SKD PIG BRIGANDINE SYSTEMA Plate Carrier and Chest Rig System

[Megalomaniac]

Background:

 

?SKD Tactical, initially started out as a gear retailer and in the past few years have branched out and started producing new and novel pieces of gear, they have done this under the PIG or "Patrol Incident Gear" brand, like everything else they do the PIG line is focused on quality and cost effectiveness.

 

A Brigandine refers to a type of medieval armour that consisted of a light vest or "Jack" interwoven with metal plates, as a lighter form of armour over a maille shirt to provide a level of protection without the weight of the heavier plate amrour of that day, and the PIG BRIG is just that a lighter alternative that can be worn stand alone, or as a level of hard protection over a soft armour vest.

 

Systema refers to the nick-name for a mysterious but effective Russian Martial arts system, a fluid system that changes somewhat with each trainer and practitioner, just as SKD's SYSTEMA system can be tailored to each individual user and fit in with different SOPs and mission requirements.

 

Sizing/Colour: 

 

The Brigandine base plate carrier is a front plate and then two options for rear plates either slick with no MOLLE just a smooth field of velcro, or MOLLE across and three (or four depending on the size) rows of velcro fronted MOLLE on the upper third. It comes in the following sizes

• ESAPI SMALL
• ESAPI MEDIUM
• ESAPI LARGE
• ESAPI X-LARGE
• TAP GAMMA
• VELOCITY 10X12

As a note the cummerbund is sized to the REAR plate. 

 

In terms of colour/pattern it comes in Black, Coyote, Ranger Green, and Multicam (No extra charge for Multi)

 

Features:

 

The most prominent feature of the BRIG is its chest rig integration, it fits any of the (Three at this time of writing) SKD PIG SYSTEMA Chest Rigs, Directly and seamlessly into then front panel. The chest rigs have two G-Hooks on short loops of webbing these hooks slide into one of three rows of slots cut into the front panel (the cuts are reinforced by a metric butt-load of stitching), these support the load, it then velcros on to the front panel by means of very strong velcro on the back of the rig, and once worn the cummerbund applies pressure inward on the rig keeping it solid.

 

On the inside of the front and back panels are velcro channels for fitting accesories.

 

One of the nicest feature is incredibly simple but makes the PC sit much better on your chest, the straps mount to the inside face of the panels approx 1cm below the edge of the plate, this makes the PC hug your chest instead of hang from your shoulders.

 

Accessories:

 

A lot.

 

For the Chest Rig there are currently three styles, Three Magazine, Four Magazine, and All MOLLE. The Magazine carrier based rigs incorporate ESSTAC KIWIs into the magazine pouches. These can integrate into the PC or can be run standalone with either of the two harness options, or with any of the four back pack choices.

 

For the PC, you have the option of adding sleeves to the cummerbund with three options, a simple MOLLE sleeve, a side plate sleeve, or a MOLLE+Side Plate Sleeve. Shoulder pads are an optional extra as well. You can also fit one of two options to the inner velcro channels either AFC pontoons for ventilation and comfort, or soft armour backers to help certain types of plates reach maximum protection.

 

My Impressions:

 

In the past I've used quite a few different plate carriers and chest rigs, 6094 clones, 6094 slick, JPC, FAPC, Weesatch, and none of them have been perfect, neither is the PIG, but it is the closest I've found to perfection. Its one of the few PCs that can be readily found to fit small plates which allows a hobbit sized operator to still shoulder a rifle without issue, the revised attachment point for the straps makes it very comfortable to wear, and the customization makes it perfectly tailor able to almost any game or event I take it to. Currently I have it kitted up for a John Lu style MOUT game, but I could easily up the size of the back panel to fit more sustainment gear for a longer op.

 

Pictures and Notes: