Winter FTX
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- Reaction score
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- 530
Mud Recce Man said:
And don't be so sure about that!! Sometimes the entitlement is one each. So guess what happens in butt-fuck nowhere and he's ruined his non-issued kit and comes looking to me for an issue of a replacement (heck...it's happened ...
) ?? I say "where's the one each that you're entitled to that you've already been issued??" I highly recommend that the given answer is not "it's at home." >
I'd have to agree with Vern there, don't expect to get anything...except perhaps a little wry smile from the supply tech. If you use non-issue kit, you do so at your own peril, this is an important lesson. (Not to mention if you are not careful, your fancy kit could make you a liability to the team!) The others are correct to point out the benefits of using the issued kit and should you find a deficency, use the official meathod of reporting it. However, I bet i'm not the only guy in NATO whose ever used non-issue kit. , and some times a small piece of civy kit can make a huge difference, this is way many people use a little here and there, and using it in training conditions is important to determine if it is tough enough. But again, use at your own risk.
, and some times a small piece of civy kit can make a huge difference, this is way many people use a little here and there, and using it in training conditions is important to determine if it is tough enough. But again, use at your own risk.
- Reaction score
- 51
- Points
- 530
Bane said:
Make no mistake; I'd never allow someone to freeze to death etc and he/she'd get one on a duplicate issue if required.
But, and it's a BIG BUT, the paperwork I'd be drafting up the CoC of the member to recover Crown costs of the duplicate issue and querying the kit inspecion would be a BIG headache that his/her superiors would not, necessarily, be happy to see or deal with. I can guarantee that most of those superiors have better things to do than deal with than a members self-caused admistrative issues like this due to a members non-compliance with the Unit authorized kit lists etc.
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 110
I did my ten week BIQ in the winter, with the major field portions in December and January. You know what I bought to bring with me? A pair of gloves. The army issued kit was perfectly fine. And the only reason I bought a pair of gloves is because we don't get issued all our kit in the REG force until we arrive at battalion.
You are going to the field for no more than 3 days, what are you worried about? You are making it into a bigger deal than it actually is. I was in the same boat as you when I started BIQ, but I listened to my instructors and got through it. EXPERIENCE will teach you what you need to know.
A couple little tricks that I will share with you because these were told to me, are:
-Bring several large, durable safety clips so you can secure wet gear to the tent, in case of a pull pole in the middle of the night you won't have to worry about them going missing.
-use gun tape and para cord to hang a lighter around your neck under your clothes. If you keep it in your pocket it will get too cold to use, and lighters are important to have.
-bring some food with you as well, such as cookies. There's nothing like doing a crappy hour or two of sentry in the middle of the night when it's -30C out, and having something tasty to munch on. It really brings morale up.
Other than that everything else was taught to me, or issued to me.
You are going to the field for no more than 3 days, what are you worried about? You are making it into a bigger deal than it actually is. I was in the same boat as you when I started BIQ, but I listened to my instructors and got through it. EXPERIENCE will teach you what you need to know.
A couple little tricks that I will share with you because these were told to me, are:
-Bring several large, durable safety clips so you can secure wet gear to the tent, in case of a pull pole in the middle of the night you won't have to worry about them going missing.
-use gun tape and para cord to hang a lighter around your neck under your clothes. If you keep it in your pocket it will get too cold to use, and lighters are important to have.
-bring some food with you as well, such as cookies. There's nothing like doing a crappy hour or two of sentry in the middle of the night when it's -30C out, and having something tasty to munch on. It really brings morale up.
Other than that everything else was taught to me, or issued to me.
- Reaction score
- 1
- Points
- 410
I'll agree that issued winter gear is pretty good, but like hell am I going to give up my Softie and my Sungpak sleeping bag!!
Its important to build confidance in your issued gear during BMQ, SQ, and BIQ. But once you get to your unit ask the guys who've been around awhile what they consider to be a worthwhile investment. These guys have probably ruined gucci gloves on hot C9 barrels but kept warm in the rain with goretex stealth suits. The fact is that some gear is worth the money, and some just doesn't hack it for what we do.
My CSM wears a softie too... I'm not too worried.
Its important to build confidance in your issued gear during BMQ, SQ, and BIQ. But once you get to your unit ask the guys who've been around awhile what they consider to be a worthwhile investment. These guys have probably ruined gucci gloves on hot C9 barrels but kept warm in the rain with goretex stealth suits. The fact is that some gear is worth the money, and some just doesn't hack it for what we do.
My CSM wears a softie too... I'm not too worried.
- Reaction score
- 1
- Points
- 410
Heh... yeah, right... :
http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/23363.0.html
That's 21 pages of why issued gear sometimes just doesn't cut it... that's one snafu that's been beat to death on these forums.
There's no question that you can get by in the army with issued cold weather gear. My point is that you can get by more comfortably with non-issue gear. Yes, you run the risk of ruining something you spent alot of money on. But IMHO, the benefits outweigh the risks.
The whole thing about not being able to have gear replaced in the field is a moot point. If you can get to CQ to have issued stuff exchanged, then you can also get to your follow up kitbag where you can swap out your N/S non-issued stuff for your issued stuff. I've never had a problem, and I have alot of gucci kit.
There's no question in my mind about what is more practical in the field. The deciding factor is what your CoC and your wallet have to say about non-issue kit.
- Reaction score
- 51
- Points
- 530
And there's one more thing that gets beat to death on these forums ... the Supply Techs. :
Gear contracted = gear trialled by first line users ... hmmmm. Funny that. :
You don't like the boots, someone else does. You don't like the gloves, someone else does.
Gear contracted = gear trialled by first line users ... hmmmm. Funny that. :
You don't like the boots, someone else does. You don't like the gloves, someone else does.
- Reaction score
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- Points
- 260
Tipperary said:
Don;t wear things around your neck, unless they are on break away chains. Paracord will hold a para trooper, jumping from the back of a truck, it will hold you as well, by the neck. In the dark, or on the move, your buddies may not realize until to late that you are "hanging around" the truck. Grab a bath tub chain like your dog tags come on if you need to wear stuff around your neck. Carry a Zippo or a cheaper Ronson if you need fire and can't work matches. Butane freezes, but lighter fluid keeps on ticking.
All your other points are good.
- Reaction score
- 25
- Points
- 430
Bomber said:
Now that caught my eye, and I had to take a double take of what was posted. I agree with the statements that paracord is not a good thing to use around your neck for hanging lighters, dog tags, and such, but there are other instances that you should use para cord that have been overlooked in this Winter FTX thread.
It is a good idea to use paracord to tie your Artic Mittens together and string it up your arms and across you neck......just like those mitten strings that your Mom used to tie on you when you were a kid. There is nothing worse than loosing mitts and gloves in the cold and in the dark on EX under Contact.
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 260
Totally argee with the mitten strings, but mine are run through my parka, and the cord runs along my back, inside the outfit. I have also seen people remove the threads in the old white cord and run the dog tag chain through it, but leaving it untied, keeping the chilly metal of the skin. I still have to stand by my earlier statement, though, don't do the mazarian's job for them and tie stuff around your neck.
M
mudrecceman
Guest
Ref the paracord around the neck, there is one thing I did with it ref my dog tags:
I stripped the guts out of a portion just alittle bit shorter than my dogtag chain. I slide my dogtag chain thru it, then used a lighter to stop the paracord from fraying. There is about 1/2 inch or so on each side of the actually dogtag where you can see the chain, but the part around my neck is covered with paracord "outer".
Works great for me and from the safety perspective, the chain will break as intended if for some reason it gets hooked on something (which it has...).
I stripped the guts out of a portion just alittle bit shorter than my dogtag chain. I slide my dogtag chain thru it, then used a lighter to stop the paracord from fraying. There is about 1/2 inch or so on each side of the actually dogtag where you can see the chain, but the part around my neck is covered with paracord "outer".
Works great for me and from the safety perspective, the chain will break as intended if for some reason it gets hooked on something (which it has...).
- Reaction score
- 213
- Points
- 880
At least you guys got issued winter kit...
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 410
If you are expected to go outdoors in winter, they must provide you with the necessary equipment to do it with. It might not be the very best, gee whiz top of the line gucci kit you see at MEC but, they will provide you with the basic of what you need.
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