I haven't tested the chest rig out on the field, but I will hopefully soon do so at an upcoming airsoft event.
Build Constructions
This is a high quality built than other chest rigs, but suffers in weight due to the material used to make this. HSGI uses 1000 Denier Cordura for the base layer and webbing on the rig. There are heavy duty LenZip zippers. Most of the plastic parts (buckles, triglide, etc) feel like the ITW Nexus products.
They are all strong material that can (or will) last continuous and heavy usage in the war zones without fail.
Features
The rig has six main pouches on the front. Four magazine pouches and two utility pouches. You can fit three AR15 magazines (or two AK47/74 magazines) in each pouch. I believe you can also fit two M14, FAL G36 and G3 magazines in each pouch. Each magazine will be staggered; in case of an AR15, two magazines will be placed higher than the other magazine (as you can see in the pictures).
The magazine pouch is velcro and buckle closure. There are also hook velcro sleeves inside the pouch, so you can slip that on the loop cover for a more silent opening. On my model, the previous owner cut the velcro off. There are PALS webbing on the outside of the first and fourth pouches so you can fit on small pouches for pistol magazines, GPS, flashlights, and etc.
The two utility pouches can fit almost any small or medium. It is only a buckle closure on these pouches. I can fit a 1 quart USGI Canteen inside each utility pouch. There are PALS webbing covered on the pouch so you can attach more pouches.
Each pouch also has a shock cord so you can tighten up your items. There is a long strip of loop velcro for identification pouches above the pouches.
There is an office space underneath the magazines pouches. You can access this space by unbuckling the middle buckle and unzipping the cover. There is a long piece of 550 cord that acts like a suspension for the office. You can probably hold a small notebook or netbook and work.
The office space has small pouches and elastic webbing that can house more small utility items such as pens, small GPS, flashlights, and etc. There is also a large plastic cover on the bottom of the office space to house documents especially maps.
You can reverse the platform so you can have the map cover on the chest and pens on the bottom, but i have it in the ideal location so my team leader and my teammates can look at the map in a huddle.
The shoulder straps are standard X-Harness with velcro underneath so you can attach the HSGI shoulder pads for more comfort when you don't have body armor carrier. HSGI just released a quick releasable H-Harness that can fit on this without modifications. The waist strap is adjustable to fit large people like me.
This is the mutlicam version but unlike most multicam plate carriers and chest rigs, this warlord is not all mutlicam. The base layer is Multicam but PALS webbings and straps are all khaki. The borders of the pouches are also khaki/coyote flavored.
Conclusion
This is a HEAVY duty chest rig. You can run around with in a warzone without having it fail on you or rip like the lower quality rigs. I emphasize heavy as it is heavy without and load. With the magazines and utility items, this will be a hog on your chest.
You can hold 12 AR15 magazines on this rig. You can fit more inside the utility pouches or attach magazine pouches to hold more.
I love how there is the office space so when my team plans our next move, I'll, or someone else using this rig, all the vital items at a quick accessible reach. Everyone on my squad can view the plan making without weird body positions or blocking each other.
This is a costly item (you can find them at above $200 new) but with all the pouches and items it can house and high quality material, it is worth buying this. It is an awesome item for large local or national airsoft or paintball event (not to mention real world police and military item) where orders are given rapidly and quick tactical planning is needed. If you can find these cheap on eBay or on the forums, buy one fast!
Accessories to buy
There are a couple of accessories that you can buy to fit onto this rig.
The first is a Hydration bladder carrier. You can fit a 2 or 3 Litre bladder inside this. The attachment are buckles that at on the shoulder straps and the waist straps. There are PALS webbing on the outside so you can fit on more pouches.
Photo Credit to HSGI.
Like I said before on the review, you can buy the quick release H-Harness and attach it onto the Warlord. It's a simple and quick fix to the X-Harness, which to some consider uncomfortable.
Photo Credit to HSGI.
Photo Credit to HSGI.
Photo Credit to HSGI.There are also the Wa/Wee/Woosatch shoulder pads. These are cheap and very comfortable shoulder pads to have when you are not wearing body armor. It is a simple attachment that sticks to the loop velcro on the shoulder straps. The pads have a thick rubbery bottom to give the comfort when you have a heavy load.
There several rows of PALS webbing on the rear of the chest rig. This is for the HSGI Hercules Plate Carrier Adapter. The rig can be attachment to the adapter and be used as a complete plate carrier. There are PALS webbing on the rear of the plate carrier so you can attach hydro carriers and other pouches.
Photo Credit to HSGI.
There several rows of PALS webbing on the rear of the chest rig. This is for the HSGI Hercules Plate Carrier Adapter. The rig can be attachment to the adapter and be used as a complete plate carrier. There are PALS webbing on the rear of the plate carrier so you can attach hydro carriers and other pouches.
Photo Credit to HSGI.
Finally there are an assortment of small pouches that houses all sorts of grenade such as smokes, frags, flashbangs, and 40mms. There are pistol pouches to fit pistol mags and flashlights. HSGI makes many that attaches with the MALICE (or similar) clips. Go visit their website or retailers to see their pouch inventories.
