It really started with Archangel a few years back, but the push for a better first line load bearing system has been gaining steam. Mystery Ranch jumps into the fray with their BASE system. The Body Armor Support Equipment is two components. The belt has a rear-mounted vertical strut that that slides up into the a sleeve that is attached to the PALS webbing on your body armor. It’s a simple system that transfers the weight of your armor to your hips.
But without a set up struts in the front, I wonder if the rig ends up only suspending half of your armor. The more I think about it, though, I think that shifting just half of the weight of your armor and chest rig will make a significant improvement in load bearing comfort. Look for more on the BASE from us next week when we see it in person at Modern Day Marine Expo 2011.
