RUSSIAN COLD CAMO REVIEW #2 SSO SMERSH

 

rat.bastard.reviews: Russian Cold Camo (RCC)#2 SSO SMERSH

  Disclosure: I have risen once again to drop knowledge on the fucking dome piece of every boy, girl, and androgynous space creature interested In load Bearing equipment(LBE) with the force of a 9lb hammer. With that being said a very good friend of the bastard has hooked up with me to sponsor a second review, this time focusing on the ATACS FG SSO SMERSH available from Russian Cold Camo (RCC).This Item was received free of charge in exchange for an HONEST review, If you are new here and have any doubt on the authenticity of that statement I encourage you to read past reviews; I fuckin' call em' bud. Cheers!

 

  Initial Impression: Anyone who's anybody in the Tacticool fashion scene knows that Load bearing equipment is the new hotness, microrig's are out, and vintage kit is way kitch. Don't believe me? take a look at all the phat-bottom boys on the gram running rhinestone LBE and bedazzled SKS'. That's right finally all the Dad-bod Dilf's like myself have a moment to bask in the lime-light with RCC's availability of the SSO SMERSH. First things first this has been a sexy fucking look since its introduction even on curvy boys like myself, but they are also practical, functional and high quality kit you should feel good about using in a real world scenario or showing off for the boys at the weekly 7-11 midnight gag n' rally.

  Breakdown: The Smersh is based off of equipment used by  special forces units of the Russian armed forces, the interior Ministry, the FSB and other law enforcement agencies of the Russian Federation and holy fucking shit fellas, SSO has hit it out of the park again with this one. its a functional system compromised of several pieces including the Shoulder straps PLSE MOLLE mount, MOLLE base belt with hip platform attachment, the Tactical belt " RS-31", A Food belt bag SPP Mall, Pouch for relief, PRG1 MOLLE - 2pcs, and AK 2 MOLLE - 4pcs. The fit and finish is of the absolute highest quality; the materials are very nice and the design is intelligent. When I first felt the polyamide straps I was thinking that I was going to be a bit underwhelmed since the thickness didn't match the experience that I have had with military grade webbed nylon/Cordura straps however by design the strapping doubles over on itself several times making it very durable and secure. Every other piece of this system is overbuilt to the point I think outside of spine snapping snag the SMERSH will likely outlive it's owner. The camo pattern and coloration hold well on the 100% polyamide material and there are several camo variations available for purchase through RCC, I went with the ATACS-FG but the Olive was honestly the most appealing aesthetically.

  Storage, I managed to ranger roll an entire 3 day away kit into my dry sack with extra socks and underwear and closed her up tight. The 2 side saddle mag pouches both hold 4 STD 7.62x39 AK mags and 2 grenades totaling 8 mags and 4 grenades. Believe it or not, I don't own that many grenades and have in turn packed those areas with essentials like Whopper jr's, hand sanitizer, shit-tickets and a unique cocktail of Dramamine and hard candy. The PPI/First aid kit was taken off mine, Its well built but not a conducive size to its purpose and its intended placement is downright fucking bananas; I highly recommend finding an alternative way to carry medical supplies. The traditional SMERSH configuration leaves high ride space up towards the shoulder straps to potentially add a small backpack or hydration bladder, which will likely be how I end up rigging mine; solving my medical kit dilemma as well as allowing the addition of a tarp, small food items, and a bedding solution. This would be a perfect rig for grab and go if you had to hit the woods on foot in 30 min or less.

   Performance, I love It. I think LBE is often overlooked in exchange for a minimalist rig because that's the flavor of the week, and honestly a minimalist set up has its place but most of us in a situation where we need to be kitted are not going to be running corridor sweeps and clearing rooms, we are going to be hunkering down in concealment and avoiding confrontation and then evading once we do make contact. You need a kit that can accommodate those more realistic scenarios or you are not properly prepared for them. The SMERSH is light weight enough to sprint while in full kit, and holds enough goodies to keep you out of the shitstorm for a few days, it's also durable enough to not leave you looking like a busted ass Wish.com warrior and holds enough ammo to at the very least clear Nakatomi Plaza on your own. And Jesus H. Christ I cant forget about going prone! Oh my Goddess, there is absolutely nothing between your dickydo and mother earth herself with the SMERSH; this allows you to get as flat against the ground as physically possible and just lie and wait with an unobstructed path of reach  to your spare mags AND Whopper Jr's(which is how I will be spending my hypothetical SHTF Scenario)remember kids no contact is good contact.

  Complaints, We already mentioned the PPI/First Aid kit; additionally I'd like to add that as over built as the shoulder straps are the drag handle on the harness feels like a fashion over function decision and im uncertain of its effectiveness on any person over 130lbs. My only other complaint for this rig would be that the belt buckle plastic doesn't feel cheap but doesn't really feel super durable either, and like I said by design If I needed to use this and low crawl over cement or asphalt I wouldn't want to look down later and find my main buckle is terribly deformed and needs replacement after 2-3 recon outings, that should have been steel construction honestly; The belt is the mechanism that props and distributes your kits weight onto your hips for this rig.

  Special Mentions: I'd like to use this section to highlight the real champions of this review Russian Cold Camo They have been so fantastic to me since I started this review page and I really cant thank them enough, They are a family run US business that offer tons of great gear with really honest product descriptions and reviews available on their site. I certainly Do hope everyone takes some time to go check them out the sales they run easily put products at the lowest price point on the web. Second, id like to use this platform to say definitively that ATACS FG is the camo master race and all of SSO' Camo patterns blend seamlessly and look amazingly professional together. If you live in the South Eastern portion of the USA please do yourself a favor and ignore the MC Tropic recommendations and give the old ATACS a try RCC carries a lot of good in this pattern and it blends so well with natural light and foliage, small pattern camo like Multicam just looks like a solid color at distances past 50 yds. there I said it, you don't like it? suck a dick. 

  Final Thoughts: If you don't already have a solid piece of LBE just get the SMERSH, honestly at the price point what excuse could you really have? how many chest rigs can you actually justify having? If you are looking for a cheaper time proven option you can always get the ALICE pack from a surplus store, but prices fluctuate and your pieces are going to be plug and play which is rad for you if you can make it work but can also become difficult to make a functional kit from if you don't have a wide availability of accessories to choose from. My choice hands down is the SMERSH because the configuration works for me, Its likely what I would put together for myself. However The important thing is that you become familiar and proficient with the kit that you are using and honestly the best example that I've seen in a long time would be @_angel_of_verdun and the set up of her ALICE kit, check her out for a real world example on a proven kit and be inspired to create what works for you if you don't think the SMERSH would be a good option. I'll be posting below an instructional piece for putting together the SMERSH on your own, I'm also posting a link to @_angel_of_verdun' video here as it is a fantastic example of fitting your kit to work around your own needs.

-Rat Bastard

@russiancoldcamoreal

https://russiancoldcamo.com/

RUSSIAN COLD CAMO REVIEW

 

rat.bastard.reviews: Russian Cold Camo (RCC)

  Disclosure: I will start this review by stating that I can not thank Russian Cold Camo enough for providing these materials to me for review. On this occasion I was provided three items from RCC's Website; the Russian Army Boonie Hat A-TACS FG, Arctic Leopard Urban Pants A-TACS FG, and the Arctic Leopard Urban Pants Multicam. The materials being reviewed by myself today were provided to me free of charge in order to reach a larger collective audience with a fair and critical review. My analysis however, will not be effected by receiving these items free of charge. Lets begin!

  Initial Impression: RCC has been excellent to work with, they have been approachable and informative and I find it extremely refreshing that this is a company that markets gear towards the average Joe, stating in product descriptions if gear is applicable and effective for things like hunting, camping, fishing, airsoft or tactical applications. I have to admit, they shaped my view very early on taking this approach as it fostered an atmosphere that felt honest and didn't hype every piece of equipment as a necessary addition to your kit. I also found this both humble and humorous as the items felt much better quality and more durable right out of the box then a lot of big name US competitors I've had experiences with.

  Breakdown:  I did two separate rounds of testing, in two different types of terrain, performing multiple tasks in order to gauge effectiveness the best way a broke fuck can; by analyzing effectiveness here at the Homefront, and by disguising an alternate series of tests as a family vacation. Did I drink while testing this equipment? Yes. Did I annoy my wife with the frequency I wore Camouflage pants during the testing cycle? Yes. did I perform an area study before traveling to my second testing location? You bet your sweet bippy I did. My first round of testing was performed in the sandy scrub-brush of the Goethe State Forest in North Central Florida and my second round of testing was performed in the Mountainous Unicoi State Park in Northern Georgia both occurring from late July-early August.

Russian Army Boonie Hat A-TACS FG, what can I say? It's nicely built with attention to detail, it's  camo is correct and not overly vibrant or dull, It has everything you would want from a Boonie hat. It has effective vegetation mounts including a gridlock top mount for help with camouflage and breaking the silhouette of your head. It has both chin and quick adjustment straps for fastening to your dome piece, Its fairly water repellent, made of durable ripstop material and the price is right! It does claim to be IR Remission which I don't have the capability to either prove or disprove at this time, so from my point of view the only thing you could possibly complain about is comfort. It's not an uncomfortable hat but I will say the material can feel scratchy on a bald/shaved head, especially once you factor in the heat, sweat, sand and dirt. However, this is a byproduct of its durability and tough material so if you are putting in enough work to facilitate the conditions for this discomfort its Inherent worth at that moment far outweighs the alternative of not having it.

Arctic Leopard Urban Pants A-TACS FG, First thing I noticed was the comparability to the Russian Army Boonie Hat A-TACS FG was 100% correct hands down. The pattern sizing was spot on, the coloration was spot on, the vibrancy, the material, the craftsmanship, everything exactly the same. AMAZING accomplishment, good shit fellas! These pants have me swooning I have to say they are fantastic for the price. Arctic Leopard is the same company that makes the famous Gorka Suits, and the quality in their products are really highlighted with these. These are also made of a durable (mid-weight) ripstop material but do still offer some flex and stretch which make them plenty comfortable for regular use. The belt loops are fine, they aren't over built like some tactical pants but feel plenty durable enough for long-term use with a battle belt or EDC belt without tearing or stretching. The waist closure system is not the traditional button and fly, but instead has been replaced with a Velcro strap which at first I didn't think I would like but have since really come to enjoy. The Velcro paired with the elastic let out bands woven into the waistband really accommodates multiple body positions to be held comfortably for extended amounts of time. They are a simplistic design that feel great, look great and held up great to the shit storm I ran them through. 

Any Complaints? Yes, the front thigh pockets are seriously an egregious oversight. They must have been added last second as a solution to a problem you didn't know you had. They are 100% functional, but the size is seriously limiting to what you can use them for, double stack magazine? Yes, they fit perfect actually! However, I caution you before you put one in each side and go do some low crawls, or shoot from the prone, or hell just shoot from a kneeling position. It is restrictive, uncomfortable and so so painful. There's no toughing it out either, have you ever fallen down with keys in your pocket? Its that same type of senseless unbearable pain, that is often reflected upon in Soviet Literature. I would have preferred the pocket have been relocated to a strange area like the calf or left off entirely before adding them in their current location. However I stand by the fact that these are amazing pants and have two easy solutions for these pockets either A. only put soft things like a fresh Pastila in those pockets or B. pretend they are not there at all and enjoy these pants for everything else that they are. At the price point these are set, plus the 100% product guarantee from RCC, There is no reason not to give these a try.

 The fit, Russian Cold Camo has bar none the best sizing chart of any outdoor/tactical brand clothing company I have ever dealt with and honestly would even claim its more accurate the 90% of mainstream retail brands on the market today. I followed the size chart and did in fact receive the CORRECT size, this is in stark contrast to tactical or outdoors brands that you have to order 4 sizes larger then advertised. Both Arctic Leopard Urban Pants A-TACS FG and Arctic Leopard Urban Pants Multicam are essentially the exact same item, save for the camo print. I did order the same size waistband for both however I ordered the Arctic Leopard Urban Pants Multicam in the next size up for leg length and found due to the true taper of the pants, it lets out slightly at the thigh without leaving a frumpy area. This is a perfect solution if you have thick thighs and are old-school like the bastard, still blousing your bottoms, the extra length is unnoticeable with this method. As previously mentioned, the legs are tapered nicely without getting tight on any portion of the leg or crotch, they stay comfortable in most hot weather conditions and body positions and appear to be slightly water repellent. They may not be as soft as those FR Cammie's or as durable as Crye Precision, but they are a fair mid-point and get the job done without breaking the bank. These are very fairly priced Mid-weight pants, that I would have no issue adding to my kit.

  Special Mentions:  For this review I did do a testing portion, a Synopsis would include: Hiking (Rocky Mountain Trails & Sandy Equine Trails), Sprints, Low-crawls, Lunges, Forward rolls, Shooting Prone, Shooting Kneeling, Traversing thick brush, Dragging brush, Extended primitive camping (4 days). During all of these activities I really tried to be rough on these pants to get them to rub and pull as much as possible to expose any deficiencies in the design, materials or overall quality. I'm happy to say I haven't experienced any real issues, just a couple of invisible stitch pops. I have dedicated these pants to being hang dried as I enjoy them so much I really don't want to take a risk on them shrinking in the wash I would also recommend this method to potential customer interested in purchasing these as they are 35% cotton.

  Final Thoughts: Russian Cold Camo is a phenomenal website you should feel comfortable using, They offer loads of rare products from surplus and outdoor gear to tactical gear and clothing. RCC is run by genuine people that market their products in an ethical and honest way to consumers. They offer a 100% quality guarantee, free shipping, and a 60 day return policy with genuine goods made in Russia. I cant think of a single reason not to give these guys a try they are so friendly and stand behind their products whole heartedly. They have some business practices that I believe a lot of larger companies should observe and try to emulate, for that I'd like to thank them for sponsoring this review and sincerely hope to work with them on more reviews in the future.

-Rat Bastard

@russiancoldcamoreal

https://russiancoldcamo.com/