What is your opinion between Eagle PC/Cummerbund and CIRAS

[kaiser]

What is your opinions between Eagle Plate Carrier with Cummerbund and CIRAS (Land / Maritime Ver.), I would like to buy one of them, they seems almost the same loading capacity, but I still need some opinion on them, especially experience or configuration suggestion.Thank you!

http://triadtactical.com/store/image/x3lx/MOLLE_Platforms/Eagle_Plate_Carrier_with_Cummerbund_Olive_Drab_Small/Med.jpg
Eagle Plate Carrier with Cummerbund

http://triadtactical.com/store/image/whw1/MOLLE_Platforms/Eagle_CIRAS-Land-Khaki-Medium.jpg
Eagle CIRAS Land Version

http://triadtactical.com/store/image/wxdm/MOLLE_Platforms/Eagle_CIRAS-Maritime-Khaki-Large.jpg
Eagle CIRAS Maritime Version

[Chet Mystery]

Well, the CIRAS is a full one armor carrier, it hold soft armor panels and plates. The Plate carrier can only hold front, back and 2 small side plates.

You will find the CIRAS can hold more attachmets, and also has the cutaway feature, while the plate carrier is a simpler rig, and lighter wieght.

If you need soft armor and want to carry a ton of kit, get the CIRAS.
If you only need the bare essentials and only need the plates or even know armor at all, I would get the plate carrier.

[SMGLee]

I have a MC-CIRAS-Land, it is the most comfortable vest i have ever owned. It is a bit heavier then others but it has massive load capability. I carry hydro pouch, gas mask pouch, IR strob pouch, dump pouch, MLCS triple M4 magazines pouch x1, Tactical Tailor M4 single magazine pouch x 4, double pistol pouch x 2, admin pouch, Surefire M2 pouch, GP pouch and one blow out kit bag. lots of crap all in one vest... and the advantage of using either soft or hard armor or both. and one more thing, its quick release can be a life saver.

[D.Sigurdsson]

I would think that the maritime CIRAS would be better then the Land due to more sagging on cummerbund on the land version.
This is just a speculation, I know alot of users who have fully loaded their cummerbund with mags have had sagging issues (mainly with the RAV)
Maybe Lee can gives a answer on wether the cummerbund sags when fully decked.

But like has been stated, the PC can not carry soft armor, and if you are gonna be using one make sure your plates are rated for stand alone carry.

[SMGLee]

no sagging with all the mags loaded.

[D.Sigurdsson]

no sagging with all the mags loaded.
copy that, good to hear.

[SMGLee]

no sagging with all the mags loaded.
copy that, good to hear.

how is your rig holding up?? have you use it much??

[kaiser]

for my configuration, I would like to have 6 Magazine Pouches on the front, (may be M-14 Pouch which can hold 3 M4 mag each), I will install the hydration pack at the back, and I will need some small pouches for GI Medic kit, Saber Radio, and a small Motarola radio, some personal accessories, soft armor is not a must...and a gas mask carrier may be needed depends on situtation...

Thanks for all of you, I like CIRAS very mush, especially the Maritime version...but I would like to listen more before I spend some USD$500, Thank you very much again!

[SMGLee]

for my configuration, I would like to have 6 Magazine Pouches on the front, (may be M-14 Pouch which can hold 3 M4 mag each), I will install the hydration pack at the back, and I will need some small pouches for GI Medic kit, Saber Radio, and a small Motarola radio, some personal accessories, soft armor is not a must...and a gas mask carrier may be needed depends on situtation...

Thanks for all of you, I like CIRAS very mush, especially the Maritime version...but I would like to listen more before I spend some USD$500, Thank you very much again!

As soon as you ****e out with your three M4 magazines, you will know why it might not be a good idea. it will stick out too far so you are more esposed, and it hurts. I recommand the double M4 mag pouch, it hold two M4 mag in a pouch and you can get a single pouch to three pouch combo. if I get this correct, you want six triple magazine pouch in front that makes for 18 M4 magazines?? if you need that much ammo plus your kit, you will need to look at the CIRAS for sure.

[Apogee]

Lee - I think hes saying he wants 6 mags total on the front. Like 2x3 or 3X2.

[SMGLee]

Lee - I think hes saying he wants 6 mags total on the front. Like 2x3 or 3X2.

From what I read, I thoguht he wants six magazine pouches, he likes the M14 version that can hold three M4 magazines in each pouch. that made me think he wants to carry 18 magazines... :D

Here is my Land version setup.

it holds nine magazines. I left the MLCS M4 mag pouch holding only four M4 magazines since the last pouch block my draw from my 6004 holster and it is impossible to reach with my support hand.

I also have a leg plate that can hold three more magaiznes if required.

http://photos.imageevent.com/smglee/cltactical/CIRAS-019.jpg
I have since moved my pistol pouch off the front of the single M4 mag pouch and move it to the location occupied by the IR pouch, move the IR pouch next to my M3 light pouch on the side.

http://photos.imageevent.com/smglee/cltactical/CIRAS-024.jpg

Hope this helps.

[img]

[Apogee]

Could be, thats alot of brass if you're right.

SMGLee - thats a hot rig, I'll trade you my first born for it ;)

[D.Sigurdsson]

no sagging with all the mags loaded.
copy that, good to hear.

how is your rig holding up?? have you use it much??

Haven't had a chance to use it as much as I wanted, been on the road with my family all this summer :)

[kaiser]

Thank you for SMGLee's opinion, so, what would you say if I change my configure like this :
2 M-14 Magazine Pouch which hold 3 M4 mag each at both sides, and add 1 Direct Action pouch like yours at the front, so it can carry 15 magazines, and use the leg panel for the remaining 3 mag, but I will replace the admin pouch with handgun mag pouch since there is no use for me...anyway, thank you very much for your help!

Please give me more suggestion for the configurations.

[SMGLee]

Thank you for SMGLee's opinion, so, what would you say if I change my configure like this :
2 M-14 Magazine Pouch which hold 3 M4 mag each at both sides, and add 1 Direct Action pouch like yours at the front, so it can carry 15 magazines, and use the leg panel for the remaining 3 mag, but I will replace the admin pouch with handgun mag pouch since there is no use for me...anyway, thank you very much for your help!

Please give me more suggestion for the configurations.

Siegheil,

that is a lot of ammo, are you sure you are going to get into engagement with that kind of round count?? if that is the case, you better call in some air. :D

First of all, you will never be able to reach for the magazine pouch positioned on the right side with your left hand or vice versa... if you notice the triple magazine carrier on my right, I only use the two near the center, the last one is left empty because it is unreachable with my left hand during a reload and also it really get in the way of a pistol draw from my 6004 holster.

You want six magazines on each side and three magazines up front... that makes for 15 mags. on your body.. and three more hanging off your left leg. again a lot of rounds and a lot of weight if you got to move quickly.

one more thing, if you require all those ammo for a static fight, you might consider a assault pack that have internal MOLLE webbing.. you can load up two or three of those M14 mag pouches inside and that way you can even out your load and at the same time, you have access to those ammo in a static fighting position. like I said, if you run and gun in a MOUT, that is just way too much ammo(weight).

Here is what I suggest...

CIRAS-maritime with the latest MLCS kydex single mag pouchx 3 up front. that is three mag pouches for quick access.... you might have enough room to add an extra M4 double pouch, which gives you a total of five up front.

double MLCS M4 double magaine pouches x 1 on your support side, that gives you four magazines. now you have a total of 9 magazines...

then you can add two Tactical tailor single mag pouch on your inner cummerbund with adds two more to your arensal... see pic..
http://photos.imageevent.com/smglee/cltactical/CIRAS-021.jpg
I have only one inside of my cummerbund, but there is enough room for two in the land or the maritime.

this gives you a total of 11 magazines plus one in your gun... 12 mags..

then you can get two of those M14 pouch and load up six mags in your assault pack.. if you get into a long engagement, you can always toss the bag down and retrive your spare mags from there..

you should still have room for your blowout kit, GP pouch and gas mask pouch... so on so forth..

just my .02 of opinion, hope this helps.

[kaiser]

Thanks a lot!

[Erik2a4]

SMG Lee,

You have any problems getting into and out of vehicles with that rig?

I'm using a similiar setup but with a Wasatch over IBA. It's kinda...cramped.

Any suggestions, I'd appreciate it.

[SMGLee]

More trouble getting in the out....

I just kind of roll myself out of the vehicle. Getting in is another story.

Big American gas guzzlers is always welcome...

[USMC8541]

I mount 6 double M4 mag pouches around the front. 2 frag pouches on the left hip side, 1 smoke on the right hip side, med blowout kit on back right hip, MBITR on back left shoulder and CamelBak in the rear with double pistol mag pouch on left chest high. Works great and distributes the load well. Also no sagging of the cumperbund like in other models.

[diytactical]

Haven't used the plate carrier yet but they are definatly not the same, obviouls one is a plate carrier and the other is a body armor and plate carrier. The CIRAS however can also carry just plates it that is what your mission profile calls for.

My CIRAS Maritime setup

Front bottom:

2 double mag pouches
2 tripple mag pouches
Front Chest:

1 Double mag pistol Pouch
1 Admin Pouch
PTT Putton
Snap Link

Left Side as wearing:

Med pouch
Smoke Grenade Pouch

Right Side as wearing:

GP pouch
Snaplink

Back:

Radio Pouch

Pictures on my webpage. www.diytactical.com look for the CIRAS review or search CIRAS

[Studdermonkey]

I just wanted to point out, never owned a CIRAS, but intend to have a multicam one soon enough. Owning 3 of the Eagle Plate Carriers, they're decent, but not awesome. And, yes.. you can probly fit soft armor in them, along with plates if you tried. Theres room.

Eagle CIRAS wins, hands down, no ****. But the plate carrier is decent. And, why compare them? If you wanted to truly categorize them, they're nothing alike.