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 of 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 betray 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.
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, inducing 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.
The heat rig's sizing system is very simple, with two sizes to choose from. If you wish, you can simply go with your US shirt size and you'll likely be set.
| S/M | L/XL | |
| Abdomen Measurement | 30 - 44" | 38 - 55" |
The hook and loop straps allow for a large range of adjustment, and adjust similarly to a plate carrier. For best results, start by fitting the rig to your abdomen so that the bottom of the rig slightly overlaps with your belt. From there, either have a friend adjust the shoulders for ride height or use a mirror for reference. With enough trial and error, you'll get a perfect fit.
For fitting underneath a suit, a suit jacket will require an additional 4-7" of room around your abdomen. For best results, measure your abdomen with the rig donned & full of magazines, or take your rig into a suit shop (just don't make a scene, lol)
The last big issue we wanted to address with the rig was quality.
We've seen a few examples of both 'bank robber rigs' and other HEAT-inspired equipment on the market. All are plagued by cheap hardware and even cheaper materials, resulting in a disappointing Halloween costume feel.
Our rig is 100% made in the US with 100% US made materials. From the custom-run structural mesh to the heavy-duty zipper, we ensured that our rig is everything it should be.
Specs:
• Custom, semi-stiff resin finished polyester mesh fabric
• Milspec elastic, webbing, and hook and loop
• Locking YKK Zipper
• 100% US made, 100% US materials
We spent nearly a year perfecting a design that would out-perform the competing rigs that disappointed us, and behave much like what we saw in HEAT.
Click the buttons below to see how the rig is built to perform.
Our custom-run mesh has the perfect balance of flexibility & firmness.
The thin, supportive material conceals well, breathes easily, and naturally moves with your body.
Our strapping mimics modern soft amor, with flat elastic webbing that conceals well and won't catch on cover garments.
Unlike 'lace corset' designs, our vest wont loosen or tangle.
Our rig is cut and sewn in the USA by an experienced Berry compliant manufacturer.
We use U.S. made materials for consistent, top-notch quality.
In 1995, HEAT captivated audiences with a new take on the classic cops and robbers motif.
In an era dominated by pithy one liners, wacky villians, and invincible main characters, HEAT's action hinges on grounded, realistic violence.
The pacing is excruciating. The villians are competent. Michael Mann's gunfights are loud, unforgiving, and claustraphobic.
HEAT culminates in a nearly 15 minute bank heist (and shootout) in the center of downtown Los Angeles.
This sequence was heavily influenced by the film's ex-SAS technical advisors — as showcased by Val Kilmer's beautiful reloads and bounding movements.
This moment is also notable for the sheer variety of modern fireams on display: from the FN FAL and FNC to the Galil ARM, and Colt 733.
The Heat Rig
The bank heist sequence also gained recognition for it's props. Specifically the concealable vest used by De Niros' crew.
Fans of the film all react the same way when they see it: "OK, I need that. Badly."
We can't blame them. The 'Heat' rig reflects the sort of improvised proto-tactical that inspired a generation of modern webbing we now take for granted.
Early in 2020 we started thinking about our own heat rig. We did some research, threw around a few ideas, and that was it.
Then in 2021, a YouTube merch company beat us to the punch — eventually releasing a low-quality, made in China costume piece.
There were a lot of disappointed fans, and we thought we could do a better job. So we got on twitter and threw our hat into the ring...
Development was surprisingly complicated for such a simple project, but little by little everything came together.
We sourced the materials, settled on the patterning, and tackled complicated retention and sizing issues
Principle design work started in December 2021 and finished in early April 2022.
Once everything was together we submitted our production order and settled in for a big wait through turbulent times.
But now, The wait's over. Just don't go knocking over any banks...
The big money's in white collar crime these days. You're better off working for the bank.
| Did You Feel The HEAT? |
Rated 4 out of 5
|
| Rig Quality |
Rated 4 out of 5
|
| Retention & Concealment |
Rated 4 out of 5
|
Now no know i have 8 mags of 556 when i go the grocery store
| Did You Feel The HEAT? |
Rated 5 out of 5
|
|---|---|
| Rig Quality |
Rated 5 out of 5
|
| Retention & Concealment |
Rated 5 out of 5
|
Sizing was correct for me, I wear a size large t-shirt and am running the S/M rig in the middle of its adjustment range. Make sure to adjust the side velcro as it comes tightened all the way in.
Mag straps are correctly sized for 30 round AR (steel and P-Mag) and AUG mags, but are too short for 35 round Galil mags without pulling the upper loops noticably out of position. Certainly could be modified after the fact to fit properly, or maybe extended with a short piece of double sided velcro fabric on each retenion strap.
I'm going to trim the edges of the sewn-on velcro, so I don't accidentally separate the threads instead of the velcro seam.
The rig noticably printed under an elastic sweatshirt mostly due to the orientation of the 6 lower mags. It created an unnatural flat shape, like a cybertuck. Probably would be better under a suit jacket, as is the original intention, especially unbuttoned.
| Did You Feel The HEAT? |
Rated 5 out of 5
|
|---|---|
| Rig Quality |
Rated 4 out of 5
|
| Retention & Concealment |
Rated 4 out of 5
|
Amazing quality, didn't disappoint.
| Did You Feel The HEAT? |
Rated 5 out of 5
|
|---|---|
| Rig Quality |
Rated 5 out of 5
|
| Retention & Concealment |
Rated 5 out of 5
|
Good vest. Well constructed.
Interested in fitting a suit around it.
| Did You Feel The HEAT? |
Rated 5 out of 5
|
|---|---|
| Rig Quality |
Rated 4 out of 5
|
| Retention & Concealment |
Rated 4 out of 5
|
I have searched for a vest like this for many years ! Totally stoked to find one. Thanks guys!
| Did You Feel The HEAT? |
Rated 5 out of 5
|
|---|---|
| Rig Quality |
Rated 4 out of 5
|
| Retention & Concealment |
Rated 4 out of 5
|
