Review
Recently we received a few reader requests for some reviews on sling systems. So in our search for innovative slings, I came across 215Gear’s single point sling with integrated Cobra buckle.
Overview:
215Gear developed this single point sling with a heavy duty shock cord, thick nylon webbing, a five- to six-inch piece of 550 cord, and, of course, a Cobra buckle. The system attaches to the operators plate carrier by looping to both left and right portions of the back of the plate carrier (MOLLE/PALS).
Watch in 1080p!
Review:
215Gear is known for products made and designed by the guys getting their hands dirty. All theory and knowledge of each product comes from feedback, ideas, and demands of those in the field. So it is not surprising that 215Gear’s Scorpion 2 Integrated Single Point Sling is of great quality. The shock cord used on both left and right sides of the system work very well to hold your weapon system up. The nylon webbing is right around an inch wide has a slick comfortable feel. The polymer feed loops seem to be fairly durable and work as they are supposed to. As stated in the video below, there are many cheap, knock off brands of cobra buckles that you need to be aware of. 215Gear uses the well known brand AustriAlpine for their buckle with heavy use in mind. AustriAlpine is a well-known brand in the climbing world, and is highly recommended by that demographic. The nylon 550 cord sent with the system is in my opinion the only downfall, for reasons I will go into later.
Having taken my time with the review of this system (215Gear thought I may have forgotten about them), and having used it for close to a month when wearing my plate carrier, I have a great sense of why 215Gear chose to make this system the way they did. I have used integrated single point slings in the past, and the main problem and biggest complaint with this type of secured system is that it is hard to transition from strong to weak side while firing. This is usually due to the way the product is made. Many times, a ring is used to connect the two shoulder straps to the quick detach portion of the sling. This doesn’t allow the buckle to move freely while transitioning. 215Gear nixed this problem by attaching the cobra buckle directly to the sling, allowing the buckle to slide from left to right while transitioning from weak to strong side. Because 215Gear decided to go with well-known name with their cobra buckle, all of the great aspects of the cobra buckle are not only present, but work without fail. I was very pleased with how the quick detach aspects of the buckle worked. Even with smaller levers, the buckles mechanism works flawlessly.
As I stated in the video, the only portion I was not happy with was the way 215Gear wants the end user to attach the sling to their weapon. I have no problem with 550 cord, I am known for wearing a survival strap or cobra
knot bracelet because I know the great qualities 550 cord posses in survival situations. Therefore, my qualm is not with the nylon itself but the lack of innovation on 215Gear’s 
part. The company claims the reasoning behind using 550 is to provide a “soft” attachment, meaning that this will eliminate any metal on metal noise. Being that I use sling push swivels on most of my weapons to attach slings, noise suppressing is a great idea, but in my opinion other methods could have been used. Many companies have created adapters made out of nylon webbing and sling swivels, or even just nylon straps that can be secured with buckles. This is again the biggest detriment to the system in my opinion, not due to function but to the lack of innovation.
I state in the clip above that the system is limited to use for the reason that you must wear it with a plate carrier or something similar that has MOLLE/PALS. After a little tampering with the system post video shoot, I did figure out a way to make the sling work without a plate carrier, and although I don’t recommend using the system this way, it seemed to work just fine. In a pinch, the left stand of nylon can be woven through the right creating a loop which will allow for use without a plate carrier, but again because it is not its intended function, I do not recommend it.
The sling made ready for use without plate a carrier
Final Thoughts:
When all said and done, the price of the sling is very inexpensive for what you are getting. The sling offers a great deal of support and maneuverability. The list of benefits to a single point sling is fairly long but include a free range of motion and easy transitioning from strong to weak side, and that is just was 215Gear’s Scorpion 2 Integrated Single Point Sling does! Overall I am very please with the product, a small lack of innovation may have bumped it down from having a perfect score but overall the product is near flawless. If your looking for a heavy duty single point sling with the benefit of being made right here in the U.S.A, with a lifetime warranty this product is for you. If you would like to learn more about 215Gear please click here. To see about purchasing this and more products by 215Gear visit their website after the jump.
