Hydration System Rig.
 

Just got my CP gear cadpat hydration system in the mail today & thought I'd share my plans for it.

This is what I'll be making, my extremely lightweight, no bullshit & rice rig.

Going to affix two single or double .223/5.56 TT Cadpat mag pouches to either chest strap then add on a strap with a buckle to go across the mid/lower chest area to keep it all secure & in place.

What's everyone think?

(Edited pic so its a bit more accurate. :lol: )

Wouldn't the pouches get in the way of the stock when your gun is shouldered? Kind of a odd position to have the mag pouches. You might have a hard time doing a tactical reload and drawing something over one's face when you pull the mag out would only obstruct your view.

my 0.02.

Have you put the hydration pouch on with your BDU's? Because the placement of the pouches almost makes it seem like it'll be on your shoulders, unless you cinch it up really tight.

But bruce did point out a very valid fact, getting anything from pouches high up on the chest is not fun, especially if you're rushed.

Easy fix: flip the pouches upside-down.

guess you have no field time with a comment like that.....thats how you loose shit from pouches.

If you added velcro to them too, it would be a bit better.. that wya, they dont fall out right away lol... i know hteres elastic there too but still. Maybe just move them down on the strap??? like.. use a seam ripper and re-sow???

Why put the mag pouches on the shoulder straps? Doesn't the hydration carrier have attachment points on the front for mag pouches? Isn't it much simpler to just take the pack off and get the mags from there?

Flaps. Fastex buckles.

I carried my WE CO2 mags in loosie-goosie mag holders, with a shit-tastic bungie flap (barely) holding one of the corners of the mag in an horizontal slant, didn't lose one regardless of the running/sliding/jumping around.

Taking time to remove my 3point sling & hydration system off my back to get a mag out while under fire? That there wouldnt be the smartest thing to do.

By having the pouches on the shoulder straps, it is MUCH quicker to get a magazine out when its time to reload.

Final thoughts are having the bottom of the pouches at about belly button level. Leaves lots of room above for me to shoulder my primary and it wont interfere with my sling then.

Going to Daves this afternoon to play around with all sorts of pouches, So hopefully might have something done by then. (BTW Anyone need anything from there? PM If ya do.)


(Oh ya, Think of things from a practical perspective (While under fire) before posting comments. :wink: )

I would still purchase a nice simple chest rig if you want light..otherwise use the pockets on your BDU. Take buttons off, and replace with velcro etc..

If you want this light then I say you should go for a hicap. ;)

Already got 2. :wink:

I still think that you wouldn't want to attach anything further to the Hydration carrier. It's not meant to carry a large load on the front, and therefore things won't stay in place properly but will flap around a lot. If you think about it, there's really not enough weight and proper tightness to keep things tight on you.

I would suggest you look at a cheap first line to get the usefullnes that you want. Simply that means a good duty belt, and possibly some suspenders on which you can attach things. It's light, functional and most of all proven out there.

Dude, I AM thinking of this from a practical perspective, and I still cannot see any reason to put mag pouches there. If you really need quick access and a lightweight rig, there are better ways to carry mags then putting them on the shoulder straps of a hydration bladder. I admire your attempts to think out of the box, but this is a solution to a problem that has long been solved.

How do the shoulder straps fit on you? Do they go some distance down your torso?
From personal use, the shoulder straps barely reached my arm pits. Definately not a useful place to put any pouch. I would suggest some sort of addition. Maybe a small rig that spans from the strap to your belt and fits under your arm.

Anything higher than a sturnumn strap would be more trouble than it's worth to call practicle.
I could see hanging some pouches off the sturnumn strap, but like dman pointed out only if I added some to the hydration pouch on back to even out the weight or else it will cause fitting and movement problems.

If you realy want to utilise the shoulder straps I suppose you could always mod pouches to mount from the side and wear them on the bottom of the straps under your arms on an upward angle towards the front.
I think the easiest thing would be to hang em off the sturnumn strap and weigh down the back end though.

Personaly, just get a belt with Molle webbing on it and build up a belt rig. Nice and light, and out of the way of everything else should you feel the need to ditch it.

EDIT:

Like the one made by ICE, look in their pdf catalogue for it. $65.00 USD
http://www.icetactical.com/

Well there we go. Decided to just get one pouch and affixed it to the right side chest strap. It sits very well and for its height, drawing the magazine is very easy.

(I'm a lefty so thats why its on that side.)

Ah, so you extended the shoulder strap? Looks cool, but how does it hold up in the field?

Absolutely no idea how it will hold up in the field. :lol:

Bout the only mod I may see left is another chest strap. Other then that I'm quite happy with it. Running up and down the stairs it stays in place pretty good. :lol: