Critique my kit

[paracowboy]

what Kevin said.

you are spending a ridiculous amount of money for stuff that really isn't that much better than what Her Majesty gives you. The issued stuff today is so much better than denim jackets and cotton underwear. You're wasting money. Money that you will have to spend again to replace the stuff you lose/break.

Start putting that cash away for a new car or something. Or get a girlfriend!

 

[kyleg]

Or get a girlfriend!

Hahaha, it's so true! If I were single I'd have so much more useless crap from surpluses/crappy tire/ebay. It's MUCH better to spend $100 bucks on dinner for 2  : (I can roll my eyes because I've done it... many a time  :-[ ).

How many of you take an extra pair of boots on ex? I never do, but I'm thinking about it. Yay or nay? (Sorry for the hijack, Grunt, but I'm in the same position as you, still trying to work out my packing list)

Cheers,
Pinky

 

[Infanteer]

shemagh - worthless unless your in dust and desert - it is fine in Afghan but a water sponge in temperate climate - all I see them for here is LCF (yeah I have one but its issued   8) )

I always liked mine as a scarf in the cool weather - anything will get soaked.  Perhaps a fleece neck-warmer would be a better alternative, but there is some utility with teh shemagh.

 

[kyleg]

If you can wrap it properly (http://www.actiongear.com/agcatalog/shemagh.html), you can also use it to look really bad-a** ;D And hey, maybe you could even get away with not putting on cam paint and using this instead.

Cheers,
Pinky

 

[Grunt]

Pte Pinky

Depending on the exercise, I might take an extra pair of boots if the ex doesnt involve alot of humping the ruck (ie range ex)

 

[COBRA-6]

sleeping bag outer+biv bag

A good way to save weight and space is to trade in the issue bag for something else, at least during warm weather. A Softie Merlin 3 will do the job from late spring through mid-fall, and is the size of a softball. 

 

[Grunt]

Are the Wiggy's bags dropzone sells good?

 

[D-n-A]

How many of you take an extra pair of boots on ex? I never do, but I'm thinking about it. Yay or nay? (Sorry for the hijack, Grunt, but I'm in the same position as you, still trying to work out my packing list)

Cheers,
Pinky

Only time I bring a 2nd pair of boots in the field are when I go on 7 day FTXs(Active Edge an Cougar Salvo).

 

[paracowboy]

Only time I bring a 2nd pair of boots in the field are when I go on 7 day FTXs(Active Edge an Cougar Salvo).

only time I've ever brought a second pair is a 3 week or longer Ex when you have access to follow-on kit. Used to be, you'd be out for 8 weeks or more, and living out of your ruck. If you have someplace you can keep a spare pair of boots, I'd say go for it.

 

[KevinB]

Ditto second pair of boots in Follow up kit (a duffle - a good one not the CF crap one).

If your moving you dont need the extra weight.  - Extra socks and two pairs of Gortex socks...

 

[paracowboy]

Ditto second pair of boots in Follow up kit (a duffle - a good one not the CF crap one).

and water-proof it! (Whether you use the issued one or a purchased one.) Put your kit in a garbage bag at least. Changing from wet dirty clothes into wet clean clothes is not much of an improvement.

 

[paracowboy]

actually, while we're on this point: make sure all of your kit in your rucksack, patrol pack, & follow on kit are water-proofed. Ziplock bags, troops. Put everything in a baggie. Use two liners for your ruck and valise - (one issued, one purchased if you like), and silicone the exterior of everything. Spray silicone is a wonderful thing. The air inside the ziplock bags also help keep your ruck buoyant for use as an improvised flotation device when crossing rivers.

Make sure you're siliconing (siliconeing? silicone-ing?) your poncho, ground sheet, and rain suit.
Silicone: it's not just for actresses anymore.

 

[kyleg]

Silicone: it's not just for actresses anymore.

Hahaha, that's great. Thanks for the input guys, that made up my mind on the boots.

Cheers,
Pinky

 

[Gunnar]

Here's a question....does the CF (or soldiers within) use thermoses (thermii?) much?  If so, who makes the best?

At one time, the old plaid Thermos was the best.  Then Aladdin started making really good ones.  A long time ago, when I was in University I saw a "made in Japan for the Japanese market" thermos by....Nissan.  Boiling water put in that thing, and you could still make decent tea with it at the end of the day...crazy good....which is probably why they no longer make them that way...

Still, do you use them, and who makes the best?

 

[paracowboy]

I've seen some thermoses (thermii?) brought out, usually the big, silver shiny "I can see from 4 klicks away" ones you buy in any Canadian Tire. The CF issues one just slightly larger than the 1 qt water bottle. It's okay, I suppose. Water doesn't freeze in it, anyway. Most troops just carry a whisper-light type stove and brew up when we stop, if they want coffee or tea.

 

[Infanteer]

I really liked the issue thermos - I remember the Brit troops going gaga over them when they were trying to get water out of their frozen canteens; I think a few guys scored good stuff in trade for their thermos.

 

[AmmoTech90]

I've got three thermossi.  One of the old green Alladin ones with the quilted carrier.  Not too bad, maybe six hours warmth if you don't crack it too often.  Of course it usually only gets used on exercise when it's stupid cold so that may contribute to its short time.
One of the new canteen shaped ones.  Used rarely but when I have it has worked well.
And a Japanese one (bought it from a Starbucks and think it was cheaper than the coffee).  This one has pretty much taken over from the Alladin one for personal trips.  It's lighter, holds just marginally less, is around 2/3s the diameter, can pour from it without taking off the cap completely, and I have never had anything go cold in it.  Even overnight at around the zero point the coffee was still warm in the morning.  (It is the a dull silvery one...)

So I agree with Gunner, go Japanese for thermos.

Maybe we can get them in CADPAT and issue them to CIC officers  ;D

 

[Britney Spears]

I really liked the issue thermos - I remember the Brit troops going gaga over them when they were trying to get water out of their frozen canteens; I think a few guys scored good stuff in trade for their thermos.

Well you better, because they're $60.22 a pop!

 

[Jarnhamar]

That kit list looks a lot like mine, and like a few other people's i've seen.

I gotta ask, is this stuff you've found that you use/used and require or are you like me and came across someone elses list and said hey that looks awesome, i'm going to copy it.

While I don't think theres anything wrong with using someone elses list (considering I do it) I think you might want to tailor what you carry to your mission.
I know I know, train as you fight and it makes sense to train with this stuff if your going to use it but I've seen a lot of guys with these kinda kit loads (myself included) who end up just getting too loaded down with kit or start dumping extra kit into nuke bags or kit bags.

Yours doesn't look too too bad at all (and yes I feel a little foolish sharing my two cents beside guys like Para cowboy or KevinB)
I've seen some pretty crazy kit lists including guys carrying 6 flashlights, 4 knives, 4 lighters (of of them zippos), 24 aa batteries.

What guys like me need to remember is that while theres a lot of great ideas out there, lots of them are from people who require the stuff more than us guys in the reserves. I remember seeing one kid fresh off his summer BMQ course show up for stalwart guardian equipped for what must have been iraq.
Then again maybe it's about that whole train as you fight thing and i'm completly in the wrong.

And to be a hippocrite some of the things on your list gave me a few ideas

 

[Britney Spears]

Using aftermarket stuff during operations is taking care of yourself, which is a good thing.

Using aftermarket stuff on EXCERCISES is functionally equivelant to subsidizing the defence budget out of my own pocket and excusing the Liberal goverment's failure to provide us with proper equipment.

I avoid the latter on a matter of principle. 

Then again maybe it's about that whole train as you fight thing and i'm completly in the wrong.

Well, when it comes to excercises, I'm partial to "Train like an under-equiped, half naked savage, and when you fight, all the gucci operational kit will feel  like ******* CHRISTMAS"  school of thought. 

When they say train as you fight, they mean having the kit that actually makes you a better soldier. Stuff like NVGs, Lasers, weapon optics, live ammo..... New jackets and sleeping bags don't make you a better soldier.

I did a little rant a while back about how we always do things ass-backwards around here....