Tru-spec LBV?

[Maynard]

Locotus, this one is for you I suppose, cause this thing is sold at Airsoft Arms, under the military surplus, vests and suspenders, or something like that.(wonderful store by the way, if you had my size tiger stripe BDUs in stock, I'd be about ready to spend 120 bucks on those and other stuff there)

But there is this Tru-spec reproduction of a GI LBV rig, available in woodland, black, or OD (I'm leaning toward the OD one) and the thing is only $30. I understand the whole "you get what you pay for" law of the universe, but for only $30, this thing seems alright for airsoft and my budget at the time being. It would be a really cheap alternative for me to have two gear set ups to choose from (I got an alright simple LBE set up, holds everything I have, but its just difficult to use really)

Is it worth anything? Tru-spec stuff is as I understand now, basically the GI stuff but made with cheaper labor in another country, but I don't know about their gear.
Cause I have a picture of what it would feel like, probably with really baggy, swishy pockets and pouches, every pouch really thin nylon kinda stuff, I don't know if the 4 mag pouches could even support M16 mags in them without sagging really badly...

Is any of this true? cause if it isn't worth the $30, I'm just gonna stick with my LBE junk for a couple months, till I can get something good.

Hope you don't mind me asking about a product here on the forums, its not really a formal question, so I didn't see a reason of emailing you or something.

[ArmyHummer]

I have seen them at the General Surplus in downtown Dayton - now called GS Outfitters, and they are nice, but they are nylon, not true cotton build and the normal materials. They look exactly like the real ones, but dont have as much padding in the ones I saw on the shoulders, and are basically a cheaper build - but yes, they also make the true ones for GI issue, just GI issue are much better.

[Locutus2999]

I have personally been using one for about about two years for CQB (a Black one) and one of my teammates uses the OD one for outdoor. The mag pouches hold my FAMAS mags just fine, and my teammate has an SR-16 and uses it for his M16 mags with no problems.

So it all depends on what you are willing to pay for. Is it as good as the GI LBV or a BH or Eagle LBV? No. Is it good enough for airsoft purposes? I certainly think so, evidenced by the fact that I use one. :)

In the future, if you have a direct question for ANY retailer, please contact them directly, if you have a general question about a product that you would like feedback on from others, feel free to post it here (without addressing the retailer specifically). Just trying to keep AO unbiased if you know what I mean. :) Thanks.

[Maynard]

thanks for the info, I'm sorry if this was misplaced, in the future I'll contact you NOT through the forums then, if thats what you mean-my bad

but I understand completely

glad to hear that its not a total waste of $30, I'd like to go with a nice SOE one, but I don't have like, $290 to spare on something like that, heheh (that much is going for a TMP shipped with accessories in a few weeks)

but I'm gonna order one, see how it works out, since I'm on a low budget, and I needed something besides my LBE suspenders, belt, and pouches/canteens and stuff. Thanks go out to my buddy Agent47 for showing me this LBV, Armyhummer, and Locotus, of course.

[Maynard]

okay, one more question about this LBV, but this is a question posed to anybody, so I don't see a problem in putting it here, with this thread already started.

but would the magazine pockets be wide enough to hold 2 M16 mags clamped together? I am also considering ordering some cheap reel steel mag clamps, as opposed to the marui or classic army option of $20 per clamp. I assume they would, but just curious as to if anyone has tried this/does this with this LBV.

[Agent 47]

Yeah, i had one (told you this, but for you all) It is a very nice cheap alternative. It will last you a long while, and it frees up your wait for other stuff as well. feels very spiffy ;)

[ja391]

Originally posted by Maynard
okay, one more question about this LBV, but this is a question posed to anybody, so I don't see a problem in putting it here, with this thread already started.

but would the magazine pockets be wide enough to hold 2 M16 mags clamped together? I am also considering ordering some cheap reel steel mag clamps, as opposed to the marui or classic army option of $20 per clamp. I assume they would, but just curious as to if anyone has tried this/does this with this LBV.

I have 2 USGI Enhanced LBVs, and 1 standard LBV that I bought used. They actually only hold 6 mags as opposed to 8 mags. I don't know if it's because airsoft mags are a little bigger, or if it's the same with real mags. It has four pouches, but the two pouches closer to the center only hold 1 mag each. The outside pouches hold 2 mags each, but it holds them very tight. So I doubt it can hold 2 clamped m16 mags. Keep in mind, what I am stating here is for USGI LBVs. The Tru-Spec reproductions may be different, but I doubt it since they are supposed to be modeled just like the USGI ones.

[DeltaSniper]

While I cant say if this is the case Ja in your example, the real standard US Army loadout is usually 7 magazines. IE six in whatever, be it mag pouches on webgear, or an LBV. one in the weapons. 210 rounds of ammo.

From that i would draw thats what its meant to be, 6, not 8.

[ArmyHummer]

If not that, 4 on the vest plus whaetver is put into an m-16 mag pouch on the web belt.

It may be more of a special operations loadout, but I can atleast put on 2 m-16 mag pouches and ive seen some even carry 4 mag pouches meanning:
2 m-16 mag pouches= 3 magsx2 = 6 mags
Vest carrying 4 = 4
vest carrying 6 = 6
4 m-16 mag pouches = 3magsx4 = 12 mags

So max you could carry would be 18 mags - but thats streaching it - pretty far lol

The most reasonable I could see in military terms is the vest, and 2 m-16 mag pouches, giving you a maximum count of 12, but that is even a bit much which makes 10 reasonable - meaning only 4 in the vest.

Either way, this is airsoft - the more the meatier ;)

[Agent 47]

Are these Tru Spec LBV's capable of carrying the AK 47 magazines? or will it reqire modification. Be them the smaller 240 round hicap, or standard 70 round?

[ja391]

DeltaSniper, I wasn't stating that soldiers carry 8 mags. I wouldn't know how many they carry. When I said "They actually only hold 6 mags as opposed to 8 mags." I was talking about the vest because some people think that the LBV's hold 8 mags. 2 in each pouch. However the USGI LBVs only hold 6. Here is a quote from the Airsoft Arms website "With four large pouches that hold 2 M-16 sized magazines". By reading that, people may think it holds 8 mags, and it may actually hold 8 mags, but I was just warning that the USGI LBV's only hold 6 mags. So the Tru-Spec LBV may only hold 6 also. I'm sorry if I confused anyone.

ArmyHummer, yes, someone who would use the LBV would most likely attach some M16 mag pouches to the belt so they can carry more mags, but like I told DeltaSniper I was talking about how many mags the actual LBV holds. I wasn't taking other pouches that could be attached to the belt into consideration.

Agent 47, when I tried to fit a standard AK-47 mag into my LBV it wouldn't fit. It was too long, but I haven't tried the smaller 240 round hi-cap. I'm assuming it may be too short. So it might drop in and be hard to pull out when you need it.

[Agent 47]

thanks man. *busts out sewing kit* [zach voice from dead or alive]Lets get funkay![/zach voice from dead or alive]