Royal Robbins 5.11 Tacvest Range Report

[HKguy9]

Shot a 3-gun match with my 5.11 Tactical Vest.

The vest has a bellowed pocket on the left side with 3 magazine loops, and two pockets on the right side that can fit either an M14 20 rounder or up to 20 shotshells.

Good:
1. PISTOL/RIFLE: Because it rained and the ground was muddy as heck, I used the left side bellows pocket for a magazine dump pouch so I don't get mud caked in my mags. VERY nice.

2. SHOTGUN: I used the magpouches on the right side for stuffing 16 shotshells in there. You can put up to 20, but they get really close to the top, and the top shells may spill out. I can grab 4 shells at a time easily out there, but only load 3 at a time because my hands are too small to hold onto 3 and load the 4th.
Everyone else at the match used Choate shellshuckers. I only used them once, and my waist is too small to hold enough shells for longer COFs. I load right handed so may run into trouble when I gotta grab shells on the Choates on the left side. The RR vest, I have 32 shells good to go on the rightside. Retention is not a problem at all as gravity brings the velcro closures back down. Disclaimer, guys with bigger paws may not be able to use this to as well as ladies and guys w/ smaller fists.

Bad:
1. PISTOL: I tried using the loops as magpouches in the left side, but thought they were too slow.

2. Having trouble deploying my Waved Commander without poking my vest. Not that I needed it at the match, but just thought I should point it out.

3. Weight distribution. Even with 3 fully loaded magazines on the left side, the right was really weighed down because of the 32 shotshells or 40 rounds of .308. Zipping the vest up may help, but would rule out the use of carrying concealed (the whole point of the vest) and you would have to use the left pocket as a magpouch instead of concealed carriers. Using the button was a decent compromise until I think of something to throw on the left side as a ballast (first aid kit, a folder, multitool, chemlights, camera, etc.?) I will experiment with using a thigh rig and attaching magpouches to the thigh rig loops and see if that works better than using the left side.

Changes I'd like to see made to the vest:

1. TOO LONG. RR advertises as Unisex, but the smallest size they have is medium. I want a small. I NEED a small. The vest is way too long on me, and interfered with my tactical black ninja thigh holster.

2. A Camelbak bladder in the back. Lots of unused space back there. There are two pockets in the back already for water bottles, but an option for tossing a Camelbak in there would be nice.

3. Stronger buttons for the belt loop attachments in the inside of the vest. There are loops that I think are designed to be belt keepers on the inside. They are also at 3 and 9 o clock position which may interfere with a holster.

4. Right breast pocket is too shallow to be of any use and long gun stocks can snag onto the opening. I would like it to have a zippered closure in the future.

Conclusion:
VERY nice for the price. Ran me $40 or so. Holds enough stuff to get through most COFs without looking too tactical. Even with its shortcomings, the BEST way of feeding shotshells I have used so far. Will shoot another 3-gun in a month and will report on any further findings. I recommend getting one and seeing if it works for you, it's not a huge investment, but pays off well if you shoot lots of shotgun. Using the vest to feed shotshells was worth the price alone, and that it held 2 .308 magazines (or a .308 mag and 16 shotshells) makes it even better.