[ Kit Reviews ]

Viper Special Ops Chest Rig & Raptor Pack

Recently I have been on a mission to find a small, light & perfectly balanced rig primarily for a HPA unit but one that can still be versatile for non HPA uses. You may or may not know that when you have a HPA unit you have an air bottle & line. This can be quite a problem when not routed correctly. Lines can get snagged & bottles can bounce around making it an uncomfortable day. 

Things To Take Into Consideration

Personally, I have tried a number of rigs from various companies & although most are very well built & more than up to the task they have draw backs. The thought of looking like a SEAL is cool but one draw back can be the cost. Not to mention the added strain on your back from carrying it all. Personally now no thanks, my days of carrying kit over rough terrain for long periods ended when I left the Service.

The problem I had with most chest rigs & plate carriers is that they are too bulky & I often find myself snagged on objects. You can get your kit dirty when you have to go to ground & you have to get the balance right. For me that would sometimes mean carrying gear that in hindsight I really didn’t need to. A plate carrier with 6 to 8 mags on your chest, two utility pouches, a pack fixed on the back & a belt kit if needed, you can easily get weighed down. From a human body’s perspective kit that is wrongly packed or balanced can cause problems with your lower back, hips, legs, knees & ankles so it’s important to remember this when you are gearing up.

Why The Viper Spec Ops Chest Rig?

During my hunt I’ve used Warrior, Condor & Emerson but still been left looking. Then I found the Viper Spec Ops Chest Rig. Made from 600D Codura, it’s compact minimal design has a low-profile & allows this rig to be worn beneath layers like military jackets or smocks if required. It also makes it more flexible in confined environments with it being less likely to become snagged on things. Although flexible once your rig is built it stays put allowing you to carry all you need into the fray.

Built with 4 M4 mag pouches, 2 standard pistol pouches, a GPS radio pouch & a quick release buckle pouch for a grenade, it can hold a lot. It also features a Velcro ID panel and impact reduction bungee straps. It’s very well made with a great standard H harness to help distribute the weight. The difference between their harness to others though is the construction of the straps.

Instead of the normal straps where you have lots of strap left that you have to tape up, here it’s a bungee construction. This means you can tighten it up so it doesn’t move whilst the rig remains comfortable to wear. The only problem with the rig I have is that there is nowhere to put a bottle and line if/when running HPA. However, Viper has a solution for this. This is the Viper Raptor Pack.

The Viper Raptor Pack Combo

The Viper Raptor Pack can be configured as a small and compact unit with a 4ltr capacity but is flexible & can be opened up to give the user more kit space to approximately 14ltrs. It comes with a quick release chest strap, front zipped compartment and main grab handle. With the addition of a padded back panel for comfort & MOLLE webbing on the front pouch adding to it’s versatility even further. It also has a Velcro ID panel but one of the main features I like is the internal nylon bladder sleeve, rear bladder outlet and drainage grommet.

These features allow it to pair with the rig perfectly but this still didn’t stop me running over to one of the Viper reps to show me how it’s done. I felt like a 17-year-old again asking the Sergeant if this was right. Although both products are stand alone items they come together to form a perfect rig. Whether you run with an AEG, CO2 or HPA the way it comes together makes it the lightest rig I have owned to date & after 8 years of Airsoft I have to say I have owned a few.

To weigh down the front of the rig, the bottle is run from the pack to a water sack. This design allows it to sit perfectly down the centre of your back and this, in turn, makes the front & back weighted perfectly. This is one of the holy grails among older airsofters, a rig with no discomfort after a full day or weekend of wear.

Where to find one?

I can say I’ve tried this out. Ran it for a whole day’s play & a weekender & it’s been that good i’ve been running it ever since.  So far I’ve had no problems & even managed to hide in the boot of a small car to get the drop on a few players. I’ve also had three of the team try this layout & they were genuinely shocked and surprised at how good it was.

I love my Viper rig & for under £70 it’s perfect for what I need. It’s a great price & great to wear. This combo makes it ideal for both fast paced & slower games combined with the sneaky type of game play I enjoy. I rate this & would recommend it to anyone that is in search of an alternative to your everyday plate carrier that gives you improved flexibility & manouverability whilst still being able to carry what you need onto the field. If you’re interested in these products find them at Viper online or in the links in the review.

Airsoft Doorkicker rates the Viper Spec Ops Chest Rig giving it 10/10

Airsoft Doorkicker rates the Viper Raptor Pack giving it 10/10

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *