11 minute read
KIT & GEAR: GUNFIRE GEAR
GUNFIRE... MORE THAN JUST GUNS!
WHEN IT COMES TO FINDING GOOD AIRSOFT CLOTHING AND GEAR AT SENSIBLE PRICES THAT ARE ACHIEVABLE FOR ALL AIRSOFTERS, OUR MAN JON IS 100% “ON A MISSION”! THIS TIME HE LOOKS AT SOME WELL-PRICED CLOTHING OFFERED BY OUR FRIENDS AT GUNFIRE, MADE SPECIFICALLY FOR AIRSOFTERS.
I’ve said it before - and I’ll say it again - I’m a bit of a “gear whore”! Not for any bragging rights or anything like that, I just find that items designed to be taken into harsh and hostile environments fit, feel and work better. Stands to reason really, but the only issue with that is they’re not wallet friendly. They’re a depreciating investment (at least in monetary value).
Recently I looked over a Viper Tactical VX Buckle Up Carrier and I was super impressed with how far the airsoft-specific market has come versus real world gear. I compared it to my £500 Warrior Assault Systems rig and, at around £170 all in, the VX carrier is an absolute steal and I will definitely be running it out on the field.
With this in my head, I’ve been looking at airsoftspecific clothing too; my preferred manufacturer of BDU is UF PRO. In my opinion they’re hands down number one for fit, finish, durability, comfort, utility, material quality and technology; whilst not the least expensive suppliers, they’re also not the most expensive. My BDUs, of which I have three sets, average out at £250 a set, Crye Precision would be double that easily and that’s WAY too much for many airsofters. So, what else is there?
PRIMAL GEAR
PRIMAL GEAR G4 UNIFORM SET
Continuing my quest of “Has Airsoft specific gear caught up with the operational kit?” I decided it was time to tear down the Primal Gear G4 BDU, priced at UK£73.98.
That’s not bad money for trousers and a top.
Primal Gear is a brand held by well-known airsoft retailer Gunfire, and I was pleased to receive their
G4 Uniform consisting of Combat Shirt and Trousers. On opening the package I was pleasantly surprised with the look and feel of the items. I threw them on for a quick fitment check. The trousers were too large around the waist (despite checking my measurements against the chart) and the shirt felt tight around the torso (I guess Lockdown has had more impact than I’d like to admit!) and baggy around the arms. Never mind I thought, and swiftly packed them away and put them on the “to review” pile.
The Primal Gear G4 comes, as previously mentioned, as a set. It arrived in a large “ziplock” style bag; with the Primal Gear logo printed on one side and a clear side the other. It’s quite neat packaging. The set comes with knee and elbow pads. The knee pads are a clone of the Crye Precision Airflex but with an embossed hexagonal pattern hard shell. The elbow pads are in the same style but without the hard shell.
Starting with the shirt, I ordered “Large” using the sizing chart provided in the Gunfire.pl website. It’s a 65/35% Polycotton RipStop blend, so it should be fairly durable. It has an 8” low profile YKK Zipper at the neck, so easy on and off. In my previous experiences, other “entry level” kits have used inferior zippers that break; this shouldn’t be the case for the YKK. It also has a nice, deep collar that tapers down at the front which is perfect for comfort and fit. Again, historically I’ve observed that other brands don’t do this, so that’s another “tick” for Primal Gear.
The sleeves are made of the durable Polycotton Rip-Stop material, which is what you want when you’re breaching doors or crawling through the undergrowth. They have a large utility pocket on each arm. I do mean large, I can get my manly hands in them and spread my fingers. Perfect for storing maps and such, again they’re fitted with a low profile YKK zipper and there is a 4” x 5” hook and loop panel for displaying ID/morale patches. Moving down the sleeves to the cuffs, there is a 5 ½” x 1” hook and loop strip that allows you to tighten the cuffs as you see fit within that range. I have teeny, tiny wrists so I have them as tight as they can be with my gloves. Internally, there is a soft, open mouthed pouch that you would insert the elbow pads into; strangely though, they were sewn closed, thus rendering them useless. Personally, I don’t like elbow pads. I tend to roll up my sleeves anyway and stitch them closed as I find it less restrictive when transitioning between primary and side arm, but that’s entirely a personal choice. The torso is a soft cotton material that has some stretch thankfully (see previous comment about lockdown belly!) and will help to wick away sweat, keeping you cool. The shirt is good looking and comfortable to wear. I’ve been wandering around in it for a few days now and it is comfy.
Onto the trousers…
A nice heavy duty YKK Zipper at the flies and instead of a button, the
trousers are fitted with a large 3” x 2” hook and loop fastener that allows you to adjust quite a bit; handy, because for some obscure reason, my 33” waist is too small (Hooray! I finally get to say it!) for the larger size. The inner waistband has a soft fleece/microfiber material that is 2 ½” deep, which is a great feature as it stops the rubbing that you get from other brands. Top work!
The left leg has five pockets. One full size hip pocket which is RipStop backed and mesh fronted. One YKK zipped thigh pocket (wallet size) which is made up entirely of mesh. One hook and loop large cargo pocket, again mesh. Inside there are three elasticated loops for securing items. Above this pocket are two 2 ½” x ½” loops for hanging things from. Protruding from this pocket is the toggle to adjust the knee pad height. One YKK zipped calf pocket which is entirely RipStop. One hook and loop closure, buttock pocket which is RipStop backed and mesh fronted. It’s the same on the right but with the addition of a ¼ size pocket to store your pocket watch. (Yes, really, that’s what they’re for).
At the knee are the holes for the knee pads, and it took a good ten minutes of wrestling to get both pads in, although Bill told me that his CRYE pads fitted a lot more easily in the set he had to test. I’ve fitted dozens of knee pads to trousers, dozens, and these proved one of the hardest to fit! Once they’re in though, they aren’t coming out easily which is good for “in the field”, but I can see them going through the washing machine in a lot of cases and eventually breaking down. I found that because of the unforgiving fit of the pads, the EVA backing rubbed against the area around the knees which was uncomfortable after a while. Like the sleeves, the trouser cuff has a 5 ½” x 1” hook and loop system for resizing around your boots or ankle. The cut of them is comfortable (without the knee pads) and the pockets seem to be in the right places for ease of access with gloved hands. As I’ve mentioned, they’re 65/35% Polycotton RipStop, so they should be durable enough for us weekend warriors.
For UK£75 they’re an okay set; they’ll do you a turn, and you’ll look good... for a while. The real bone of contention for me is the build quality - on the trousers specifically. On the outside, things look okay-ish and exactly what I’d expect at this price point but inside there are those loose thread-ends apparent, the overlocked seam finish overshoots the seamlines leaving bunches hanging, not a deal-breaker, but “could be better” for sure. I might sound fussy here, but this is important. These stitches and threads hold your clothing together. It may just be that I have a poor finish “Friday Afternoon” set that slipped through QC at the factory - but I doubt it.
It’s a shame really, I wanted to love them, I really did. When I opened up the package I was impressed by the design and overall “look” but now I’ve actually gone over everything in detail, there’s a few lose ends (literally) that will need tidying up. We’ve fed this back to the team at Gunfire who have assured us that this will be investigated and rectified. Don’t get me wrong, the fabric is very good but the G4 trousers are let down by that stitching. Hopefully Primal Gear will get onto this and will rectify the issues (they’ve told us now since we reported our findings that they’re on the case!) as ultimately with a just a bit more attention to detail this uniform set could be a REAL bargain!
BLACK MOUNTAIN
BLACK MOUNTAIN TACTICAL CEDAR PANTS
As I’ve had some slightly negative comments about the G4 trousers, I feel it’s only fair to give full praise for a brand where I believe Gunfire have got it completely right! As I’ve continued to search for wallet friendly kit, I’ve stumbled upon an option that will make it into my “EDC” wardrobe, rather than just my “review sample” and gameday box.
Whilst not a new product, the Black Mountain Tactical Cedar Pants from our friends at Gunfire are definitely worth talking about with you! Available in Olive Green, Coyote, Grey and Black, the Cedar Pants are a fairly impressive bit of kit. Made of a RipStop material, these trousers offer an awful lot at a low price point.
Starting at the front there is a large hook and loop fastener on the front waistband which is supported by a YKK zipper fly. (Bonus points for YKK zippers, they’re arguably the best available). Large loops along the waistband allow for 2” shooters or rigger belts to fit snugly in place. At either side is an elasticated section for some manoeuvrability and a comfortable fit. Either side there are two large front pockets, with
reinforced faces that won’t wear through quickly should you clip multitools, torches or a knife to them. This is a nice touch. Above the left-hand pocket is a YKK zipper pocket that’s big enough (with some room to spare) for my Huawei P30 Pro Mobile Phone. Moving down the legs are two large Cargo Pockets. They are fastened with a “Canadian Button” instead of a zip or hook and loop which is hidden under a large, angled flap. I like this solution as it’s quiet and easily openable with gloved hands. Within these pockets is a separate magazine pocket which is easily large enough for an AK magazine. The pockets themselves will hold two STANAG Magazines with ease. At the knee there is an inverted hook and loop pocket for soft insert knee pads. I like this inverted style as it allows any water ingress to leave easily. Moving down the leg to the bottom is an elasticated cuff. Rather handy for keeping a snug fit but the bit that really impressed me was the addition of a toggle that’s designed to clip to your boot laces to stop the leg rising. I really like it. On the rear middle belt loop is a subtle Black Mountain logo that doesn’t stand out. There are two large buttock pockets with YKK zippers that run down and out. I like this because it gives them quick access. Additional bonus points are awarded to Black Mountain for the use of cordage on all the zippers so that gloved hands can use them easily. Overall, I really like these trousers. The build quality is good, although I’d advise that you go for one size up than you usually would. The stitching and materials used are of good quality and have a lightweight but solid feel about them, and I will be using the trousers when I’m out and about enjoying my countryside adventures, as well as on the airsoft field!
For more information on both Primal Gear and Black Mountain Tactical clothing, head over to www.gunfire.com
