Ryan Cleckner

Ryan designed and developed a revolutionary weapon retention system for soldiers. After experiencing shortcomings of standard weapon slings in combat environments, Ryan teamed up with Wilderness Tactical Products to create an adapter that allows a single-point (trademark of The Wilderness) sling to be used on body armor without interfering with access to equipment nor creating a safety hazard by having a sling wrapped around a soldiers neck. It is a very simple invention, but it works and Ryan is proud of it.  You may view the description from the company’s website below:

Single-Point WASP MOLLE adapter

Former U.S. Army Ranger Ryan Cleckner (1/75 Ranger Battalion), renowned Gunsite instructor Giles Stock and Wilderness president Ralph Holzhaus have developed a new addition to our famous Single-Point Sling system specifically for military operators. Originally conceived during operations in Afghanistan where existing solutions proved inadequate, the WASP (Wilderness Adapter, Single-Point) attaches directly to the PALS webbing bars on milspec MOLLE-compatible equipment. We chose to use a single strap design to prevent interference from i.d. panels and allow breachers to mount one on each side of their chest. We recommend passing it through two levels of PALS webbing bars for security (shown here mounted to a Paraclete Plate Carrier with Cummerbund). It integrates with our weapon-mounted Giles Single-Point Q.D. Adapter (SPQD – *required for proper usage; available separately or as an option). We’ve kept it simple, functional and as tough as possible.

Benefits

• All the benefits of the proven Wilderness Single-Point Sling. Allows full support-side usage, giving you the freedom to enage the enemy at any angle.

• Same premium nylon webbing and custom-made reinforced buckles used in our Single-Point and Giles Tactical Slings.

• Easier on the neck than conventional slings while wearing body armor.

• Minimalist design does not interfere with equipment on the front and back of the vest, allowing better operator access to magazines, grenades, flares, radio and wearing of packs or hydration systems.

• Eliminates the difficulty of getting into a sling while wearing a helmet and NVGs/NODs.

• Easier to orient the weapon muzzle-down for safety while seated in rotary-wing aircraft; easier to aim the weapon out of vehicles while seated with your dominant side outboard.

• Lets the weapon be instantly unclipped when it makes sense to have it detached from your body and gear.

• Easy to throw over the shoulder for “chow slung” position when eating, using the restroom or other administrative tasks.

• Replaces improvised systems with unsafe carabiners, which have been known to accidentally cut static lines.

entally cut static lines.