"Experimental Design" Natick LBV - Help Please

[summersdogs]

Hello to all. We scrounged up this vest a couple of days ago. The only label of any kind is the one pictured. With the vest are 8 MOLLE-type pouches (2 each of the ones pictured). These pouches don't appear to be original to the vest as they show virtually no use while the vest definitely has been used. And I am totally unfamiliar with the pouches themselves (but then I am an old lady). Their design seems a bit peculiar with heavy use of zippers and odd shapes. No labels or markings on any of them. Pouch #4 is actually asymetrical in shape with two zippered openings. One opens up to reveal what is pictured. The other zipper opens up the balance of the inner pouch. #'s 2 and 3 are dome-shaped with a small slit-type pocket with drain hole on the outer front. Pouch #1 looks like a double mag pouch with grenade pocket on one side and a pocket on the opposite side about the size of a pistol mag of some sort. Could these be aftermarket pouches, maybe for paintball? How about the age of the vest itself? Any comments will be greatly appreciated.

 

I found an older thread about LBVs which discussed/pictured many variations. Natick was mentioned also but I couldn't find a vest with this labelling.

 

Thanks muchly,

Lynne

[summersdogs]

The rest of the pouches.

 

Lynne

[taucco]

it is indeed the experimental version of the cmvs, the Combat Molle Medic Vest. And i assure the pouches are the complete set, they are medical pouches and two ammo pouches, whether they have been used or not.

 

 

the production run is different, with different pouches and if i recall it was made by Michael Bianco.

 

Nice catch.

[Mercenary25]

The vest looks like a experimental/prototype of medic LBV.

 

I don't know about the pouches. They look like cheap chinese knock-offs. The ammo pouch copied the pouch of Safrailand ELCS.

[summersdogs]

Many thanks, taucco, for the information and the great photos. Our vest was actually set up just like the one you showed, pouches in same places, but I broke it down to better look for labels or stamps.

 

And mercenary25, my feelings are akin to yours. Those pouches do look a little bargain-basement even though the color is better and the fabric is stronger than my photos make them appear.

 

Lynne

[craig_pickrall]

It isn't unusual for some of the experimental gear to be light weight or not the normal MIL SPEC. In some cases these designs are to test a concept or configuration only. They are not made to with stand the demands of combat. When they get the design close to the final layout then they start to improve the quality.

[Misanthropic_Gods]

Cool find, I have never seen any of these experimental LBV's before. I have always had a soft spot in my heart for experimental items.

[summersdogs]

Thanks to craig_pickrall for clarification on the pouches. Does make sense.

 

Lynne

[jgawne]

Needless to say, that is one very very cool peice. Although probably only a handful of people would probably think so.