What is new is old. That might not be exactly fair to say about the Vickers sling due to its designer, Larry Vickers. When I hit the tactical shooting scene in 2009 it was all three points and one points. Two point slings were for boot camp and the parade deck. They were old school. Two points? Hahaha. No one used those anymore. Well, a few of us did, more on that later. Slowly three points kinda disappeared, and one point slings were the new hotness. They were everywhere, and they were well made. They were popular and every M4 in the Marine Corps had to have one. The single point is still popular with some, but the two point is making a comeback.
The reason the two point is coming back is because the old two point is no more. The modern 2 point is the creation of former Delta Force operator, firearms instructor, designer, and all around gun guru, Larry Vickers. He teamed up with Blue Force Gear to create the Vickers Combat Application Sling, aka the VCAS, aka the Vickers Sling.
Larry Vickers has never been a fan of single point or three point slings. He saw the issues with the standard two point slings and designed to improve upon it. The problem with two point slings is that in some situations they are too long, and in other situations they are too short. Larry didn’t invent the adjustable two point sling, he merely updated the idea to be easier, faster, and even more adjustable.
Vickers Sling
The result was my new sling, the Vickers sling. I served as a machine gunner. Compared to a rifleman my need for a sling was largely ignored. I had to make due. There is now a Vickers M240 sling (Where was this is 2009?). What I made due with was a two point, and I recognized the usefulness of the two point sling and never went back.
So, what sets the Vicker’s sling apart from two point slings of the past is the ability to rapidly change it’s size. Grab the tab, pull it rearward and the sling gets longer. Grab the tab and push it forward and the sling gets shorter. It’s as simple as that.
The sling is designed for a carbine, specifically the AR 15, but it can be moved around at will. I plan to move it between a few different carbines, and a shotgun or two. Maybe one of those crazy submachine gun wannabes.
Materials
The sling is made from 1.25 inch webbing and is quite thick. It’s comfortable over the body, and feels great. The sling itself features some intense stitching. It extremely strong and feels like years of heavy use will do nothing to it. The Vickers Combat Application sling is what you expect from Larry Vickers and Blue Force Gear. The quality level is quite high. I feel the sling is well made, well designed, and I can’t wait to take it shooting.
