Review - ReUp Bandolier
- HAHO
- Apr 27
- 7 min read
History of Shaw Concepts
Shaw Concepts was created in 2019 and was built upon striving to provide the US military's finest reliable, rugged, cost effective kit and equipment which could be relied on when the tables turned. Starting small, the company has grown in size and name and designs, manufactures and sells gear across the globe to a huge range of individuals that are sold on the Shaw Concepts ethos, commitment to improve and excellent gear.
For more info - visit the Shaw Concepts website.
Why the ReUp Bandolier?
Ammunition and having an abundance of it in a firefight that both you and your teammates can utilise when rounds are incoming, may be the difference between shouting 'last mag' and getting overrun or outlasting the enemy and taking the fight to them. Traditional plate carriers, micro rigs, packs and dump pouches amongst a range of ammo pouches are designed to enable the carriage of ammunition in various forms, 5.56, .308, 7.62 etc. When the pouches on your plate carrier or rig are empty, taking the time to un-shoulder your pack, open it and retrieve the ammo, might be a few seconds too long. I wanted an easy to access, lightweight, no frills additional magazine carriage option. In rolls the bandolier. Not a stranger to the modern battlefield or military environments, the bandolier has existed through most wars, used by military personnel to carry ammunition and tactical equipment as well as personal equipment onto the battlefield. Using the traditional 5.56 bandolier for the L8A1 carrying x amount of rounds of 5.56, it was small, tight and not particularly versatile. The Shaw Concepts ReUp Bandolier caught my eye with their 4 cell and 3 cell bandoliers, in modern camouflage patterns and with a rugged yet simplistic redesign of the historic bandoliers. The description seemed to fit the bill. The best way to see if they were right was to purchase them and trial them.
(Left - Boer War Bandolier, Middle - WW2 British Bandolier, Right - UK Bandolier)
Product details
Herein lies the product description from the website;
The ReUp Bandolier is our simple solution to carrying more ammunition, batteries, cleaning gear and other items to keep your selected weapon system up and running in the field. The Bandolier can hold four 556 STANAG magazines or three 308 magazines and features two additional side pockets for other items. The Bandolier can be worn but is also designed to be rolled up to and shock-corded tight to pack away in a pack. The Bandolier is right at home inside a truck augmenting a Truck Gun or just making range trips simpler.
Features:
Three to Four Magazine Retention & Protection
Two Flanking Slim General Pockets
Buckled Waist / Cross Body Band
Shockcord w/Cord Lock for Rolling Up Tight
Cordura & YKK Construction
Note: Some magazines may not fit the Cells such as 25 round 308 P-Mags from Magpul. Most 20 round 308 mags will fit. Most 30 round 556 STANAG mags will fit the 556 Cells as long as they lack a base plate extension.
Weight: 7 Oz
Made in the USA / Berry Compliant
The ReUp Bandoliers are available in the following colours;
Jungle Tiger Stripe, Desert, Multicam, Multicam Alpine, Mulitcam Arid, Multicam Black, Multicam Tropic, Ranger Green, Wolf Grey, M81 Woodland
Packaging exterior
The ReUp Bandoliers were packaged in a tough one time use rugged transparent bag.
ReUp Bandolier exterior in detail
The ReUp Bandolier is manufactured using 500D cordura material which is official licensed Mulitcam Tropic and is NIR (Near Infra-Red) compliant as well as in Ranger Green.
Measurements
The ReUp Bandolier measures;
Height 21 cm
Width 58 cm
Thickness 3 mm
The 3 Cell ReUp Bandolier weighs 152g.
The 4 Cell ReUp Bandolier weighs 145g.
The ReUp Bandolier comes in two variations, 4 cell and 3 cell. The 4 cell is designed to carry 4x standard 556 STANAG magazines (shown on the left below) whilst the 3 cell can carry 3x 308 magazines (shown on the right below).
(Left - 4 cell, Right - 3 cell)
The purpose of the ReUp Bandolier is to give the operator the ability carry more ammunition into the field and / or other tactical equipment required. The design is built upon the existing bandoliers in use by modern militaries across the world and whilst not commonly carried, it's a simple product that's been updated and ruggedized for tactical, law enforcement and civilian use.
The front of the ReUp Bandolier is sleek with few initially noticeable features. At the top is the near full 56cm width zip with two YKK zips, useable via the twisted paracord tabs, and it is 2.5cm in height. The full width zip means that the pockets are all accessible and there is limited effort required to access, insert or remove items from any of the pockets. At both ends of the zip are two 45° material triangles designed to cover and protect the zip edge from debris and to ensure there is no snagging. There is 3cm of material above the zip which enables it to fold over the tops of inserted magazines once fitted.
4 cell variant
Underneath the zip are the 6 pockets; 2x admin style narrow pockets, 1 on the far left and far right hand side, as well as the 4x magazine pockets designed to house atypical 556 style 30 round magazines. For the magazine pockets, each pocket is individually stitched into place using double stitching meaning that the magazines sit vertically and are firmly held in place. Each of the main pockets measures (empty) 9.5 x 21.5 cm (W x H). The admin pouches are by design narrower and suited to fit tactical required items such as torches, batteries and other equipment that may be of use in the field or on the range. These pockets measure (empty) 9.5 (top width) down to 4 (bottom width) x 16 cm (height).
3 cell variant
Underneath the zip are the 5 pockets; 2x admin style narrow pockets, 1 on the far left and far right hand side, as well as the 3x magazine pockets designed to fit 308 magazines. As above, materials and stitching quality are exactly the same. Each of the main pockets measures (empty) 12 x 21.5 cm (W x H). The admin pouches are the same size as those on the 4 cell variant, measuring (empty) 9.5 (top width) down to 4 (bottom width) x 16 cm (height).
The Bandolier as expected is designed to be worn slung across the body and it has on the far left and far right of the bandolier two attached strap / belt points. This belt which is 2.7 cm wide can be extended to the full 120cm, or tightened as required. The left hand side (when facing the front of the bandolier) is where the male / female buckle clip is located. The female clip is attached to the bandolier, whilst the male clip is attached to the belt. Also on the left hand side is a 36cm length of shockcord and a shockcord lock. This is used when the bandolier is empty and rolled up, with the shockcord stretched around the rolled up bandolier and tightened, saving space and keeping it tidily storable as shown below.
Useful things about the ReUp Bandolier is that not only can it be carried on the person i.e. slung across the body or around the waist, due to the length of the belt, it can also be attached around the top exterior of packs meaning the magazines and items within are still easily accessible if the situation dictates.
Shown below are some operational examples of the ReUp Bandolier use.
4 cell variant - assault option; maximum ammo carry (4x magazines) + 2 flashbangs in admin pouch on left and right hand side.
4 cell variant - recce option; 1 magazine, 1 smoke grenade, 1 flashbang, 2 MK2 reapers and 1 extra tag shell.
3 cell variant - explosive option; 1 EG67 ball grenade, 2 MK2 reapers , extra tag shell, 2 flashbangs and 2 smoke grenades.
Maintenance
Maintenance of the ReUp Bandolier is minimal thanks to the design.
Use stiff or soft brush to gently remove excess dirt from the interior and exterior of the ReUp Bandolier.
Cool water can also be used in conjunction with a tougher brush to remove debris.
Allow ReUp Bandolier to dry naturally.
Periodically check the zip and the stitched areas for wear and tear as well as the belt loop, plastic buckles and shock cord for any signs of damage or fraying.
Thoughts and opinion
Shaw Concepts has updated a bandolier design seen across multiple wars and numerous fields of operations to bring it into the 21st century where not only is it a particularly useful tactical accessory, but also a handy standalone piece of kit. Whilst it does nothing more flashy than enable the carriage of extra ammunition or tactical equipment, the design, quality and materials used are second to none.
My ReUp bandoliers are primarily used in addition to a Spiritus System Mk3 chest rig and Pentagon Leon pack, and are either worn or stuffed in the top of the pack loaded. With the rig I'm able to carry 6x PMAGs as well as numerous extra mags, pyrotechnics or other ammunition in the pack. When the pack needs to get ditched when moving in close to a target or when stashed, the ReUp Bandolier can be worn enabling me to take more ammunition into the fight. In addition to standard magazines such as the PMAGs carried in the 4 cell variant of the bandolier, I also use it to carry TAG rounds for the N79 launcher as well as smoke pyrotechnics that wouldn't otherwise fit in traditional rig magazine pouches which are typically carried in the 3 cell variant of the bandolier.
The ReUp Bandolier doesn't bust the bank and maintenance of it is very lowkey, Shaw Concepts have filled a niche void in the market and if you're after that extra capacity at low cost, low tech and low drag, the ReUp bandolier is a piece of kit worth grabbing.
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Final Note
I am not paid for my blogs by the manufacturers or companies that I purchase my items from. I am not offered freebies to promote a product. These blogs are purely written from my own experience in truth to help advise and inform others who may wish to purchase the items or understand more about them. If I am sent a freebie to review this will be stated at the beginning to make you aware.
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