KommandoStore’s New South African Niemoller Rigs

KommandoStore has taken the wraps off new-production tactical web gear that’s based on an old special-forces design—and to help with production, they’ve teamed up with the veteran long-range patroller who built the first examples. The Niemoller Rig is a relic of old conflicts fought by the South African military, but the principles behind its design still apply to people looking for practical, rugged tactical gear today.

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The origin story

The Niemoller Rig was the brainchild of Johann Niemoller, a soldier in South Africa’s clandestine special operations forces, including a so-called Recce unit that did much the same work as the American Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol (LRRP) teams in Vietnam—snooping and pooping across long distances to gather intel on enemy forces. And in doing so, Niemoller and his fellow Recce soldiers soon discovered the limitations of their web gear.

KommandoStore’s write-up says “Armed with a sewing machine in his bungalow room and all the fabrics, bits & bobs he could get, he designed a comfortable & applicable rig that could go long distances, quieter, with less repairs needed.”

You can see the full story in their marketing video below, interviewing Niemoller about his creation.

Niemoller went on to hand-make similar gear for Recce operators and other South African special forces, and eventually started a company building military equipment including his webbing design for the South African military. When the ANC took over power, much of this work ended. Now, KommandoStore has got him back in business overseeing the production of his Niemoller Rig design, which has small details that differ from the more mainstream (but similar) designs used by the South African military in recent years, as well as private military contractors.

Buying a Niemoller Rig

You can see the new-production Rig at KommandoStore’s website here. They say “The webbing was designed to carry as many of your essentials as possible without being bulky, since Recces would not have access to any kind of resupply infrastructure.” It’s supposed to haul about 25-35 pounds of your most important equipment while still allowing you to move with stealth.