Chest rigs have gone through several modifications since they first came into existence. Before the several wars in the past century, chest rigs were used to hold daggers, swords, and locally made bombs.

Nowadays, chest rigs are military gear mainly used to carry guns, ammo, and other equipment. These rigs contain pockets and spaces for weapons to fit in. While they are usually mistaken for body armors and plate carriers, chest rigs are worlds apart from armors and plate carriers. Nevertheless, many people wear chest rigs over plate carriers and body armor.

Just like several other military gears, chest rigs come in different types and components. Here, we will consider the build of chest rigs. We’ll also talk about the components of chest rigs and then analyze the different materials used in making these components.

All chest rigs comprise mainly of chest padding, pouches, and straps. The paddings are the essential fabric that covers the chest. Pouches are pockets or spaces where you can store weapons such as grenades, knives, mags, and pistols. For non-military uses, it can be used to store personal belongings like cameras, bottles, or first aid tools. Straps, on the other hand, make chest rigs wearable. These straps may be X-shaped or come in the H-harness design.

In terms of materials, most military gears, including plate carriers and armors, come from fabrics. Chest rigs are not any different. Producers of chest rigs make use of different types of fabrics. Some of the most common fabric materials used in making the chest paddings includes Cordura and ripstop. Both materials are nylon and breathable, making chest rigs comfortable to wear. The pouches may also be made from Cordura or ripstop. However, the straps usually come from nylon webbing.

As a final note, chest rigs are of immense benefit. Still, if you are wearing them with plate carriers, ensure you confirm if they are compatible, and they don’t weigh too much on your body.

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