Hit Rags

A Hit Rag, also known as a Dead Rag or Kill Rag, is a simple but indispensable accessory in airsoft. It consists of a compact MOLLE pouch containing a bright red cloth attached to the pouch. As soon as you are hit during a skirmish or milsim event, you pull the red cloth out of the pouch so that fellow players and marshals can immediately see that you have been taken out. After you respawn, simply put the cloth back in the pouch, so you’re ready to rejoin the game.

Go straight to the relevant information:
• Why use a hit rag?
• How do you use a hit rag?
• Materials and construction
• Professional applications 
• Fitting to your kit
• Colours
• What should you look out for when choosing a hit rag?
• Frequently asked questions

Using a Hit Rag prevents confusion on the playing field and helps to ensure the game is played in a sporting manner. Particularly during larger events and milsim games, a Hit Rag is often compulsory or its use is strongly recommended. Thanks to its striking red colour, it is clear at a glance that you are temporarily no longer actively taking part in the game.

Almost all Hit Rags are attached using the MOLLE system, allowing them to be securely mounted on a plate carrier, chest rig or other tactical equipment. As the pouch is compact, it takes up hardly any space and the Hit Rag is always within easy reach when you need it.

At Airsoft Legends, you’ll find Hit Rags from brands including TF-2215 and Invader Gear. They are available in various colours, including Black, Coyote, OD Green, Ranger Green and Wolf Grey, so you can easily match the pouch to the rest of your loadout.

Why do you use a Hit Rag?

A Hit Rag has been designed to immediately indicate that you have been eliminated during an airsoft match. By pulling the red cloth out of the pouch, you prevent other players from continuing to shoot or wondering whether you are still actively taking part in the game. This helps to create a safer and more sportsmanlike playing environment.

In addition, a Hit Rag helps to prevent arguments about hits. Both fellow players and marshals can immediately see that you’ve been hit and are on your way to the respawn point or waiting for further instructions. This provides greater clarity on the playing field, particularly during busy skirmishes and realistic milsim events.

Many organisations therefore make the use of a Hit Rag compulsory or strongly recommend it. It’s a small addition to your kit, but an important tool for ensuring the game runs fairly, smoothly and enjoyably.

In practice, you’ll find that a clearly visible Hit Rag prevents a lot of misunderstandings. Particularly during larger skirmishes or on busy CQB fields, other players can see straight away that you’ve been taken out, which prevents unnecessary follow-up fire or arguments about hits.

How do you use a Hit Rag?

Using a Hit Rag is simple, yet effective:

1. Attach the Hit Rag using the MOLLE system to an easily accessible spot on your kit.
2. If you are hit during the game, immediately pull the red cloth completely out of the pouch.
3. Make sure the red cloth remains clearly visible as you leave the playing area or walk to the respawn point.
4. Once you’re allowed to take part again according to the rules, put the cloth back in the pouch.
5. Make sure the Hit Rag is neatly put away before you resume the game.

By consistently using the Hit Rag in this way, both fellow players and marshals will always know whether or not you are actively taking part in the game. This prevents misunderstandings and helps to ensure that every skirmish or milsim is conducted in a fair and sporting manner.

Materials and construction

Although a Hit Rag is a relatively simple piece of kit, it does need to be able to withstand heavy use. During a skirmish or milsim event, your kit is exposed to mud, rain, undergrowth and a lot of movement. A sturdy construction ensures that your Hit Rag continues to perform reliably when it matters most.

Professional applications

Although Hit Rags are best known within the airsoft community, similar signal flags are also used during various tactical training sessions and exercises. These include force-on-force training, CQB exercises and other scenarios in which participants need to be able to clearly indicate that they are no longer actively taking part in an exercise.

In airsoft, however, the Hit Rag plays a particularly important role during skirmishes and milsim events. By making the red cloth immediately visible as soon as you’ve been hit, it remains clear to everyone on the playing field who is still active and who is on their way to the respawn point.

Fitting to your kit

A Hit Rag must always be easily accessible and clearly visible. That is why it is almost always attached high up on the kit, so that the red cloth is immediately noticeable to teammates and marshals once it has been pulled out.

The most common mounting locations are:

• High up on the back of a plate carrier, at shoulder height.
• On the shoulder strap of a plate carrier.
• High up on a chest rig with MOLLE attachment.
• Wear it high on a tactical rucksack when you’re not wearing a plate carrier.

It is important that you can grab the Hit Rag with one hand and pull it out straight away as soon as you’ve been hit. Therefore, do not place the pouch behind other pouches or equipment that might cover the red cloth.

Colours

The Hit Rag itself is almost always bright red. This striking colour has been deliberately chosen so that fellow players and marshals can immediately see that you have been knocked out and are no longer actively taking part in the game.

The pouch in which the Hit Rag is stored is available in a range of colours, so it can match the rest of your loadout. Within the Airsoft Legends range, you can choose from:

• Black
• Coyote
• OD Green
• Ranger Green
• Wolf Grey

By choosing a colour that matches your plate carrier or chest rig, your kit will look neat and tidy, whilst the red cloth will only be visible when necessary.

What should you look out for when choosing a Hit Rag?

Although Hit Rags essentially serve the same purpose, there are still a number of points to bear in mind when choosing a model that suits your kit.

When making your choice, please bear in mind the following points, amongst others:

• Choose a Hit Rag with a sturdy MOLLE attachment that secures firmly to your kit.
• Check that the red cloth can be easily pulled out of the pouch with one hand.
• Place the Hit Rag in an easily accessible and clearly visible location.
• Look out for a sturdy nylon pouch and a durable signal flag for long-term use.
• Choose a colour for the pouch that matches the rest of your loadout.

As a Hit Rag is a safety and identification device, reliability and ease of use are more important than extra features. A robust model that stays securely in place and is quick to use often works best in practice.

Common mistakes when using a Hit Rag

• Attaching the Hit Rag too low on the kit
  A Hit Rag should be positioned high on the plate carrier, chest rig or rucksack, so that the red cloth is immediately clearly visible.
• Place the pouch behind other equipment
  If other pouches or accessories block the Hit Rag, it is less easily accessible and the red cloth is less visible.
• Forgetting to remove the Hit Rag immediately after a hit
  This may lead fellow players to think that you are still actively taking part in the game, which causes unnecessary confusion.
• Do not pull the red cloth all the way out of the pouch
  Allow the Hit Rag to hang out fully so that it is clearly visible from all sides.
• After respawning, don’t forget to put the Hit Rag back
  Always check that the rag is neatly back in the pouch before rejoining the game.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Hit Rag?
A Hit Rag is a compact MOLLE pouch containing a bright red signal cloth. By pulling the cloth out of the pouch, you indicate that you have been hit during an airsoft game and are temporarily no longer actively participating.

What is the difference between a Hit Rag and a Dead Rag?
There is no difference. Both terms are used to refer to the same product.

Is a hit rag compulsory during airsoft?
That varies from organisation to organisation. At many milsim events, a hit rag is compulsory or its use is strongly recommended to improve safety and clarity on the playing field.

Where do you attach a Hit Rag?
A Hit Rag is usually attached high up on the plate carrier, chest rig or rucksack, so that the red cloth is clearly visible as soon as you take it off and you can grab it quickly.

Why is a Hit Rag red?
Red is a striking signal colour that immediately indicates that a player has been taken out of the game. This allows fellow players and marshals to see at a glance that you are no longer actively taking part in the game.

Which Hit Rags does Airsoft Legends sell?
Airsoft Legends stocks Hit Rags from TF-2215 and Invader Gear, available in Black, Coyote, OD Green, Ranger Green and Wolf Grey.

A Hit Rag is a small piece of kit, but it plays a major role in ensuring a safe, fair and sporting airsoft game. Take a look at Airsoft Legends’ range of Hit Rags and choose a model that fits your loadout perfectly.