Reply With QuoteTry SSO gear. used to be one of the better ones if not the best. pretty spendy thu.
good luck
Opinion 4 Best Russian web gear, SMersh, Vityaz, Nerpa, Grad, M21/10..
I am wondering which of these to get. I already have an Afghan era, 1988 dated "Lifchika", but I need a modern one for my 1990's era gear.
Which of these is best, or if YOU own one, please give your Opinion.
-Smersh
-Grad-2, or "gunner version"
-Vityaz
-Nerpa
-Vest types made by "Splav", like the M22 tarzan, or the M21/10...
Which is most comfortable too?
Also, I have never heard of the "Lazutchik", but I believe it is made by SPOSN???
If anyone has any pics fo soldiers wearing these, please post them too...
Try SSO gear. used to be one of the better ones if not the best. pretty spendy thu.
good luck
Congrats on finding a liftchika, I always wanted one of those.. I have experience with a few of those vests, mind you not in combat so I am not sure what answers you are looking for here..
Grad 2 / Grad 1 are really good vests, still popular and used often. I own a Grad 1 and have put it though plenty of use and have had no problems besides one broken snap. Vitayz is pretty similar, one major difference being that its "day pack" is permanently attached to the back of the vest and its only availible in Kamysh. Both grad 1/2 usually come with day packs, how-ever these are usually "in demand" items it seems so before you place your order you should confirm that you are getting a daypack along with it.
Nerpa is similar to the Grad 2 IIRC, except it has mollee attachments were the grenade pouches would be (IIRC, I am doing this all off the top of my head so I may be wrong on this).
Smersh's are very popular, I do not own one yet, so maybe someone who does could explain more as to why it's so popular (still using splav alice kit..). Looks like a decent setup though, how-ever it is more expensive then your other options.
As for Splav stuff its pretty common and a lot easier to find then the ANA/SPOSN items. M22 in OD or Woodland seem's to be issued a lot and a great standard light vest. M23's are a great chest rig, but are even better when attached to the Splav "Sniper Harness" and web belt. It greatly reduces the amount of "chest wobble" common among heavily loaded chest rigs. V95/m21 style vest's are pretty rare these days in terms of use and pictures for proof, how-ever I have owned both and both do there job just fine. Once you wet the v95/m21 with magazines in the pouches the magazines fit a lot better (or just use 74 magazines), that and there usually is a couple "loose strings" in the bottom on the magazine pouches. If you can get over the "loose fitting", there should be no problems.
If you want pictures of these vests in use, check the Russian Military photos thread. More then enough pictures in there!
The smersh is the best bet because it's a comfortable, adjustable rig used by a variety of units in the Russian military today. It's been seen on FSB, MVD VV of all types, and even troops in the armed forces.
Lazutchik is a chest rig made by SPOSN (SSO) which is based on an American model I think made by Blackhawk. I believe I saw a picture of VDV using it in South Ossetia, but the EGER chest rig by SPOSN is more widely used since it is older.
ANA kit like the Grad vests and Vityaz is good too and I've seen it used by MVD OSN and FSB. SPOSN is more popular now so I'd take that as an indication that soldiers prefer more modular kit like the Smersh to fixed rigs like the Grad. Nothing against it though! I've seen a Grad-1 and Grad-2 in person and they're well constructed and hold a lot.
With regards to Splav, it's easier to get than ANA or SPOSN and it is also quite popular amongst a lot of units. Vests like M22 and M32 find there way into a lot of units and I've seen the M23 with MVD OSN and VDV. Splav is definitely more popular than ANA, but I don't know if it's used more than SPOSN.
The SPOSN Smersh is definitely the "specialist's" choice so for the sake of that above all others I'd choose it.
As already said, check the Russian photos thread to get ideas of what's used and by whom.
Hope this helps!
Guys- thanks for the info!!!
I looked through some of the pics, and the thing is....I cant tell WHICH Rigs are WHICH. I can only identify the SPLAV items. Anyhow, I have a link BELOW, if you guys could identify this rig for me I would apprecite it.
It is the 4th pic DOWN. The four guys are reading a MAP..... The soldier in front with a black bayonet on his shoulder, and three flares in his rig. What rig is he wearing???
http://www.theakforum.net/phpBB2/vie...=40329&start=0
Also, I like the idea of the Grad-1/2 having a removable day-pack. The grad-2 "Gunner", holds 8 45rd mags, instead of 30rd mags...
Anyhow, I am going to try and find pics of soldiers wearing the Grad-1 or 2.
If ANYONE has pics of people wearing the GRAD rigs, please Post them.
I was also told that the Smersh is NOT a CHEST rig, because the mag pouches are held down on the waist. Is that true??? Is Day-pack Removable???
thanks for help guys!!
Can't see it without subscribing to the forum. Maybe you can copy the url of the pic and post it as a link here.
The smersh is not a chest rig, but the pouches are in a very good place and slide out of the way when you drop into the ****e and it is easy to get in and out of. It is also very modular, and you can put whatever pouches you want on it. In reality it's just a belt and suspenders and you buy the pouches you want separately. So yes, the daypack as well as everything else, is removable. It's more expensive but I like it the best out of all of them because of how much you can customize it, and how padded and comfy it is.
Now they say "SPOSN", not "SSO"
Ive found some old SPOSN images:
-----------------SMERSH-------------------------
PK pouch:
SVD set:
VOG pouches:
Some experimental gear (rare images):
Webbing
Modular vest
-------------------EGER (chestrig)--------------
-------------------NERPA (looks like american LBV)---------------------
In russian army slang the chest rig is called "lifchik" (not "lifchikA")
"lifchik" is bra in russian
more official name is "nagrudnik" (chestrig)
Here some variation of SPOSN chestrig:
Top right harness is for first generation Smersh MOLLE I believe.Originally Posted by STEPAN1983
Looks similar to harnesses used by FSB around 2004:
From what I can find, the Nerpa is usually the most Expensive. The SMersh is interesting, but I am not interested in it since the pouches sit on the waist. I can just attach two AKM pouches to my belt and have the same thing.
So the Nerpa and the Smersh are out of the running becuz one is not what I want, and the other is over $300.
The GRAD-2 is not as good in my opinion as the GRAD-1...from what Ive seen.
That narrows it down to the GRAD-1 or the VItyaz.
Stepan- The Black Nagrudnick, not the "eger", is called a "Lazutchik".... at least thats what Victorsbest from Mockva calls it.
Do you have any pictures of the Black Nagrudnick/"Lazutchik" with anybody wearing it???
I have NEVER seen russian forces wearing the Nagrudnick/"Lazutchik", I have only seen russians wearing the
EGER or the M23 Pioneer bra's.
Also, does anyone have ANY PICS OF THE VITYAZ IN USE??? I have decided that I will get either the GRAD-1 or the VITYAZ...(or maybe the Lazutchik, but I doubt it).
I would appreciate any opinions or pics of them in use....thanks...
Nerpa is only 140USD from Soviet-Propaganda:
http://soviet-propaganda.com/lvb/vests/
Very good retailer!
About Lazutchik, I will try to find the photo tonight.
Here are some photos of Vityaz vest:
It is a nice looking vest, but I think it is out of production since it was replaced by Grad-1.
Personally if you are not wearing any similar kamysh uniforms / splav tiger I would go with a Grad 2 due to it being OD. Kamysh doesn't blend very well with things that arnt... kamysh
Here is a picture for an example:
Like mentioned before, make sure you get a yours with a "day pack" and confirm it is included in the price with the vest and that it is in stock even before ordering. As it does make an excellent dump pouch!
As figured, I was wrong with the Nerpa. Apparently I was thinking of the vest that Stephan labeled as "experimental modular vest", thanks for the correction! Ironically, that looks a lot like some of the modular stuff Splav has just started producing
Last edited by ßå$tĮТHÏ¿ð; 09-25-2008 at 10:23 PM. Reason: update
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