How to Choose the Best Chest Rig Setup for Your Tactical Applications

In many of your tactical applications, your chest rig will play a crucial component in protecting you. It’s important to have a chest rig you can trust, so you’ll want to know how to properly set up your chest rig for your operations. In this guide, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about chest rigs and how to set yours up so it offers the most protection and utility possible.

Why It’s Important to Have the Right Chest Rig Setup

The right chest rig setup will equip you with the proper rig, plate carrier, MOLLE attachment points, and mag pouches. Your chest rig and the equipment it’s carrying will be vital to your operations, so it’s important to have the right setup before heading into your tactical applications.

With the right chest rig setup, you can customize it to fit the specific needs of your tactical applications. After properly setting up your chest rig, you should be able to access your gear and equipment quickly and efficiently without worrying about excess movement while on the go.

Key Components of a Quality Chest Rig Setup

Knowing the essential components of a good chest rig setup will make it easier for you to create your own and use your chest rig to its full potential. When looking for chest rigs, you want to make sure to keep an eye out for these key elements:

●Plate carriers: One of the most important parts of your chest rig setup is your plate carrier, which is designed to protect you in tactical situations. You will want to pick the right plate carrier for the job, which means you will want to think about how much protection a plate carrier offers, its size, and its weight. Your plate carrier should have enough protection to keep you safe in tactical environments, but it shouldn’t create mobility issues.

●Shoulder strap and H Harness: Comfort is important when wearing a chest rig, which is why it’s important to find a rig with quality shoulder straps that can properly distribute weight. An H Harness works the same by creating additional weight distribution across your back for optimal comfort, which helps reduce fatigue or strain during your operations.

●Mag Pouches: As a tactical professional, you’ll want to have your mag pouches readily available during your operations. A good chest rig will carry your mag pouches, whether for your AR or pistol.

●MOLLE: The ability to attach gear to your chest rig is crucial, allowing you to customize your setup to meet your specific needs. MOLLE allows you to securely attach a wide variety of gear and accessories, including pouches to hold your smaller essentials to make them easier to access when you’re on the go.

●Battle belt: While it’s not always necessary, you can wear a battle belt with your chest rig, which creates extra points of attachment for more gear. Battle belts are useful if your chest rig is already loaded with gear and equipment. If you decide to use a battle belt, make sure it’s not weighing you down and impacting your ability to remain mobile during your operations.

●Hydration: You can attach hydration packs to your chest rig if you decide to use this method to stay hydrated during your operations. It’s not necessary to complete the ideal chest rig setup, but it can make it significantly easier to stay hydrated, energized, and focused in the middle of your missions.

As you’re setting up your chest rig, you don’t want to just haphazardly load it down with gear. You should be thinking carefully about how you set up your chest rig so your gear is easily accessible and the weight is distributed evenly without impacting your ability to move swiftly.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Chest Rig

Choosing the perfect chest rig can be difficult, especially since there are so many options available. As you start shopping for chest rigs, make sure you have a deep understanding of what you need for your setup so you get it right the first time. If this is your first time shopping for a chest rig or you need someone to point you in the right direction, start by considering the following factors:

●Functionality: Your chest rig should make it easy to access your gear, and you’ll want to strategically place your attachments so you can grab what you need quickly. You don’t want to waste any time trying to grab what you need. The point of a chest rig outside of providing protection is to provide quick and reliable access to what you need, so make sure your chest rig is set up for this.

●Durability: Your chest rig must be capable of holding up in some of the toughest conditions, so you need to pick a chest rig made from durable materials. The better your chest rig is at resisting wear and tear, the longer it will last and the more reliable it will be.

●Capacity: The size of your chest rig correlates with how much gear and equipment you’re capable of holding. You will need to consider how much gear you need to carry when picking your chest rig. If you need to carry a lot of supplies, you will want a bigger chest rig with more MOLLE attachment points to accommodate everything you need. You can also choose smaller chest rigs if you are looking for something low-profile.

●Customization: A high-quality chest rig will make it easy to customize your loadout so it perfectly fits your specific needs. You will want to search for a chest rig that has the amount of MOLLE webbing you need and attachment points for extra pouches.

●Comfort: You’ll be wearing your chest rig for long periods, so it’s important to find one that’s comfortable. Try to find a chest rig that uses padding in the shoulder harness so you reduce shoulder and neck strain during your operation. You may even want a chest rig with adjustable back and waist straps so you can fully customize the overall fit for optimized comfort.

Steps for Optimizing Your Setup

Once you have your chest rig and your gear, it’s time to set it up for your operations. Below are steps you can follow to set up your chest rig so it is optimized to its full potential.

1. Think About Gear Placement

It’s important to think about gear placement since you’ll want to be able to access everything you need with ease. The gear you use the most should be placed in spots you can easily reach, such as mag pouches for quick and efficient reloads. Any items you use less frequently can be attached to the back of your chest rig so they’re not in the way.

2. Properly Distribute Weight

You will want to also consider how your gear placement affects weight. Your gear should be placed in ways that distribute the weight evenly so you remain stable and comfortable during your operations. Make sure your plate carrier, water bottles, mag pouches, and other heavy gear aren’t all attached to one side, which would throw you off balance.

3. Use MOLLE for Efficient Layering

You can layer your items based on priority by using MOLLE and attachment points. Layering your gear can make it easier to access what you need, saving you valuable time in the midst of your tactical operations. Your high-priority and most used items should be layered to the front of your chest rig, while your least important or low-priority items should be attached to the sides or back.

4. Adjust as Needed

Before you head out, you will want to test your chest rig to make sure it’s set up correctly. Try wearing your chest rig while performing any actions or movements you might do during your operations, such as running, jumping, or crouching. Testing your chest rig will allow you to make adjustments where necessary, whether you need to rebalance the weight distribution or reattach some of your gear for a more secure fit. You will also be able to determine if you need to move any gear around so it’s properly positioned for easy access.

5. Consider Gear Compatibility

You will want your chest rig to work easily with your other gear. If you’re using anything like body armor or a hydration pack, you will want to ensure your chest rig is set up to accommodate the extra gear. You don’t want your setup to get in the way of any crucial components, so make adjustments as needed to make space for the rest of your gear.

Find Chest Rigs and Other Gear Here at MLC

If you’re looking for your next chest rig for your tactical operations, Military Luggage Company has you covered. We offer high-quality chest rigs with various features to choose from so you can feel well-prepared for your next mission. We also offer a wide range of other gear to assist you with your other needs, including assault packs, rucksacks, bugout bags, wheeled loadout bags, and more. Feel well-prepared for your next operation with the right selection of gear from MLC. Browse our complete selection to get started or contact us with your questions.