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Tactical Gear Review
By: Tim Seargeant
When selecting gear there are a lot of things to consider. There's the color, price, quality, features, usage, etc. How do you know you are making the right choice? What do you really know about the gear you order before you make your decision to purchase? What if there is something else out there that's a little better and not too much more expensive? Is it going to last? These are the questions this article/review is set out to clearify; the goal is to provide as much information as possible for you to make an informed decision. Here at Airsoft GI we carry many differnt kinds of gear that range from fully loaded plate carriers to crossdraw vests to magazine pouches; we carry many different colors, sizes, manufactureres that have unique features and are priced accordingly.
Lets take a closer look into the different brands offered here at Airsoft GI by comparing a very popular M4 magazine pouch. This is a very well selling item, it is made by all three of the major brands for sale here at Airsoft GI and should be a great basis for comparison into the other types of gear offered by each company. A quick look at the following chart will give you a brief overview of the three products, a more in depth comparison can be found below:
M4 Dual Magazine Pouch Compairson
| Product Name: |
OE TECH |
HSS |
Specter |
| Price: |
Cheapest |
Middle |
Most Expensive |
| Material: |
600 Denier Nylon |
1000 Denier Dupont Cordura with Teflon Coating |
1000 Denier Nylon Outer Layer and 420 Denier Nylon Inner Layer |
Drainage Grommet: |
Yes, 1 |
Yes, 2 |
Yes, 1 |
| Elastic Mag Strap: |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
| Adjustable Flap: |
Yes |
Yes with buckle* |
Yes |
| Plastic Strip in Molle Strap: |
Yes |
Yes, only in the end |
Yes |
| Quick Draw Capability |
Yes |
No |
No |
By comparison the OE TECH is the cheapest in price, and is made of lesser quality materials. However, for airsoft use 600 denier nylon is strong enough and rugged enough for even the most realistic Milsim games. The elastic strap is very handy for retaining the remaining magazine once the first one has been drawn. This pouch is made perfect for the best pre-game prep. What I mean is, you can set up this pouch for quick draw, and not have to worry about the remaining magazine falling out by tucking the flap inside the magazine compartment before putting the magazines in. The end result is a snug fit, and easy access for your magazines. The only area that might create any concern is that most of this magazine pouch is single stitched, some of the vital areas are double stitched; but as stated before, the OE TECH equipment is more than sturdy enough for airsoft use.
OE TECH:
This pouch is set up for fast draw, the flaps are tucked into the magazine compartment and the elastic strap holds the magazines in securely.
HSS is a relatively new manufacturer of gear, at least to our store. The quality of materials and build quality is a little bit better than OE TECH; most of the pouch is double stitched and the 1000 denier Cordura is really tough. One very unique thing about the HSS Magazine pouch is the molle straps, it does not have a button that fastens the strap to the pouch, instead HSS has created a unique retention system that requires you to tuck in the strap after weaving it. By eliminating the button and plastic strip it makes the strap more flexible and easier to weave through the molle loops, and it makes it much easier to unweave the straps when taking the pouch off. Another unique thing about the HSS magazine pouch is the double retension system for the flap, it has velcro and a plastic buckle. In my opinion this is an unnecessary option; if you have the velcro strap down with the buckle that means an extra step before you can access your magazine; if you have the buckle without the velcro, even though it's only one step it's still just a little bit more complicated than just pulling the velcro off. Plus, having the plastic buckle on the strap completely eliminates preparing the pouch for faster draw magazines.
HSS:
 
The additional plastic buckle to secure the strap and the unique molle strap system.
Last but not least Specter. Specter Gear is designed to be used by real operators and soldiers. Which is why most of the pouch is double stitched, with triple stitching around around the vital areas; it's made to withstand a level of abuse far beyond the realm of airsoft Milsim. This extra duarbility comes at a price, which is why Specter is the most expensive of the three options. In one word, the Specter magazine pouch is simple. It has everything you need, and nothign you don't; the adjustable velcro strap is secure, the molle straps are sturdy with plastic sewn into it and a strong button to keep it locked down, and the drainage grommet is nice and big to let water out as quickly as possible. One thing that sets the Specter pouch apart from its competitors is the vertically arranged pull tab for the flap, it makes it a little easier to find and pull, which results in a faster magazine draw. One small downfall to the Specter pouch is the lack of elastic retention strap; without it the magazine cannot be set up for quick draw (technically the magazines will fit, but with a light run they can easily fall out, meaning it's pointless). Therefore, at the bare minimum it requires 2 steps to draw the magazine, one to open the flap, one to pull out the mag.
Specter:
Vertically aligned pull tab
The bottom line is, when buying gear, there is more to consider than just the price; but looking through your computer screen, often times the price is the only thing that sticks out. OE TECH is the most economical of the gear companies, they use cheaper materials and cheaper methods of construction. HSS uses the best materials out there and have a much more precise construction, they are also good at introducing new ideas (thinking outside the box, if you will); and that sometimes ends up working to their disadvantage. Specter Gear is easily takes the cake for the highest quaility all around; they use great materials and their stuff is manufactured very well. All things considered, you choose which is the best gear for you. Happy Hunting.
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