I recently ordered a custom vest from Spec Ops following the receipt of some gift certificates at Christmas. I wanted to give everyone a brief history of the process and my initial impressions of the vest. I will endeavor to add more to this thread in the future (including some pictures for those about to tell me "this thread is worthless without pics!")
I ordered my custom Dagger-style vest on December 26, 2007. About two days after ordering, I decided to change the name tag on the back. I emailed Spec Ops asking if it was too late to change it. They said it would be no problem to change it and my vest came with the correct name tag - no problems here. About three weeks after ordering, I decided to call on the status as I had a game coming up. When I called, I was told that they had no Multicam material and that it would be another couple of weeks before they had it. No email or call prior to this to give me a heads-up that there was a problem...sort of a bummer but whatcha gonna do? Can't blame them too much if a supplier isn't coming through with material. Another week or so passes and still no material. I decide that I should have probably ordered OD instead of Multicam anyway. A call to customer service and an email to Coroner and the order is changed to OD - goes with any camo that way!
Came home on the rainy evening of February 12, 2008 to see a box from Spec Ops at my doorstep wrapped in a plastic bag. Not sure if that was done by the shipper or by Spec Ops but I was glad to see it bagged as the box would have been soaked through. I tore into the box later in the evening after the kids were in bed. Overall, I was impressed with the vest's construction. It seems to be well made and after the necessary adjustments to the straps, it fit well. I must say that the way the vest is made that it would fit a WIDE range of body sizes. I am a fairly hefty guy and it has PLENTY of strap left over for someone bigger than me. I must say that the comments about the Dagger's not fitting small people very well might be warranted.
The vest wasn't without problems, however. I ordered 4 + 2 vertical pod holders and although I got four vertical pod holders, it was missing the "+2" and has no elastic straps for the additional pods. It would have been nice to have the extra capacity if needed but I don't go through alot of paint. Although I am disappointed, I don't think I will be sending it back because of this.
I also ordered the vest to the new Dagger 7 specs. I got the velcro tabs on the sides for taking up the excess strap material, but the water bladder holder is made like the older vests - mesh inside the vest instead of an integral pocket. Minor gripe but still isn't what I ordered...
Lastly, I ordered a Sabre-spec'd 8" x 8" zipper pocket on the front of the vest instead of a grenade pocket and paid an additional $15 to do so. The vest came with the pocket but it doesn't have an elastic strap inside as mentioned in the product description of the Sabre vest. Yes, another minor gripe but again, it isn't what I ordered...
Although the vest will serve me well, I am a bit disappointed that the above three issues and feel that my $170 should have got me a vest EXACTLY as I ordered.
As to how it performs in a game and holds up, well this thread is to be continued...
Cross-posted at the Spec Ops forum Related thread... Beginning the search...vest and pouches