SITE TO STREET

VIPER COVERT SHOULDER BAG

IN HIS CONTINUING SERIES ABOUT ITEMS THAT HAVE MOVED FROM THE SITE TO THE STREET, FRENCHIE TAKES A CLOSER LOOK AT VIPER’S COVERT SHOULDER BAG.

I’m not entirely sure what is particularly “covert” about this - but it is definitely a shoulder bag! It’s possibly a marketing term for something that frankly isn’t actually “tactical”; that would be appropriate in this case. It’s hard to see this on the skirmish field; I’ll come back to that later.

In the US of A, this would undoubtedly have a pocket specifically for concealed carry, because they do things like that over there. In the somewhat more staid UK though, such additions would be mere affectation or at best, just another pocket.

With exquisite timing I also requested a sample from Viper of a product which is now discontinued. That said, it is still widely available at the time of writing and will probably remain so for a while. So, what do we actually have here?

FEATURES

• Main compartment with 2 x internal nylon sleeves • Front admin compartment comes with admin pockets for pens, documents and accessories • Adjustable shoulder strap • Front zipped pocket • Covert zipped pocket on rear • 2 x side sleeve pockets • Viper ring pull zippers throughout • Rubber logo patch • Dimensions: 38 X 28 X 20cm

Construction is basic throughout - single stitching and what appear to be waterproof zips, however, the material looks like cotton, so I’m unsure just how waterproof they are. So far I have had no issues with rain ingress but I have avoided the worst of the downpours. May have to chuck it in the shower in order to properly test that… Hmmm…

Since that was too attractive a proposition to pass up, I emptied the bag, stuffed a towel in the main compartment and ran it under the shower for one minute. That’s quite a lot of water and, as expected, I think we have to file this as “showerproof”. It didn’t flood - quite - but it did get pretty moist. Those zips look likely to be the culprits, so bear this in mind if you pick one up. It’s now in the airing cupboard drying out again!

The shoulder strap is 2” black nylon and is stitched into the bag at either end. Adjustment is via a single black nylon buckle. There is no shoulder pad, so no need for me to chop it off and throw it away. That also means there is no quick release but I don’t think this bag justifies the addition of one.

As ever with Viper, it’s available in several colours; coyote, titanium (grey) and olive green. All have contrasting straps and zips - the coyotes and titanium are black, the olive has coyote-coloured accessories.

Those are the raw specs but this is a bag of many facets and over the past month I have been pushing it as far as I was comfortable as an everyday carry (EDC) bag.

It’s a simple bag, despite its appearance. It’s not a

“IT’S ONE OF THOSE BAGS THAT MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR ME TO CONTEMPLATE THE FURTHER TESTS AND REVIEWS I HAVE LINED UP, WHICH WILL REQUIRE USING A DIFFERENT BAG. NO MATTER HOW GOOD THEY ARE IN THEIR OWN WAY, THEY ARE UNLIKELY TO BE AS COMPETENT AN ALL-ROUNDER AS THIS ONE.”

well organised bag, or rather, it isn’t a bag that leans heavily towards internal organisation, regardless of the advertising. Yes, there are a couple of pen slots inside the front pocket, yes there are card slots and a D-ring to clip keys to, but really that’s where it starts and ends. The main compartment has sleeve pockets each side, secured with hook and loop fastenings. There are two open pockets either end of the bag, neither of which are large enough to hold a water bottle for instance. Front and back there are simple zipped pockets. All the zips have Viper pullers instead of traditional zip tabs and all work really well. This is important if you are trying to access a pocket one-handed and more so when the bag involved isn’t particularly rigid. This means that it is exceptionally well-suited to just stuffing things into it, without worrying too much about where they’re going. Personally, I like this.

The material (I’m guessing around 900 dernier) isn’t restrictive - to call the bag “shapeless” seems like an insult but actually it means that it will accommodate pretty much anything within reason, especially that main compartment.

I’ve mentioned my new pup in previous articles - he even assisted with some of the testing, but these days it’s all about walking him – lots! The bag has proved to be a bit of a godsend - treats, poo bags, leads, balls, cameras (usually two) my ball cap, earphones, notepad, pens, keys, gloves, sunglasses and more all disappear into this without any hesitation. It’s one of those bags that makes it difficult for me to contemplate the further tests and reviews I have lined up, which will require using a different bag. No matter how good they are in their own way, they are unlikely to be as competent an all-rounder as this one.

Tactically it’s a bit of a non-starter, unless you want a modern-day equivalent of the WWII US musette bag -something to carry a load of sundries. The shoulder strap has plenty of length to it but it will move around as you’re wearing it and, while that is really handy for me when I’m out and about daily, it could be a right royal pain in the ass on a skirmish field. It would be a great bag for carrying your lunch and consumables to and from the site but I cannot in all honesty recommend it for in-game use, despite the fact that it would probably hold more ammo, more pyro and more magazines than any reasonable player might need for a game. I doubt Viper ever intended it for that kind of role to be fair.

On the street it excels. Comfortably capable of being worn either on the left or right, it is super functional. As mentioned above, I’m happy to use it to lug various cameras - it lacks padding so I wouldn’t expect it to protect from knocks but it does a reasonable job of keeping the weather out. It’s a good casual shopper unless you’ve already filled it; it will easily swallow tablets phones and other gadgets we all regard as essential to daily life these days, indeed, I’m getting a little tired of the assumption by some in my household that I will always have space to carry what they don’t want to..!

On the skirmish field - a bit of a non-starter - otherwise a fantastic EDC bag if you don’t subscribe to the minimalist school of thought. Since Viper has discontinued this, you can find it for as little as £15.00 and that’s a bargain for this level of versatility. Recommended retail is around £25.00 and while it’s no less of a bag at that price, why pay more if you don’t have to. My thanks to Thatchreed for making this available to test and review, it is a pleasure to use. AA

SHOP ‘TIL YOU DROP!!

BY THE TIME THAT YOU READ THIS, SOME LUCKY PLAYERS MAY WELL HAVE GOT THEIR FIRST “POSTLOCKDOWN-AIRSOFT-FIX” IN! SO ONCE AGAIN THE AA CREW HAVE TAKEN NOTE OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE CAUGHT THEIR EYES IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS!

It is an exciting time and from what we genuinely hear from our friends in the retail side of the industry, there’s an awful lot of players out there - players both seasoned and absolutely new-to-airsoft - that are champing at the bit!

Stores are reporting that there is some serious pre-game buying going on! In some countries the lockdown is most definitely lifting and with sites reopening players are scrambling to get their kit and consumables together, whilst newcomers who have been lured to our game after watching videos online and doing their research whilst stuck at home are contacting retailers to find out exactly what they need! This is encouraging for the longevity of airsoft itself, as we always need “new blood”, so what’s new and shiny for those just getting into things and what’s looking good for all of us?

ARCTURUS

First up are some new AEGs to bring to your attention, in the shape of a new series of AEGs from Arcturus! Arcturus has already impressed us with their reliability, accuracy and the durability of their replicas and with these new models the main elements such as receivers, rail, gas block, outer barrel, ambicharging handle and receiver extension are made from high-quality, yet light, alloys. Smaller parts, including the flash hider, ambi magazine catch, ambi bolt catch, assist assembly, extension nut, pins and ambi-end sling mount, are made of steel. Across the new series, which includes the SABER, SWORD, KARAMBIT and DWARF, as usual the AEGs are well put together and everything is protected as new against corrosion.

The reinforced gearbox with proven internal parts features a quick spring change system, bearing spring guide, bearing piston head, full steel-toothed polycarbonate piston, steel gears mounted on 8mm steel bushing (so they’ll be able to take some abuse) and the motor gear is mounted on ball bearings to ensure it can rotate freely at high speeds. In addition, the gearbox is equipped with a microswitch trigger, which, in combination with low-resistance wiring, works great with Li-Po batteries. The use of an electric trigger eliminates the problem of burnt-out contacts and improves the response to the trigger. The replica also features a sealed teflon nozzle that works with a metal rotary hop-up chamber and with a precision 6.03mm hardened steel barrel. Available now from www.taiwangun.com, these are well –priced AEGs that appear to benefit for all the right things and we’re looking forward to getting “hands-on” soon!

CYMA

Sticking with TAIWANGUN, they’ve advised us that they are awaiting a restock of the CYMA “tacticool” MP5s that we mentioned last time, with an addition in the shape of the CM.041L which is “5K-style” and fully complements the other models in this range.

The CM.041L is from CYMA’s new PLATINIUM

series and the metal body with the barrel assembly and the nylon pistol grip imitate the material used for the production of the real SMGs. The compact design with the telescopic adjustable stock makes it easier to move around in cramped rooms, so ideal for CQB environments, and an ambi selector lever allows ease of operation for both right and left-handed players. The AEG in the new E-EDITION & HIGH-SPEED configuration has a velocity of around 300fps we’re told and, in combination with a LiPo battery, a ROF around 25rps and a faster trigger response.

WE AIRSOFT

Moving on to handguns, there’s a new WE model that has landed in the shape of the new GALAXY! If you already own a WE G-Series pistol and like it but fancy something completely different, then the WE GALAXY G SERIES is quite stunning… these fabulous-looking pistols are certainly different!

Based on a WE G-Series lower frame, the all-new slide looks akin to the “MARK IV 22/45 LITE” from Ruger to us, and as that’s already a model that we love, we believe this is going to be popular with a LOT of airsoft shooters out there, especially the “comp shooting” fraternity!

Available in Gold, Purple, Blue,Silver, and good old “tacticool black” there’s already one in hands for testing, and they should be with your local WE Airsoft stockist soon!

VORSK

On the way in is the latest offering from VORSK - and one that we’re quietly excited about - is the CUSTOM SHOP “VENGEANCE” HI CAPA! The VENGEANCE is VORSK’s first Hi-Capa variant to come through their “Custom Shop” range and what a Hi-Capa it is! Based on a popular race-platform sidearm, VORSK have furthered this design by introducing a floating BDS option. Add to this a distinct range of colours including a Metallic Red and a Dark Earth/ Tan variant and the CS VENGEANCE is another desirable sidearm from VORSK.

When compared to VORKS’s standard 5.1 HiCapas, the CS VENGEANCE features a new adjustable rear iron-sight, an extended magazine base plate and the inclusion of that floating BDS option. The slide markings are a new pattern with some forward cut-outs revealing the fluted outer barrel within. A common feature of our Hi-Capas is the inclusion of a Flash-Hider, that expertly covers a 12 mm (CW) to 14 mm (CCW) thread adaptor, making VORSK Hi-Capas “attachment ready”, especially with some 20 mm real-estate on the under barrel. We’ve already booked one of these stunning new pistols for T&E and we’ll be reporting back in full as soon as we can get it on the range.

KYDEX CUSTOMS

With Hi Capas in mind, holsters are a very personal thing and a number of the AA crew in the UK swear by those created by our old mate Taig at Kydex Customs! We’re therefore pleased to see that he’s been doing some “design skunkwork” and although the existing Hi Capa holster model is one that we’ve very much tried and tested, we’re very pleased to see the new PRO SERIES version! We spoke to Taig to ask him about the new versions and he told us:

“There are some big differences between the Basic and Pro Series Hi Capa Holsters. There’s two points of Adjustable Retention, as opposed to the single one on the basic, which allows for more fine tuning and custom, very personalised levels of retention able to be applied. There’s better definition which leads to better fitment in the Pro Series RMR Cut to accommodate larger models of red dot sight, along with greater accommodation for extended magazine and slide releases. Slight changes to the mounting system on the back give the new holsters an even lower profile and can be attached to more makes/ models of mounts. The moulds have been made inhouse from the ground up, by us. So, they’re literally the best holster we can bring to the market and they’re made entirely in the UK.”

The new Pro Series Hi Capa Holsters are designed to work with all standard makes and models of Airsoft Hi Capa on the market and we can already tell you that they work superbly with a single-stack 1911 too. We’ve had one of the new models to test out and our overview is that it does indeed move things along in a very positive direction. The new holster sits even closer on the belt or platform, meaning that your draw is even more stable than before. The new retention system is quick and simple to adjust, meaning that you can go from range to field easily (we like a little more retention when in “full rattle” mode!).

The profile is indeed very refined and shows huge attention to detail. We’ve tried it with a number of different “1911” styles, both classic and Hi Capa and it works perfectly with all models. These holsters are made from genuine 2mm (.08”) P1 Kydex, and different mounting options are available on the Kydex Customs website, so you can tailor it to your personal carry style. You can even have them wrapped in either 1000D or 500D Cordura Fabric, in different colours or camo patterns, to match your gucci loadout for a few bucks more if you really want!

We’ve been lucky enough to know Taig since he first started making kydex gear and we know that every single item in the Kydex Customs line has been thoroughly tested and is made with care and attention to detail in the smallest of things. The new Pro Series Hi Capa Holsters are a welcome addition to an already solid range, and we look forward to seeing what comes next!

HELIKON-TEX

Moving onto gear, in the last issue of Airsoft Action we looked back on all things “Tigerstripe” and at the new direction taken by Helikon-Tex with this venerable yet utterly effective camo pattern! We said in the article that we hoped Helikon-Tex would do more with the pattern and it looks like our comments have been heeded, as they’ve just announced the ROGUE HOODIE that will be available in both Multicam Black/ Black and Tigerstripe/Black - and it looks absolutely righteous in both patterns!

The ROGUE HOODIE (Full Zip) is a tactical urban hoodie made for “military style” fans. The combination of a loose cut and ten pockets makes it easy to carry all the elements of your EDC gear in it. The main pockets have additional organizers that will allow you to properly arrange the equipment and protect it against loss. YKK® zipped chest and shoulder pockets allow for quick and direct access to documents or a small, flat wallet. The use of a tear-resistant 50% Cotton/50% Nylon rip-stop fabric additionally strengthens the panels on the hoodie, whilst the additional polyester fabrics will ensure give and comfort in all the right places! The elasticated cuffs and the cord-adjustable hood provide temperature comfort on cold days too. We are liking this A LOT, and again, we hope that this is just the next garment to appear in a growing range for the future!

MIL-TEC

Keeping to that “in country” vibe, rounding out for this month there’s a few of us interested in “Namsoft” that are gearing up to hopefully get out again this summer for another “Tour of Duty” and we’re pleased to see that our friends at www.military1st.co.uk have got some great boots in at a sensible price to really finish off any good “grunt” loadout! The US JUNGLE COMBAT BOOTS OLIVE from Mil-Tec have exactly the right look, and at UK£58.95 are well-priced compared to some of the “re-enactor” standard copies out there! Okay, they are not exact in their replication of the famed “Nam boot” but they are certainly close enough to pass muster by all but the most vicious of “stitch counters”.

The Mil-Tec Jungle Boots have the “Panama” sole that was adopted by U.S. Army during the Vietnam War and they’re a must-have for anyone that wants to complete their loadout! The upper is made of cotton canvas with leather for the toe and heel and there are nylon reinforcements for the neck of the boot. Like the real deal, when they get wet, the water runs out of the side vents (allowing the feet to breathe and preventing foot rot!), so don’t for a moment think these are going to work in the winter months! Bill has been breaking a pair of these in in recent months (while wearing waterproof socks!) and reports that you’ll need to get a few miles under them before they’re completely good to go, so if you’re planning some “SEAL Action” like us, then get them now - and be ready for action!

Once again, that’s it for this time, so as usual, keep safe, stay frosty, and get ready to hit the field; we hope to see some of you out there soon! AA