(Mountain Time)
A classic example of an idea that was born spur-of-the-moment in the meeting room and escaped. The proposition was simple, "What if we made the DIY IDEA Rig from Escape from Tarkov but made it not suck?" A few months later and the realization that you can't get the official Tarkov rig anymore and here we are.
What we did different was start from scratch but keep the soul of the IDEA rig intact — It's the same poly composite tarp fabric as a certain swedish furniture store's iconic totes (but far thicker and sturdier), and the rig carries the classic motifs right over from the game.
Then, we moved on to improvements. The silhouette of our rig is inspired by the more contemporary "Chicom" style webbings on the market with its octagonal base panel and 4 mag cell configurations. The OG was much larger, more awkward, and with no magazine retention.
The mag cells snugly carry standard capacity mags from AR & AKM platforms with ease, and anything similar in size to those will work too. The shock cord retention was much needed as the original rig had almost comically loose pouches, and we added extra-large tabs to move the shock cord easily even with the use of thick gloves. The pouches have added reinforcement with our custom-run "IDEA" webbing nylon for added durability.
Lastly, the nylon for the shoulder harness and back strap is extra-wide and more comfortable than this wacky rig has any right to be. One size fits most here, we based it off measurements of our best-selling surplus & new production chest rigs.
The result is something so high quality we can barely laugh at its hilarious looks. It's actually comfortable and functional, not just a joke piece. And at a price that matches some canvas "Chicoms" on the market, we've achieved Slavic perfection...
Specs
Michael Mann's HEAT (1995) immediately gained a cult following on release. Its unique gritty and grounded approach bucked a decades-long trend of formulaic action films, exposing audiences to realistic military and police tactics. A combination of great direction, talented actors, and qualified technical advisors (ex-SAS) made the film's climactic bank heist one of the most memorable scenes of the 90s.
This nearly 15-minute-long sequence made HEAT a cinematic legend. Shot in downtown LA, an easy score quickly escalates into a claustrophobic mess of a shootout. Expert gun-handling, booming on-location audio, and a huge cast of supporting firearms all help to make an unforgettable impression. This short sequence would inspire popular culture and media for generations to come.
One of the things that helped HEAT feel authentic were the props. The ex-SAS advisors employed by the production had quite literally been there and done that, and this prowess was reflected in the improvised equipment and tactics featured on screen.
This includes the single most iconic prop of the film, the 'Heat' rig; an improvised vest capable of hiding 8 STANAG magazines underneath a suit jacket. Being inconspicuous was important to the characters in HEAT — to pull off their plan, they needed to waltz into a busy, guarded bank with hundreds of rounds of ammunition and rifles without anyone batting an eye.
The vests were cool and certainly believable, but there's a big problem. You never quite see them get used as much as they're shown off. The Heat rigs magically pop on and off of the characters as convenient, the magazines are perfectly retained since they're stitched on, and many of the shots portray other glaring issues.
We can't blame them; every production has to make some concessions. But in a market ravenous for a working clone of the Heat rig, many copies of this prop fell flat. We wanted to fix that.
Make no mistake - our rig is an homage to the movie HEAT. It's not meant to compete with other "bank robber" chest rigs on the market. What we set out to do was to make the vest from the movie real and useable.
Magazine Compatibility
Now for the first question most people are going to ask — what kind of magazines fit in the rig?
The movie depicts standard USGI STANAG magazines for the AR-15 platform, and we built our elastic retention system around that. Nearly all standard capacity AR-15 magazines should fit without issue, including popular polymer mags from leading brands.
However, we can't guarantee fit of magazines from other platforms. You're welcome to try of course, but we can't provide any guidance there.
Each mag cell features two thick straps of elastic for retention and nylon straps on either end to ensure magazines stay in place. On one end of each mag cell, there's a small hook & loop fastener to access magazines. Simply twist the magazine and pull out, and you're ready to reload.
Sizing & Fit
Our heat rig uses a simple & effective adjustment system.
Large straps with hook and loop fields make it easy to adjust the vest to fit perfectly.
Our rig fits bodies big & small, and our sizing system is simple — either go with your US shirt size or measure your abdomen, that's it (for more specifics, see our sizing chart or feel free to email us at help@kommandostore.com and we'll get you fitted).
It may take some trial and error to refine your fit. If you have difficulties, we suggest different jackets & raising/lowering the rig. We cover this topic in our overview video, which we highly recommend watching for troubleshooting your rig.
Note: our overview video is outdated, from when we made the rig in the USA. it is now made in Vietnam, which we cover in the next section.
Quality
The last big issue we wanted to address with the rig was quality, especially now that we've moved manufacturing overseas to Vietnam.
Manufacturing in Vietnam has allowed us to obtain the proper mesh, keep the same excellent overall manufacturing quality, and make the rig much more affordable for you all at once.
We've seen the examples of both one-off 'bank robber rigs' and other HEAT-inspired equipment on the market. All are plagued by cheap hardware, even cheaper materials, or inconsistent quality resulting in a disappointing Chinese-made Halloween costume feel. All the specs, quality, and functionality that makes the HEAT rig great are there at just over half the price of our original.
Specs:
We've got your back
By ordering the 'Heat' rig, you're placing a 100% refundable deposit on our incoming inventory. If you change your mind before it ships, just reach out to us and we'll cancel your order. And of course, once your rig is delivered it's covered by our standard 30 day return policy.
If a product is marked as a "Pre Sale", it means that inventory is already in production, and you're reserving the item ahead of time.
"Pre Sales" also mean there is limited inventory available to reserve. If it's sold out, it's sold out, and you'll have to wait for the next restock or backorder to begin.
At any point in time before we ship it to you, the item is 100% refundable. After it ships to you, you're covered by our 30-day return policy.
