KIT&GEAR: ONETIGRIS

TACTICOOL LOAD STYLIN’ !

WE’VE WORKED WITH AND LOOKED AT ONETIGRIS PRODUCTS BEFORE AND WERE VERY PLEASED WITH THE QUALITY THAT WE SAW IN THEM. A WHILE BACK NOW, AND FOLLOWING HIS VX BUCKLE UP REVIEW, JON TOOK DELIVERY OF A PACKAGE FROM ONETIGRIS, WITH A BRIEF NOTE FROM THE ORACLE STATING “WHAT DO YOU THINK?”

OneTigris are huge in the States and Asia, however here in Europe and more specifically the UK, they aren’t so well known. Scratch that, they are well known but not for human kit, oh no, but for Molle Harnesses for our beloved doggos (and kitties). It may just be that an Alsatian or a Bengal Cat looking Tacticool is more likely to go viral than an airsofter in a plate carrier but that’s a shame. It’s a shame because the OneTigris Tactical range is actually very, very good as we shall see.

Inside the box it was cold and dark (this has been added as folks have asked what a product was like inside the box as opposed to, “out of the box”). Anyway, the shipment contained a few items; the OneTigris Low Profile Tactical Vest, OneTigris Camo Vulture Chest Rig 2.0 and the Tactical Waist Belt 17 all in black. All nicely packaged in OneTigris logo’d ziplock bags that suggest you reuse them. If you gotta ship gear in plastic bags, may as well make them durable enough to be reusable, right?

LOW PROFILE TACTICAL VEST

I started with the Low Profile Tactical Vest. Poking and prodding at it (as I do) I noticed that its materials were quite rigid and stiff. I like this, I like to be able to plonk it on a surface and have it stand up, rather than collapse or flop about. That’s a positive “tick” from me before I’d really started. The vest weighs in at 1200g/2.16lb mainly due to the 500D Nylon material construction and the included “rigid as Everest”, EVA foam dummy plate inserts. It measures in at 275mm/10.8” wide and 330mm/13” tall to the top of the plate; there are adjustable hook and loop shoulder straps which aren’t padded but are comfortable enough on the shoulders and neck.

The front is pretty much covered with

“ONETIGRIS SUGGESTS THAT YOU USE PLACARD 01/02/03 CONFIGURATIONS WITH THE TACTICAL VEST. I FEEL THAT AS THIS IS A LOW PROFILE OFFERING, IT RUINS THE “LOOK AND FEEL” OF THE SYSTEM ADDING THE PLACARDS AS IT SHOUTS “LO-PROFILE, LO-DRAG” TO ME.”

hook and loop panels. At the top there is a 150mm/6”x150mm/6” pocket that is closed by a YKK zipper. That’s a big pocket, a really big pocket and it’s concealed well within the plate cavity. On the front of the pocket is a 150mm/6”x78mm/3” hook and loop panel for I.D and morale patches. Either side of this panel are two vertical Molle loops that are designed to clip the OneTigris placards to. Speaking of placards, OneTigris suggests that you use Placard 01/02/03 configurations with the Tactical Vest. Personally I feel that as this is a Low Profile offering, it ruins the “look and feel” of the system adding the placards as it shouts “lo-profile, lo-drag” to me. It is also unnecessary as the front has a hook and loop closed pouch, which you can fit mag inserts into to that will hold up to four 5.56 mags or three 7.62 mags but more importantly, the elasticated cummerbunds hold up to eight 5.56/7.62 mags and/ or comms kit. The cummerbunds are large and well fitting with just the right amount of stretch so not to hinder or restrict movement and retain user comfort. They attach at the front and rear by large hook and loop panels.

The vest fits standard SAPI Medium Plates in the front and rear. The inside of the carrier is lightly padded with a wicking and vented type of material, so if you were to run plates, I would consider the padded inserts for the body side for extra comfort. The back face has a large 275mm/10.8”x89mm/3.5” hook and loop panel at the top and a large hook and loop flap at the bottom measuring 254mm/10”x89mm/3.5” that hides the rear cummerbund mountings.

The construction and design of the vest is good too. I found two loose ends on the outside of the system, one on the left vertical Molle loop and one on the right shoulder strap. That’s incredible considering the price point. Internally (I turned it inside out - Yes I do that when I review something) it’s just the same. Obviously it’s not as pretty because that’s where it finishes and ties off but I can’t fault it. It’s actually quite beautiful to look at and you have to admire the skill of the machinist that put it together.

I’ve messed around with this in different configurations and found it to be more comfortable with 5.56 magazines due to the additional “lockdown timber” (How long can we keep using that excuse?) but that’s not to say it’s uncomfortable or impractical with the 7.62 variety.

Overall, it’s a very well-constructed low profile setup that can be comfortably worn under or over a jacket. I like it.

CAMO VULTURE CHEST RIG 2.0

I like a chest rig; I’ve run expensive branded gear and I’ve run more budget friendly gear, the one thing they all have in common is their super low profile, high on your chest, micro design. The OneTigris Camo Vulture Chest Rig 2.0 isn’t a micro rig, or really a chest rig as such, it’s more of a lightweight,

“I’VE MESSED AROUND WITH THIS IN DIFFERENT CONFIGURATIONS AND FOUND IT TO BE MORE COMFORTABLE WITH 5.56 MAGAZINES DUE TO THE ADDITIONAL “LOCKDOWN TIMBER” (HOW LONG CAN WE KEEP USING THAT EXCUSE?) BUT THAT’S NOT TO SAY IT’S UNCOMFORTABLE OR IMPRACTICAL WITH THE 7.62 VARIETY.”

adaptable carry system. It sports an ”H-Harness” design which means that it’s adjustable for any body shape or size. It’s again made of 500D Nylon and weighs in at a super lightweight 580g/20.46oz. You can honestly forget that it’s on you when you’re wearing it.

As previously mentioned it’s an H-Harness design which means that the “load” or placard part of the system sits low on your body, somewhere mid abdomen. This enables you to carry a day sack or bergan with ease and without restriction. The Vulture Chest Rig 2.0 has a large, detachable Molle panel that measures 265mm/10.4”x145mm/5.7” and has a hook and loop panel the same width and 75mm/3” deep for I/D or morale patches and sits where your chest is.

As stated it is removable because the designers at OneTigris made the right decision to include UTXDuraflex buckles which can be completely removed from the harness system by pulling on a toggle, unclipping the bar and sliding it out of the Molle, but it’s not an easy thing to do so you can be confident that it won’t accidentally or randomly fall off during a game or when moving around. It’s attached at the base to the top of the placard via hook and loop. The straps themselves are a little over 50mm/2” wide and feature horizontal molle loops for attaching a tourniquet or comms too. As this is a lightweight rig, they aren’t padded.

Across the shoulders at the back, there is a cross piece which is approx 260mm/10.2”x 50mm/2” and features a loop strip, again for I.D or morale patches. Running diagonally down from these are 25mm/1” strips of Nylon webbing with Duraflex buckle and clasps that attach to the placard. Both buckles are adjustable to allow for correct sizing and fit to the wearer. It’s worth a note here that all strap ends are fitted with a hook and loop tidy so that you don’t have loose ends flapping about. At the bottom rear of the placard is another 25mm/1” webbing strap with adjustable Duraflex buckles at each end to form a waist band. The placard is of sewn construction and features 4 hook and loop closure pistol mag pouches and a reasonable size “dangler”. I don’t think that’s right as it’s more like a medic/ admin pouch.

The pouch is 150mm/6”x127mm/5”x38mm/1.5” and is opened by two YKK Zippers. Inside the pouch there is a shallow pocket that’s suitable for a multitool or medium bandage, on the front of this there are 4 elasticated loops. You could fit a small bandage in one and other small med kit items or a small torch in the others. In reality though, you’ll get your keys, wallet and mobile in. My Huawei P30Pro just fit inside along its width but the other items were no issue. On the face of the “dangler” are two Molle strips and a hook and loop panel for I.D or morale patches. Behind these are a large pouch that has a hook and loop closure and is designed to carry four 5.56 mags with the inserts provided. You might get three 7.62 mags in there but you need to purchase separate inserts to secure them. The rear face of the placard has a large tear off, rubberised mesh panel that is attached via hook and loop. Removing this, the buckles and webbing straps, allows you to attach it to other systems such as the Low Profile Tactical Vest or the OneTigris Griffin Vest (COUGH! Yes please OneTigris. COUGH!). As with the Low Profile Tactical Vest, the Camo (not sure why that’s part of the name) Vulture Chest Rig 2.0 is incredibly well built. I only found one frayed thread and that’s because I am looking

for a fault. This thing is built exceptionally well. While this style of chest rig isn’t to my taste, I cannot fault it in its construction, design or use case. It’s a proper solution to a problem without unnecessary bells and whistles.

TACTICAL WAIST BELT 17

They’ve some odd names for their products at OneTigris but as the old Hammerite advert says “It does what it says on the tin!”

The Tactical Waist Belt 17 is just that, although I would call it a Shooters Belt. Made from 1000D Nylon, this is a tough belt designed to repel water and dirt ingress, hold your gear firmly and allow you to move freely. It’s available in three sizes: Small 78cm-95cm/30.7”-37.4” and weighs 340g/12oz, Medium 88cm-105cm/34.6”-41.3” and weighs 370g/13oz and Large 98cm-115cm/38.6”-45.3” and weighs 410g/14.4oz.

It’s a two part system, consisting of an inner and outer belt. The 38mm/1.5” inner fits nicely under jean or combat pant waist belt loops and is loop faced. There is a hook panel on the front inner which allows you to close and secure it to you. It can be used as a standalone duty belt when you don’t need the hefty outer part. The outer is a much more rigid and stable 50mm/2” wide component that features two full length rows of 12mm/1/2” webbing. This Molle webbing allows you to attach holsters, pouches and other accessories securely to the belt. On the inside is a full length hook strip that attaches securely to the duty belts loop outer. At the front of the outer are two hook and loop adjustment straps that allow you to get the perfect fit. It’s a bit of a faff but in all honesty it’s a one-time annoyance because once it’s done, it’s done (unless we have another lockdown and more timber is added). The closure is a reassuringly chunky UTX-Duraflex Cop-Lok Buckle. The buckle has a little button that you have to press on the front, (while pinching the buckle and pulling the clasp) so that it doesn’t accidentally come undone. Some may say that’s overkill, especially as it’s “stuck” to your waist via the hook and loop retention system of the duty belt that’s looped through your pants… and they’d be right, it is overkill but I love it. It feels super secure and gives you confidence in it.

I’ve worn this at a few games now and I have to say I really like it. It’s a bit rough around the edges, the finishing isn’t as clinical as the Low Profile Vest or the Vulture Chest Rig 2.0 but it’s a heavy duty bit of kit that will last you a very long time. A lot of work and stitching has gone into putting several strong, durable components together in a very small space. It’s not a mess by any stretch of the imagination, this thing is built to last, it’s just not as polished as the other two items.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I like these items a lot and that surprised me. I don’t know why, but I had some preconceived idea that this kit would be more entry level and not the quality items that I received, especially when I looked at the very reasonable pricing (admittedly it was U.S $).

OneTigris has either got the best QC department of any company ever or their design and manufacturing teams are exceptional. If all their items are like this (and I have since looked at a few other items elsewhere recently *spoiler alert*, they were), OneTigris is a force to be reckoned with among the mid-tier producers. In fact, with a few design tweaks here and there, they wouldn’t be midtier, they’d be top tier with their eyes on elite. I look forward to seeing more retailers stocking OneTigris products in the UK because quite simply, they should.

Oh, I should mention here, because it is relevant, OneTigris don’t just make tactical gear for humans and animals, they produce outdoor/camping gear. They have some very good and well respected ultralightweight, waterproof and durable (essential for UK weather) Tents, Tarps, Cot Beds, packable Chairs and more, all of which would be ideal for those who like good kit for milsim events. Go check out their website at www.onetigris.com (Just a note for the internet, please keep posting pics of Kitties and Doggos in OneTigris Vests and Doggles, they’re awesome - Jon.) AA