KIT & GEAR
BLACK CAM
the fraud committed revealed the weaknesses of military
security. Marcinko detailed his arrest and confinement in
the last chapters of his autobiography and I actually had
the great pleasure of meeting him in person at SHOT a
few years back. Whatever the truth may be, Marcinko was
one hell of an operator, from Vietnam through to who
knows where and the story of the original “Red Cell”, of
how they trained and operated, is still an inspiration to
me!
BACK TO BLACK
When I got to thinking about “MCBLK” my immediate
thought was “this is properly Red Cell shizzle” and from
that moment on my plan for a new loadout REALLY
started taking shape! Now I didn’t want to bankrupt
myself going down the “real deal” route but at the same
time I wanted a set of “infiltration gear” that would be
functional and, if I’m totally honest, kind of cool too
Like Steve, my first stop was with VIPER for the basic
clothing. For
years now
VIPER have
been providing
great entry level
tactical clothing
and gear but
their latest
additions take
things up into
a whole new
level! Although
they have
produced all
sorts of gear and
clothing before,
its superb to
see the new
“V-CAM BLK”
range, which
takes their
clothing in
exciting new directions. The fabrics used and the quality
achieved are better than anything they’ve done before in
my opinion and the designs are bang up to date.
Not only have they developed new products but
they’ve obviously had a very close look at how trends have
developed in the tactical world. The latest designs reflect
a thorough understanding of the “light is right tactical
athlete” approach and this can be seen in their MESH-TEC
T and MESH-TECH ARMOUR TOP. Both these garments
are made from high-performance polyester material and
provide long-lasting comfort and durability, even during
the most extreme workout. Lightweight and quick drying,
these shirts features flatlock seams for reduced friction
and raglan sleeves for improved range of motion. Thanks
to their moisture wicking properties these all-purpose
shirts will keep the torso cool and dry throughout the day
and will definitely add comfort beneath a rig.
Within their updated clothing range for 2017, Viper
extended their line of lighter-weight fleeces by adding
three new models and the TACTICAL HOODIE is a fleece
that I wear on pretty much a daily basis. Constructed
of a lightweight and durable fleece it’s the absolutely
perfect mid-layer, and although it does sport velcro on
both arms it’s very low-key. Its quite close fitting, which is
technically correct to maximise breathability but the hood
and “kangaroo” pocket means that you can really warm
yourself up easily.
VIPER’s ripstop polycotton Elite Trousers have now
moved into Gen 2 of their design and these just keep
getting better and
better. Although
the basic trouser
can be had for less,
the latest V-CAM
BLK camo version
is most definitely
worth the extra
money if you
want something
REALLY distinctive
and that fits with
this particular
theme. With
multiple adjustment
features, these
trousers can be
modified to the
user’s own shape
for comfort and
feel.
The only place
where I ventured
outside the VIPER
range for clothing is in relation to some colder weather
gear and this is only because, at the time of writing, VIPER
haven’t yet added a V-CAM BLK jacket to their line. I
chose a MT Black PATRIOT jacket from Kombat UK (mainly
because my mate Pete from Platoon Stores had one that
looked VERY sharp when I saw him wearing it!) which is a
fleece-lined softshell garment that features many pockets,
along with a storm-proof main zip and a fleece-lined
hood. I also spotted on the Military1st website a really
neat softshell vest from Mil-Tec in MULTITARN BLACK,
which offered a little extra protection form the elements,
or would act as an additional layering garment in cold
weather, without adding serious weight or bulk to my
clothing system.
BUCKLE UP
Whatever your style of airsoft may be, from full-on
MilSim weekends to occasional skirmish days, the fact
is that you’re going to need some way of carrying extra
magazines, ammo, pyro and general sundries. I first
www.airsoftaction.net
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