Hey friends!
Welcome back to the blog! Today I have another set-up post for you, in this blog, we'll be looking at one of the newest loadouts in my collection: DNC X M81 which I think is going to be great for CQB in the winter!
For the helmet, as always, I'm running my Team Wendy EXFIL LTP in Black. The EXFIL LTP is a lightweight polymer bump helmet that gives great impact protection and a stable, comfortable platform for mounting night-vision devices (and other accessories). It features a built-in NVG shroud, a Zorbium foam liner along with a CAM FIT Retention System that has easily adjustable Cam Lock sliders, and a micro-adjustable BOA Fit System. The Team Wendy EXFIL LTP is by far the most expensive helmet I've used during my time airsofting, but it is also the most comfortable to wear for extended periods and the protection it offers is second to none.
I've accessorised it with the TW EXFIL Carbon & LTP 2.0 Rails and the TW EXFIL Peltor Headset Adapters which hold my Howard Leight Honeywell Impact Sport headset which I use for comms and hearing protection. As I haven't yet scored an affordable set of Peltors, I had to do a little bit of jimmying to get these off their band and to fit on the Peltor mounts, they are by no means perfect (they pop off from time to time) but they work whilst I'm still on the lookout for a set of Peltors.
As I run mostly green kit I have the EXFIL LTP Rail 2.0 Ranger Green Cover to match it to my BDU and to give it some texture - I'm not a fan of smooth, shiny helmets (that innuendo). To help offset the weight of my Night-Vision, I have the EXFIL Counterweight Kit in Black, of which I'm currently using 3 of the weights included in the kit.
To accessorise the cover, I have a Mantra Strobe which has a red light function and an IR light function - this is super helpful during night ops - using the red light to signify being a dead player and using the IR to help teammates with NV know where I am. We love a patch or two so I've added the Afraid Of The Dark Gucci patch and an Afraid Of The Dark 'Gang Shit' patch.
To attach my NV to the helmet, I have a clone Wilcox G24 Mount and an FW-Solutions 3D Printed Articulating J-Arm. I also have a piece of bungee cord that is attached to my NV housing for safety, this is threaded through the vents in my helmet and attached to one of the rails to ensure that if the mount and arm break or fail for any reason, the unit won't come crashing to the ground.
As for the NV itself, I have an NVM14 Housing (which is a little smaller and lighter than the well-known PVS14) that has a Photonis BASIC WP tube installed. I chose WP over the traditional green as it is a little easier on my eyes when I wear it for extended periods.
To protect it during airsoft games I have a Butler Creek Scope Cap with a piece of perspex behind it.
To keep my eyes and teeth safe, I’m running the Wiley X Saber ADV Shooting Glasses (these aren’t pictured) and wearing the Bravo Mask from Lone Star Tactical. The Bravo Mask is a snood with a piece of square mesh inside.
For my plate carrier, I’m wearing something new that I recently acquired on one of my trips to the States: the Phantom Gear "Wraith" T3 in Desert Night Camo from Evike.com. This affordable plate carrier is made from 500D Cordura Nylon fabric making it durable, water-resistant and lightweight. It has an elastic cummerbund with built-in pouches for magazines, radios or other accessories and a removable front flap can be replaced with a placard or buckle chest rig. It has interior air mesh padding so it’s really comfortable to wear for extended periods. At the moment, I still have the foam plates that are included with it in, as they are comfy to wear but you do have the option of adding weighted plates. It has a front upper pocket too.
I have accessorised my Wraith T3 with the fully modular Emerson Gear Micro MK3 Chest Rig. This rig comes with Skeleton Harness and fully adjustable straps which are designed to distribute the weight evenly on your upper back so it is a really comfy rig to wear as a standalone chest rig but I LOVE the way it looks as an add-on to the plate carrier.
The rig comes with two side pouches for radios etc, however, I don’t really use them as I have a dedicated pouch on my belt so they aren’t featured on this loadout. The main compartment of the rig has two sections and both come with stiff/elasticated inserts for three magazines; for a total of 6 regular size magazines, or 3 large ones if you remove one of the sections. The lower Utility Pouch has two large magazine inserts which would be suitable for .308 / 7.62 mags and also features a front zipped compartment for loose items.
Next up is my belt set-up for this loadout. The base of my belt set-up is the Rigger's Belt from Deadly Customs! It is made from MILSPEC webbing and features a dual-layer construction for strength and durability. At the front of the belt, there is a genuine 45mm AustriaAlpin Cobra Buckle that has a built-in D-Ring which you can use to attach a load of items. The inside of the belt is lined with an extra-strong hook Velcro to attach it to the inner belt. The inner goes through your trouser loops just like a normal belt and has an extra ridged construction so that when the two are paired together it creates a solid platform that airsofters and kit enthusiasts can rely on. The inner belt has been designed intentionally with loop Velcro so it can be worn alone and won’t damage clothes or car seats. On the buckle, the DC logo has been laser etched which is a great touch.
Now as we've discussed the base of the build, let's chat about what I've fleshed out the build with: I have 2 Deadly Customs Glock Shooters Style Magazine Holsters, a Deadly Customs M4 5.56 Shooters Style Magazine Holster, a Baofeng UV5R Radio Kydex Holster, a Deadly Customs 40mm Grenade / Moscart Holster Green and the Signature Glock Kydex DC1 Series Holster wrapped in M81 Cordura fabric! You can check out my in-depth blog post for my M81 rigger’s belt here.