THE HISTORY OF SUPUTNYK-GEAR

2008–2010 — Early Designs

We started work in 2008, when Ukraine’s tactical gear market was still taking shape. Our first range included a load-bearing vest, a belt kit, backpacks and pouches. MOLLE webbing allowed users to configure their kit to suit the task.

Soldiers tested our first prototypes on shooting ranges, during long foot marches and in assault drills. Together, we assessed fit, comfort and durability, experimenting with materials and sewing techniques.

SELOUS LBE — 1st Generation (2008)

SLIDOPYT Tactical Vest (2008)

KHADZHYBEI Tactical Backpack (2008)

SELOUS LBE

The SELOUS LBE system was one of our earliest designs. The idea grew out of conversations with soldiers who regularly operated in southern Ukraine. They needed a belt-based system for long marches across open steppe, at a time when load-bearing vests and chest rigs were the more common choice.

We placed most of the load on the belt, keeping the front of the torso clear. MOLLE webbing allowed users to choose and arrange their own pouches. SELOUS later evolved through several generations and became one of Suputnyk-Gear’s bestsellers.

SELOUS LBE — 1st Generation (2008)

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2010–2014 — Developing Our Professional Gear Range

Plate carriers and body armour covers joined our load-bearing systems and pouches. Backpacks for different roles gradually became another focus of our work. As the range expanded, we selected materials, refined design details and put the designs into regular production.

CHINDIT Plate Carrier (2010)

Tactical Vest (2011)

Working with the 3rd Special Forces Regiment and the 79th Airmobile Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine marked an important step for us. Soldiers tested our gear during exercises and in the field, then shared their feedback. This helped us assess our designs in practice and address shortcomings.

3rd Special Forces Regiment soldiers during training — 4AK Chest Rig (2010)

3rd Special Forces Regiment soldiers during training — SAYERET LBE (2010)

SELOUS LBE — Second Generation

The second generation of SELOUS offered improved fit and load distribution. We added a pack that could be attached to the LBE for extended field missions. Several configurations were available for different tasks and military roles.

SELOUS LBE — AK-VOG Configuration (2012)

SELOUS LBE — Extended Assault Configuration (2013)

VITYAZ LBE

Our next task was to develop an LBE system for mass production: simple, reliable and supplied with all the necessary pouches. The British PLCE system was one of our reference points.

We used SELOUS as the starting point, replacing the modular belt with a stiff belt, a side-release buckle and a wide belt pad. The pouches attached directly to the belt using Velcro and could be quickly repositioned without taking the entire system apart. The result was VITYAZ — a complete kit that was easy to use and straightforward to manufacture.

VITYAZ LBE — AK-SB-BP Configuration (2011)

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2014–2022 — The ATO/JFO Period

In 2014, the Russian Federation launched armed aggression against Ukraine. In the east of the country, Ukrainian forces fought back as part of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO).

Soldiers used our gear from the very start of the war. By then, we had an established product range and could supply units with proven equipment.

SELOUS LBE in use with the 79th Separate Airmobile Brigade, Crimean sector (2014)

SELOUS LBE and IZOMAT-RAID in use during the Battle of Sloviansk (ATO, 2014)

The VITYAZ LBE in RAID configuration became particularly popular. It was used by soldiers in both special forces and infantry units.

VITYAZ LBE in use with the 3rd Special Forces Regiment (2014)

Our LBE was also used in combat by the “cyborgs” — soldiers of the 3rd Special Forces Regiment and other defenders of Donetsk Airport. The defence of the airport became a symbol of the Ukrainian military’s resilience.

SAYERET LBE in use during the defence of Donetsk Airport (ATO, 2014)

Reliable backpacks were just as essential. We were already producing the RB-19, TIRAS and DEFENDER tactical packs, as well as the KINBURN and INFANTRYMAN raid packs. These were joined by the specialised TOR pack for carrying RPG-7 rounds.

Our personal protection range expanded with the ARES plate carrier featuring a quick-release system, the lightweight RANGER, and a kit built around the REITER plate carrier for maximum fragmentation protection coverage.

REITER Plate Carrier and DEFENDER Pack in use during the ATO (2015)

REITER Plate Carrier in use with the AZOV Regiment (2015)

SELOUS LBE, BURAN Backpack and IZOMAT-RAID in use with the Ukrainian Marines, Mariupol (2017)

SELOUS LBE — Third Generation

Artillery fire prompted us to rethink the protection a belt-based system could offer. The third generation of SELOUS introduced a three-section belt with internal compartments for ballistic inserts. It could be adjusted to fit over summer or winter clothing without significantly reducing protective coverage.

The field configuration included two pouch modules holding a total of eight AK magazines and was designed for extended missions.

SELOUS-RAID LBE — 3rd Generation with TIRAS Pack (2015)

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2022–2023 — The Start of the Full-Scale Invasion

On 24 February 2022, Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Cities came under missile attack, Russian troops advanced from the north, east and south, and fierce fighting broke out on the approaches to Kyiv. The country’s very existence was at stake. Hundreds of thousands of service members, reservists and volunteers came to Ukraine’s defence.

In the first days of the invasion, many soldiers used gear they had purchased during the ATO years.

SELOUS LBE worn by Ukrainian soldiers during the liberation of Trostianets, Sumy region (March 2022)

Defence of Mariupol — ARES Plate Carrier, 2nd Generation (March 2022)

Materials were scarce, and our usual supply routes had been disrupted. To help address the shortage of military gear, we developed simple, reliable LBE systems that could be produced quickly to equip mobilised troops. We shared our pouch and plate carrier patterns with volunteers so they could set up production too.

Mobilisation LBE (2022)

From the first months of the full-scale invasion, we worked directly with the 126th Territorial Defence Brigade, formed in Odesa and now known as the 39th Marine Brigade.

SELOUS LBE worn by a soldier of the 126th Territorial Defence Brigade, Kherson sector (March 2022)

In autumn 2022, its units took part in the liberation of Kherson and the areas of Kherson region on the right bank of the Dnipro.

RANGER Plate Carrier worn by soldiers of the 126th Territorial Defence Brigade during the Kherson counteroffensive (October 2022)

Once material supplies stabilised, we were able to return to more complex designs. The range expanded to include the INTRUDER placard, TRACKER, TOMCAT and FATCAT combat bags, and the SALADIN battle belt.

RANGER Plate Carrier, INTRUDER Placard, TRACKER Combat Bag and TYPE-2 Groin Protector in use with the 126th Territorial Defence Brigade (2022)

Ukrainian soldiers used our gear during the fighting to liberate Kharkiv region between September and November 2022.

REITER Plate Carrier, SELOUS LBE, INTRUDER Placard, TRACKER Combat Bag and TYPE-1 Groin Protector in use during the Kharkiv counteroffensive (2022)

In 2023, we changed our brand name from Sputnik-Gear to Suputnyk-Gear.

Loadout built around the RANGER Plate Carrier and SALADIN Battle Belt (2023)

The Ukrainian Defence Forces’ summer 2023 offensive in the Zaporizhzhia sector posed new challenges. Resupply difficulties meant soldiers had to remain self-sufficient for extended periods, carrying large loads of ammunition, water and personal kit. At the same time, narrow trenches restricted movement and limited how much gear they could attach at their sides.

YOROI Plate Carrier worn by air assault troops, Zaporizhzhia sector (2023)

At the request of an air assault brigade, we developed three products in parallel to meet these needs: the YOROI plate carrier, HELLDIVER assault pack and PM-3 MAMUSHI first aid pouch.

YOROI Plate Carrier, PM-3 MAMUSHI First Aid Pouch and TRACKER Combat Bag worn by an air assault soldier, Zaporizhzhia sector (2023)

YOROI featured an elastic cummerbund and a modular design with interchangeable cummerbunds and additional armour modules. This allowed users to tailor the configuration to the task. Following frontline trials, we refined the model together with the soldiers who used it. Its balance of protection and mobility made it popular among assault units.

PM-3 MAMUSHI served as a second, backup first aid pouch. We kept it compact for mounting at the rear of the belt and designed the insert to be pulled out with either hand in a single movement.

HELLDIVER was designed for soldiers with Combat Lifesaver training. In addition to medical equipment, it held the personal kit and ammunition needed to operate without resupply. Its high position on the back allowed it to be worn with a plate carrier and battle belt while making movement through trenches easier.

YOROI Plate Carrier, PM-3 MAMUSHI First Aid Pouch, TRACKER Combat Bag, INTRUDER Placard and HELLDIVER Assault Pack

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2024–2026 — Development Shaped by Combat Experience

From October 2023 to July 2024, our gear was used by soldiers holding the bridgehead near the village of Krynky, on the left bank of the Dnipro in Kherson region.

To meet their needs, we developed the TRADER drone backpack and bags for technical equipment. We also expanded our medical range with the TRADER-L-MEDICAL backpack, a medic’s waist pack, tactical stretchers, first aid pouches and pouches for medical equipment.

TRADER-L-MEDICAL Backpack in use at the Krynky bridgehead, Kherson region (2023)

In February 2024, our gear was used during the heavy fighting for Avdiivka and the withdrawal of Ukrainian units from the city.

Withdrawal from Avdiivka (February 2024)

SELOUS LBE — Fourth and Fifth Generations

In the fourth generation of SELOUS, we added a continuous belt to stiffen the entire system and refined the outlines of the three belt sections.

The fifth generation of SELOUS LBE introduced Tegris inserts in the side sections, improving stability under heavy loads.

KINBURN Pack System

A Ukrainian Navy special operations unit needed a system of three packs that could be carried together and used separately. The result was a set comprising the KINBURN raid pack, PATROL pack and WIESEL assault pack.

On the march, the PATROL pack sits beneath the KINBURN’s lid, protected from water and mud, with its weight close to the wearer’s back. At a temporary base, the soldier leaves the KINBURN behind and takes the PATROL, using only the WIESEL for assault operations.

KINBURN Backpack in use with the Ukrainian Navy (2025)

WIESEL Assault Pack in use with the Ukrainian Navy (2025)

First Aid Pouch and Lower Back Protection

Soldiers often wore a first aid pouch over a separate ballistic module at the rear of their belt. With PM-5, we combined the medical pouch and lower back protection, setting a trend in Ukraine for integrating both functions in a single product.

PM-5 Belt-Mounted First Aid Pouch

SELOUS-RAID LBE and INFANTRYMAN Backpack

Both designs have been updated several times over the years and remain relevant and in demand today.

INFANTRYMAN Backpack (2025)

New Materials and Technologies

Laser cutting and materials such as Tegris, SQUADRON and SAM opened up new design possibilities. We incorporated them into a range that included the FENRIR plate carrier, SELOUS-LC LBE, TRACKER-MEDIC bag and other products.

BULLDOG Dangler Pouch (2025)

RAIDER Pack (2025)

GUNTRUCK Placard (2026)

TUZLA–POLOZ Medic’s Raid Pack System

One of our latest designs pairs the TUZLA raid pack with the POLOZ medical pack. The concept came from a combat medic from Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces.

As with the KINBURN system, all essential gear is carried together during a long march. The bulk of the kit is then left at base, while the medic continues working with the dedicated medical pack.

TUZLA–POLOZ Medic’s Raid Pack System (2026)

Soldiers’ Personal Loadouts