The Lightfighter Rig FAQ
Updated: Jan 22
Lately I've been getting some common questions about the Lightfighter Rig regarding things like sizing and compatibility, so I figured I'd put all the answers in one place. This post will be updated as information becomes more refined.
What size should I choose when purchasing a Lightfighter Rig?
I recommend that users order the same size as the pants they normally wear, and that seems to work well.
It's that simple. That is all the knowledge I have for you concerning this subject. So don't email or DM me asking what size you should get, because I'm not going to reply.
How adjustable is the Lightfighter Rig to accommodate changes in waist measurement or heavy clothing?
The belt on the LFR is designed to adjust from two inches smaller than your specified waist size, all the way up to 20+ inches above your specified waist size, to accommodate any sort of armor or cold weather clothing. The suspension system on the LFR is one size fits all, and should adjust to fit any human proportions.
What is the difference between the sizes of Lightfighter Rig?
Essentially, different sizes of LFR have different lengths of padded belt wings, with correspondingly different amounts of PALS webbing on them. This is to allow the user the maximum amount of PALS real estate based on their waist size. The sizes are in three inch increments, because two channels of PALS webbing (one per belt wing) are three inches wide. The breakdown of waist sizes and number of PALS channels is as follows:
WAIST SIZE | NUMBER OF PALS CHANNELS |
28-30 | 5 |
31-33 | 6 |
34-36 | 7 |
37+ | 8 |
Why does it take so long to ship my order?
Each rig is made to order. Because we offer such a wide variety of colors and sizes, it is not economical for us to make and keep a stock of rigs. Therefore, each rig is lovingly hand made on an industrial sewing machine here in America (Colorado) by me, an American. The product page for each Lightfighter Rig should have a "LEAD TIME" estimate posted prominently. This estimate is updated periodically based on the queue of orders I have. I please ask for your patience and understanding when waiting for your rig to ship.
Can I get X modification to my Lightfighter Rig?
No, I'm afraid not. In the early days, when each rig was made one by one, I could accommodate mods. But now rigs are made in batches, meaning that your rig is already mostly built when you order, meaning that it's too late to modify it. If you'd like to commission an entire batch of modded rigs (minimum quantity: 10 pieces) then please send an email to support@nixieworks.com .
Is the Lightfighter Rig compatible with body armor?
I personally have worn my LFR with my own slick plate carrier (Ferro Concepts Slickster) and found that it worked great. I assume it will also work well with soft body armor, and will test with my own soft body armor soon. What I have NOT yet tried is armor with side plates, because I don't currently have any to test with, or plate carriers with a bunch of MOLLE pouches attached, because it seems redundant and the LFR generally doesn't play well when worn over other load bearing equipment (see next question below). So generally, if running armor with the LFR, I recommend either soft body armor or a slick, low profile plate carrier without side plates.
Is the Lightfighter Rig compatible with chest rigs / vests?
Generally, no. This is neither intended nor guaranteed. The LFR is supposed to be a replacement for your 2nd and 3rd line, not a supplement for it. The idea is that whatever you were carrying in your chest rig, you now can instead carry on the belt wings of the LFR. I'm a skinny guy, and I can carry 6+1 mags on my LFR. Most people can carryWe are currently experimenting with compatible chest rigs for users who really need to carry more gear than average, but I don't want to say anything until we have good data. What I CAN tell you is that I personally use my LFR in conjunction with a Hill People Gear Kit Bag, which is a chest mounted pouch that is about 11 inches in width. It sits between my suspension pads, and its own suspension is low profile enough to be worn under my LFR without issue. So it seems that very narrow, "micro" style rigs may play nice with the LFR. We also tested a custom built triple AR mag shingle chest rig with the LFR and that worked well too. In conclusion, my advice is that the LFR only works well with micro chest rigs of about 12" in width or smaller, and that you're generally better off moving your chest rig contents to the belt wings.
Is the Lightfighter Rig compatible with rucksacks / backpacks?
Again, generally no. This is neither intended nor guaranteed. The LFR is supposed to be a replacement for your 2nd and 3rd line, not a supplement for it. Better to move your 3rd line gear to the buttpack and belt wings. I can tell you that I've personally tried wearing the LFR with a USMC FILBE and a Mystery Ranch SATL and neither work. The LFR's buttpack is larger than most other designs in order to accommodate all your sleep gear, but that also means that it sticks up higher on your back, well into the space that most rucksacks are supposed to ride in. What I have gotten to work successfully with the LFR is this British MTP 20L Patrol Pack, especially after a couple modifications. This is because this pack is only about 14 inches in height and can be worn high enough on the back to not interfere with the LFR buttpack. So I'll tentatively say that any small backpack that is similarly short and can be worn similarly high on the back should be compatible with an LFR, but again, you're better off moving your ruck contents to the buttpack and belt wings.
As always, if you have a question not answered here, please reach out to me through DMs at instagram.com/nixieworks or support@nixieworks.com and I will get you the info you need.