SARv2 Evaluation | RECOIL OFFGRID

Being a search and rescue (SAR) volunteer might be as demanding (bodily and mentally) as it’s rewarding, however having high quality gear designed that can assist you out in that position can definitely make it simpler. Within the wilderness, it’s crucial that you’ve quick access to your most essential instruments and gear throughout preparedness domains to scale back the possibilities that you just develop into a casualty your self whilst you’re serving to others. A superb chest rig excels in retaining your most crucial gear in your workspace whereas retaining your fingers free as wanted. One very high quality possibility, and my private favourite is the Hill Individuals Gear SARv2 Package Bag.

Above: The Hill Individuals Gear SARv2 gear bag is laid out with search and rescue responders in thoughts.

The SARv2 Bag

The SARv2 is constructed from 500d Cordura nylon, with an inside quantity of 215.63 cubic inches. It’s largely primarily based off the unique HPG full-size equipment bag, with some touches that make it properly suited to the precise wants of search and rescue.

Two key options are exterior PALS/Molle webbing in two locations — alongside the underside of the bag, in addition to diagonally throughout the entrance — and hook-and-loop on the surface. The hook-and-loop permits the attachment of identifiers equivalent to title tags or unit patches, whereas the PALS webbing permits for including enlargement attachments or different gadgets. I take advantage of the diagonal PALS webbing to carry my communications gear, whereas the underside webbing is used to safe a MOLLE tourniquet holder from North American Rescue (NAR).

Subscribe At the moment and Save!

Internally, the bag is cut up into three compartments, two of which zipper from the highest, and one in every of which zippers on the entrance.
The compartment closest to the physique is meant to carry your private safety, being massive sufficient to hold a full-size handgun. It incorporates a loop for a set off guard tie-down and a strip of loop, which might permit you to connect a hook-and-loop holster or journal pouch.
The principle compartment does, nevertheless, embody laser-cut MOLLE, in addition to two inside divider sleeves.

The harness itself is comfy and adjustable, with a well-ventilated mesh again piece. It may be eliminated with a purpose to combine with the Hill Individuals Gear Recce Harness, which permits for direct attachment to the wearer’s again. Sadly, the Recce Harness may be very usually offered out, which is why I haven’t had the chance to amass one but.

Above: The included harness has a mesh backing panel. If additional attachments are wanted, the HPG Recce Harness is suitable with all HPG chest rigs.

The SARv2 Contents

Private Safety:

• I’ll usually carry my “principal squeeze” handgun right here — a Glock 45 MOS with a Trijicon RMR, backup suppressor-height night time websites, and a Streamlight TLR-VIR II weapon mild + IR flood and designator. I take advantage of a TriggerSafe set off guard tied down with 550 wire. A spare journal is held in a 5.11 single journal pouch.

Admin:

• I primarily use the admin compartment for navigational and documentation aids and their equipment.

The everlasting contents embody:

• Suunto MC-2 compass
•  MapTools coordinate scale and protractor
•  Ceremony within the Rain pencil and pen (each in Coast Guard orange)
•  Ceremony within the Rain general-purpose pocket book (both orange or yellow)
•  Ceremony within the Rain EMS affected person info pocket book
•  Streamlight PolyTac in high-vis yellow
•  Waterproof battery case with additional lithium CR123 and AAA batteries
•  USB battery financial institution

Paper maps in addition to my Android cellphone working SARTopo/CalTopo additionally transfer out and in of this compartment. SARTopo is a standard working image (COP) overlay service on the CalTopo GPS navigational program, which is my SAR staff’s major technique of navigation. Nevertheless, analog (map and compass) navigation expertise and instruments are all the time carried as properly.

Above: Admin gear I carry consists of spare batteries, Ceremony within the Rain notepads, pen, and pencil, and a Streamlight PolyTac handheld flashlight. For land nav, I carry a Suunto MC-2 compass and a grid protractor.

Sustainment:

• The sustainment pouch in entrance accommodates my private first-aid gadgets.
• high-value sustainment gadgets.

Contents embody:

• Windstorm security whistle
•  Journey Medical Kits private first-aid and survival equipment
•  Snake chunk equipment
•  TP equipment
•  Assorted electrolyte drink mixes
•  Jerky and nuts (rotated)

Above: The underside of the rig has PALS webbing appropriate for attaching a NAR tourniquet holder.

Exterior Attachments:

• I take advantage of the exterior MOLLE to connect my communications gear and personal-use tourniquet.
• The radio is a Radioddity GS-5B, in a high-vis orange. It’s a software-unlockable ham radio that may additionally perform on GMRS/FRS and MURS bands, permitting me to combine into the staff radio nets simply, in addition to being helpful for normal communications functions.
• The tourniquet on board is a NAR CAT gen 7, in a NAR tourniquet holder with an identical purple colour.

Above: The admin compartment incorporates a hook-and-loop, laser-cut MOLLE panel in addition to two inside dividers.

SARv2 Shortcomings

Truthfully, I solely have one actual unfavorable concerning the design of the SARv2, and that’s the lack of laser-cut MOLLE within the handgun compartment. Personally, I might reside with out the MOLLE within the admin compartment. The one strip of female-side hook-and-loop, whereas helpful for sticking a holster, doesn’t provide a superb resolution for securing most pistol journal pouches.
In my space of operations in Central Texas, the pure threats from feral hogs and snakes, to say nothing of any potential human threats I’d encounter when on a search, make this use case one in every of specific curiosity to me. The identical format is current in different HPG chest rigs, so it isn’t only a failing with the SARv2.

{A magazine} pouch could possibly be connected contained in the admin compartment, however that is suboptimal within the scenario the place the wearer wants to attract a gun and tackle a menace. In case you are on a SAR staff for a sheriff’s division or different LEO and are allowed to open carry, this isn’t a problem in any respect — you should use this compartment for one thing else.

Above: I maintain a CAT 7 tourniquet on the rig for fast entry in a SAR emergency.

Ultimate Ideas

Would I like to recommend the SARv2? Completely. I spent my very own cash on it and sing its praises to my SAR staff on a regular basis. I take it with me and my household on state and nationwide park outings as properly, not simply when on responsibility with the SAR staff.
For the dearth of MOLLE within the handgun compartment, I can’t say that it’s good. For search-and-rescue and different public security employees and volunteers, nevertheless, this chest rig is unquestionably match for goal and gained’t disappoint.

Sources

Hill Individuals Gear

Learn Extra

Don’t miss important survival insights—join Recoil Offgrid’s free e-newsletter as we speak!

Try our different publications on the net: Recoil | Gun Digest | Blade | RecoilTV | RECOILtv (YouTube)

Written by Dean Freeman