Tiered Fighting Load for the Modern Minute Man, Part 2

Tiered Fighting Load for the Modern Minuteman, Part 2: Load Bearing Equipment

If you haven’t read part one in which I talk about the battle belt, go check that out.

The next component of our fighting load is some form of load bearing equipment. LBE can come in different forms depending on individual needs and budget. What I’m going to outline below is not a hard and fast rule, ultimately the end product is going to depend on the individual and what form of LBE he chooses.

In this post I am going to describe how my LBE is configured, as opposed to “talking” at you with “this is how it must be”. I think that kind of post insults the reader’s intelligence. So take it for what it’s worth and add or take away ideas as they fit within your own set-up.

My kit is based on the SDS/BAE Systems armor carrier, check out my review here. I find that this set-up gives me the most versatility, allowing me to choose how much armor I feel I need for a given scenario. You don’t have to use a plate carrier if you don’t want to, there are many different options for chest rigs out there. Or, if you are on a budget, you can go the milsurp route and pick up a fighting load carrier or the old school ALICE gear.

First and foremost, ammunition. The LBE is where the bulk of your ammunition is carried. Depending on who you ask, you’re going to get a different answer as to how much ammunition is “enough”. Having talked to many different guys who have come back from overseas, it seems that ammunition loads vary from as few as 3 magazines to as many as 15 magazines. The real answer is that there is no answer. If widespread conflict were to come to the United States, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to predict how much is “enough”. That said, it seems 4-6 magazines is a good balance. I carry six, but If you feel like dealing with the added weight, by all means carry more.

The next item doesn’t need much explanation; I keep a fixed-blade knife on my plate carrier at all times. Feel free to carry a folding knife in you pocket, but you should have a fixed-blade knife as well. Fixed-blade knives are more durable and lend themselves better to the role of a survival tool. I got one of those Bear Grylls Gerber knives for a Christmas gift and it hasn’t let me down over years of abuse. I did hit it with some OD spray paint because grey and bright orange aren’t the best colors to have when you are trying to dress like a tree.

I also carry a general purpose pouch on the side opposite of my sidearm, which happens to also be my rifle’s strong side. Being cross-dominant getting the ideal gear placement isn’t always possible, but I make sure to keep my sidearm clear of anything that would interfere with my draw stroke. In that pouch I keep items that I might need to get to quickly or use frequently. Some of the items in there include, a write in the rain pad with pencils, a headlamp with red and white light, clear lenses for my shooting glasses, navigation tools, and a very basic survival kit. Pro tip: always keep clear safety glasses with you. Go for a walk in the woods at night without them and you’ll see why.

My particular plate carrier has four AR magazine sized pockets built into the cummerbund portion and that is where I keep my radio. Between the GP pouch and the rifle magazines, there isn’t much real estate left on the carrier. I could put the radio in a pouch and mount it to the back side of that carrier, but that would be inconvenient if I need to adjust the radio’s volume or change channels.

Garmin Fenix GPS, local topo map and protractor

Water is as important as ammunition in my opinion, therefore, I have a 3 liter hydration bladder carried in the built-in compartment of the plate carrier. Here in the northeast, temperatures can range from 90ºF to -10ºF depending on the time of year. In my years of hiking, camping and training I’ve found that 3 liters will last me 24 to 72 hours. But with all of the variables that go into how much water I may consume on a given outing, I have a 1 quart canteen on my battle belt to refill the hydration bladder. Also, if I get caught in a bind, water purification tabs are in the GP pouch.

Last but not least, I keep a CAT tourniquet, in addition to the one in my trauma kit, secured to the right shoulder strap of the plate carrier. Obviously if you’re in an environment that requires plates and a rifle, you’re probably also in an environment where you might get shot. Having a tourniquet stored in this manner gives me the capability to rapidly deploy this life-saving item if the situation arises. It’s good to have more than one tourniquet one you because you have more than one limb!

That’s just about everything. It’s not perfect but so far it has worked out for me. In the future I plan on swapping out the magazine pouches for a Haley Strategic D3 chest rig that I would attach directly to the plate carrier with fastex buckles. This would further improve the versatility of the set-up because if I decide to not use plates, I can remove the D3 rig and use it as a stand alone chest rig without having to move items around between different kits. There are other chest rigs on the market that offer that capability.

Let me know what you think of my set-up or tell me about yours. Hopefully this helped those of you in the process of choosing your LBE. Comment below or join the discussion on our Facebook page.