Patent ID: 8418265

Claim:
A releasable vest comprising: a first panel; at least one shoulder strap element that extends from the first panel, wherein the at least one shoulder strap element comprises at least one shoulder strap element attachment opening; a first waist belt element that extends from the first panel, wherein the first waist belt element comprises at least one waist belt element attachment opening; a second waist belt element that extends from the first panel, wherein the second waist belt element comprises at least one an attachment loop, wherein the at least one attachment loop is attached to the second waist belt element, wherein the at least one attachment loop is capable of being aligned with and passed through a waist belt attachment opening of the first waist belt element and a shoulder strap element attachment opening of the at least one shoulder strap element; a second panel, wherein the second panel comprises at least one cavity formed between a first layer and a second layer of the second panel, wherein the at least one cavity is sufficient to allow at least a portion of the shoulder strap elements and the waist belt elements to be introduced into the at least one cavity; at least one securing loop attached to the second panel such that at least a portion of at least one of the waist belt elements may be passed through the at least one securing loop to maintain the waist belt element in a desired position relative to the second panel; and a release lanyard, wherein the release lanyard comprises an elongate piece of material, and wherein the release lanyard is capable of being aligned with and passed through the at least one attachment loop so as to releasably secure the first waist belt element and the at least one shoulder strap element to the attachment loop.