Padded or non padded slings

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Padded or non padded slings

Posted: 1/25/2021 3:02:32 PM EDT

Bored and looking at a new sling. Only used some Magpul and vtacs. Non padded

Kinda looking at the ferro , Ed Sherman and similar small slings.

Curious if you like/had the padded or non padded and which did you prefer..

Curious how stiff the padding really is, and if it “ breaks in” so to speak?

Thanks

Posted: 1/25/2021 3:08:10 PM EDT

[#1]

I've used both in classes and the padded is definitely more comfortable over time. I still use my non padded magpul sling for short shooting sessions.

Blue force gear padded vickers is a good option as well. Also used the VTAC padded sling for a long long time.

Posted: 1/25/2021 4:27:08 PM EDT

[#2]

The padding on my (very old) vcas is very soft.. it has always been soft without any breakin period..

Padding is good for 2 reasons imho.. first is very comfortable when used in conjunction with heavy guns obviously.. but the same result could be achieved with a wider standard sling.
secondly the added thickness of the padding doesn’t cut into your neck skin when doing weird movements/transitions.. doesn’t matter how soft a fabric is if it’s too thin.. during long shooting sessions it will always burn my neck unless I wear a polo

Posted: 1/25/2021 9:01:10 PM EDT

[#3]

I prefer padded slings.
If you're going to be wearing a rifle for anything longer than going to check the mail, it's nice to have padding.

Posted: 1/25/2021 9:44:03 PM EDT

[#4]

Check out flatline fiber co. Their padded slings are my new favorites. I replaced everything I have with these.

Posted: 1/25/2021 9:59:21 PM EDT

[#5]

I bought the Magpul MS4 sling (which is not padded) and ensured that ALL of my weapons have QD sling sockets. One sling and it can be used for all of them. It's a 2 point and a single point sling. No need for padding. IF you want or require padding then get it if you need it. Until then, I don't see the need.

Posted: 1/25/2021 10:02:35 PM EDT

[#6]

All I use are Padded VTACs on my ARs.

Posted: 1/25/2021 10:04:31 PM EDT

[#7]

Blue Force Gear Padded Vickers has been excellent for me

Posted: 1/25/2021 11:36:14 PM EDT

[#8]

I have both padded and un padded VCAS

I bought another unpadded one.
The padding takes up too much adjustment. and add's bulk.

Posted: 1/26/2021 3:55:28 PM EDT

[#9]

Are you carrying a SAW or 15 pound DMR setup?

Get a padded.

I think most people with carbines are better off with unpadded as you have less material to get caught on things.

Posted: 1/26/2021 6:21:44 PM EDT

[#10]

I prefer padded slings but find the stitching on the padded section to be critically important from a comfort perspective. If the stitching is exposed too much it'll burn your neck when you have the rifle slung for a few hours and are using it hard. For that reason, the Ferro sling isn't my favorite.

Big fan of Vickers padded and Spiritus slings.

Posted: 1/26/2021 9:58:06 PM EDT

[#11]

non padded. The amount of time my weapon is going to be dangling supported by my sling is pretty low. I like cutting down on bulk anyway. Padded though is kinda user preference. Bungee slings are the ones that get all sorts of wonky.

Posted: 1/27/2021 2:55:34 AM EDT

[#12]

Quote History

Quoted:
non padded. The amount of time my weapon is going to be dangling supported by my sling is pretty low. I like cutting down on bulk anyway. Padded though is kinda user preference. Bungee slings are the ones that get all sorts of wonky.

View Quote

I think part of what makes the classic Vickers sling so good is that it wears and behaves much like a padded sling, but without the weight and bulk. The material is thick and relatively soft, which makes it comfortable but also robust/not prone to getting bound up in itself.

Some of the really minimalist slings are so flimsy that they end up getting tangled and twisted quickly if you're coming in and out of the sling, pivoting the weapon, or transitioning it frequently. Vickers avoids those pitfalls...It's not all I use, but remains the standard imo.

Posted: 1/27/2021 9:37:16 AM EDT

[#13]

I prefer unpadded. The “pad” portion on most slings increases bulk and tends to get hung up on my neck/gear (if wearing any) when transitioning and moving.

I’ve never had any comfort issues with unpadded slings. VCAS is my standard, though, so not a ton of experience with other options.

Posted: 1/27/2021 9:50:01 AM EDT

[#14]

Padding is pretty nice if you're going a long way and don't want want to have your sling rubbing against your neck between your gear. The padding on the BFG sling is relatively minimal and doesn't take up much bulk.

Like anything, it's got its pros and cons. That's why you have a giant bin of random slings.

Posted: 1/27/2021 11:25:59 AM EDT

[#15]

Sooner (or later) you will wish you had the opposite. Harv is right, he usually is, generally unpadded.
But, back in the day I would kill for a M-60 sling, and them gunners wouldn't give 'em up.

Posted: 1/27/2021 7:13:23 PM EDT

[#16]

I uses slings a lot while hiking. Padded or unpadded makes just about no difference to me when one factors in either suspender or body armor straps. Even without, none of my long arms are heavy enough to notice a difference.

Posted: 1/27/2021 9:43:05 PM EDT

[#17]

Quote History

Quoted:

The padding takes up too much adjustment. and add's bulk.

View Quote

My feeling as well.

I'm not slinging a gun for shift work though.

Posted: 1/27/2021 10:29:30 PM EDT

[#18]

Quote History

Quoted:
I have both padded and un padded VCAS

I bought another unpadded one.
The padding takes up too much adjustment. and add's bulk.

View Quote

This.

Posted: 2/10/2021 3:09:53 AM EDT

[#19]

Who doesn't like padding? It's like asking if you prefer the fancy multi-ply toilet paper, or the economy stuff they put in bathrooms at the Greyhound Bus Station.

Perhaps a better consideration is the width of the sling. I've found the wider the sling, it distributes weight of a heavy rig across more square inches on your shoulder, versus slimmer ones. The trade off is it getting bound up on stuff, or being quick to "move around."

Hunting rig where I'm carrying it more than I'm using it? Wide sling.
Run and gun? Narrow sling.

Posted: 2/10/2021 11:21:46 AM EDT

[#20]

I use the VCAS unpadded on all of my tactical rifles, work gun included, except my SCAR 17. That particular gun is set up as a DMR and is kinda weighty, so it has a padded version. I've never felt the need to go padded on any of the 5.56 guns though, and I've definitely worn a rifle for many hours at a time before.

Posted: 2/11/2021 9:35:46 AM EDT

[#21]

Quoted:
I think part of what makes the classic Vickers sling so good is that it wears and behaves much like a padded sling, but without the weight and bulk. The material is thick and relatively soft, which makes it comfortable but also robust/not prone to getting bound up in itself.

View Quote

Quoted:
I prefer unpadded. The “pad” portion on most slings increases bulk and tends to get hung up on my neck/gear (if wearing any) when transitioning and moving.

View Quote

I've had the same experience. I have one padded VCAS and 3 or 4 unpadded. I think I originally bought one of each version to try them both out. I found that the stitched seams at the ends of the pad would get hung up on the back of my armor and create an annoying hitch in the movement of the sling as I repositioned the rifle. I switched back to using the unpadded VCAS on my duty rifle and found that it was perfectly comfortable without armor too, so I've never gone back to using the padded version.