Webbing



At Spartan your choice of webbing is going to be as important as your choice of AEG because you need a secure method of carrying some expensive bits of kit. The chances of finding things that have fallen out of pockets or pouches are minimal. However, when you’re starting out and don’t have much valuable kit to lose then the pockets of your outer and/or inner clothing will suffice. It is a false economy to purchase cheap webbing that you later abandon in favour of a load bearing system that is actually what you need. As this decision is so important it is the one that is probably best left until you’ve been up to Spartan and spoken to the members. By looking at what the experienced players are carrying and how they carry it you will soon identify the best system for your needs.

Personal Load Carrying Equipment (PLCE)



PLCE webbing is readily available and very cheap, whether as army surplus or brand new Web Tex. As in the real world, it is an excellent method of carrying your kit as it can be configured to carry pretty much anything that you would reasonably expect to need for a game day. The disadvantages become apparent when you start to move through dense undergrowth or crawl along the ground. It has a tendency to stick out and catch foliage that impedes your movement and then breaks, giving your position away whilst you’re probably in an awkward position. It is also very easy to be hit on the pouches to the side and back without realising it, leading to accusations of cheating.

Chest Rigs



Chest rigs are popular as they have all the pouches high on the front of your body, which makes them easy to access and prevents them from snagging as much foliage as PLCE pouches. If it does snag foliage it is easy to sort out as the pouches are easily accessible in most positions. Also, if you’re hit on these pouches you’re more likely to see/hear it. Most chest rigs have enough pockets for you to carry what you need for an average game day. Whilst the cost of a chest rig may seem high, it is probably no more than the equivalent PLCE pouches.

Tactical vests



Tactical vests are probably the best system for carrying your equipment as most models have sufficient pockets for every eventuality and these pockets are well placed to the front and side so they reduce your profile when moving through dense foliage. The advantage over chest rigs are the number of pouches available and the usual addition of a pouch for a hydration system on the back. You would be hard pressed to fill up a tactical vest with the kit needed for a typical game day. There are two main varieties available, those that are designed to carry ammunition and little else, such as Blackhawk vests, and those that are designed to replace traditional webbing, such as the PLCE/Web Tex assault vest. The former vests have the lower profile and are quieter (as they’re typically full there’s less chance of rattling kit), and the latter vests have the greater capacity for all day gaming. Modular systems that allow you to re-configure the pouches on a vest need to be looked at carefully as you may loose the pouch as well as its contents if the attachments are weak.

Holsters





Your choice of holster will depend on how valuable you think your pistol is. The best holsters are those which secure the weapon and its magazine. It is very common for players to lose either the pistol or the magazine out of it when moving through dense foliage. Also, if the holster doesn’t have a flap then you will sooner or later get mud in the pistol which can damage it when fired. Thigh rigs are notorious for both of these problems and most experienced players at Spartan opt for a belt or shoulder holster.

Rucksacks



For overnight games you may need to invest in a rucksack for carrying all the extra gear required. Choosing the right rucksack is difficult and using the wrong one can have serious consequences. There are basically two ways to approach this decision, one is to buy the rucksack and then buy all your other kit to fill it, and the other is to buy all your kit and see what size of rucksack you’ll actually need. Given the range of equipment out there, you will be surprised how much kit can be fitted into small rucksacks (or even your webbing). At the same time, it is dangerous to have a half empty rucksack with the contents shifting around inside (and thus altering your centre of gravity at critical points). Although the range in most army surplus shops is quite limited, there are a number of different types of military rucksack on the market. You’ll need to buy one that fits you properly, and not doing so will add additional stresses and strains on your body that can lead to injuries. Similarly, rucksacks cause contact perspiration on your back which can quickly lead to dehydration. So you’ll need to have as much air flowing down the back of the rucksack as possible without compromising its stability.

Slings



Rifle slings are useful for distributing the weight of your weapon, which can make life easier. However, they can also restrict your freedom of movement. The former advantage probably outweighs the latter disadvantage as you can always take the weapon off and let the sling dangle. This is easier with a traditional sling but can be done with a three point sling. It is important to make sure that your AEG/LSW/sniper rifle can be used with a sling without increasing the wear and tear on it. For example, the TM M4/M16 variants are notorious for ‘barrel wobble’ which will be exacerbated by using a sling.