Kommando Store Pattern 84 Bandoleer

[Skidjit]

Pros:
Great Value; More Capable than KS states
Kommando Store states it is meant for holding 8 magazines of AR pattern magazines and that P-Mags will be a tight fit. My experience has been that my P-Mags fit just find from the moment I opened the package. The trick is to stack the bottoms of the magazines as seen in the close up photo. The outboard magazine is best suited with the lip of the magazine on top of the inboard magazine. If you have it the other way around, the inboard magazine will come out with the outboard. My aluminum Dura-Mags did not have this issue, however those will sit a little lower in the bandoleer.

While the bandoleer is designed for magazines, it worked great with my Yaesu FT-60 with antenna attached. So far I have loaded this with 6 magazines and a radio with awesome results. I am also exploring a 4 magazine, medical and radio combination in the near future.

Folds up as advertised which is great for some transportation options. I have been using it to lay on top of my broken down SBR / Braced guns in various backpacks with great results.

Seriously, the price they charge is a fantastic value at the time of this review (a week after it's release).

Neutral:
The flaps are a tight fit. I'd use them for protecting my magazines in transport or if I'm in adverse weather. They will need to get broken in my opinion but I plan on actually running the rig as an open top.

Cons:
Rig can sell out quick. I ordered a green one the day of announcement and by the time I got mine, the green was out of stock. Not a dig at KS or any supplier, just a reality of today's consumer markets. Even companies that do not participate in hype beast drop culture fall victim to it from the modern consumer.

Conclusion:
I have chest rig capability without the size. I can keep a fully loaded rig with my SBR / Braced guns that is rapid to deploy. I can fully recommend this as an option to anyone who wants a light weight, inexpensive yet capable rig. It is truly multi-role. While I know it's touted as a means of supplementing your chest rig, this bandoleer can be used as a standalone option for those who don't want a full up chest rig.


Link: https://kommandostore.com/products/eighty-four-bandolier

[Moab]

Do they sell or can you fit straps to use it as a traditional chest rig? I do like this. Nice find. 

[Skidjit]

Do they sell or can you fit straps to use it as a traditional chest rig? I do like this. Nice find.

They don't sell straps for conversion but I'll see if I can reconfigure mine into a chest rig. In theory, it should work.

Edit:

Pictures show bandoleer fully loaded. The top strap is sewn into the rig so converting to a true chest rig is not possible. In a pinch, you could cross the top and middle straps but it is not comfortable. When I send my review to KS, I'll make a suggestion to make this into a simple chest rig. It would make a great piece of inexpensive kit.

[Moab]

I wonder if you cut some straps short, melted the end, and string a buckle into that short end you had left, and then buckled a new strap onto the attachment point, if you could configure it into a chest rig. 

I seem to recall doing a deep dive on similar lightweight chestrigs. But I don't recall finding a cheap one. Or affordable I should say. 

There is the classic USMC chestrigs from the GWOT. But those hold like 29 mags or something and wrap around two thirds of your torso. In the $50 range. But they do sell the straps for those for cheap new. And they seem like they would be candidates. 

I'll have to look thru my Amazon lists. I know I saved a few. And book marked a few others. My use was under a pack. So I didn't want thick straps. Just simple flat single straps and a simple 6 or 8 mag carrier that you could do what you did and use one or two of the packets for radio and essential items. 

The modularity if a small rig like this is valuable when considering a bug out. Because your carrying a pack no matter what. And even if you need the chest rig for just bump in the night or for ditching your pack. It's a good choice. As it can be used for both. Or by itself say in a vehicle. Has alit of options. Versus a big plate carrier or something with a ton of bulk and weight in it. This, a pack and a USGi large fannypack would fill alot of rolls. And be very modular.  

I'll dig around. I know the stuff I found from China was just to suspect or overpriced for what it was. 

[Moab]

The best I could find. And nit that cheap or as lightweight and simple 

https://www.beezcombatsystems.com/products/ar-recon-chest-rig

[Skidjit]

The best I could find. And nit that cheap or as lightweight and simple

https://www.beezcombatsystems.com/products/ar-recon-chest-rig

I have known about Beez for a long time (I want to say back in the ZS forum days) but never bought anything from them. Always heard good things.

Another rig I'm looking at getting is one of these from Rebel's Raiders to replace my bedside Maxpedition Fat Boy that I want to divert for GMRS / HAM use.

https://rebels-raiders.com/products/rebels-raiders-apothocary-rapid-deploy-medical-sling-bag

[12_Gauge_Chimp]

Only chest rigs I own are a Chinese AK rig that I got from Rednex years ago on the old ZS boards and an SKD Tactical P.I.G chest rig (now discontinued).

The SKD rig used to be set up for AK mags, but now I've got it set up for AR mags. It's still a work in progress, though.

[Moab]

I went on a fairly deep dive looking for a chest rig sililar to this bandolier that @Skidjit posted. And there are few available. I swore I saw more of these. But many were way overpriced for what they were. And most of China knockoffs are way to complicated and have way to many pouches. Of course you can remove alot if those. But I have not seen many as simple as this bandolier. 

There is also that kiterl bandolier that @MacWa77ace runs his extra mags in. I think it's like a military issue one that comes in boxes of military ammo? And I think they even make multicam ones iirc. Very very inexpensive. But well enough made. 

I really like the idea of this one that @Skidjit posted. It's minimalist for when you don't need a full chest rig. Because your just driving or running light or already have a waist pack or backpack or both on. And just need something to run mags in a very accessible way. 

Will have to keep looking. I if this company just changed the straps so you could run it as a chestrig they will sell. I would for sure oay $50 for one. 

[Moab]

The best I could find. And nit that cheap or as lightweight and simple

https://www.beezcombatsystems.com/products/ar-recon-chest-rig

I have known about Beez for a long time (I want to say back in the ZS forum days) but never bought anything from them. Always heard good things.

Another rig I'm looking at getting is one of these from Rebel's Raiders to replace my bedside Maxpedition Fat Boy that I want to divert for GMRS / HAM use.

https://rebels-raiders.com/products/rebels-raiders-apothocary-rapid-deploy-medical-sling-bag

Beez is top quality military grade stuff. And at the $99 price point not out of line. It is definitely a step up from the Komando. I really like the Raider one you posted. I want to say that's a China product I have seen. Nit saying it's bad because of that. Alot if the China stuff is good for minimalist wants. I'll have to go they my AliExpress favorites. 

The thing they don't really showcase until you scroll down they the additional images at the bottom. Is that it's basically a blank Velcro placard. That you can attach anything too. It appears to come with a 2 AR mag pouch. But no reason you could attach up to 4 of those. And use one for your radio. Which is very similar to the Kommando. Except you get to choose whatever configuration you want. But I like both for different reasons. 

Where the Raider is customizable. The Kommando seems better built and less likely to drop or rip anything off of. 

There is one other famous brand that makes minimalist rigs like this but they are US made, very overpriced, and inky use elastic to hold mags. Great for say a bodyguard type set up. But not applicable what we are looking at here. 

[Moab]

https://condoroutdoor.com/products/condor-modular-chest-panel-3

The other alternative. I have one but have never set it up. It's around $30-$35.  But it's the Condor Modular Chest Panel. Yes. Condor sells alot of shit. I would avoid most of their pouches and chestrigs. But unlike most of their stuff where they sew fabric to make molle mounts instead of actual nylon webbing. This chestrig uses actual nylon webbing. It's simple, light weight, but rugged for the simple single straps nylon that it is made out of. It is adjustable. The right size to mount 4 pouches. Pretty sure it has a map panel behind the molle panel. 

I bought it years ago because it was dirt cheap. I want to say I paid $15 or $20 for it on sale. But never set it up because it only comes green, black or tan. And I'm married to multicam. But a way better single panel chestrig than the price would imply. At this level of minimalism. It doesn't take much to make it well built. I would double check the sewing and super glue any thread ends. But the materials are fine. 

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[Moab]

Lastly, VoodDoo tactical is a weird old company. Alot of their stuff is from the 80s. With designs. But some of their simpler stuff is overbuilt and of good quality. 

I bought this map harness for $12.95. And and a binonharness - although I couldn't find it in the website. 

https://voodootactical.com/chest-rigs/mobile-chest-rig/

https://voodootactical.com/chest-rigs/admin-chest-rig/

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[MacWa77ace]

There is also that kiterl bandolier that @MacWa77ace runs his extra mags in. I think it's like a military issue one that comes in boxes of military ammo? And I think they even make multicam ones iirc. Very very inexpensive. But well enough made.

I don't have kiterl bandoliers, I have a couple of the military ones. not sure if I paid for them or they came with something, but I don't think they cost much to make. Pennies? Only use them for ammo on stripper clips in cache boxes, don't really run them.



Those have to be the most basic ammo carrier, some are designed so if you pull out a sewn in string it will hold mags.

I repurposed mag pouches that were replaced/upgraded by making a bandolier type mag carrier from old Condor and 511 stuff and old camera bag shoulder straps.
These are my grab and goes, they hold 6 rifle and 4 pistol mags.

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[Skidjit]

I used to run the Suarez International "T.I.B." (https://www.offgridweb.com/gear/bag-drop-the-vehicle-bail-out-bag/) back when the bail out bag was a literal bag. Wasn't a bad piece of kit, but bulkier than the bandoleer setups we have been discussing. The TIB isn't offered anymore but Hawkepaks (the actual OEM of the TIB; https://hawkepaks.com/collections/tactical/products/htas-hawke-tactical-active-shooter ) still has similar bags in their catalogue.

Another rig I used to have was the OSOE Microrig. It was well built but I also got one discounted for $90 back in 2009/2010 timeframe. They are not that price anymore and I'm not a huge fan of the owner. Still can recommeded them, just not something I want to repurchase directly from OSOE.

https://www.originalsoegear.com/collections/micro-rigs/products/akm4-micro-rig

Both the OSOE and the TIB were donated to a buddy of mine who was getting into the training world a few years back.

Edit: Had the AK version of this as well, that too got donated along with the TIB and Micro Rig:
https://zulunylongear.com/products/m4-rscr-reduced-signature-chest-rig