Okay, everyone, sorry this is so long in coming, work has been crazy.
We’ve been through a series of micro chest rigs, starting with the Spiritus, RDR Gear, and Haley Strategic. One question I’ve gotten with each kit is: “Does this work with AK mags?” Realistically, while the RDR and Haley can probably be made to work, they really weren’t designed for AK mags. But now, there is an option – the Beez Combat Systems APTUM Micro X AK.
Now, if you look on Beez’s site, you’ll see the Micro X AK and the Micro X AR. Don’t get hung up on the name, the actual placard is the same. The only difference is the insert. For the AK, it holds 3 mags. For the AR, it holds 3 mags and a tourniquet. Currently, they don’t sell the inserts separately, but they do have plans for the future once demand drops to a manageable level.
Positives
The placard is sewn from a combination of nylon and laminate material for weight savings and durability, and follows the RDR pattern of open back pouch with two separated front pouches. The rear pouch has plenty of room to accept 3 AK KYWIs in the 8492 adapter, so that should please the AK crowd. The harness has a little more capability than the H-harnesses from other manufacturers due to its extra laser-cut MOLLE columns. Granted, it’s not a huge deal if you’re just planning on running it on a carrier, but if you plan on running it as a chest rig, it’s a nice to have.
One especially interesting feature is that the attachment points on each side can accept both the standard female ITW side release buckles and the First Spear Tubes replacement buckles, giving you more options for integration with your kit. The interior of the front pouches has loop on front and back, including with the lids installed, which is an improvement over the RDR sample I have.
Negatives
On initial review, I haven’t found any major negatives that jump out at me. I can say that because of the greater width of the placard, you may find that it extends past the sides of the your plate carrier if you wear a small. The pictures here were taken on an ESAPI medium carrier and, as you can see, it fits perfectly. Even if it does extend slightly, it shouldn’t be a big issue functionally, but it’s probably worth checking on initial setup just to make sure it doesn’t interfere with side pouches that you may wear.
Conclusion
Overall, I’m glad to see another entry into the chest rig market, especially one designed specifically for the AK crowd. As much as I like to rag on them, the AK crowd is a growing segment of the shooting community, and I like to see purpose made gear for them that isn’t just surplus foreign junk. This rig seems like it will fit that niche admirably.
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