Velcro VS. Snaps

dynamic1

Active Hunter
Hey all- Im sure this is on here somewhere so... forgive me if it is. Anyhow, I know the preferred method to use when placing armor is that of snaps, or so ive heard. Is there anyone that prefers velcro (industrial strength)? It seems that this may make for a very sturdy hold, not to mention easy to adjust and remove. Please post thoughts on this.
Thanks
B
 
Have you ever tried to sew on sticky-back velcro? Almost all industrial strength velcro is sticky back and very difficult to sew on with either a machine or hand stitching. I only use velcro to hold on my chest diamond as far as armor attachment. I've also heard that the ends of braids can get caught in the velcro loops or that the attaching and detatching of the loops from one another as you bend makes your costume kind of noisy.
 
The other thing I can say about velcro is that I have experienced condensation/sweat going through to the armor and causing the valcro to come off of the armor. REDKRAY I think is on to something. The magnets wouldn't allow for a significant amount of adjusting, but more than snaps would allow. I'm assuming some very heavy duty earth magnets.
 
I'll be posting up pics very soon in my (still to be finished) build thread. I'm upgrading my chest set, collar and cod to all my V2 stuff so I'll be redoing those, so be on the lookout! ;)
 
I can't use magnets because half the time I'm wearing my suit, I am DJing and scared to death of erasing laptop hard drive with magnets (which I know it's shielded against, but it's how I pay my mortgage, so I don't wanna lose anything). I have a combination of velcro and snaps. I buy double the velcro: industrial stick on hooks for the armor and sew on loops for the vest. All the corners are snaps with the velcro in between and the more tricky places. Shoulders are just velcro, never had a problem with my horsehair braids getting caught in there.

I have to do a lot more because I still don't have a real flak vest. I'm on my second "t-shirt vest" which is super inaccurate, but a lot cheaper (just hem up the bottom and sleeves, then cut the back and re-close with snaps). It's light and stretchy material, so keeping the armor where it needs to be takes a lot of attachments and some support on the inside. One day I'll get a real vest, but this thing is hot enough with a t-shirt over the flightsuit. Also, that's still below "build a jetpack" on my to-do list.
 
Ok heres my 2 pennies worth...magnets stick to other magnets and metal when you want to wash your vest, its going to get stuck to itself and make for a somewhat PITA...which is why i chose snaps the first time around. Nuts and bolts is the actual preferred way from the actual suit. You can use velcro and have no issues with braids sweat thickness of the velcro ect...if you get the velcro that does NOT have the sticky backing its made for sewing onto military uniforms and such....use the soft side from that...then take the industrial stuff the hook part and stick that to the plates...add glue around the edges to seal it (something we do with munitions items that fly around on Jets at mach) That will work fine and hold onto the vest. My NVG battery pack stays put with that velcro on my helmet just fine. The plastic plates have no issues. Now as far as snaps go...they work like screws not to bad attaching em, placement isnt east but its doable. Velcro is the easiest way though
 
If you want to wash your vest you just take everything off. Since the magnets are holding to themselves through the fabric, there's not much to mess with, you would simply take them off. It would take like 2 minutes to take it all apart to throw the vest in the washer.
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I added these pieces to keep the plates/magnets from grabbing onto each other. I didn't have to glue them or anything at all to the magnets and it keeps all the plates nice and stiff and in place...works great
The edges were filed and ground down so they're not sharp anymore, just didn't take pics ;)
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I went with the nut and bolt method. Its sounds uncomfortable, but once you cut the bolts down you cant tell that they are there. I chose not to use Velcro as I was paranoid it could come undone to easy. The nut and bolt method really does secure the armor to the vest and its easy to take off. Although I used snaps on the collar and groin armor.

Daz put up an excellent tutorial that helped me out a lot. Its also screen accurate as well

http://www.thedentedhelmet.com/f25/attaching-armour-tutorial-20322/

Welsh
 
I'm in the process of adding snaps to mine. I've never trusted velcro, and I don't like that sound it makes like Brian says. Also, my heavier BM armour could use some reliable support to stay on there.
 
I have velcro on my aluminium armour. Doesn't make a sound when I move and holds everything in place for hours at a time. My armour is probably just as heavy or heavier than anything else out there and I've never had anything even look like coming off.

It also means that if the time ever came for me to sell my gear, the velcro could be unstitched from the vest and would leave no holes or marks for the next person to have to change.

I could also replace my armour with another set in the future and not have to worry about lining up the snaps.
 
Thanks to everyone for the excellent input, experience and acute insite as it was all extremely helpful. I ended up using snaps along w/ one strip of velcro on each piece. When I do my BF I will most likely go the same route. After doing my sons set-up and my jango I feel fairly comfortable w/ this method. Let me know what you guys think.
Thanks again
B
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I feel pretty dumb, but is there a step by step direction anywhere on how to get your snaps properly aligned with your armor? My vest is starting to look like swiss cheese with all the holes I'm making/removing with these snaps because I just can't seem to get them lined up properly:wacko
 
Hey verbal- What I did w/ the jango was (with the help from obro) glued the female end of the snaps onto the armor. Once dried, I chalked the snaps and (with the vest on and in front of a mirror) lined up the collar onto the vest first, pressed firmly and vuallah there are your markers. Definatley begin w/ the collar as its easy to line everything up from there. Hope this helps.
B
 
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