Original South African SADF 83 Pattern Chest Rig

• Genuine surplus chest rigs, ready to use
• Iconic design with 6-cell magazine pouch and flanking admin pouches
• Velcro flapped pouches rear pocket for maps and admin
• The left side has compass and frag grenade pouches
• The right side has a larger smoke grenade pouch
• Highly adjustable X-harness and chest strap
• Nutria Brown Cordura material
• Available with Nutria Brown or Olive Green cross straps

The M83 South African webbing system was a comfortable, lightweight solution to the needs of the South African military, replacing the 70 Pattern webbing. Outsourced to the private camping and outdoor industry for design, as a result, the M83 webbing was immensely popular due to its advanced design. It is not uncommon to find 83 Pattern equipment still in use in South Africa today, despite being officially discontinued in 2015. Many foreign forces also made unofficial use of the M83 webbing, including the SAS in the Gulf Wars and Australian forces in Afghanistan.

The 83 Pattern webbing has been popular in recent years in the entertainment industry, being used in films such as Blood Diamond (2006) and Mad Max: Fury Road (2015), as well as the Metal Gear Solid series of video games.

This 83 Pattern chest rig is a lightweight version of the full webbing set. It was heavily influenced by the Chinese Type 56 chest rig that was supplied to Soviet-aligned forces around the world, including in Vietnam and the Namibian and Angolan forces that the South Africans were engaged against. It features three double magazine pouches along the front, designed for the R4 Assault Rifle. On the right of the rig is a large pouch, designed for a smoke grenade but suitable for bandages, fluids or any other bulky necessities. On the left are two smaller pouches, and on the rear, inside of the rig is an admin pouch for stationary and important papers.

The M83 Chest Rig is made from Cordura nylon, which is both durable and waterproof. It is finished in Nutria brown and is designed to hold dirt, allowing it to build a natural camouflage. Both the two shoulder straps and the waist strap and adjustable, and the quick-release belt around the waist means that the rig can quickly and easily be removed.

An excellent surplus South African 83 Pattern Chest Rig that is ready for use.

Please note that due to their surplus nature, there may be some signs of wear or some variation in design.