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If you follow my YouTube channel, you know I’m a big fan of the micro-sized chest rigs that are all the rage right now. There are quite a few companies making rigs, but currently, the Big 3 are Haley Strategic’s D3CRM, RDR Gear’s Mission Specific Platform, and Spiritus System’s Micro Fight. Each has their own peculiarities, so I wanted to do a side-by-side-by-side comparison so that you can make a more educated choice when you shop.
Bottom Line Up Front
Here’s a quick diagram that I’ll reference throughout this post:
Spiritus Systems Micro Fight
Of the three chest rigs, the Spiritus is the most modular. Featuring two large loop-lined pouches, it can hold up to 6 AR-15 magazines, or 3 magazines and a variety of smaller items. Spiritus sells a variety of flaps and inserts and there is also quite the cottage industry of accessories, including AXL and 8492 Nylon Works, among others. The base price is also the lowest of the three. It comes with the standard buckle layout, but no other accessories.
Unfortunately, the Spiritus is also the most expensive in the end. Because it doesn’t include any accessories (not even a harness), the overall cost gets expensive really fast. Assuming you were to set it up in its most basic form, here’s the cost you’re looking at:
RDR Gear Mission Specific Placard
The MSP is slightly less modular than the Spiritus, mostly due to the fact that the front features two separate loop-lined pouches instead of a single pouch. While this limits its modularity somewhat, it also makes carrying smaller items like flashlights, pistol magazines, a small camera, or small binoculars much simpler than the big pouch on the Spiritus. The rear pouch also closes completely with hook and loop, so it can be used as a map pouch or similar, even without any inserts.
The MSP is slightly larger than the Spiritus, so it can fit 3 larger magazines, such as AR-10 or AK-47 magazines.
Unlike the Spiritus, the MSP ships with several accessories, including flaps for the front pouches, a pistol insert, and a rifle insert of your choice. Many of the accessories for the Spiritus also fit in the MSP. However, it does not come with a harness or the side buckles to attach a harness, so that does add to the cost. To get the MSP up and running, you’re looking at the following approximate cost:
I chose the Whiskey Two Four harness and back strap because they are lightweight and will fit most of the micro rigs, plus they are relatively inexpensive. You can also pick up the female buckles from Whiskey Two Four.
Haley Strategic D3CRM
While the D3CRM is also less modular than the Spiritus, its base price includes a harness, and if you’re looking to carry pistol magazines or similarly sized equipment as a part of your loadout, it’s got you covered. Plus, like the MSP, its slightly larger size accommodates AR-10 and AK-47 magazines. The front zipper pouch works great for admin, medical, or other small items as is, and it can be customized with elastic inserts if needed.
You will need to purchase magazine inserts, but for the base price, the D3CRM delivers a lot. The harness that’s included with the rig is an X-harness, but you can upgrade to an H-harness if you so desire at extra cost. The H is my personal preference and I’ll probably be upgrading when they come back in stock. To get your D3CRM up and running, you’re looking at the following cost:
Conclusion
Any of these rigs will serve you well in the end, but each has their pros and cons that need to be weighed against your requirements and budget. Hopefully now you’ve got some of the information you need to make your decision. If you enjoyed, give us a follow and a share. Social media really limits our ability to advertise, and organic shares always have the biggest impact. If you think I missed something or have a question, drop a comment below. Alternatively, you can contact me via my Facebook page, Google Hangout, or email at guntoter.official (at) gmail.com. We also have a Patreon page where you can help offset some of the expenses that we incur buying gear to review.
Thanks for reading!
