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[TF Neptune] ToySoldier LV MBAV review

ToySoldier LV MBAV review, revisited - Scott from TF NEPTUNE's perspective saw at s23gearmonkey75

I'd recently acquired, reviewed and fielded my own LV MBAV and, with great success to boot. It's truly an alternative to the more heavier up scaled an up armored traditional plate carriers, and with its own unique take on processing Load Bearing it's truly innovative ...

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Still, don't take my word for it. Scott from Task Force Neptune, recently acquired one, and as such was nightly impressed. So, we thought we'd get him on board to take a second pass at ToySoldiers MBAV and review it in his own inimitable style.

Over to you Scott ...

Ever since I had seen the LV MBAV on Marines from MARSOC I wondered if it was a potential alternative solution to load bearing plate carrier.

Never entirely sure if I liked the look of its minimalist dimensions, being an unusually tall and heavy framed guy, I'd traditionally shied away from ‘PACA‘ styled low vis plate carriers.

Usually I keep to larger PC's such as the CIRAS or the RBAV, and more recently an AVS, and for a very brief tenure the JPC.

Feeling the aches and pains of carrying a lot of kit for skirmishes whilst striving for particular load outs accuracy was a balance I've always battled with. So when S23 reviewed the LV MBAV and extolled its virtues, I thought why the hell not.

Better yet, S23 was able to broker a deal on one of these, and got it shipped over in double time, thanks again boss, your a legend!

My first impression out of the box was ...

"Oh f**k I'm out of my depth and I won't be able to carry enough kit and look the part!!!"

I quickly went about getting my comms kit arranged onto it, along with a cheap copy of an LBT kangaroo mag insert for front carry of mags.

I then added a few small pouches to the sides which I needed for pistol mags and grenades.

The reason I added it here, is preference, I hate a cluttered belt kit.

Some replica SAPI plates and it was complete.

Overall the feel of it, fit and form, when worn, is amazing, revelatory even, it's extremely light, low profile seems exceptionally well made and off course looks identical to the real thing.

Next step was to do a days photoshoot for my teams sponsor, at one of the sites I regularly attend, Torrent Warfare, huge thanks to the Torrent for letting Neptune use your site for some fantastic phot's.

While wearing it for the pictures I could already tell I wasn't going to get the usual aches and pains and could move naturally without any impedance on my posture or stance due to the PC not having extra Cordura/Bar Tacked MOLLE stretched across the chest.

After the shoot I didn't get to use the PC until maybe a month after, when I attended a regular skirmish at Ballykinler Army Base in Northern Ireland.

This is where I got to test it in terms of game play, really putting it through its paces.
For anyone that knows me, I'm not usually the run and gun type, I'm more calculated and considered in approach.

But for the sake of really testing it out, on the whistle signaling commencement of play, I sprinted from the ‘Re-Gen' straight into the midst of enemy territory. Successfully wiping out 50% of the OpFor within a few minutes.

That's a first for me ...

The lightweight nature of the MBAV certainly was a huge factor in this, if it was one of my heavier plate carriers I would have possibly fallen over mid run.

It was a blistering hot day and with some wind I could tell I was going to be hot and sweaty from exertion, whilst it doesn't seem to help wick any moisture or sweat it didn't seem to annoy me as much as other pc's. I chalk that up as another win for the LV MBAV.

In the CQB area of play, it helped me keep in tight to walls, reducing profile and not expose myself as much as I usually would. Laying prone was now a lot easier too.

At the end of the day it didn't feel like a chore to remove the PC, one pull at the side Velcro and it was off, no fuss and it doesn't need it's own space in the car due to it being super easy to fold up and tuck behind the gun case or other bags of equipment.

For the exceptional value of this PC from ToySoldier it's brilliant. I'll admit, I was not overly worried though, because I have owned a fair amount of ToySoldiers products, and I've yet to be disappointed.

The quality of craftsmanship is brilliant, simple as that.

It works, looks good, and is considerably cost effective in comparison to the prohibitively priced than the real steel LV MBAV.

Scott TF NEPTUNE

Huge thanks to Scott for his guest spot on the blog, great to here his thoughts and views on the LV MBAV and its performance in game.

ToySoldiers LV MBAV is available in a variety of color schemes and patterns here:

http://www.toysoldier.com.hk/product/detail/1219

You can find out more on Scott and TF NEPTUNES exploits here:

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