This forum has given me a lot of ideas on how best to integrate the best pieces of kit I've acquired over the years into something usable for me. I've been collecting/using a mish-mash of gear from different manufacturers and countries for my main firearms, an old FAL rifle and Beretta 92.

For carrying rifle mags I use either a Chinese Type 63 chest pouch(holds 5 mags, a British trauma bandage, and an OD triangular bandage/doo-rag) or an old-school Blackhawk Omega vest. I've owned the vest since the mid-90s, when BH gear was still made in the USA and the pictures in their catalogs were either drawings or black-and-white photos. The tag inside the vest still reads " Blackhawk IND. Va. Beach Va." and their phone number. Compared to more modern designs this thing is a dinosaur, but it holds everything I need it to, and nothing else. For hydration I'm using a 3-liter Camelbak over the vest itself, as I can't figure out how to attach the carrier to the vest's ALICE webbing on the back of the vest without cutting the carrier's straps off first. I've tried running a pistol belt with the vest, but due to having a long torso and some "extra brain cells" around my mid-section, I just can't make it work. My vest is pre-"Husky"-sized Omega rigs. Based on this, and some of the eye-candy in the Warbelt thread I've decided to update my 1st Line rig a little.

For starters I found a nice Tactical Tailor duty belt at the gun show today. I've owned and used a TT rigger's belt almost every day for close to ten years, so I can speak to their quality. Next I found a belt pad that fit, after looking over some Condor belt pads that were too short. My belt pad has thinner padding than the Condor(which felt a bit squishy to me), has three rows of MOLLE webbing, and is in ACU. The weird thing is that the camo is on the INSIDE of the pad, so the only thing that shows on the outside of the belt is the gray of the webbing. The inside channel of the belt pad has some serious velcro and is open on the bottom for threading the duty belt through, as well as for attaching drop-pouches of some kind. I can't find any markings or tags on the belt pad other than the size, "XL", nor can I find anything like it on Google. It looks like an ATS war belt but doesn't have their name or logo on it, so I suspect it's a knock-off by someone.

On the belt I have decided to attach my M-12 flap holster until I get around to purchasing a "faster", more modern one. I have a SERPA for my Glock 26, but don't know if I'll be getting one for the big 92F. I'm also left-handed so finding what I want in a holster isn't as easy as I want it to be. I don't like drop-leg holsters, but I sure like the looks of some of the low-ride Kydex rigs I've seen here. I also have a Bianchi 2-mag flap carrier, which is a pain in the ass, but is all I have available right now. My oldest son gave me his older IFAK before his most recent deployment, so I've attached it to the rear of the belt where a butt-pack would go. Is this the best place for a med-kit the size of an IFAK? Given the weight of the handgun, mags, and IFAK I'm going to find some suspenders for the war belt soon, as I don't have enough butt to prevent from walking the belt right off of my hips.

I know that I should have better, more updated gear, but I'm a middle-aged college student/ex-truck driver. I simply don't have the funds to go out and buy the latest-n-greatest. I was even using my old British PLCE webbing for awhile before deciding that eight FAL mags was a lot to hump around. The shoulder harness, or "yoke". as the Brits call it, is a very comfortable piece of kit, but their roll-pin belt is horrible. Much less comfortable than even our USGI pistol belt, but it's a lot faster to adjust than ours.

Until I can afford to buy higher-quality, more 'high-speed' gear, I just have to "dance with who brung me"... I'll take some pictures tomorrow if anyone is interested.

Hey...you do what you can, with what you have.
Make it work for you, and don't worry about the newest, prettiest gear...upgrading when you can.