USGI M81 Woodland Enhanced Load Bearing Vest

Is M81 Cool yet? Oh yeah. Worn in conjunction with the ALICE Standard Equipment belt, this was about as high speed as you could get from the US back in the 80s and 90s., This is the Enhanced Load Bearing Vest or just LBV for short. It was our first attempt at making proper chest-mounted equipment, taking a few notes from South Africa's successes with pattern 83: Velcro pouches for easy access to magazines, ITW fastex buckles, and light weight. We just made it a little more complicated because we're America. What you might notice immediately is the angle of the mag pouches — It was believed that this was ergonomically better than vertical pouches for reloads, and even made an appearance on the early MOLLE platform known as the SPEAR ELCS made by Safariland. Whether or not it actually matters that they're angled is up to you, but it definitely gives off a retro aesthetic. Green berets and plenty of other spooks had angled mags on their kits well into Operation Enduring Freedom.The vest i