British Army OPS Vest | Webbing Walk | AATV EP216

This week Gadge and Anvil take a walk down the Nottingham and Beeston canal to discuss their british Army OPS Vests.
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Host:
Tom 'Anvil' Hibberd
Camera:
Jo Horsefield
Erin Flood
Production & Editing:
Black Dog Media
anvilairsoft.com
You can find us on Social Media @:
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/ aatv_airsoft

[@lokischildren8714]

I used my op vest on many op tours South Armagh and Iraq and the Balkans and a number excersie in the Jungle and Canada and germany.i loved mine

[@AnvilAirsoftTV]

Thanks for letting us know.

[@willowwood3384]

Back in the day we would wear a RAF survival vest, aka the "Harrier Vest" under the smock. All your personal gear, side arm and food you could eat on the move went in the vest, your outer smock pockets were filled with magazines, ammunition and grenades. Final assault order when moving fast was priority, lighter than CEFO. Your not going to need your wash kit, cook kit or be weighed down by water in the final assault. These rigs came about for what was perceived to be the next battlefield, fighting from a vehicle in an urban environment. Everything on the front wasn't an issue as you never went prone in an urban environment, it's hard to cover any window above the ground floor or rooftops when your prone, kneeling, squatting or sitting were the positions of urban warfare. And the ability to move quickly without getting snagged on fences and window frames.

[@AnvilAirsoftTV]

Thanks for the info, that’s fascinating. I use a lightweight chest rig for urban or CQB along with a minimal shooters belt. I am guilty of lugging too much about most of the time!

[@dago4076]

Thanks for sharing how you would setup with a plate carrier? Carrier to the body over the vest over smock? Best regards

[@SPiderman-rh2zk]

@@dago4076 Just my personal preference, to keep armour and web gear separate. I think the DPM Combat Body Armour could be worn under the smock, and the ECBA has space for two plates to cover your chest and back. Smock goes over the top, lots of pockets to carry personal stuff, then an ops vest over that. Conceivably you could wear the armour and ops vest over your clothing, but you lose access to those pockets. If you can imagine the CBA/ECBA, and the vest with it, that's like a plate carrier setup, just without any MOLLE attachments. Another combination I used before was the EBCA and chest rig. A friend of mine wears a chest rig for hiking and wears it low down with the hip belt for his hiking rucksack. I'm personally not a fan of doing that, but it seems to work for him. I don't see him leopard crawling up any Cumbrian Fells so like the urban environment, it's unlikely to interfere with movement as it's very unlikely you'll go prone.

[@ashleystyles6888]

I was issued a set of standard issue PLCE, then I (on great advice) set it up properly. And then I saw an ops vest and decided to buy it. Then I decided to take it to herrick. And ditched the PLCE. Without planning anything. Or permission. It was shiteola. I didn't know I couldn't fit old school body armour over it and I only found out after I had arrived in theatre. What a plank!!!

[@AnvilAirsoftTV]

Thanks for letting us know your story!

[@colp9492]

I heavily modified my ops vest changed the ammo pouches to Arktis ones removed the top 2 pouches and replaced with grenade and PRR pouches loved mine in Iraq & NI.

[@AnvilAirsoftTV]

Sounds like good mods to me.

[@colp9492]

@@AnvilAirsoftTV it worked well I should never have sold it 😢

[@AlexanderCooper1]

I love Cop type vests for civilian life. Wear them all the time in a black colour. So practical.

[@Kefuddle]

Webbing Walks, what a great format. I have my eye on a bit of airborne webbing, but weirdly at the moment, my fave webbing is the Russian SSO Smersh replica that I bought on a whim. Pity it doesn't really go well with the L85A3 I love to rock.

[@AnvilAirsoftTV]

I liked my Smersh. I had a repro and a then a Avicent one.

[@DoubleOught-p6n]

I’m into my Russian kit in a big way. I love the variety of different camo patterns, particularly the NATO copies! I believe the SMERSH was excellent for its time. The nylon material made it better in comparison to 58 pattern webbing and the grenade pouches integrated to the ammo pouches are a good touch as is the main padded belt outer which is comfortable to use and very forward thinking for the time. However there doesn’t leave much room on the belt for additional pouches. The large pouch ‘crumbs bag’ doesn’t fit a great deal other than rations in it.

[@RecoilRogue]

The SSO Smersh has to be the best load bearing equipment I've ever owned. As you said, too bad it doesn't really work with NATO stuff

[@Kefuddle]

@@RecoilRogue Another problem I found with the replica now that I am getting into night vision is that it lights up white under IR!

[@0bserver416]

Two gentlemen casually enjoying the day in BA OPS vest. Priceless!

[@AnvilAirsoftTV]

Just mooching about.

[@DoubleOught-p6n]

I had one of the trials Cops vest in Bosnia 96. As an armoured vehicle (Scimitar) driver/crewman I found it an excellent piece of kit. But as Cav we performed dismounted ops also. In that instance I’d use my PLCE webbing. I believe there’s not a ‘one size fits all’ application for personal load carrying and you tailor the kit/load-out/webbing to the job at hand. As mentioned in the video one of the main drawbacks with the cops vest is when you ‘get on your belt’ or go prone the pouches dig in and are very uncomfortable, plus they make leopard crawling etc very hard

[@jmac781]

Another great video guys. Always enjoy seeing how other countries did it. I still like my old ALICE stuff from my days. but..... Anyway thanks for making these videos.

[@TerryWhisk]

I was literally looking at these a day ago. Thank you for making a video on it!!

[@AnvilAirsoftTV]

Glad to be of help

[@moomeansmooable]

PLCE mag pouches are a bit tight but you can get 3 AK74 mags in there. These cheap rigs and webbing sets are a life saver. Love from Ukraine

[@juweikwen4030]

Yes, l like webbing walk by wearing "US FLC vest" with 1-day hiking loadout without haversack. 2x Tripple molle pouches (front end, for 2x handphones, keys, paper note,...), 2x nalgene oasis (East/West waist by CANTEEN GENERAL PURPOSE POUCH), 1x Admin pouch (rear, for energy bars).

[@AnvilAirsoftTV]

Sounds like a good setup.

[@scissorfuzz1760]

always good to see another video from you guys! I see you came across the ole Canadian airforce... the cobra chickens! lol

[@karlking3687]

Love my ops vest keep the vids coming chaps

[@AnvilAirsoftTV]

Thanks. Will do!

[@andrewblackmore3150]

Got a neat pic of French Commando's Marine wearing em during training

[@AnvilAirsoftTV]

Oh cool!

[@sh4969]

I remember those assault vest had them when I first started out then moved onto a Commando chest rig & then onto 511 chest rig they don't make anymore. I've gone back to the m170 chest rig ex surplus no nonsense rig.

[@Hew.Jarsol]

Good review. God I remember those vests! The material wasn't lined with the rubberised liner like in the PLCE webbing pouches, so were lighter. Yeah the velcro ammo pouches were a thing!

[@mikesmith2771]

Good kit

[@user-bg8dr6by6m]

if you look in the background at 3;29 there was a guy that looked like he was wearing what looks to be white plastic overalls standing on kayak.

[@AnvilAirsoftTV]

There’s quite a lot of standup paddlers on the canal.

[@kaynanvulperus4633]

Something I’ve noticed which wasn’t mentioned whilst comparing my DPM to my DDPM, is the DDPM has clips for an issue camelbak water bladder in place of the rocket pack clips. Granted, it’s a somewhat trivial thing, but thought it worth noting. Another (I’m coming back to this post PLCE) is the modularity of the DDPM in comparison.

[@AnvilAirsoftTV]

Thanks for the info!

[@OldNavajoTricks]

You can always tailor buckles onto yokes/vests/Bergens and add as many rockets as you like :-D

[@kaynanvulperus4633]

@@OldNavajoTricks true that, I just ain’t got the experience to, nor the funds or in-roads to send it to a pro.

[@OldNavajoTricks]

@@kaynanvulperus4633 Don't suppose you're anywhere near Nottingham lol?

[@scottperkins5038]

Really cool video though i dont know how well it would go down in my area of south london.

[@AnvilAirsoftTV]

People are pretty relaxed round here.

[@danieltedcastle7021]

I have a trials vest

[@phh2400]

Hi Anvils, could you please care to elaborate more the usage of the ops west with the respirator pouch? The vest has two male trident buckles, but on S10 PLCE respirator pouch is just one female buckle, for the strap, which start is sowed to pouch directly on the side where the second male buckle from the ops vest would probably go. Was this hand-modified by soldiers? Or is there other pouch than the classic S10 PLCE respirator sack - "rezi pack" as you call it?

[@AnvilAirsoftTV]

I’ll check in with Gadge and get back to you.

[@stuartbennett7614]

Never got on with mine preffered a chest rig for urban ops

[@AnvilAirsoftTV]

100% agree

[@RealTuxChuck]

Try walking in usgi ALICE gear the clips are so comfy (there not) it will be a fun challenge probably

[@AnvilAirsoftTV]

We will do a US webbing episode at some point.

[@chaowingchinghongfingshong3109]

​​​@@AnvilAirsoftTVI have a question about the ops vest and I hope you can help me out. I have two of these assault vest, one later one with the nexus buckles to attach a haversack and one without. Now you said that you can fit the rocket pack to the clips, however thats not possible? The rocket pack has smaller nexus clips than the ones on the vest, so you cant attach it. The same goes for a camelback hydration bladder I bought. Again the clips on the bladder are smaller than the one on the vest. Do your vests have smaller buckles or is there sth I overlooked? I really want to attach a haversack or bladder to my assault vest for airsoft purposes and so far every plce haversack or bladder I have bought fits only the smaller buckles (the same size that closes the front pockets) Thanks!

[@larryboyd5882]

With the cap on you look so like Ramzan Kadyrov the Chechen leaser

[@AnvilAirsoftTV]

That’s not a great look!

[@BosvarkDelta]

Ill stick to my SADF battle vest Ahead of its time when issued to me in 87 still better than most of the gear out there

[@AnvilAirsoftTV]

Agreed. Was such an advanced bit of kit.

[@mattpurchase8165]

Are the two shoulder buckles for the 'rocket pack' compatible with a Camelbak of any sort?

[@AnvilAirsoftTV]

You could probably rig something up.

[@DarioZg25]

What is manufacturer and model of grey backpack in video? Tnx

[@AnvilAirsoftTV]

It’s a Cannae Gear Legion in Ranger Green. No longer manufactured though.

[@joaquimvieira7727]

Where can I buy these vests? very good!

[@AnvilAirsoftTV]

EBay if you’re not in the UK. If in the UK most army surplus shops.

[@MartinJHarris]

for a themed loadout great... but personally I just use a molle chest rig as it's airsoft and not real steel and only need to carry magazines... no plate carrier needed as I'm not doing to get shot by a bullet..! and I use mid caps so need more magazines to carry not just the 3 magazines I see on nearly EVERY single "SF" operator that is set up for direct action not war fighting..!

[@AnvilAirsoftTV]

I would use a chest rig for shorter games. If I needed to carry more gear then I’d probably go to a set of webbing.

[@Raz_Tactical]

do you guys get any weird looks when doing webbing walks? I was considering doing it for fitness but dunno about walking around wearing webbing without even serving/having served

[@AnvilAirsoftTV]

A few. We do it very infrequently though. You could use a weight vest or a loaded rucksack?

[@Raz_Tactical]

@@AnvilAirsoftTV yeah don't want to spend cash on a weighted vest as good ones are expensive. Webbing spreads the weight better than a ruck so would prefer that really

[@jamiesonsambarhunter]

Useless for jungle. Wore one in East Timor for 7 months.

[@BikeWorkz1991]

Is there a pouch on there that will take extended glock mags?

[@AnvilAirsoftTV]

Nope.

[@BikeWorkz1991]

@@AnvilAirsoftTV damnit. I was looking for a rig that i can use with all my replicas without swapping pouches