Vickers Sling vs Sentinel Sling: A Comparison

Every good rifle should have a good sling, right? Two of the best slings I have ever used are the Blue Force Gear Vickers Combat Sling and the Grovtec Sentinel Rifle Sling. While both are of excellent quality, some differences are worth noting. These differences include size, padding, and the direction of the quick adjust loop.

A lot of companies make rifle slings, but the quality is not the same across the board. I have used many different brands, but on duty, I find myself reverting to these two brands. They make a quality sling that you can trust will hold up no matter your environment.

Blue Force Gear Vicker’s Combat Sling

The Vickers Combat Application sling by Blue Force Gear is time-tested and mused by the US Military. It’s what I would call a simple, plain Jane sling, which is what I like about it. It’s designed to work with just about any type of rifle attachment and is made of CORDURA webbing. I’ve got this one strapped on my Daniel Defense DDM4 A1 RIII rifle, and it’s worked great.

It has a quick-adjust tab, which is easy to grab to adjust the sling on the go. I needed a QD mount on the front but opted to loop it through the rear of the stock. At 54-65 inches, this sling is larger than the GrovTec. It is 1.25 inches wide, which is also slightly wider than the Sentinel.

When adjusting the Vickers Combat Application sling, you pull it up to loosen it and down to cinch it up. This is also backward from the Sentinel. I like the pull tab, but the tab does not slide as easily as the Sentinel’s. Another noticeable difference is the thickness of the Vickers sling, which is made of a heavier material. This is possibly the most durable sling I’ve ever used.

GrovTec Sentinel Rifle Sling

GrovTec makes some nice slings and rail wraps for AR-15 rifles. The Sentinel is one of the more comfortable slings I’ve used and has a small fixed padded area near the shoulder. This two-point QD sling is adjustable on the back and has a QD attachment sewn on the front. It’s made from thin material, and the shoulder pad is sewn into the sling.

I recently picked up the PSA 5.56 JAKL and have been using the Sentinel sling on it. My first experience with them, however, was at work. I attended a training event, and the sling I was using broke near the QD mount. Someone lent me their Sentinel to use for the rest of the training. After the training was over, I returned the GrovTec sling to him and ordered my own. I’ve been using several on my duty and personal rifles ever since.

Unlike the Vicker’s Combat sling, the Sentinel is only 38-48 inches. This may be a big factor for a person depending on their size and the type of gear they wear. I use both, but I like how tight I can cinch the Sentinel to my chest when not using the rifle. The Vickers will get tight enough to work, but it’s a little on the loose side for me.

Instead of a tab, the Sentinel has a loop, which is just as easy to grab for the quick adjustment feature. When adjusting the Sentinel, however, you pull the loop up to cinch it in and down to loosen it. When it comes to using the quick adjust feature, the Sentinel is much easier to adjust than the Vickers.

Why You Need a Rifle Sling

Years ago, I remember watching videos on how to properly wear a sling. But this was confusing because everyone had a different answer. It was this, that, and the other, depending on who you listen to. It was a while before I realized most of those one-hit YouTube sensations were just making stuff up. I joined the police academy and started a career in law enforcement, which eventually included tactical training.

Boy, was I surprised to find out there isn’t one specific way to use a sling. They’re adaptable, and how you wear them depends on what you’re doing. Back in the early days, rifle slings were mostly designed to carry a rifle on your shoulder when it was not being used. After all, a rifle sling is made to secure the rifle to your body.

Slings have advanced over the years, and today they are larger, adjustable, padded, and attached in multiple ways. You can weave your arms in and out of a sling to place it in a variety of configurations. It all depends on where you need the rifle to be and what you are doing with it.

While the obvious use for a rifle sling is attaching it to your body and even carrying it hands-free, there are other uses as well. A good one can provide better accuracy and stability while shooting as well. If you carry a rifle a lot, there will be times when you need both hands. A rifle sling is just the tool to provide that capability.

Which one is best for you?

Slings are simple accessories that perform an important job for your rifle. Both slings run about $75 and are both great quality. In my opinion, the Vicker’s sling has the edge on durability, and Sentinel has the edge on operability. That’s not to mean the Sentinel is poor quality because it’s not. But if you started hanging weights on them until they broke, the Vicker’s sling would win.

But the only weight hanging on the slings was the weight of a rifle. For comfort, the Sentinel is a little better because of the shoulder pad. It may be hard to choose between the two, but narrowing it down to these two slings is a great start. Picking the one that’s best for you will depend on some personal preferences. The good news is you will be happy with either of these choices.

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