Strelka Defender 2 Armor Vest

The "Emerald" - It's the rarest variant of one of Russia's most iconic pieces of kit ever, the ubiquitous Fort Defender 2 armor vest. It was the culmination of lessons learned the hard way, and has been serving almost non-stop on the backs of troops since the 90s, but how did it come to be?

To set the stage; what the hell was going on with Russia when the Soviet Union collapsed?

Short answer: a lot.

Long-er answer: with the dissolution of their communist regime came large scale reorganization in their military, too. Like the rest of the world would face in the 80s & 90s, the new flavor of warfare was insurgency, and Russia was about to learn a brutal lesson.

Russia wanted to keep the lands which were under her control during the good ol days, and Chechnya, an area bordering the country of Georgia in Southwestern Russia, was high on the list to regain control. 

Russia swooped in, at first attempting to "police" the rising tensions but the pot was already boiling over. Brutal urban conflict like most of the world had never witnessed broke out. A truly "CQB" conflict, Russian troops fought house-to-house, street-to-street, and suffered massive casualties. The conflict would come to an end with a treaty, and let's just say there's a reason it was called the first Chechen war.

Something had to change. Tactics was one thing, but equipment, which hadn't changed much since the twilight days of the USSR, was lacking. They needed a Defender, one could say...

Fort Technology, an up-and-coming manufacturer of equipment was developing a new armor carrier while some of the conflict in Chechnya was still smoldering, and by the end of the 90s, the Defender 1 and soon the Defender 2 carriers were already rolled out.

Consisting of a soft armor set with configurable up-armoring, it struck a balance between maneuverability and coverage that has without a doubt saved many-a-spetsnaz from gunshots. 

But mother Russia couldn't drop her old ways — they tend to hang on to things for quite a while when they work, and to this day, you'll still see Defender 2s in Ukraine...

The "Emerald" version was the result of a special contract for the Spetsnaz - a defender covered in PALS, with a special angled section for quick access gear. Originally an aquamarine-green and completely unobtainable, we sourced originals and resurrected the carrier with a toned down "Russian Olive Drab" that matches our other Strelka rigs. The result is undoubtedly a defender 2, but with a twist unlike you'll see even on originals...

Specs

• 1000D Cordura Nylon Construction
• Russian "Olive" colorway like our SMERSH & Jaeger Rigs
• Includes lower abdomen and collar protector
• Hard armor pockets come empty - DIY some simulation plates!
• Includes foam inserts for chest, collar, and abdomen pockets — photos show carrier with the foam inserts but without hard plates inserted in the plate pockets.
• Optional bundle includes 3 magazine pouches, a GP pouch, and a radio pouch.
• Magazine pouches intended for standard-capacity AKM magazines.
• PALS webbing on front and back with special angled PALS webbing like original "Emerald" Defender 2s.
• Velcro cummerbund for secure, all-day-comfortable fit
• One size fits most: Chest & Height Adjustable from approximately US Size S-2XL
  

Sizing

Unlike originals, which were sized specifically for each operator, we've opted for a one-size-fits-most system.

Based off larger existing rigs with the ability to adjust down, it accommodates chest sizes from US Small to 2XL, with some compromise on either extreme due to limitations of the original design.

The shoulder pads are ride-height adjustable and should accommodate most people without issue.