Winter Kit used by other countries

[genesis98]

Just wondering how our winter kit rates up there as opposed to say countries like Russia, England and the States.

 

[CanadianGuy]

Its been a few years since I've trained with any US forces in the winter (last in 1995?)  but they had winter kit that just wasn't suited for serious cold, especially those white rubber winter mukluk boots! I hope they don't use those anymore, anyone care to comment?
Attached  is a photo of some Swedish winter gear a Swedish soldier e-mailed me, I don't know how current this is and to whom this gear is issued to exactly.

 

[genesis98]

Anybody know of Arctic tents used by other countries? and what they resemble?

 

[UberCree]

Canadian soldiers get issued more individual kit than any other soldiers. 

Overall I would rate our winter kit as top notch.  There may be lighter / faster / more high speed stuff on the market, but overall it is very good. 

 

[Blue Max]

I believe the US SOF are currently using civilian high end climbing tents (4-season, i.e. Siera Design, North Face) untill a made for the military product that is equal can make it through the procurement system. It also seems that the needs of the different US military forces is different in that the marines are sticking to a two man tent design that is about to be fielded, while the US Army is looking for a one man design amongst others...

 

[genesis98]

I noticed that the USMC are using Eureka tents.
http://military.eurekatents.com/tents.html

 

[Matt_Fisher]

Actually,

For winter/mountain ops, the Marines are using a 4 man dome tent done by North Face.  

For individual winter kit, we get issued:

Lightweight Capilene top & bottom base layers (very similar to CF long undies, but ours are coyote brown in color)
Polartec 100 weight pullover (olive green, but newer ones are coyote brown)
Polartec 300 jacket and overalls (black, but newer ones are coyote brown)
Outdoor Research Polartec toque (coyote brown)
Polartec neck gaitor (coyote brown)
Polartec contact gloves (coyote brown)
Outdoor Research Pro-Modular Gloves (Gore-Tex shell glove with polyester pile glove insert)
Gore-Tex Gen 2 ECWCS shell jacket and trousers (now being replaced with Marpat Gore-Tex jacket & trousers)
Rubber Vapor Barrier 'Mickey Mouse' boots (although an insulated overboot is being trialed).

 

[CanadianGuy]

Hi Matt, I hope those rubber "Mickey Mouse" boots you listed are not the same white ones I was referring to. In NW Ontario on exercises with some US Army Reservists in January in -40 to -50 temps they got into serious trouble as the boots were ridiculously inadequate at those temps. Other then being woefully uninsulated they also caused massive moisture buildup being rubber, when moving about feet sweat and when you stop at -45 wet feet freeze up good. Had to lend the poor guys all our wools socks and/or spare duffel socks if they could stuff them into their boots. I understand our mukluks are being redesigned and I hope they don't use gore-tex for the same moisture/breathability issues, getting wet feet (except through sweating) at -20+ is not an issue so waterproofing is not really necessary.

 

[Matt_Fisher]

Those are the ones.

The key to using those things successfully is to change your socks very frequently.

 

[geo]

all in all... quite happy with most of our winter kit.
there's fancier / more expensive kit out there - but the issue kit gets the job done and I have not suffered or felt neglected.

Remember looking at some US kit from Army guys up in Valcatraz for winter indoc.
There was a variety of footwear = including some inflatable ones that I just couldn't get my mind to accept. Where we could, we "loaned" a lot of Muclucks to them for the duration.