Do I Need Mackerel or Tambor Class for this Op? Wendigo Works Low Profile Kit Bag / Chest Rig Review, by GuerrillaLogistician
By GLogistician @glogistician on X.com
Reference – 14
“Today’s op will be pretty easy, brothers, so pack light and remember, don’t get in a fight if at all possible,” the stout man said as he pointed to the wall where the projector showed a map. The man nodded, and the lights came on as folding chairs screeched on the concrete.
“Hey dude, I don’t want to carry all my kit on this if we aren’t going to be fighting, fighting, you know,” a young guy leaned in and half-whispered to a grizzled, older grey, bearded man standing there. “I mean, like, we don’t need all that weight, do we, and I don’t want to really screw up my battle kit,” he added in a California accent.
“Come on, son; I know someone who might have something that you can borrow,” the older man took his new protegee. They walked into the makeshift barracks barn set up for all the displaced fighters of the conflict. While not the nicest place, the place was clean and smelled like bleach, with little personal spaces made out of sheets, plywood, string, and cardboard. The humming of homemade swamp coolers made the area tolerable, but whisps of the summer heat still reached out and licked at the pair. “DA, are you awake?” the old, gruff man asked in front of the sheet at the end of the building.
A bit of noise from a metal bed creaked through the sheet-covered entrance, and a moment later, slender fingers pulled it back. “Yep, what’s up, big guy?” in front of them was a skinny red-headed woman wearing a tan shirt and Rhodesian Brushstroke pants. Her high, almost whispy voice caught many off guard, allowing people not to realize the intense eyes hid a sharp mind and capable shooter. While she didn’t run front-line engagements, she and a few other women did everything from supporting overwatch to clandestine recon that most of the men couldn’t pull off as easily.
The old man asked, “Do you still have a spare one of those WendIgo Works chest rigs I could borrow for Edward?”
“Yep, sure do.” She pulled the sheet all the way back, revealing a slightly decorated small sleeping area with an abrupt clash of military gear. While jarring, the touch of feminity was apparent, and the cleanliness was top-notch. Pulling out an old military locker, she opened it up and rummaged through it. “Can’t take that one,” she said quietly as she tossed some small harness in Rhodesian brushstroke. “Ahhh, here it is!” she exclaimed, pulling out another small chest rig in Ranger Green. “You better bring this back to me when you are done; gear is getting pretty thin around here with all the new recruits,” she added as she handed it to Edward.
“Thank you, Ma’am. I will bring it back when we are done with the recon”, Edward replied.
Just like the WWII submarines, not only do the operations dictate the boat that was deployed, but so do the requirements of operation. You don’t send the big ship that could be sinking merchant vessels to do recon, nor would the smaller vessel necessarily have the legs to travel long distances. As a logistics guy, I try to balance the benefits of redundancy with the ability to avoid overloading finances with worthless gear. As any logistical guy will say, you almost always weigh out before you cube out (run out of space). For most people, this is an issue with their kits, and many militaries and special operations have tried to fix this problem. While you can carry 120 lbs of gear into a war zone, your body will take a beating. Even if you are fit, healthy, and younger your joints will take a lot of force. However, if you are on this site, you probably aren’t a big army guy or very young. Not only are you a bit older, but you probably have already done some damage to your back and knees. You are here to cut the fat and carry the least amount of stuff. Like the submarine service, we only have so much space (cube) and the ability to carry weight. That is true for our limited vehicle support, team capacity, and the individual.
So, I’m going to be reviewing another product by Wendigo Works. Like Wendigo Works Ultralight Split Front Chest Rig, the Low Profile Kit Bag / Chest Rig has a specific application in mind. The split rig is designed to possibly go over body armor or be an effectively excellent and light piece of equipment. With a heavy carrying capacity, Wendigo Works has made this kit for multiple purposes. If anyone has seen a hill people’s chest rig, you’ll know where the concept came from. Wendigo Works took the small chest rig pouch system and added more magazine pouches for AR fifteens or AK mags. This isn’t a novel concept by any means. People like Haley Strategic have also put out these rigs, with a lot of appreciation for the compact size and versatility. When I originally got my hill people, I planned to go hiking with it and have a pistol on my chest wherever I went. Over the years, I had pushed the hill people design to its maximum limit, including putting a hole for a hand Mike to come through one of the main pouches.
Wendigo Works took the basic concept and improved on it heavily. What they did with this is make a chest rig that you could use for hiking or as a throw-in-the-car chest-style setup. Like almost all products they have produced, this one is designed to be cool on the body. Not only is it comfortable in warmer weather, but it is also comfortable to shoot in. It has that low-profile strap system that allows the user to get a good position in the pocket of your shoulder with the stock. These things have a shallow profile and look like many hiking rigs sold today. As I write this, I am out in the mountains of Utah, and I’ve seen similar knockoff brands, most likely from China. While I don’t have a problem with economy equipment and gear and will never shame anyone who comes to a class with less expensive equipment, there is a point where you decide if it is worth me buying three or just one that will survive.
So why would I need another chest rig when I have a hill people rig? As you do more scouting and move over rugged terrain, you will see that sometimes your battle rattle options can be a little more cumbersome than you want. Regarding combat survivability and kit, two things have been notable that work: keeping people moving quickly with lighter gear and equipment that prevents you from taking damage. Mobility and Armor are the key ways to keep yourself alive since we were poking each other with sharp sticks. Regardless of being behind a hard object or wearing level IV plates, being able to move quickly is very important.