In my years of carrying, I have learned that you need two points of contact with the belt if you are going to carry a pistol the size of a Beretta APX A1 Compact. The Vedder holsters Pro-Tuck, the Clinger Holsters Hinge, and the Aliengear Cloak 3.5 were all good candidates with their own merits. When I got my APX A1 Compact, I soon found that the holster companies had not caught up with the fact that the APX A1 was on the market for two years. None of my favorite holster makers, listed above, had a holster for the APX A1, not to mention the compact model. There were other choices available in the appendix holster arena or the cheap single belt clip arena, but as I mentioned, they would not suffice for my needs. Eventually I ran upon the Beretta APX A1 Hybrid holster sold on Beretta's website. It was fairly expensive, but it seemed like the only option at the time.

When I was in the Marines, I was issued a variety of load carrying options. I had plate carriers, the Interceptor vest, the MOTV , and the LBV (Load-Bearing Vest) "ELL-BEE-VEE", also known as the FLC (Fighting Load Carrier) "FLICK" in the Army. I found the LBV to be an ideal method of carrying all my crap while leaving my plate carrier slick. This allowed me to shed the added combat load without dropping my body armor with it. I found it clumsy and odd to attach all my pouches to my armor and then try to get into a vehicle and drive for hours, just to have to then go on a patrol or go on post for four hours. I was just standing there in a Hesco tower, so it was ridiculous to have all my ammo ON me when I could lay out my LBV and take a load off my back, knees, and feet. Overall, I was able to turn my body armor into Line 1 and have my LBV as my Line 2 gear, making it more accurate to call it the Fighting Load Carrier (FLC). This worked out well and I have carried this concept forward with me. For the remainder of this article, I will use the acronym FLC, since I believe it describes the gear more accurately.

​The CCE camouflage pattern was introduced by the French Army in the early 90’s and has survived the test of time as a venerable camouflage pattern. Despite its’ good service record, the pattern is rumored to be replaced by the Scorpion pattern starting in 2024. The good news is that this means there will be a huge amount of CCE gear and uniforms coming to the surplus market. Will it be right for you?

The ALICE LCE system was developed around the lessons learned in Vietnam and prior. All the gear, for the most part, is made of nylon which is lightweight but incredibly durable. It has been used and abused and carries with it a controversial record. Though modular, it is limited to the belt and not all components worked out all that well for carrying heavier loads, such as the Y-Harness system. Some military units had mandated set ups, which gave soldiers and Marines a further dislike of the system. For my purposes, I am not only unrestricted on how I set up the ALICE system, but I am also inspired by the functionality of the British PLCE. By blending ALICE pouches on the US web belt and utilizing a Danish Yoke, I have what I feel is the best fighting system for conventional combat.

When many people talk about a handheld light for concealed carry, you generally hear about lights that are powerful and loaded with lumens for tactical usage. Some people say anything less than 600 lumens is unacceptable. Personally, I have found that the handheld light is going to serve 90 percent or more of its time for simple navigation or non-tactical visual aid. I see lights very much the same as I see certain weapons. Each weapon has a certain range, capability, and overall practicality for the mission you are trying to accomplish. I have only had the Microstream for about 6 months, but it has been used frequently in that time.

​You will never appreciate having a proper set of medical supplies on hand until you have been wounded or seen someone you care about get wounded. Before I start this article, I will just say that you need to be trained in how to use these items before you just grab them and think you will know what to do. And it is important to practice using these items after getting training. Failure to do both of these things will result in you being less than useful when it really matters. With that said, you preppers and minutemen out there need to have an appropriate first aid kit for the team or situation you are working with. All members should not only be able to provide aid to you with your own IFAK, but also be capable of treating themselves, within reason. Having the right gear for the situation without going full MEDBAG is key, unless you are indeed the team medic.

​Condor has a couple of pouches specifically designed the carry shotgun ammo on a tactical vest. I know they don’t make all that many different designs for shotgun ammo due to a lack of purchases generally. Most of the market is split between shock ammo sleeves for hunting or side saddles for self-defense, minuteman style. That said, this pouch carries 25 shells in secure loops and folds up conveniently. It is a single point away from perfect, but is quickly remedied with 550 cord. I am going to give you, the reader, a pretty in-depth look at this pouch in hopes that you will appreciate it for what it is.

​Mil-Tec produces budget gear that fulfils the needs of airsoft players, but also military gear enthusiasts. I mostly have experience with their accessories and reproduction gear. The Army Gloves they make are very affordable at $25 on www.military1st.com and I wanted to see if this Germany-based company could indeed produce a product that would satisfy MY needs on the range. I always am in need of good sturdy and functional range gloves, and with there being a general lack of recent and detailed reviews on this product, I figured it would only shed better light on the realistic performance of this budget glove from across the pond.

​The Czech M10M is the one mask that I have put more time into in the last 6 months than any other mask in my life, so far. It cost just under $40 on eBay for the mask, filters, bag, and drinking caps for a canteen. I have used this mask for exercise, for training, and just to wear it and see what it would be like to live out of it. I am going to share my experiences of the last few months with you and let you decide if this mask has the right stuff for your needs.

​The Olight PL Pro needs no special introduction since it has been out for a little while now. Plenty of reviewers have shown you the basics of how it works and functions, so I will glaze over those details so we can get to the meat and potatoes of the subject.

​I got the Helikon BDU pants because they were not only inexpensive, but also promised to be a faithful recreation of the original US BDU pant. I wanted a good BDU pant that would withstand the stresses I typically put on my pants. They need to allow me a good range of motion, survive being frozen, wet, and hot for long periods of time. The stitching needs to withstand strains of my movement and friction from impacts, snagging brush, etc. These are the standards I set for these BDUs to pass.

​In the absence of ALICE clips, whatever the reason, you may find yourself trying to find a lightweight and reliable way to secure your pouches. Well, I have just the technique for you, my friends. It is just going to require about 20in. of 550 cord per pouch, a lighter, and electrical/duct tape.

​I am not going to pretend that ALICE is perfect just the way it is/was. Just like anything designed to be used by man, it struggled to appease everyone. For the civilians out there, like myself, ALICE is a design that can be very beneficial to our needs even if the military gave it up over a decade ago. Whether it is for airsoft, LARPing, or prepping as a militia force, ALICE can still help kick some serious ass. Realistically, ALICE is the O.G. battle belt system, so with a few low budget upgrades, I am sure you will appreciate what it can do for you.

​When people hear “combat” or “tactical” training, they think of learning about inflicting pain and destruction on others instead of receiving it themselves. Unfortunately, it is equally possible that you will receive wounds during combat in the process of inflicting wounds on others. For this reason, you need to have the knowledge and the gear to treat yourself and others if you should become wounded.

​In this article, I am going to be doing an apples-to-apples comparison in the sense that I am going to compare two belt-based combat systems. However, this is going to be somewhat of an apples-to-oranges comparison because one is modifiable (US ALICE LBE) while the other is sewn onto the base pad (British system). Regardless, both belt systems are still liked and used to this day. I am just going to relay my experience with these load bearing systems and give you my opinion on the two.