Magazine Pouches on Torso Side?

[T2K]

Hi all. Was watching the news and saw some of our troops in Iraq. As usual, they had their magazine pouches on their chest fronts. When I was in the NG in the early / mid 90's, we had the older ALICE "LBE" with a belt, shoulder harness, canteen and two mag pouches on the waist front (sort of to the sides, so you could go prone and they would get pushed to the side by your body weight). So, I've got no experience with load bearing vests, chest pouches, etc except seeing them on TV.

However, it seems to me that having the mag pouches in front would make it a pain to go prone? They look really bulky.

So, wouldn't having three magazine on either side of your lower torso (below the ribs) work well? It would seem like that wouldn't get in the way so much. I've not seen that configuration before.

Just a though and would like info / other opinions.

[Penguin]

Yes having the mag pouches up front does make it harder to go prone. It does make it slightly less far to reach though for spare mags. It also makes it so you can carry a ton of mags.

[Charliebravo]

My personal preference would be to have the drop-down mag pouches on the sides of the thighs. Seems it would help keep the weight off of the spine and still wouldn't be that hard to get to.

[T2K]

I was thinking something like three single mag pouches per side, diagonally mounted on top of each other with the mag tops inclined forward and the lowers backwards. Something like the German MP40 mag pouches from WWII, except more to the side of the torso, so that if your arms were hanging at your side the insides of your forearms would be brushing up against them. You could go prone or sit in a vehicle.

[tank_monkey]

I asked this same question once to some young returning vets and they said that they don't go prone that much (hardly really). In street fighting you always have a building or wall to take cover behind. Even in Afghanistan, there are so many of those low rock walls. But they like the speed of which they can get their mags for reloads and also they carry tons more mags that way....

Just what I heard.