the back of the vest, which can be used to mount various ALICE equipment.
AC - V1 adjusts the size of the vest with ropes on both sides, which is not convenient. Therefore, in the later stage, the model was changed to use three weaving straps on the left and right sides to adjust the size of the vest. The tactical vest has a rescue handle at the back collar, which is connected to the shoulder strap. In case of emergency, comrades can use this handle to tow them out of the danger area or lift them with a helicopter. There is a water bag on the inner side of the back of the vest, which can hold three liters of water for emergency thirst quenching.
Another example is DBT's RCBS tactical vest, which is often used by law enforcement agencies such as the FBI in the United States. It was one of the earliest tactical vests with a quick release system. There are bulletproof inserts in the vest. If inserted, the tactical vest also has bulletproof function, but the weight of the vest will also be greatly increased. For this reason, the vest has been specially designed for situations such as falling into the water or requiring teammates to drag after being shot. There is a quick release pull ring on the front of the vest. In case of emergency, there is no need to remove the vest. Just pull on this pull ring with force, which can quickly break down the vest and relieve this heavy burden. In addition, the "Velcro" can also be easily removed from the inside of the vest, pulling out the bulletproof insert, transforming the heavy bulletproof tactical vest into a lightweight non bulletproof tactical vest.
Russian Tactical Vest
Soviet made military equipment has always been known for its solid and durable appearance. The tactical vest of the Russian style should be paired with the Russian made AK rifle series. For example, the Defender 2 tactical vest is a heavy tactical vest specifically developed for Russian special forces. It can carry many tactical equipment and greatly improve the overall protective ability. The vest is made of 1000D Cordilla nylon fabric, which has strong wear resistance and can meet the needs of special environments. Similar to some tactical vests in the US military, the Defender 2 is equipped with detachable collars and crotch protectors, which can protect soldiers' necks, lower abdomen, and other vital points from bullet splashes. The inner side of the vest can be equipped with bulletproof insert plates to enhance protective capabilities.
This tactical vest features a pullover design, allowing users to pull off and attach the Velcro on the front of the vest. You can also adjust the size of the top and back of the vest through the side nylon webbing. The front, back, and sides of the vest are equipped with a large number of MOLLE straps, which can fix various weapons and equipment onto the straps. This makes the entire vest a mobile warehouse.
The characteristic of the Russian military's "skin solid" is reflected in the tactical vest, which is the large loading capacity. Another Russian military tactical vest exhibited in 2011, equipped with up to 5 large magazines and carrying up to 300 rounds of ammunition.
What is the difference between a tactical vest and a Bulletproof vest?
The tactical vest and the Bulletproof vest are two different kinds of equipment. Although both are vests, their functions are completely different. Tactical vests are mainly used to carry ammunition and items, and do not have bulletproof function.
The Bulletproof vest is mainly used to protect soldiers from bullets and shrapnel.
Of course, in practical use, a soldier usually requires both functions simultaneously. There are two main methods to take into account both. One is to wear two vests at the same time, with the Bulletproof vest on the inside and the tactical vest on the outside. This requires ammunition or other tools, which can be obtained from tactical vests; Once hit by bullets, there are also Bulletproof vest armor inside. The second is to add bulletproof modules inside the tactical vest, such as inserting bulletproof inserts and accessories to protect the neck and crotch, so that the two are integrated and can be disassembled and separated if necessary.