Mayflower Research and Consulting, LLC has offered their Low-Profile Armor Carrier for some time but they are constantly improving the system. Additional options are regularly produced for specialized customer requirements. The most popular make it to full production. The system is modular and you can combine front and back panels with various cummerbunds to build the perfect vest for your application.
Additional information coming soon from www.Mayflower-rc.org. The complete system, including new cummerbund options is coming this Fall to your favorite military outfitters.
Velocity Systems was well represented at the recent TREXPO in Chantilly, Virginia. One of their most interesting new innovations is the SwiftClip attachment system which eliminates the need to wear yet another harness over your armor. Working with Mayflower to develop a way to more rapidly integrate chest rigs as well as other specialty items on to an armor vest or plate carrier, they wanted something system and adaptable to a wide variety of gear and was simple to use. They found it with the SwiftClip which is not only simple, but also provides a stable mounting solution.
The SwiftClip is designed to accept any chest rig or other item with an ITW 1″ male side release buckle. Both Velocity Systems and Mayflower products are Berry Compliant and available in a variety of colors and patterns including the US Army’s new OCP (MultiCam).
Call them what you will, E&E bags, bug out bags, or satchels, they are a long way from the salvaged Claymore bag you used back in the 80s. In fact, the modern E&E Bag was first developed for Diamondback Tactical by the founder of Mayflower Research & Consulting in 2003 based on his military experience. Over the past few years, the original design has been copied and modified by a slew of manufacturers, even morphing into the Courier Bag requirement for USSOCOM. The item is far from static and even Mayflower has improved on that first design.
The latest bag to hit the market is the Terrorist Interdiction Bag (TIB) from One Source Tactical’s Technical Services Division. It is the first bag of its kind designed to accommodate AK magazines. As you can see in the photo below, the retention tabs have been specially designed to secure the AK30 magazine from US PALM. Naturally, it will also carry other similar sized including M4 magazines.
A Mayflower Low-Profile Assaulter Armor Carrier was sighted outside the Arc’teryx hospitality room at SOFIC located in the Campbell Conference Room at the Embassy Suites. Looks pretty good together.
Troops in Afghanistan have begun to receive the new Soldier Plate Carrier System and many are beginning to realize its greatest shortcoming; the lack of a cummerbund. Interestingly, every other design assessed by PEO-Soldier during last year’s search for a plate carrier sported a cummerbund which helps support the weight of the vest as well as side plates when they are worn, provides additional space for modular equipment, and holds soft armor inserts. While the SPCS provides a minimalist option to our fighting forces, a more modular approach can easily be fielded with the addition of a removable cummerbund. There is no need to permanently modify the vest already in service or remove it even temporarily from service for additional sewing. Such a self-help mod improves the scalability of the system and affords the commander more options in adapting his troops’ protection level to the threat.
Based on such a requirement, enters Mayflower with the perfect solution. Their Cummerbund Adapter Kit converts any plate carrier with PALS webbing on front and back into a hard plate carrier with front flap. It features PALS webbing as well as elastic and accepts 6×6 or 6×8 plate pockets. What’s more, the cummerbund accommodates up to 48″ circumference. It is easily applied to any plate carrier lacking an integral cummerbund and requires no permanent alteration to the carrier. It is quickly attached and removed via PALS webbing.
For a better idea of how the adapter works, take a look at this in depth video.
Offered in a variety of colors including MultiCam and UCP, the Berry compliant Cummerbund Adapter Kit from Mayflower Research and Consulting is available from Grey Group Training.
There has been a lot of conjecture as to whether or not 500D Cordura is up to the task for use on individual equipment, particularly armor carriers. When I spoke with Mayflower Research and Consulting about this issue, they were able to provide me with these images of an Low-Profile Assault Armor Carrier, an early modded UW GEN I Chest Rig, and Assaulter Back Panel worn in Iraq for the past six months by an Assaulter. If that isn’t a rough environment, I don’t know what is. As you can see, the kit is stained with weapon oil but overall is none the worse for wear. The vest only came back for the addition of the new ITW Quick Attach Surface Mount buckles as well as new custom shoulder pads.
My opinion? You are going to get a you money’s worth out of kit manufactured from 500D. It might just be a bit less expensive than 1000D and will certainly be lighterweight. The purveyor of Mayflower once asked me if I had ever had any kit wear out before you replaced it for a newer design. I answered that since we switched to Cordura from the old ALICE days I have not. And I think that answer says volumes on the subject.
Somehow this baby slipped below our RADAR but it is definitely worth taking a look at if you are fortunate enough to be issued the Harris AN/PRC-117G but are saddled with the issue bag. It is designed to be worn with the removable shoulder straps or attached directly to the back of armor or load bearing vest with the integrated PALS compatible attachment system. Additionally, the body features PALS webbing so that radio accessories can be attached to the bag.
The PRC-117G Assault Bag is available in Black, Coyote, Ranger Green, UCP, and MultiCam from Mayflower.
Mayflower Research & Consulting, LLC will be launching their new website in the next few days. Unfortunately, they have experienced several problems with their current site which have dropped orders and issues with the contact page as well as email. They always want to stay on top of things so they have invested in a ground up rebuild which will add several new features including: personalized account access, order tracking (once shipped), direct customer feedback through testimonials and customer rating of individual pieces of kit. Additionally, Mayflower is expanding at a controlled rate to meet the demand of both its valued customers (the pointy end in the war on terror both domestic and foreign) as well as their high end retailer accounts.
Here is a sneak peek of the new look. Be sure to checkout the new site once it is up.
