Chris Schneck

A well constructed and functional offering from RAP4, although I’m not 100% impressed. Don’t take my opinion as fact, a lot of people wear RAP4 gear and seem to like it, I’m just not convinced this vest was specifically manufactured for a Tac 8 pistol like their site would have you believe. The same Tac 8 magazine pockets are sold with their vest designed for airsoft and MP5 clips, so the Tac 8 clips don’t exactly fit where they’re supposed to, although they are very secure. The holster for the Tac 8 is also not to ideal size, but it works. An additional clip can be stored on the holster side of the vest, but again I don’t think it was specifically designed for the Tac 8 and the clip falls into where it could go, far enough down that its irretrievable.

Overview of this tactical vest :

• pod placement on the RAP4 vest isnt ideal for crawling -1
• RAP4 vest doesn’t have an internal elastic waistband to help secure your load -1
• radio pocket is a tad too small -1
• RAP4 vest comes with 2! internal zippered pockets +1
• RAP4 constructs their vests from the a durable mesh +1
• top right utility pocket has a velcro’d 12gr c02 holder +1
• RAP4 vest is highly modular and affordable +1

This line of vests from RAP4 are highly customizable and even though you might buy one configuration, later on you can just buy alternative components individually and change the vest entirely. It really is a tough choice if youre choosing between Special Ops Paintball and RAP4. With Special Ops they make a different vest for every style of play but RAP4 makes one vest that you can customize depending on your mood. Special Ops Paintball gear is indeed high quality and has a price tag to go with it. RAP4 gear is very near the same level of quality but impressively more affordable.

Your choice in the end should come down to how well the vest fits you, and does it carry everything you need comfortably. RAP4 loses out slightly in this department, in my opinion. Having my pods and air source on my back and having an internal elastic waist band makes my Special Ops tactical vest feels far more secure then a RAP4 vest with a lighter load.

With vests though, seriously, try before you buy!

I’m biased here, because I absolutely love this vest. Ive used mine since the 6 model came out and I don’t regret the purchase one bit. If you have the chance, I highly recommend picking one up. This tactical vest is everything they advertise it to be, its absolutely designed for woodsball play and I have no fear of it standing up to whatever I dish out. After more then a year of beating on it, it is a tiny bit frayed in spots but I feel like this will last me the rest of my paintball career.

I chose the woodland camouflage pattern, but it is also available in olive drab, black, omnipat, acu digital and their own special ops digital. Ive never worn a vest that isn’t all mesh, so I cant imagine being any hotter then I already am on a summers day. I’m not saying this vest is particularly hot, I actually hardly notice I’m wearing it, but vests that aren’t all mesh must be devastating. The horizontal tank holder on the back is rock solid, once you double Velcro and double strap your tank down there’s no need to check through the day, its not going anywhere. The 6+2 pod pack is again solid, plenty of Velcro to hold the pod flaps shut and with all my jumping, sliding and diving ive never had one come open unexpectedly. The pod pack is actually supported internally by a Velcro waist band like you’d see on a speedball pod pack, so your vest and its contents are held to your body and don’t shift around as you play.

I don’t clean my vest anymore, I kind of like to retain the smell of the forest floor, its like a giant air freshener. But when I did clean it, id just take it into the shower and rinse it with warm water and hang it to dry. Good as new.

My only problem with the vest is pictured below, the main flip down id pocket came from the factory less than perfect. With me being in Canada there’s no way to affordably ship it back for a little sewing.

Another essential paintball item I cant recommend enough. If you need to carry paint and c02, a tactical vest from special ops paintball is something you should give thought to. If the broadsword vest looks a little overkill, they do make vest with smaller loadouts for different styles of play.