The End All MOLLE Question Thread!!!!

OK guys with allot more threads being started about the topic of MOLLE vests and pouches I thought I would put up a guide on how to do it right.

Topic 1: MOLLE Systems!

How do you know which MOLLE system is right for you?
Where can I buy these systems?
Will my role and playing style require a different system?

The answer is yes, yes and yes. The MOLLE system is based around adapting to the users needs. You should never have to adapt to your load bearing equipment! This is the main thing to keep in mind. Also the following is just what I have learned through my experiences. Your(or a buddy's) experience may be totally different than mine. Now onto the fun.

There are three basic types of MOLLE load bearing systems.
-Belts(worn not as a pants belt, low amount of MOLLE retail space)
-Chest Rigs(worn on the chest, not stomach.... Medium amount of MOLLE retail space)
-Plate Carriers(for use with Ballistic plates, highest amount of MOLLE retail)


^top left is my MOLLE chest rig(EI RRV)
-Under the chest rig is my MOLLE Woodland Belt(SDS LBE belt)
-Bottom right is a basic plate carrier(MBSS)
-Top right is a King Arms replica PACA(soft armor)
-bottom left is a Pantac Modular Assualt Pack(MAP)

Belt kits are low retail MOLLE platforms. Therefor they are best used where carrying very few pouches is necessary. OR when you expect to be crawling prone(listen up snipers!). These can also be used for very small or open play style games where you have the option of going back to a car to reload etc. Currently I have my belt kitted out with 4 M4 mag carrying capability, a pistol mag pouch for my speed loader.. radio pouch, and a leatherman pouch... This is all I would carry on a belt system. They do not retain as well as the other two systems, and their very limited front retail means that anything more would put all of the pouches in unreachable places. If you are a sniper you can carry many many 9mm pouches for VSR or L96 mags. Making this one of the more efficient systems for you(if coupled with a backpack of coarse). Belts tend to loosen on their own with allot of weight... Keep this in mind.

Chest Rigs! By far my favorite system. They have plenty of MOLLE retail space for your airsoft needs. Chest rigs do not come with a back, so if you have a hydro you need to use a backpack or find a rear plate carrier that is compatible with your chest rig. I can comfortably contain 6-8 M4 midcaps on my current chest rig setup. This also leaves room for such items as a General Purpose pouch, medical, radio, and ADMIN pouch. If I pushed it I could even drop some pistol mags on her. This is all your really need for airsoft(well water), without a back this makes it one of the most maneuverable systems on the market. Snipers, most real steel guys like to use chest rigs because some also have the option of carrying ballistic plates. Personally I use a PACA to keep the chest rig from sliding around, which can happen if your someone with a smaller frame. This I would say is the only con of a chest rig... In most cases its not a problem though.

And finally lets talk about Plate carriers! Plate carriers come in many shapes and sizes. This is a general category for anything like a CIRAS, IBA, EIPC, BHPC, MBSS, Interceptor etc etc. These certainly have the most retail space(in most cases), but they are definitely the least maneuverable when compared to the other two MOLLE systems... If adjusted properly they wont slide or shift, but keep in mind that it wont be that easy to do anything in these. Also keep in mind that 90% of airsoft vests are made out of Cordura or Nylon. Both are a very heavy material, and plate carriers contain allot of this material. In a world where ounces make pounds, and pounds makes pain it might not be the best choice for the faint of heart... Granted you will look sweet as bawlz in a plate carrier, and you will easily have the most retail space. As well as gaining a back to house a hydro, or maybe weaving a radio on the back... This is the system for you if you would sacrifice mobility with capability! Now don't get me wrong, with a little practice you could sprint in one of these, but don't expect them to weigh the same as a belt or even a chest rig.

Well its nighty night time for me. Hopefully I'll be able to expand on this later. I took allot more pics for you guys!

UPDATE!
K now that i have some free time and AA is not crashed(lol), heres part of the rest of what I was going to post.

Weaving MOLLE!

What is "weaving MOLLE"? Weaving MOLLE is the correct way to attach MOLLE. It secures the pouches much better than just sliding the MOLLE straps through the PALS(loops of actual MOLLE) webbing.

How do I "weave" my MOLLE? If you asked this question you are very lucky, I just so happened to take several tutorial pics when I was bored one night(instead of doing physics mind you).....

Step 1: Slide MOLLE straps through the first set of PALS loops.


Step 2: Pull MOLLE straps all the way down.


Step 3: Put MOLLE straps through PALS webbing on the back of the pouch.


Step 4: Thread MOLLE straps through the next set of PALS webbing on the vest.


Step 5: pull MOLLE straps all the way through.


Step 6: Repeat till there are no more PALS under the pouch.

Step 7: Button pouch!


Here is a picture of what weaving does, its kinda a bad pic for this but what you should make out is the MOLLE strap connecting the pouch to the vest completely. Almost as if it was sewed on.


More to come about pouches whenever I get bored(again, again).....

sticks

Sticks you don't mind if i add my own pics and add onto the subject do you?

Oh course not Mike, this is a forum. Add on!

Great thread Sticks, hopefully people remember to use the search button before they ask MOLLE questions from now one...or we may just have to go KFC on their arses.

lets see some pics!

good job sticks

thank you sticks, when i do decide to go MOLLE i will refer to this, but that will happen when i get some money.

I've heard of MOLLE real-estate, but I'm not familiar with retail space. I wonder if that's a term that comes with a private contractor-based team rather than a spec-ops based team?

But seriously, he's not kidding about plate carriers (especially Interceptors) being somewhat hard to maneuver in. As far as weight goes, they do a good job at distributing weight efficiently. It hardly even feels like you're carrying anything, being that not all of the weight is coming down on your shoulders (which aren't really designed to bear lots of weight).

There are two real disadvantages, at least to the Interceptor: One being heat, and the other being bulkiness. Heat isn't so much of a problem in the Fall, Winter, and Spring, but in the Summer, you will need to go through a lot of water to keep cool and hydrated. The problem I've experienced with the bulkiness is that it's difficult to maneuver stealthily, especially when attempting to hunt down OpFor players that have no rigs, or lightweight rigs that are more suited to stealth.

I would recommend plate carriers for players who generally operate with a squad for extended periods without resupplying. You don't really need a plate carrier for CQB unless it's required by your team and/or field. It doesn't hurt that much.

Bump, thread updated with a tutorial on weaving MOLLE!

More to come guys, I just gotta collect my thoughts and see what I'm missing here. If you want to know something, ask or request a tutorial!

Mike, feel free to add you own info and pics! It is the end all MOLLE thread after all!

sticks

Heh, I will have to get on to that.
Hopefully I"ll finish today.

HERE I AM! (Sorry for the double post, how else can I grab your attention if I just edit?) with my add-on to THE END OF ALL MOLLE questions!

I'm going to be describing you what Molle Vests are right for you!
Lettuce go in the same order sticks did with his wonderful post shall we?

BELT KITS.
Like sticks mentioned. Low drag, high speed of a kit. And definetly there is a reason why.


That is part of my belt, small, and I compared it to the size of a pistol holster. Its small, but can hold many.



And just an overall look of it.
Normally a riggers belt goes through the ends where the molle ends. But unfortunately, I have no time to put it through.

People normally call the set up a High-Speed Low-Drag, though I have to argue against the LOW DRAG part.
But it is most likely an opinion of your whether it is low drag of high drag.
When I tested the rig out, I had a large amount of drag from my right side (where the holster is located at.
Which probably made most of the weight down on me.
But indeed I did have high speed. Not sure it is the first thing you want when playing the role of a sniper, because of it's puffy molle system, and depending on your set up, you might have trouble going prone. But maybe thats because of my set up, regardless, nice little system instead of using vests, you can use this neat little belt.
If your the kind carrying heavy loads, I might recommend getting open top pouches for this kind of vest. Let me explain...



You may have noticed I have a SMG Mag pouch on top of my utility pouch. That is because the Utility pouch has an open top, meaning molle straps on the outside to let me equip even more lovely pouches on the OUTSIDE of the open top pouch.
Heres a more detailed picture.



As you can see MOLLE on the utility pouch allows me to mount the SMG pouch, saving more MOLLE real-estate for me to mount more pouches.

Belt Conclusion - - Nice belt, great for all positions, sniping could lead to problems when lying down, but its depending on your set up. If you have the GUTS, you CAN go CQB (though without a vest, it could lead to many welts). You might have problems with the drag, but honestly, it's only noticeable if your carrying about 20 pounds of gear on you... A pistol in its holster had drag, but it did not slow me down at all. For the MOLLE belt system, you can mount a shoulder harness for more security on the belt. Though there is no need for it really. Belt can be used for ALL positions IMHO.
AND REMEMBER. YOU NEED A RIGGERS BELT IN ORDER TO WEAR THIS MOLLE BELT.

I have to go to work right now, I'll be back later to add on to chest rigs. And I WILL finish too night unless I forget...

Well I suppose MOLLE belts would be useful in some cases...although they don't appeal to me. I like the simple bare MOLLE vests (with added pouches of course), or the tactical vests that have pouches on it already. Plate carriers seem to make you bulkier than necessary even without plates, especially Interceptor styles...

I especially like the vests that have 3 or so rifle mag pouches, pistol mag pouches, and an ID pouch, and then space on the left abdomen and back for MOLLE pouches/holsters/load bearing bags. The ones that have belts too are nice because you could add dump pouches or utility pouches, maybe a thigh holster...etc.

But the fat bare MOLLE plate carriers that are $90+ just seem kind of dumb to me, unless you are trying to re-create an Iraq/Afghan War loadout. If you're just looking for a vest why pay $90 for a bare plate carrier that makes you fat when you can pay $40 for a tac-vest with 3 double rifle mag pouches, 3 pistol mag pouches, a utility belt, space on the back for extra cargo, ID pouch, room on the front for a MOLLE holster or more pouches....To me, it doesn't make sense.

Do you have a link to the type of MOLLE tacvest your refering to. It sounds right up my alley.

Of course, one moment.

Here is one that is just a bare MOLLE vest: There you go

And here's one that has pre-attached rifle and pistol magazine pouches, belt, holster: Right here

And another that has 6 rifle mag pouches a belt, but no MOLLE space except on the back: CLICK ME! :O

NOTE: These all come in different colors, these are just the ones I posted.

The reason people use MOLLE more then crossdraws is because even though the crossdraw has everything, a majority of those things are built in.
As for MOLLE, you can buy the pouch and put it where you want on your vest.
Its an investment, but IMHO, a worthy one

I understand that, but if I were to buy a MOLLE vest I would go with a simple, low profile, cheap bare one like I posted rather than a plate carrier that costs twice as much and decreases your mobility.