Very cool, Nate!
I had a Hellcat for quite some time, and currently own a LV RACK. This is like neither one of them.
Nate, how many passes do you make when stitching down that PALS? I don't know if your machine is cabable of Bar-Tacking or cross-stitching the webbing, but if not you should make at least 5 passes for it to have decent stength.
About the buckles, have you sought out coyote hardware? Supply Captain has some 1.5 inch in Coyote and FG 504, and I'm sure you can acquire some larger sizes. Colored hardware will give it a nice touch!