[size=3]OVERVIEW[/size=3]
A couple weeks ago I bought the PIG Armor Kit Bag. I can’t say that I needed this bag, as I had several bags that worked, but they were far too big. This bag’s title is also the description. What I mean by that is it carries your kit.
Everything about the bag is well designed for its intended purpose. It holds you plate carrier in an upright fashion. There is a small area of fabric with two straps that retain your helmet on the wall of the bag. Its also designed to lay in a first line belt over your armor. I don’t run a belt system (other than my duty belt) and I this wasn’t applicable to my needs.
[size=3]MANUFACTURES BLURB [/size=3]
Here is the website for the product.
PIG Armor Kit Bag (AKB)
You depend on your Personal Protective Body Armor every time you don it… armor that costs hundreds if not thousands of dollars… and when it comes off, it goes into a flimsy duffel bag. Does this sound familiar?
Now you can carry your quality armor in a quality carrier that is designed specifically for it. The PIG AKB (Armor Kit Bag) protects your expensive investment, and carries it in a compact package that is easy to maneuver and handle. From a simple Plate Carrier, to a full IOTV Armor package, the AKB carries your armor in its intended upright orientation.
The foundation of the AKB is a fully-encased bucket of 1/4” foam that provides drop and shock protection for your plates and kit. The AKB has enough room to allow your belt kit to sit nicely over the top of your armor. On one interior wall, a helmet stirrup holds your MICH, FAST, or similar helmet in the proper location to allow it to nestle in the head notch of your armor. The exterior walls feature an ID window for a name card and three utility pockets on one side, and a full-width stash pocket on the other- large enough to stow your snivel gear and a plethora of additional kit.
The bottom corners of the stash pocket feature hidden folds that allow access and stowage of metal rings for PIG Mk-1 Shoulder Straps (sold separately), allowing full-on backpack carriage. Once installed, the Mk-1 Shoulder Straps can be stowed out of the way without fully uninstalling them by releasing the side release buckles, pulling in the bottom tabs back through the hidden folds, and reconnecting the straps inside the stash pocket.
Features include:
Fully-enclosed foam bucket construction for shock protection.
Durable yet lightweight 500D Cordura exterior.
Integral Helmet Stirrup.
1” webbing handles wrap around the entire bag for added strength.
PIG Mk-1 Shoulder Straps compatible (sold separately).
Integrated easy-stow feature for Mk-1 Shoulder Straps (sold separately)
ID window and exterior stash pockets.
Uber practical design, Bomber construction, & Excessive sex appeal.
Made in USA.
Dimensions: H: 25" x W: 20" / Top Depth: 4.5", Bottom Depth: 6"
The PIG AKB represents the pinnacle of armor carriage solutions- It is quite simply the sexiest armor carrier known to man. It will significantly increase your desirability with women, and create intense jealously among your peers.
Designed in our PIG LABS in St. Louis, this and all other PIG tactical nylon products are Made in the USA!
[size=3]WHAT I LIKE:[/size=3]
I really like the concept of the bag. I like purpose built bags. For my needs, it works out perfectly. My patrol bag is the Maxpedition MPB XXL. That bag sits on my front seat. I am able to put the Armor Kit Bag on the floorboard and have it stand upright. The added bonus to this is I live in Michigan, and I’m not putting on freezing cold armor. Sometimes it really is the small things in life that bring happiness. When I post a more thorough review, I’ll include some pictures of how it fits in the car as well. There is a back sleeve pocket that is the full width and most of the depth of the bag. This can easily accomodate a rain jacket or light winter jacket. On the front is two smaller sleeve pockets that I throw an extra pair of winter gloves and a hat in.
The top carrying handles are very sufficient for moving the armor about. The shoulder straps are nice in my case because when I load up I’m carrying my MaxPed bag, Armor kit bag, and a rifle. I guess it wouldn’t be that big of a deal, however nobody wants to make two trips for ANYTHING…can I get an amen?
What I REALLY like about my particular bag is that I found it on Ebay for a quarter of the original price and it included the optional shoulder straps.
[size=3]WHAT COULD BE BETTER:[/size=3]
The price point is a sticking point for some folks. It retails for $159.00 and the optional shoulder straps are $36.00 We all spend a ton of money on our kit, so it is important to protect it, but there are less expensive options to be had. What you are paying for, IMO, is the quality of the bag and the functionality. I’m not so sure that the 1/4 inch foam does a whole heck of a lot to keep your kit safe.
The only other thing that left me scratching my head a bit was there is no Velcro on the front of the bag. This would be a nice feature so you could throw a name tape across it. There is an ID window on the front, but I think for most, Velcro would serve better.
[size=3]OVERALL:[/size=3]
Overall, I dig the bag. I don’t think I would have paid retail for it, however. Its not that its not a good addition to my gear, I would be more likely to spend the almost $200 on ammo or a training course.
The quality of the bag is awesome. The top carrying handles encapsulate the bag. What I mean by that is they run from one side, all the way down under the bag and back up the other side.
After I’ve used the bag for a bit more time, I’ll do an update of the review. One thing I’m going to try is fitting an SBR in the middle of the bag. More of a niche question I have of my own, but if others, particularly in LE carry an SBR, it might be a nice option.
Thanks for looking.
