Chest-Rig VS LBE Comparison - How to Pick The Right Tactical Fighting Gear

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Breaking down two fundamentally similar pieces of kit, but also quite different. I chose some specific scenarios to hopefully help you gauge which would suit your needs better
Let me Ask You
General Comfort
Rucksack Integration
Wearing with Armor
Vehicle Ingress/Egress
Prone and Reloading
Load Carrying Ability
Concluding Thoughts
#tacticalgear #tactical #chestrig #LBE #milsim #fieldcraft #airsoft #shooting #military #survival #minutman

[@mshap3013]

When working from home, I think a chest rig works best. I have the shortest possible travel from my keyboard to my multiple snack pouches. Also I personally have no issues with wearing my chest rig over my armor during my 8 hr standing work sessions. I think that is because I have vastly superior upper body strength. Thanks again for the great video. You have a nice camera and good editing. I think you changed my life

[@uncompliant]

@@mshap3013 👁️🕳️👁️

[@SonOfTheDawn515]

Maintain that core. It sucks but that's the only muscle that stabilizes and supports your spine. That goes for everyone! Three back procedures later and first one in my 20s. Being machine gunner and nearby IEDs dismounted not withstanding.

[@AshMarked]

I'm old. I wore ammo and water on belt and harness in the US Marines and much later ammo and water on my plate carrier in the US Army. As you show, there's an argument to be made for either. However, me personally I'd prefer to distribute as much weight as possible on my hips if I *expect to be on my feet.* If spending the days in a vehicle, everything on a plate carrier is OK, though not perfect. Riding in a humvee all day every day with all the weight on a plate carrier did more to destroy my back and posture than anything else did.

[@uncompliant]

@@AshMarked that sucks man, thanks for sharing

[@PracticalTacticalFedeli]

Not service related* says the VA 💀

[@johnburpi8484]

Best we can do is 10%

[@geesusway70]

I think slick plate carrier with LBE is the most underlooked setup atm. Great weight carrying capability, good comfort, good protection, checks all the boxes.

[@uncompliant]

@@geesusway70 for sure it's pretty damn comfy

[@Carl_Burcham]

Why not all together? slick carrier with level 4, belt system, and a chest rig.

[@geesusway70]

@@Carl_Burcham it sounds good in concept, but 1.) too bulky/ heavy 2.) are you really carrying that much? I can fit 48 hours of supplies in my LBE + daysack alone. If you need more get a bigger bag/bergan 3.) this won’t make much sense unless you’ve actually worn it in the field but having too many layers of straps sucks hard. Plate carrier plus LBE plus chest rig plus rifle sling plus daysack. You’re either gonna suffocate or wish you had from all the chaffing.

[@SonOfTheDawn515]

​@@geesusway70 I second that. Did both as a grunt in the army. LBE over armor and then FLC over armor. I don't want my weight up front. Hello first back procedure in late 20s and two more in my 30s. Now I just use an LBE in the woods but CamelBak attached to straps and belt instead of canteens.

[@thatoneguy3590]

@@Carl_BurchamIf you look at Ukrainian soldiers right now they have plate carriers with micro placards on and then full belt setups to carry the maximum amount of mags

[@Silveredge99]

Awesome video, the vehicle demonstration really helped visualize the differences

[@theap0killyp1k2]

The way I see it, chest rigs are great for short distance, close range engagements where the likelihood of getting shot goes up, necessitating the need for plates that the chest rig can provide. An LBE is great for long distances where you have more mobility and ease of maneuvering around to eliminate or disengage the threat, which wouldn't play into the chest rig's favor. I'd wear a chest rig if I was being transported by any means besides my own two feet, to a close range environment like a city where it would be difficult to move around in. I'd wear an LBE if I was moving on foot in a more rural environment where being fast is better than being protected. There's a reason that mechanized infantry are given the freedom of wearing body armor more freely, because they don't have to walk in their armor as long as their vehicle is still working. Light infantry can't really wear armor effectively unless they are rapidly moved into their AO like with paratroopers. Many people believe that LBEs will come back after what we've seen in the past 20 years, especially with the war in Ukraine showing that being highly mobile is still viable compared to being somewhat slow but protected.

[@backtoiraq2368]

Truthfully ive been watching your content for about a few months now, and videos like this is why I love your page. Your unqiueness with your evaluation is amazing. Like the Car Test in 2:50 area? Never seen another reviewer bring that up or test it like that.

[@uncompliant]

appreciate it big time !

[@angryveteran8585]

I like your idea of an adjustable strap across the middle of the ruck. Quick tip on rucks: to quickly don, place the ruck at your feet, straps facing away from you, grab the sides of the frame and lift it above your head, release with your arms extended, it'll drop onto your back

[@uncompliant]

will have to try

[@BillNyeTheWesternSpy]

Me after 80 pounds attached to a metal frame catches the back of my skull: 🤯

[@uncompliant]

@@BillNyeTheWesternSpy lmfao i just read this

[@reganabraham5136]

CONTENT IS FIRE THSE DAYS

[@uncompliant]

@@reganabraham5136 thankss!!

[@hoosier_tactics]

excellent video, nice LBE looks good and good for long patrols by foot of course. also awesome editing with the side by side.

[@uncompliant]

thanks a lot dude!

[@TimeToGoToSpace]

I think you can pair the two actually. Having a chestrig with the essential for shooting and the LBE for primary needs.

[@angryveteran8585]

Maybe a micro rig. I think we've all seen that photo from the Son Tay raid where a dude has a chicom rig under his LBE. It seems LBE over a plate carrier with a 3 mag shingle is popular in Ukraine.

[@PerFecTD0P3B01]

@@angryveteran8585this is what I do, running a dz rig with a slick plate carrier and a helikon tex TMR over it. Honestly you get the best of both worlds imo.

[@brawldawg8729]

Generally, I would say LBE/LBV for patrol, chest rig for direct action, or an engagement where you know you don't have to sustain yourself. That said, I do have an SOE 8 Mag Stacked rig with Rally man pouches on either side, and a butt pack between two canteen pouches on a dangling setup in the rear for those in-between missions. Over many years of shooting, training, rucking and hiking, I have come to the conclusion that although something new and improved may come to market, there is no one rig that does everything perfectly.

[@JuggernautJo]

I personally combine the two. I use a split front zip chest rig (Direct action Tempest rig) with 4 m81 surplus double Mag pouches attached to the front of the chest rig which gives me a total of 12 mags up top due to the rig having built in 4 single mag pouches already. The split front rig is then attached to a exoplate rear plate bag which carries either my exo hydro ice plate for water inside it or a standard sapi plate. This system I wear as a Rib Cage chest rig setup. From there I have added 1” milspec side release buckles at four points on the bottom of my chest rig which are then buckled into my SS 34 Alpha load bearing split front rig which I wear as a LBE / hip belt and have the SS Expander Buttpack installed in the rear below my rear plate bag. I carry 2 large sustainment pouches and 2 GP pouches and 1 three magazine pouch and 2 smoke grenade pouches on the LBE. Oh and I have a canteen pouch attached on both sides of my Expander butt pack hooked into the laser molle that is available on both sides of the pack which fills in the gaps on both sides very nicely. I also have added in zipper adapters on my rear plate bag to accommodate any back panels I want to wear. And finally I wear a Ferro concepts Drop Roll One IFAK pouch that hangs below my rear plate bag and above my expanded butt pack for easy access from both sides with either arm. This is all in M81 woodland Camo themed. Total cost of setup: $1050. Feel free to steal my setup. It works great and is modular and can still wear my source tactical patrol30 30 liter pack with the full loadout on.

[@closequarterbattleacademy8242]

Nicely pointed out the frustrations of both the system

[@davidoftheforest]

first 20 seconds gave me a whole ass flashback of the first ghost recon when you're selecting guys and their idle animation is holding up their weapon with one arm while looking around

[@M--GT8223]

I'm old, so my US Army-issued equipment was the OD, LBE. That said, I was never a fan since it made too much noise in the woods (mostly jingly, stiff and bulky mag pouches). I solved my problem(s) with a non-expensive ($25) M81, LBVE-88 which has comfortable shoulder straps, cloth pouches, and integrates pretty well with MOLLE. With that set-up and a small assault pack, my problems were solved

[@SmokesKwazukii]

prone i think makes a bigger difference with large plate carriers that have like double mag pouches in the front especially. also reloads can be much smoother from lbe

[@googlesucks2296]

Excellent video showing clear comparisons. Thank you!

[@rabblerouser1117]

I use a carrier without plates. Fits me snug and works with my belt setup. I train a lot from 🐎, very minimal bounce .

[@martynsouthgate1551]

In the chest rig v belt kit debate another consideration is are you going to be using a rucksack. Depending on the design they sit lower eg a civilian ricksack or higher on the back. A higher sitting rucksack can rest on a belt kit and move weight distribution to the hips. A lower sitting rucksack with a larger padded belt can be used with a chest rig.

[@uncompliant]

@@martynsouthgate1551 did you watch the video? It's literally the second point I hit

[@PatrickKniesler]

​@@uncompliant what are some packs you think are ok to use with LBE? Not quite recommendations, but basically that.

[@benjaminphilips7506]

The MW 2 music was amazing

[@uncompliant]

@@benjaminphilips7506 cod4 actually

[@ugahdugha]

Former mech infantry grunt I rocked a PLCE style of webbing over a slick PC when I was in. I just took it off/on like a backpack when getting in or out like everyone else did with there bags, and just stuck in in a spot by the door when I was a crew member. It really was not that much of an issue. I didn't have a buttpack, but I did have a fleshed out back panel, which made it so I never did actually need a bag

[@presidentmerkinmuffley6769]

Im still firmly on team LBE. Not sure on the SMERSH rig, but on some LBE you can set the buttpack or rear pouches (Brit PLCE is deigned to be a shelf), to be used as a shelf to help support the pack. The newer Crossfire DZ rig, has buckles to interface with their packs and connect them to the LBE negating the need for a waist belt. In theory you could do this with many packs if you can find a spot to mount buckles on the LBE.

[@uncompliant]

@@presidentmerkinmuffley6769 I am going to sound hypocritical because a smersh is not cheap but the DZ is soo expensive. It looks like a great option as well if you don't care

[@presidentmerkinmuffley6769]

@@uncompliant Nah, I get it entirely. Building out my (mostly) Eagle LBE was not cheap either probably about the same in cost as the DZ when you add the pouches and aftermarket buttpack but it's configured exactly how I want it, and definitely holds more. The DZ rig is just a PLCE with two buckles for a pack, why pay the premium when there are both surplus and used rigs floating around.

[@EchoKilo-wi9ec]

​@@presidentmerkinmuffley6769 How do you get the Eagle tight to your waist? I'm not a very big guy and have the straps as short as they can go, and it still rides loose.

[@presidentmerkinmuffley6769]

@@EchoKilo-wi9ec Do you have the pads on the inside? Because those help alot. Otherwise remove the rear panel, attach the sides together and put the harness through the 2" triglides on the side panels and molle your buttpack to the two straps. You may wish to find a way to fix the pack to the harness and not just the "belt". I settled on a buttpack from SOE. It has two female swift clips on the top. Take some 1" strap, two male buckles, and 4 triglides, and rig it to the molle on the back of the harness.

[@TacticoolVIKINGBeard]

I actually have a modified chicom type 56 (i believe- its a 3 cell) i wear 1st (3 AR mags, small binos, TQ and multitool in that), my ALICE LC2 harness i put on over (2 canteens, 6 mags, trauma IFAK, booboo kit, admin pouch, small cookset, tarp/poncho w/linekit, 2 small stripped meals, basic rifle cleaning kit, small hygeine kit and knife, and 3rd i have an assault pack as extra sustainment after 12 hours

[@Callsign_Ewok]

For LBE and LBV, to wear a rucksack or backpack, keep the back of your entire setup slick and and try to give space for your waist strap to go, it's totally feasible. I don't like buttpacks anyway or anything mounted behind me, i like access to everything I have easily by myself. I run a mesh LBV molle tactical vest, a more old school setup that is quite flexible and breathable in terms of load carrying capacity while still keeping it stream line to the body and even armour slick carrier can be worn underneath the LBV. It's just a Mil-Tec made vest, but it so far has surprised me. It even came with french camo CCE pouches that were quite large. But I have my own pouches on it now. Very adjustable vest, decent stitching etc a lot of innovative ideas and features for that old school style of vest. "Modular System Vest".

[@shockwave6213]

Here's the question nobody is asking: Why not both? Like having a MOLLE vest to hold lighter equipment with the LBE

[@mysterioanonymous3206]

Exactly. I'd say both too. LBE and chest rigs serve different purposes - comparing them is pointless. If you want to be fast and light, chest rig. If you need sustainment, LBE. If you need lots of mission equipment, backpack. Simple.

[@shockwave6213]

@mysterioanonymous3206 Here's my personal preferred setup: Ultra low profile armor carrier (literally nothing but an armor pocket and elastic cummerbund) with a MOLLE vest and Condor LBE belt is how I run. Its a tiered setup. The vest holds 6 mags, IFAK, radio pouch, grenade pouches and a hydration bladder in the back. The Condor LBE MOLLE belt has 6 more magazines, my ACOG pouch with a Steiner 5x prism backup optic (run a 3-12x44 scope as my primary optic), 2 canteen pouches with canteen + canteen cup and a buttpack with some easy access sustainment/living gear for when on the move. Poncho, camo net cloak, couple MREs, etc.... The real misc, survival and shelter gear like my heavy duty tarp, sleep system, extra clothing, fire building and water purification equipment are all contained in a large ALICE pack. Plus a bandolier of magazines and spare ammo on stripper clips in the pack.

[@mysterioanonymous3206]

@@shockwave6213 that's a lot of stuff man 😂 I like slick as base. Full covert for me. Little civilian backpack. That's about it.

[@socaljarhead7670]

Nothing ever devised is more comfortable than the LC-1 H-harness. Start with that and you’re golden.

[@Apoc_Bone_Daddy]

I wear both At rhe same time Each of them carries different magazines for each rifle Which i dual wield .50 on my right and 5.56 on my left Tha barret has been heavily modified to be an sbr while the ar is modded with a 32 inch barrel My absolute CHAD frame handles the recoil of both rifles as if they were mere airsoft toys Amd when i run out of ammo, i can always bludgeon with my other tool

[@devowts5316]

Based

[@0bserver416]

Very good video! Nice 70 series Land Cruiser!

[@toysoldier6093]

The Hans Zimmer MW2 soundtrack truly has no equal. Good stuff, my dude. Thanks for the analysis!

[@uncompliant]

@@toysoldier6093 thankss

[@securemindsetofficial]

Great video helped me a lot!

[@emanuelniculucaciu1011]

I cherish your Visual demonstration,.

[@SonOfTheDawn515]

I've used the LBE and chest rig professionally. This is my opinion... For civilians, rock what works best for you. As a civilian with lumbar and sacrum issues due to said earlier professional life, I prefer an LBE or similar type setup when I go to my thing because I hate having all the weight on my front and putting more strain on pinched nerves. I also don't wear armor because I'm not going after threats anymore. YMMV.

[@GammaAirsoft_Gaming]

I took the straps of my old type 63 harness, and rigged them to clip onto the front buckles of my PC, plate carrier now acts as the shoulder straps and I don’t get the issues of the straps digging into my neck by wearing it over the PC.

[@Regularguy509]

Great overview thanks

[@uncompliant]

@@Regularguy509 thank you watching

[@Anarcho-harambeism]

only complaint i have is that if you had used a more scalable pc, you could have used the cr as a placard

[@froginthewaves8450]

Awesome Video!

[@andesvisual]

Hello, Is that a 6 mag total chest rig? or 4 with sides space to add pouches? Thanks!

[@sirismcgee7103]

I’ve had luck wearing the Smersh over the top of my ruck. As if it was another pack. Kind of weird but better for long hikes

[@pyeitme508]

BOTH, both is good!

[@uncompliant]

@@pyeitme508 well yes, but actually...yes

[@mysterioanonymous3206]

That pc is sick. Hard to get though... I think either option serves a different purpose, so why not have and train with both? Perhaps people need to figure out how much they want to carry first and then choose the right system to facilitate that instead if filling the pouches they have. Also depends if you want a pistol or not. After all were all into gear and its fun so we win either way. One might even add a split chest rig and placards into the mix 😅

[@BillNyeTheWesternSpy]

I use both, and I have buckles on the ruck to attach the LBE to the ruck and have the top flap close over it. The LBE has heavier items than the ruck so the weight distribution is okay. Issue is it’s 80lbs so I gotta get stronger.

[@andrescarvajal9980]

Does anybody know where I can find some LBEs in stock?

[@Definitelynotmeorisit]

Little late here, but with Canadian 82' webbing and ruck, they work great. The ruck sits on top if the buttpack if done right.

[@aarontactical]

What LBE are you using in this video?

[@HitokiriRaiden]

I use a old alic lbe, have a modified pack that works with and without the lbe with just a clip in belt extender. Have a old type 56 chest rig for extra mags if need be. and can easily have body armor if I want. Also easy to ditch if I need to be mobile quickly, but can carry all of it for a long time without it killing my back with everything high with a chest rig.

[@uncompliant]

i suggest a blackhawk belt pad to put inside the alice belt, will the rig much more comfortable, thanks for watching

[@HitokiriRaiden]

@@uncompliant I made my own pad with some od green cuts from a old torn alice pack and some foam from a sleeping pad. Used this set up for about 16 years now lol.

[@Yeti_Confetti44]

I'm just using the LBE to hunt, but I can't find a good molle butt pack.

[@lightmetro7508]

That music takes me back

[@Ben-ci4bz]

Could always run both if necessary

[@brianreeves9404]

There are better/faster ways to put a chest rig than that, even with armor. The LBE looks easier to put on, but when the straps get tangled up, and your dog tired from your days in the field then all of a sudden that 10sec task becomes a 5 min task. Really comes down to mission as you said. Long range patrols the LBE/webbing is king for obvious reasons and some not so obvious reasons. Raids, vehicle mounted operations, and direct action the chest rig is light years ahead of an LBE/webbing. i prefer chest rigs due to ergonomics. but the second i need to carry more than 3 liters of water on my person without a pack then i go running back to belt kits.

[@uncompliant]

yes, well summarized

[@jonathanmoore6128]

Question, what kind of pants? They look flexible and durable.

[@uncompliant]

@@jonathanmoore6128 5.11

[@matijadebeljak9229]

Which LBE harness was that? Great vid btw

[@uncompliant]

PKM SSO smersh

[@MtnMan68A4]

Or use both to carry more ammo and/or sustainment and use an assault pack or a smaller ruck instead of a large ruck. I think blue jean operator did this for a mil-sim west game but I'm not sure and I'm too lazy to check.

[@uncompliant]

@@MtnMan68A4 that kinda dodges the point. Wearing both would be quite cumbersome

[@MtnMan68A4]

@uncompliant definitely, that's a lot of nylon straps over your shoulders. Just spitballing ideas

[@twinarrowssurvival.2.065]

I run kits with both but favor my LBE.

[@Forbidden_Word]

Howdy good sir. If you were to strap your LBE to the back of a ruck; so you could use your Waist belt, with max weight in both Ruck and LBE. How would the weight distribution feel?

[@uncompliant]

@@Forbidden_Word terrible

[@abc-kn6ex]

​@@uncompliant why?

[@Forbidden_Word]

@@uncompliant thanks

[@kingnevermore25]

Where did you get the chocolate chip shirt?

[@uncompliant]

@@kingnevermore25 surp store

[@calvincazares]

For me I personally don't need body armor so I like my alice lbe n Bandalier equipment I also use an M1941 combat pack with that military butt pack that Attaches to the Assault pack

[@benjamingingrich9192]

I think that if you do get engaged in a firefight, the ability to shed almost everything but your fighting and life saving equipment is a huge plus often overlooked by people. If I'm not wearing armor, I wanna be as mobile as humanly possible

[@uncompliant]

what about the snacks

[@benjamingingrich9192]

@uncompliant touche. I think having a small or medium gp pouch for snacks is alright for the system, but not as much permitted by an lbe. Just my $0.02. I respect the lbe system and it's usage in the past, I just think that the system is not the best as a fighting system

[@devowts5316]

What lbe are you using in the video?

[@devowts5316]

Just realized its a smersh after seeing your smersh vid lol, where did you find the sso smersh? Theyre hard as hell to find right now

[@allseeingI5]

Good vid! Worth an algo comment

[@GleepActual]

What slick carrier is that?

[@uncompliant]

@@GleepActual lbav

[@jbenn4379]

Love the shoes he’s wearing. Anyone know which shoes these are?

[@uncompliant]

@@jbenn4379 just vans lol

[@kebomp]

What plate carrier is that? It looks like the Crye LV-MBAV

[@mailforbid1989]

Airsoft LV MBAV knockoff

[@NumbaOneCoolGuy]

What slick plate carrier are you using in this video?

[@uncompliant]

LBAV

[@NumbaOneCoolGuy]

@@uncompliant ill totally look into that one thanks

[@patrioticcowboy971]

Wich lbe you run

[@uncompliant]

@@patrioticcowboy971 SSO smersh

[@dustinrobinson5086]

You’re wearing your LBE too low, wear it higher so that the belt from your ruck goes just underneath and rests on your actual hips, I’m former infantry and we wore lbe systems with rucks before it was phased out.

[@BradyOsburn]

What chest rig is that on the right

[@uncompliant]

mayflawer if i spelled right lol

[@BradyOsburn]

@@uncompliant ok thank you,

[@haroldguillarawan9066]

The easiest way to sum it up for me is that. LBE is good for field combat while Chest rig is good for urban set up.

[@mysterioanonymous3206]

I think people have it backwards. They look at the gear and try cramming their stuff in. Instead they should be looking at what they need to carry, and if or how long they need to sustain themselves, and then choose the right system for that. Obv "mission profiles" vary greatly so that's kinda important. You should choose your gear according to what you're trying to do.

[@haroldguillarawan9066]

@mysterioanonymous3206 I agree. Hence the SOP of mission preplanning. For civis though, it's up to them to optimize their equipment for maximum effectiveness. Considering geographic, population, cultural and other factors.

[@abc-kn6ex]

LBE is fantastic for urban action

[@AnthonyGTrees]

Great prospective

[@hailtothe_rooster1572]

Chest rig for assault LBE for sustainment

[@abc-kn6ex]

Or just use both at the same time

[@VictoryOrValhalla14]

That’s not how to properly don your ruck while wearing LBE. It goes over your head and slides down your back.

[@Wylfinadi]

You know if you have the right chest rig and if it isn't that big ,you can wear it with LBE, special forces guys in Vietnam wore type 56 chest rigs with Alice I mean common guys,it's not that hard to make it work lol

[@uncompliant]

i personally would not find that ideal

[@asfaraslogic]

Agent Espo says thanks for the grenade launcher.

[@劉信良-k4c]

Good vedio

[@Rezifying_]

All the homies love lbe

[@TerryWhisk]

The Smersh is the worse representative of LBE lmao

[@grits_taste_good415]

Jeep XJ gang

[@uncompliant]

@@grits_taste_good415 it's a Toyota landcruiser

[@nivynmn2633]

Chest rig >>>>>

[@tzenzhongguo]

What kind of accent do you have?

[@uncompliant]

clearly from Ethiopia

[@googlesucks2296]

@@uncompliantI’m curious, what are the gun laws like in Ethiopia? I love Ethiopian food, I know that much!