Abstract:
An improved paintball pod belt is provided. The belt provides a means for urging the pod compartments upwards and adjacent to the lower back of the user despite strenuous physical maneuvers performed by the user. The belt further includes a means for providing an easily accessible handle for peeling a closure flap off of a middle portion of a pod compartment to remove or insert a paintball pod from or into the pod compartment. The belt may further include a means for reducing a side profile of the pod compartment to reduce the likelihood of being hit by a paintball on the empty pod compartment. The belt may further include a means for clipping the paintball pod into the pod compartment.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/856,194, filed on Nov. 2, 2006, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not Applicable 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    The present invention relates to an improved paintball pod belt. 
         [0004]    During a paintball game, a first team made up of a plurality of players is placed in a playing field. A second team made up of a plurality of different players compete against the first team. The goal of the paintball game may be to capture a flag, find something, bring a flag or something back, or simply be the last person standing. Players of the first and second team are eliminated when hit by a paintball. To play a game of paintball, each of the players may be equipped with a goggle for eye protection, body protection, a paintball gun and a plurality of paintballs. Extra paintballs are typically held in a paintball pod. A plurality of paintball pods are then secured to a paintball pod harness worn by the player. 
         [0005]    During the paintball game, the player may have to run, slide, duck, jump, roll, or perform other physically strenuous maneuvers to escape from an opposing player or to gain a positional advantage over the opposing player. Unfortunately, a disadvantage of prior art paintball pod harnesses is that the prior art paintball pod harness may tend to slide downward about the user&#39;s hips and buttocks while the player performs the strenuous physical maneuvers. For example, when the prior art paintball pod harness is initially worn by the user, the prior art harness is tensioned about the waist of the user. During the paintball game, the user is performing strenuous physical maneuvers and inserting and removing paintball pods from the prior art paintball pod harness. These activities loosen the tension of the prior art paintball pod harness on the waist of the user. Accordingly, the prior art paintball pod harness may tend to slip downward about the hips or buttocks of the user. Such position is not optimal and may hinder the user&#39;s ability to perform the strenuous physical maneuvers discussed above. 
         [0006]    Another disadvantage of prior art paintball pod harnesses is that the pod compartments may not be easily accessible. By way of example and not limitation, the prior art paintball pod harnesses are worn with the pod compartments disposed about the lower back portion of the player&#39;s waist. To access a paintball pod, the player must reach behind his or her back (i.e., out of visual sight) and grasp the paintball pod. Certain prior art paintball pod harnesses may have a closure flap to securely hold the paintball pod in the pod compartment. The reason for the closure flap is to prevent the paintball pod from falling out of the pod compartment while the player is performing the strenuous physical maneuvers discussed above. Unfortunately, the handle for the closure flap is flush against the pod compartment. The player typically with a glove on his or her hand must reach behind his or her back, feel for the handle which is flush against the pod compartment and traverse the closure flap to the opened position. Because the handle is flush with the pod compartment and the player is typically wearing a glove, it is difficult to find the handle during the excitement of a game of paintball. 
         [0007]    Another disadvantage of the prior art paintball pod harness is that the prior art paintball harness is bulky. As discussed above, when the payer is hit by a paintball, the player is eliminated. This includes being hit by a paintball on a paintball pod of the prior art paintball pod harness. 
         [0008]    Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved paintball pod harness. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY 
       [0009]    The improved paintball pod belt discussed herein addresses the needs above, discussed below and those that are known in the art. The improved paintball pod harness may include one or more of the four aspects discussed herein, namely, 1) a means for urging the belt upward adjacent to the lower back of the user, 2) a means for easily finding a handle to traverse a closure flap to an opened position, 3) a means for reducing a side profile of a pod compartment, and 4) a means for clipping a paintball pod into a pod compartment. 
         [0010]    The means for urging the belt upwards adjacent to the lower back of the user may include a waist encircling layer and a pod compartment or a plurality of pod compartments attached to the waist encircling layer. The waist encircling layer is removably attachable to the waist of the user. When the waist encircling layer is disposed about the waist of the user, the pod compartment or plurality of pod compartments are disposed at the lower back of the user. The pod compartment(s) may be attached to an upper portion of a midsection of the waist encircling layer. A lower portion of the midsection of the waist encircling layer may be fabricated from an elastic material and may be disposable on the upper curved portion of the user&#39;s buttocks to lift the pod compartment(s) upward. 
         [0011]    The means for easily accessing a handle to traverse a closure flap from the closed position to an opened position may include a handle attached to the closure flap and oriented outward and away from a middle portion of the pod compartment. The handle may be inserted through a guide or between the guide and the closure flap for orienting the handle downward and below the pod compartment. In this manner, the user need only place his or her hand below the paintball pod to be removed with his or her palm facing outward. At this position, the handle may be disposed immediately in front of the palm of the user&#39;s hand. The user need only close his or her hand to grasp the handle. 
         [0012]    The means for reducing a side profile of the pod compartment may include a shell fabricated from a rigid or semi-rigid material. The shell may partially define the pod compartment along with a first side portion. The first side portion may be fabricated from an elastic material. The first side portion may be attached to the waist encircling layer and a first edge portion of the shell. The second edge portion of the shell may be indirectly attached to the waist encircling layer via a second side portion. The second side portion may be fabricated from an elastic material such that when a paintball pod is inserted into a pod compartment, the first and second elastic side portions stretch and the rigid shell is traversed away from the waist encircling layer to provide room for the paintball pod to be inserted into the pod compartment. Conversely, when the paintball pod is removed from the pod compartment, the first and second elastic side portions contract and traverse the shell toward the waist encircling layer to reduce the profile of the pod compartment. Alternatively, the second side portion may be fabricated from an inelastic material such that when a paintball pod is inserted into a pod compartment, only the first elastic portion stretches to provide room for the paintball pod to be inserted into the pod compartment. Conversely, when the paintball pod is removed from the pod compartment, only the first elastic side portion contracts and traverses the shell toward the waist encircling layer to reduce the side profile of the pod compartment. 
         [0013]    Alternatively, the second edge portion of the shell may be directly attached to the waist encircling belt such that the shell pivots about such direct attachment point and the elastic first side portion stretches to make room for a pod inserted into the pod compartment and contracts to traverse the shell closer to the waist encircling belt and reduce the player&#39;s side profile. 
         [0014]    A means for clipping the paintball pod into the pod compartment may include a locking member rotatable with respect to the pod compartment between a holding position and a released position. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]    These and other features and advantages of the various embodiments disclosed herein will be better understood with respect to the following description and drawings, in which like numbers refer to like parts throughout, and in which: 
           [0016]      FIG. 1  is a rear view of a paintball pod belt; 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the paintball pod belt shown in  FIG. 1  worn by a user; 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  is a side view of a paintball pod compartment with a paintball pod inserted into the pod compartment and a closure flap traversed to a closed position, wherein the closure flap and a handle are fabricated from a unitary member; 
           [0019]      FIG. 3A  is an alternate embodiment of attaching the handle to the closure flap; 
           [0020]      FIG. 3B  is a further alternative embodiment of attaching the handle to the closure flap; 
           [0021]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the pod compartment shown in  FIG. 3  illustrating the closure flap being peeled off of the pod compartment via the handle; 
           [0022]      FIG. 5  is a side view of the pod compartment shown in  FIG. 3  with the closure flap detached from the pod compartment; 
           [0023]      FIG. 6  illustrates a pod compartment which compresses when the paintball pod is removed therefrom; 
           [0024]      FIG. 7  illustrates a paintball pod removed from the pod compartment with the pod compartment having a lower side profile compared to the side profile of the pod compartment shown in  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0025]      FIG. 7A  is a cross-sectional configuration of the pod compartment shown in  FIG. 7  wherein a shell is moved away from the belt to make room for the inserted paintball pod and traversed toward the belt when the paintball pod is removed from the pod compartment to reduce a side profile of the pod compartment and reduce the likelihood of being hit by a paintball pod; 
           [0026]      FIG. 7B  is an alternate embodiment of the shell and means for attaching the shell to the belt; 
           [0027]      FIG. 7C  is another further embodiment of the shell and a means for attaching the shell to the belt; 
           [0028]      FIG. 8  illustrates a first embodiment of a clip for holding the paintball pod in the pod compartment; 
           [0029]      FIG. 9  is an illustration of the pod compartment shown in  FIG. 8  with the clip traversed to a released position for accessing or removing the paintball pod out of the pod compartment; 
           [0030]      FIG. 10  is a bottom view of the clip shown in  FIG. 8 ; 
           [0031]      FIG. 11  is a bottom view of the clip shown in  FIG. 9 ; 
           [0032]      FIG. 12  is a second embodiment of the clip for holding the paintball pod in the pod compartment; 
           [0033]      FIG. 13  is an illustration of the pod compartment shown in  FIG. 12  with the clip traversed to the released position for accessing or removing the paintball pod out of the pod compartment; 
           [0034]      FIG. 14  is a bottom view of the clip shown in  FIG. 8 ; and 
           [0035]      FIG. 15  is a bottom view of the clip shown in  FIG. 8 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0036]    Referring now to the figures, a paintball pod harness  10  is shown in  FIG. 1 . The paintball pod harness  10  is typically worn around a waist (see  FIG. 2 ) of the user while the user is engaged in a game of paintball. The paintball pod harness  10  may comprise a harness  10  and a plurality of pod compartments  14  which are attached to the belt  12 . The belt  12  may be worn around the waist of the user with the pod compartments  14  disposed at a lower back portion of the user. The harness  10  may be removably attachable to the waist of the user via first and second components  16 ,  18  of a hooks and loops attachment system formed at distal end flaps  20  of the belt  12 . A portion of the belt  12  may have an elastic portion or in the alternative, the entire belt  12  may be fabricated from an elastic material such that the belt  12  may contract or expand as the user&#39;s belly expands or contracts due to heavy breathing. The pod compartments  14  may be vertically oriented (as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ). Each of the compartments  14  may have a close-ended top  22  and an open bottom  24 . The pods  26  may be inserted and removed from the pod compartments  14  via the open bottom  24 . In use, the paintball pod harness  10  is worn around the waist of the user with the open bottom  24  of the pod compartment  14  facing downward and the pod compartments  14  disposed at the lower back of the user (see  FIG. 2 ). When the user needs to reload his paintball gun with additional paintballs, the user may reach behind and pull downward on the paintball pod  26  (after removing the closure flap  46  discussed below) to remove the paintball pod  26  from the pod compartment  14 . Once the paintball pod  26  is removed, the user may reload his paintball gun with additional paintballs. 
         [0037]    In an aspect of the paintball pod harness  10 , the harness  10  may define a midsection  28 , intermediate sections  30  and end flaps  20 . When the paintball pod harness  10  is worn around the waist of the user, the user may engage the end flaps  20  to each other to secure the paintball pod harness  10  around the waist of the user (see  FIG. 2 ). The intermediate sections  30  may be fabricated from an elastic material. As such, the user may adjust the amount of tension that the harness  10  applies to the waist of the user. The elastic intermediate sections  30  expand and contract as the user breathes in and out such that constant pressure may be applied to the waist of the user to hold the paintball pod  26  in place at the lower back of the user. 
         [0038]    To further maintain the position of the paintball pod  26  at the lower back portion of the user&#39;s waist, a lower portion  32  of the midsection  28  may be fabricated from an elastic material. The lower elastic portion  32  of the midsection  28  mates with the outwardly curved portion  34  (see  FIG. 2 ) of the user&#39;s buttocks. The elastic lower portion  32  of the midsection  28  may be increasingly stretched from the upper edge  36  to the lower edge  38  of the lower portion  32  of the midsection  28  due to the outward curvature of the upper portion  34  of the user&#39;s buttocks. 
         [0039]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , a side view of the paintball pod harness  10  worn about the waist of the user is shown. The pod compartments  14  are disposed at the lower back portion of the user&#39;s waist. The end flaps  20  are attached to each other about a belly portion of the user&#39;s waist. The amount of tension that the paintball pod  26  applies to the user&#39;s waist is adjusted by pulling harder on the belt end flaps  20  thereby stretching the elastic intermediate sections  30  and attaching the end flaps  20  to each other. The pod compartments  14  are attached to the upper portion  40  of the midsection  28 . The upper portion  40  of the midsection  28  may be fabricated from an inelastic fabric material. However, it is also contemplated that the upper portion  40  of the midsection  28  may be fabricated from an elastic material. With the pod compartments  14  disposed about the lower back portion of the user&#39;s waist, the lower portion  32  of the midsection  28  presses against the upper portion  34  of the user&#39;s buttocks. Due to the outward curvature of the user&#39;s buttocks, the lower portion  32  is increasingly stretched from the upper edge  36  to the lower edge  38  of the midsection lower portion  32 . The upper portion  34  of the user&#39;s buttocks pushes upward on the lower portion  32  of the midsection  28 . This also pushes the midsection  28  of the belt  12  and the pod compartments  14  upward. Such configuration maintains the position of the pod compartments  14  at the lower back portion of the user&#39;s waist while the user may be running, ducking, rolling, jumping or performing other strenuous maneuvers during a paintball game. 
         [0040]    The upper portion  40  of the midsection  28  may have a bowed configuration (see  FIG. 1 ). In particular, an upper edge  42  may have a convex configuration. Additionally, a lower edge  44  of the upper portion  40  may have a corresponding convex configuration to curve up and around the user&#39;s buttocks. The pod compartments  14  may be attached to the upper portion  40  of the midsection  28 . 
         [0041]    The lower portion  32  may have an eyelet configuration (see  FIG. 1 ). In particular, the upper edge  36  of the lower portion  32  may mate with the lower edge  44  of the upper portion  40 . In this regard, the upper edge  36  of the lower portion  32  may also have a convex configuration. However, the lower edge  38  of the lower portion  32  may have a concave configuration. The lower portion  32  of the midsection  28  may be elastic in only the horizontal direction, only the vertical direction or both in the horizontal and the vertical directions. 
         [0042]    In another aspect of the paintball pod harness  10 , a closure flap  46  covering the open bottom  24  of the pod compartments  14  for securing the paintball pod  26  in the pod compartment  14  may be traversed to an opened position (see  FIG. 5 ) via a handle  48  which is oriented outward and away from the pod compartment  14  (see  FIG. 3 ). The handle  48  is easily accessible to the user. The user does not have to search for the handle  48  to make the pod compartment  14  accessible and remove the paintball pod  26  therefrom. Rather, the user may easily place his or her hand underneath the paintball pod  26  to be removed with his or her palm facing away from his or her body (see  FIG. 3 ). At this point, the handle  48  is located in front of the user&#39;s palm. The user need only close his or her hand to grasp the handle  48 . 
         [0043]    Once the user grabs the handle  48 , the user may pull downward on the handle  48  to traverse the closure flap  46  from a closed position (see  FIG. 3 ) securing the paintball pod  26  in the pod compartment  14  to the opened position (see  FIG. 5 ) making the paintball pod  26  accessible to the user such that the user may now remove the paintball pod  26  from the pod compartment  14 . 
         [0044]    The pod compartment  14  may define a middle portion  50  (see  FIG. 3 ) having a through hole sized and configured to receive the paintball pod  26 . The pod compartment  14  may further define a top portion  22  (see  FIG. 3 ) fabricated from an elastic material. When the paintball pod  26  is inserted into the pod compartment  14 , the paintball pod  26  is jammed into the pod compartment  14  so as to stretch the top portion  22  of the pod compartment  14 . The closure flap  46  of the pod compartment  14  may be wrapped under and around the paintball pod  26  and attached to the middle portion  50  of the pod compartment  14  via a hooks and loops attachment system. In particular, the exterior surface of the middle portion  50  may have a first component  16  of the hooks and loops attachment system, as shown in  FIG. 5 . An interior surface of the closure flap  46  may have a second component  18  of the hooks and loops attachment system at the distal end  60  (see  FIG. 3A ) thereof, as shown in  FIG. 5 . To attach the closure flap  46  to the middle portion  50  of the pod compartment  14 , the second component  18  of the hooks and loops attachment system is engaged to the first component  16  of the hooks and loops system. The first and second components  16 ,  18  of the hooks and loops attachment system may be (1) hooks and loops, respectively, or (2) loops and hooks, respectively. 
         [0045]    The handle  48  may be attached to the closure flap  46 . Preferably, the handle  48  is attached at or about the start  52  (see  FIG. 3 ) of the second component  18  of the hooks and loops attachment system attached to the closure flap  46 . 
         [0046]    An elongate member  54  may be attached to left and right edges  56   a, b  (see  FIG. 1 ) of the closure flap  46  forming a guide  58 . The handle  48  may be inserted through the guide  58  to direct the handle  48  in a downward direction when the closure flap  46  is in the closed position. The handle  48  may be sufficiently long such that the handle  48  extends beyond the closure flap  46  and paintball pod  26  when the closure flap  46  is in the closed position (see  FIG. 3 ). The elongate member  54  may be fabricated from a rigid plastic material, a flexible cord, bungee cord or other suitable material. When the handle  48  is pulled to traverse the closure flap  46  from the closed position to the open position, the handle  48  slides through the guide  58  and the distal end portion  60  of the closure flap  46  folds in two, as shown in  FIG. 4 . The width of the closure flap  46  is greater than a width of the guide  58 . As such, the distal end portion  60  of the closure flap  46  does not escape out of the guide  58  when the handle  48  is pulled downward to traverse the closure flap  46  to the open position. Rather, the distal end  60  of the closure flap  46  is stopped by the narrow width of the guide  58 . 
         [0047]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , in the closed position, the handle  48  projects outward and downwardly from the paintball pod  26 . The user places his or her hand below the paintball pod  26  to be removed with his or her palm directed outward. The user may close his or her hand to grasp the handle  48 . Thereafter, the user may pull downward on the handle  48  (see  FIG. 4 ). Such downward motion peels the closure flap  46  off of the middle portion  50  of the pod compartment  14 . More particularly, the second component  18  of the hooks and loops attachment system formed on the closure flap  46  is peeled off of the first component  16  of the hooks and loops attachment system formed on the middle portion  50  of the pod compartment  14 . Further downward motion of the user&#39;s hand traverses the closure flap  46  to the opened position (see  FIG. 5 ). At this point, the top elastic portion  22  of the pod compartment  14  pushes the paintball pod  26  downward to an elevation below the remaining paintball pods  26  so as to make the ejected paintball pod  26  more accessible to the user. The user may remove the paintball pod  26  from the pod compartment  14  to refill his or her paintball gun with paintballs contained in the removed paintball pod  26 . 
         [0048]      FIGS. 3 ,  3 A, and  3 B illustrate three different attachment embodiments between the handle  48  and the closure flap  46 . In  FIG. 3 , the handle  48  is fabricated from a unitary material with the closure flap  46 . In  FIG. 3A , the second component  18  of the hooks and loops attachment system is formed at the distal end portion  60  of the closure flap  46 . A portion  62  of the distal end  60  of the closure flap  46  is not formed with any second component  18  of the hooks and loops attachment system. The distal end  64  of the handle  48  may be attached to such portion  62 . Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 3B , a distal end  64  of the handle  48  may be attached to the closure flap  46  at a distal end portion  66  or start  52  of the second component  18  of the hooks and loops attachment system. This increases the amount of downward force that the user must apply to the handle  48  to peel the second component  18  of the hooks and loops attachment system formed on the closure flap  46  off of the first component  16  of the hooks and loops attachment system formed on the middle portion  50  of the pod compartment  14 . The amount of pull down force that is required to peel the closure flap  46  off of the middle portion  50  of the pod compartment  14  may be adjusted by the position of the attachment point between the handle  48  and the closure flap  46 . Generally, the deeper the attachment point with respect to the distal end  66  or start  52  of the second component  18  of the hooks and loops system attached to the closure flap  46 , the greater pull down force required to peel the closure flap  46  off of the middle portion  50  of the pod compartment  14 . 
         [0049]    In another aspect of the paintball pod harness  10 , referring now to  FIGS. 6-7C , the middle portion  50  of the pod compartment  14  may be fabricated from a shell  68  and elastic first and second side portions  70 ,  72  (see  FIG. 7A ) to reduce a profile of an empty pod compartment  14 . In particular, as shown in  FIG. 7A , the pod compartment  14  may be defined by the midsection  28  of the belt  12 , first and second elastic side portions and a shell  68 . When a paintball pod  26  is inserted into the pod compartment  14 , the paintball pod  26  stretches the first and second side portions  70 ,  72  such that the pod compartment  14  may be large enough to receive the paintball pod  26  (see dashed lines in  FIG. 7A ). When the paintball pod  26  is removed from the pod compartment  14 , the first and second elastic side portions contract and draw the shell  68  closer to the midsection  28  (see solid lines in  FIG. 7A ). Beneficially, this reduces the side profile of the pod compartment  14  such that the user has less probability of being hit on the empty pod compartment  14  with a paintball. 
         [0050]    It is also contemplated that either the first or the second side portion  70 ,  72  be fabricated from an elastic material, but not both. For example, as shown in  FIG. 7B , when the paintball pod  26  is inserted into the pod compartment  14 , the first elastic portion stretches and the shell  68  pivots about the inelastic second side portion  72  defining a general pivot area to allow the pod compartment  14  to expand and receive the paintball pod  26 . When the paintball pod  26  is removed from the pod compartment  14 , the shell  68  is drawn toward the midsection  28  of the exterior layer by the first elastic side portion to reduced profile of the empty pod compartment  14  and the likelihood of the user being hit on the empty pod compartment  14  by paintball. 
         [0051]    As an alternative embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 7C , the pod compartment  14  may be defined by the midsection  28 , a first side portion  70  and a shell  68 . The second side portion  72  may be eliminated. The shell  68  may be pivotally attached to the midsection  28  directly as shown in  FIG. 7C . The opposing distal end of the shell  68  may be attached to the midsection  28  via an elastic first side portion  70 . When the paintball pod  26  is inserted into the pod compartment  14 , the shell  68  pivots about the pivot axis such that the pod compartment  14  enlarges and receives the paintball pod  26 . When the paintball pod  26  is removed from the pod compartment  14 , the shell  68  is drawn closer to the midsection  28  via the first elastic side portion to reduce the side profile of the empty pod compartment  14  and reduce the possibility of the user being hit on the empty pod compartment  14  by a paintball. 
         [0052]    The first and second side portions  70 ,  72  shown in  FIG. 7A-7C  may be attached to the midsection  28  of the belt  12  via stitching or other methods known in the art. As shown in  FIG. 7A , an upper fabric  74  and a lower fabric  76  may be stitched onto the first and second side portions  70 ,  72  to receive shell  68 . 
         [0053]    The shell  68  may be fabricated from a semi-rigid material. When the paintball pod  26  is removed from the pod compartment  14 , the semi-rigid shell  68  flattens to a flat configuration. In contrast, when the paintball pod  26  is inserted into the pod compartment  14 , the semi-rigid shell  68  is curved and bent to the configuration of the paintball pod  26 . In this sense, the semi-rigid shell  68  may be fabricated from a malleable material but biased to a flat position to further reduce the side profile of an empty pod compartment  14 . Alternatively, the shell  68  may be fabricated from a rigid material. The rigid shell  68  does not substantially deform. When the paintball pod  26  is inserted into the pod compartment  14 , the rigid shell  68  is traversed away from the midsection  28  of the belt  12  to provide room for the paintball pod  26  and substantially maintains its shape. Also, when the paintball pod  26  is removed from the pod compartment  14 , the rigid shell  68  is traversed toward the midsection  28  to reduce the side profile of the pod compartment  14 , yet the shell  68  substantially maintains its shape (e.g., curved, flat, etc.). 
         [0054]    In another aspect of the paintball pod harness  10 , referring to  FIGS. 8-15 , the paintball pod  26  may be secured in the pod compartment  14  via a clip  78   a, b . The clip  78   a, b  may be rotatably traversed between a holding position (see  FIGS. 8 and 12 ) and a released position (see  FIGS. 9 and 13 ). In use, the user may rotate the clip  78   a, b  to the release position (see  FIGS. 9 and 13 ) to allow the paintball pod  26  to be inserted into the pod compartment  14 . The user inserts the paintball pod  26  into the pod compartment  14 . The paintball pod  26  is pushed into the pod compartment  14  until a cap of the paintball pod  26  clears the clip  78   a, b . The clip  78   a, b  is then rotated to the holding position, as shown in  FIGS. 8 and 12 . 
         [0055]    In a first embodiment of the clip  78   a  (see  FIGS. 8-11 ), the clip  78   a  may comprise a locking member  80  and a round shaft  82 . The round shaft  82  may be received into a hollow tube  84 . A first distal end  86  of the round shaft  82  may be secured to a first distal end  88  of an elastic member  90 . A second distal end  92  of the elastic member  90  may be attached to the belt  12 , pod compartment  14  or hollow tube  84 . The hollow tube  84  and the second distal end  92  of the elastic member  90  does not move closer to or away from each other. Rather, the hollow tube  84  and second distal end  92  of the elastic member  90  stay spacially fixed with respect to each other. The round shaft  82  may longitudinally slide through the hollow tube  84  under the force of the elastic member  90  (see  FIGS. 8 and 9 ). Also, the round shaft  82  may be rotatable within the hollow tube  84  (see  FIGS. 10 and 11 ).  FIGS. 8 and 10  illustrate the clip  78   a  at the holding position. In the holding position, the locking member  80  may be disposed over the cap of the paintball pod  26 . The elastic member  90  is stretched and applies an upward force on the paintball pod  26  to securely hold the paintball pod  26  in the pod compartment  14 . To release the paintball pod  26  from the pod compartment  14 , the locking member  80  is rotated in a counterclockwise direction to the release position shown in  FIGS. 9 and 11 . At the released position, the locking member  80  is moved away from the paintball pod  26 . Simultaneously, the elastic member  90  pulls the round shaft  82  inward and longitudinally through the hollow tube  84  as shown in  FIG. 9 , and the elastic top portion  22  of the pod compartment  14  pushes the paintball pod  26  outward such that the paintball pod  26  to be removed is elevationally lower than the rest of the paintball pods  26  in the pod compartments  14 . The user may then remove the paintball pod  26  from the pod compartment  14  and refill his paintball gun with additional paintballs. 
         [0056]    A biasing mechanism  94  may be attached to the hollow tube  84  which maintains the clip  78   a  in the released position when traversed to the released position or in the holding position when traversed to the holding position. As shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , the round shaft  82  may have first and second flat surfaces  96 ,  98 . A ball  100  of a detent  94  may push against the first flat surface  96  via a spring  102 . A detent  94  force may resist any rotational force created by the elastic member  90 , user or other object. The user is able to rotate the locking member  80  or the clip  78   a  in a counterclockwise direction to the released position. As shown in  FIG. 10 , at the released position, the locking member  80  is rotated 90° and also the ball  100  of the detent  94  pushes against the second flat surface  98  to hold the locking member  80  in the released position despite any rotational force created by the elastic member  90 . 
         [0057]    In a second embodiment of the clip  78   b , referring to  FIGS. 12-15 , the clip  78   b  may be rotatable with respect to the pod compartment  14 . The round shaft  82  is rotatable in the hollow tube  84 . However, the round shaft  82  is not longitudinally slidable through the hollow tube  84  (compare  FIGS. 12 and 13 ). In particular, the clip  78   b  may comprise a locking member  80  and a round shaft  82 . The round shaft  82  may extend through the hollow tube  84  attached to the pod compartment  14 . Retaining clips  104  (see  FIG. 12 ) may be attached to the round shaft  82  at opposing distal ends of the hollow tube  84 . The retaining clips  104  permit the round shaft  82  to rotate within the hollow tube  84  but does not permit the round shaft  82  to longitudinally slide within the hollow tube  84 . 
         [0058]    In use, the paintball pod  26  may be inserted into the pod compartment  14  with the locking member  80  in the released position (see  FIGS. 13 and 15 ). The paintball pod  26  is pushed further into the pod compartment  14  to stretch the elastic top portion  22  of the pod compartment  14 . Thereafter, the locking member  80  is traversed to the holding position, as shown in  FIGS. 12 and 14 . The locking member  80  may be retained or urged in the holding position via a detent  94  applying a holding force to the round shaft  82  of the clip  78   b . In particular, as shown in  FIG. 13 , a detent  94  may be attached to the hollow tube  84 . The round shaft  82  may have first and second flat surfaces  96 ,  98 . When the ball  100  of the detent  94  is pressing against the first flat surface  96 , the locking member  80  is urged or retained at the holding position, as shown in  FIGS. 12 and 14 . To remove the paintball pod  26  from the pod compartment  14 , the locking member  80  is rotated and traversed to the released position as shown in  FIGS. 13 and 15 . When the locking member  80  is traversed to the released position, the ball  100  of the detent  94  pushes against the second flat surface  98  to maintain the locking member  80  in the released position. When the locking member  80  clears the paintball pod  26 , the paintball pod  26  is slightly pushed out of the pod compartment  14  via the force of the elastic top portion  22  of the paintball pod  26  (see  FIG. 13 ). 
         [0059]    The various features discussed herein, namely, the means for disengaging a closure flap  46  from a pod compartment  14 , the means for lifting the pod compartments  14  upward and maintaining the pod compartments  14  about the lower back portion of the user&#39;s waist, and the means for reducing a profile of an empty pod compartment  14  and the means for retaining a paintball pod  26  in a pod compartment  14  may be variously embodied and employed. By way of example and not limitation, the first means may be employed in the paintball pod harness  10  along with the second, third and/or fourth means. Alternatively, the second means may be employed in the paintball pod harness  10  along with the first means, third means, and/or fourth means. The third means may be employed in the paintball pod harness  10  along with the first means, second means, and/or fourth means. The fourth means may be employed in the paintball pod harness  10  along with the first, third and/or third means. 
         [0060]    The above description is given by way of example, and not limitation. Given the above disclosure, one skilled in the art could devise variations that are within the scope and spirit of the invention disclosed herein. Further, the various features of the embodiments disclosed herein can be used alone, or in varying combinations with each other and are not intended to be limited to the specific combination described herein. Thus, the scope of the claims is not to be limited by the illustrated embodiments.