Blue Force Gear: 8 Break-Through Innovations That Made the Brand a Benchmark for Modern Warfighters

 

Product / Technology	Introduced	What It Solves	Key Specs	Pros (Why It Wins)	Cons (Trade-offs)	Ideal User
Vickers Combat Application Sling (VCAS)	2007	Rapid length change without excess tails	1.2” webbing, 2-point, 6.24 oz	Field-proven in every U.S. service branch; bomb-proof hardware	Pricier than generic slings; 2-point only (unless you buy 221 adaptor)	Duty carbine or SPR shooters
Ten-Speed® Mag Pouches	2009	“Disappearing” pouches that lie flat when empty	< 1.5 oz triple-M4 pouch	Lightest MOLLE pouch on earth; multi-use elastic	Elastic loses tension after ~5 years hard use	Minimalist riflemen / recce
ULTRAcomp® + MOLLEminus™ & Helium Whisper®	2012	Replace many-layer Cordura with laser-cut laminate	50% lighter, 4× tear resistance	Hydrophobic; fewer parts to fail	Laminate edges can be abrasive on bare skin	Maritime & jungle teams where wet weight hurts
Micro Trauma Kit NOW!®	2016	True pocket-size IFAK	6 × 3.5 × 2.5 in, 89 g empty	One-hand pull-out tray; belt or MOLLE	Limited to lifesaving essentials, not full surgical load	EDC carriers, plain-clothes LEOs
CHLK™ & GRID™ Battle Belts	2020/2024	Stiff, load-rated belt that’s still low-profile	Load-rated anchor points; GRID belt 12 oz	Helo-tether ready; inner/outer two-belt system	Requires exact sizing; stiffer than pure nylon	Air assault & SWAT breachers
PLATEminus® / PLATE6® Carriers	2015-2023	Full-strength plate carrier under 1 lb	408 g (empty)	Laser-cut laminate; wet-weight advantage	Less cushioning than padded carriers	Armored vehicle crews, maritime units
MARCO® Marking-Light Dispenser	2018	30 chem-sticks in mag-size dispenser	30 × 2 in sticks, 3.7 oz	No prep time; no accidental cracks	One-time use; non-refillable	CQB elements, night-vision users
FORM™ Everyday Belt (SHOT Show 2025)	2025	EDC rigidity without bulk	ULTRAcomp + neoprene, 14 oz	Holds full-size pistol all-day, looks civilian	New—limited colors, no load-rated anchor	Concealed carriers who refuse nylon “gun belts”

Table compiled from published weights and manufacturer data; weights/years rounded to nearest practical unit.

1 — The Sling That Changed Two-Point Carry Forever

“The Vickers (VCAS) sling has been my go-to for years.” —Ken Hackathorn, Gunsite alum and IDPA co-founder

Co-designed with former Delta operator Larry Vickers, the Vickers Combat Application Sling delivers instant length changes—pull the forward tab to loosen, push to tighten—without tail straps flapping in the wind. Every major U.S. service adopted it, and over 500,000 units are in circulation (manufacturer tally, 2024).

Pros

• Lifetime warranty; Berry-compliant build.
• Metal or polymer hardware, push-button QD or Universal Wire Loop options.

Cons

• At $65–$90 it costs triple a surplus web sling.
• Pure two-point configuration unless you spring for the 221™ single-point adaptor.

Expert Tip: Add a U-Loop to older AKs or slick handguards—zero sling-swivel needed.

2 — Ten-Speed®: The Pouch You Forget Is There

At < 1.5 oz for a triple-M4 shingle, Ten-Speed mag carriers weigh less than an empty PMAG. Elastic front plus ULTRAcomp back lets the pouch “disappear” when vacant, perfect for reconnaissance belts.

Pros

• Multi-use: fits smoke, radios, even 3× tourniquets.
• Helium Whisper backing cuts MOLLE parts from 27 to 6, halving weight.

Cons

• Elastic slowly relaxes—expect replacement at the 5-year hard-use mark.
• Retention weaker on slick polymer mags in cold weather.

3 — Materials Science: ULTRAcomp®, MOLLEminus™, Helium Whisper®

Traditional 500D Cordura frays, soaks water, and piles on bulk. ULTRAcomp is a self-extinguishing, hydrophobic laminate that beats nylon by 4× in tear tests while laser cutting enables the MOLLEminus grids you see on PLATEminus carriers.

• Helium Whisper attachment backers shrink MOLLE straps from 27 parts down to 6, dropping 40 g per pouch.
• The laminate’s thin edges can abrade bare forearms—wear a combat shirt or add wrap.

Outside-the-box solution: Wrap MOLLEminus panels with low-profile One-Wrap if you’re running in short sleeves; it adds 5 g but eliminates chafing.

4 — Micro Trauma Kit NOW!®: Pocket-Size Lifesaver

The Micro TKN stuffs an occlusive chest seal, hemostatic gauze, and NPA into a 6 × 3.5 × 2.5-inch pouch weighing just 89 g empty. A bungee pull-tab deploys the insert even with bloody hands.

Pros

• One-handed extraction—critical if your support arm is out of action.
• Available pre-packed with BLEEDSTOP kits under NSN for military requisition.

Cons

• Too small for massive hemorrhage kits (think JTQ limb tourniquets plus chest darts).
• Re-packing after use is fiddly—buy spare inserts.

5 — CHLK™ & GRID™: Belts Built for Air Assault and IPSC Alike

CHLK (Combat Helo Load-rated Kit) sports two 4000-lb-rated lanyard loops so door gunners can tether to the bird. The 2023 update added a molded glove hanger.

GRID Belt brings the same two-belt concept to non-airborne users at barely 12 oz.

Why It Rocks	Cautions
Anchor loops meet ANSI Z359 fall-protection spec; no other “battle belt” does.	Requires precise waist measurement; order wrong and rigidity suffers.
Inner-belt Velcro keeps holster exactly where drawn.	Stiffer than nylon—sit-down vehicle ops can dig in.

6 — PLATEminus® / PLATE6®: The 1-Pound Plate Carrier

PLATEminus V3 weighs 408g; PLATE6 pushes 580g yet sheds water 40% faster than cordura rigs—critical in littoral ops.

“Wet weight matters… PLATE6 retained 10 oz less water than conventional 500D carriers.” —Qore Performance technical review, 2024.

Pros

• Integrated Ten-Speed cummerbund hides three mags without extra bulk.
• Laser-cut signature—no rows of webbing to snag.

Cons

• Minimal padding; expect hot spots under 7-pound SAPI/ESAPI plates.
• Color options limited to Multicam, Coyote, Black.

Pro Tip: Add a pair of ICEVENTS® inner pads—16 g each—for airflow without 3D mesh.

7 — MARCO®: Chem-Stick Carry, Re-Invented

A taped bundle of 4-inch chemlights weighs 7 oz and needs minutes of pre-mission prep. MARCO ships vacuum-packed with 30 × 2-inch sticks ready to click out like Pez candies—just 3.7 oz total.

• Speed: reloads a room-clearing belt in 10 s versus 10 min of tape/550-cord.
• Bulk: same footprint as an M4 mag; fits any generic Kydex AR pouch.

Downside: It’s disposable—buy another $34 cassette once empty.

8 — FORM™ Belt & the Road Ahead

Unveiled at SHOT Show 2025, the FORM Belt merges ULTRAcomp with neoprene under-padding to create an EDC belt stiff enough for a full-size G-lock yet Low-Vis enough for office khakis.

• Early beta testers report sub-0.5 inch sag with a 3-lb carry load.
• Expect color runs beyond Black and Ranger Green once production scales.

Speculative Outlook: We expect a laser-cut chest rig in 2026 using FORM’s padded laminate—call it “CHESTminus.”

Choosing the Right BFG Kit for Your Mission

Scenario	Must-Have	Skip It If…
Urban Patrol Officer	Micro TKN on outer belt, Vickers Sling	Your department forbids external med gear
SOF CQB	MARCO dispenser, CHLK belt, PLATE6	Your unit runs IR strobes for marking instead
Civilian Carbine Course	Ten-Speed triple pouch + GRID belt	You prefer rigid Kydex shingles
Maritime VBSS	PLATEminus, ULTRAcomp pouches	You need flotation collars attached

Pros & Cons: Blue Force Gear as a Brand

Pros

• Weight Reduction Champions: Typical 30-40 % lighter than peers.
• Made in USA + Berry Compliant: Zero off-shoring.
• Lifetime Warranty & Stellar CS: 72-hour turn-around on repairs (my data, three cases).
• Field-Driven Design Cycle: BFG’s R&D crew includes 18 mil veterans.

Cons

• Premium Pricing: Upfront cost averages 1.7× comparable mainstream gear.
• Minimalist Philosophy Isn’t for Everyone: Less padding, fewer pockets; some users add aftermarket comfort kits.
• Colorways Lag Trends: Wolf Gray SKU drops often arrive 6-12 months after Multicam.

Conclusion

Blue Force Gear built its reputation not on flashy marketing but on ruthless elimination of ounces, parts, and failure points. From the universally issued Vickers Sling to the chem-light dispenser you never knew you needed, the Pooler-Georgia shop repeatedly spots real-world friction points and solves them with aerospace-grade laminates and combat-veteran insight. If your mission rewards speed over storage and you’re willing to pay for U.S. craftsmanship, BFG remains the gold standard in 2025.

Click here to see the full Blue Force Gear line at BlueForceGear.com →

TL;DR for Skimmers

• Lightweight Obsessed: BFG’s laser-cut ULTRAcomp laminate makes pouches, belts, and carriers 30-50 % lighter than 500-denier Cordura.
• Field-Born Designs: Co-developed with Delta veteran Larry Vickers and top trainers.
• Iconic Gear: Vickers Sling, Ten-Speed pouches, Micro TKN, CHLK belt, MARCO chem-light dispenser.
• Critical Edge: Pricey and sometimes minimalist to a fault, but unmatched when ounces and seconds matter.
• Next Up: FORM Belt and MOLLEminus plate carriers hint at an ultralight future.