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I'm curious as to whats all your favorite military surplus gear?
Mine is the alice pack, with lc2 woodland straps and a molle ii waist belt, the us mess kit, the us wool blanket (real not rothco ) , the poncho liner, the Vietnam boonie hat, and the us shelter half.
Hi. Mine would be M51 cold weather parka, BCB/Army Crusader stove system and DPM Camo Para smock.
.....me.....
Well as a former infantryman I have to say our favorite gear is the poncho with liner and 100mph tape.
Reasons:
It can be sun shining without a cloud in the sky but the moment a infantry company does a field exercise, it'll storm, everytime.
And we are animals and break darn near anything the military issues, which as 1SGT would always say, tape the F@&:ER up.
Canteen/cup/stove/carrier.......and poncho.
Hard to say what is my favorite but one I use the most often whether camping, bugout, or just a trip across the country is a military style assault pack (rucksack) preferably with the MOLLE system of PALS: rows of webbing straps sewn in to attach gear to. Does not need to be genuine military surplus "with sand in the pockets". My daughter took this photo of me getting on an air plane at the Denver Airport on our way to Canada. I look like an aging jar head in civilian clothes. LOL
Attachment 10585
I also like poncho liner with bottom sewn to form a foot box, heavy duty military poncho. Balaclava and for sure a Boonie hat (not in some weird colors that would make me look like Johnny Depp.) The color of dirt is fine.
Advantage of heavy denier fabric over that yuppie low denier stuff at REI is that if you are bushwhacking and a thorn (mesquite) snags it all your gear does not dump on the ground, or with hat my bald head does not bleed like a stuck pig. Gotta hate it when that happens. ha ha ha.
I'm going first to go purely egghead here and say that from an engineering elegance standpoint no single (primary, whatever) purpose tool or piece of equipment that I've used impresses me as much as the p-38 can opener. despite it's rather mundane (and somewhat obsolete in modern military context) job, for size, weight and ease of use it beats, beats and nearly meets the household consumer offerings respectively, and by orders of magnitude in the first two criteria. I like that in a tool.
For more immediate, practical need gear, my favorite would shift to the BDU pants. My only remaining pair have been in more or less frequent use for 10 years and were used when I got them and are still holding up decently. They keep me well in most weather, and as an outer layer in most bad weather.
I guess my Mosin's. They've taken a licking and keep on ticking.
Mosins don't count, they are the other sides' surplus.
Sittin' here in the den I am looking at a pair of old style GI combat boots left over from the black boot army, there's a GI canteen and cup waiting to be put away and I just ordered a 100 pack of the afore mentioned P38 can openers because I use them and give them away at an alarming rate.
All-in-all I would say my favorite military item is my DD214 form tucked safely away. It says I am no longer in the Army and legally left that pursuit 40 years ago.
The question didn't specify ours, theirs or someone else's. Hmmmpf. Mosin's stand. Careful or I'll put on a bayonet and give you a good poke. I'm pretty sure it would reach from here.
Last few years, I have reverted back to the BSA mess kit with GI canteen set up .........kinda forgot how well they were thought out and set put together.
I vote leave the Mosin's in as well........make a heck of a spear.......
There's really not much gear I don't like. I probably use the canteen/cup more than anything. I love the mess kit too. All the ALICE gear is good.
I like both of those items, too. I have a lot of military surplus gear and choosing a favorite is hard. But the wool watch cap is probably it...Quote:
Originally Posted by canid
My local surplus store has genuine USGI canteens for $1.00 a piece, so I like to get one or two every time I stop in (less than once a month). They are certainly good items. It's my go-to water bottle now since I broke my Nalgene...Quote:
Originally Posted by Rick
water bottle and mess tin and of course, the compass holder.
OK we leave the MNs in. Everybody has two of them anyway so they should count for something. They are probably the most common form of surplus hardware inside the US right now.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rick
Quit poking me with that bayonet, that thing hurts!
I can't make up my mind, too many choices.
Yep! Same here!....:confused1:Quote:
Originally Posted by randyt
ECWCS gear. Unfortunately even surplus it's not cheap.
We have a law in Malaysia that does not allow civilians to use army surplus items such as military fatigues, camouflaged materials that includes, army backpacks, pouches, uniforms, jackets etc that are from the Malaysian Army as those items are the property of the Government and to avoid people from masquerading as army personnel. So we are just left with poncho, mess tin, army water bottle, belts and boots..that's about it (or as Forrest Gump said..."and that's all that I have to say about that!")
That wasn't his bayonet.:whistling:Quote:
Originally Posted by kyratshooter
Oooh. Braggin' rights.
I'm not surprised Rick gave a weird answer. I wonder, though, are cammie hongs government issue now?
I think I am going to make two lists, stuff I like and stuff I don't. :)
Stuff I like:
Like canid, the p38 can opener. I actually had never used one until maybe 6 months ago. I was at work, my walmart can opener broke....again....and I was forced to dig into the edc pack and pull out a p38. What happened after was pure magic. It is easier, and just as fast, as fancy store bought can openers. My mom probably can't use one, due to extreme arthritis, but a normal handed person should do fine. It is definitely faster and easier than any Gerber, Leatherman or even the venerable Victorinox can openers. Where have you been all my life? No matter, we have each other now. :)
I love the BDU pant. The new cut is just as good. I find myself buying the LA police gear pants because they have the same cut, similar material, but I can wear them around town and at work without wearing camo. Of course, I have 2 duffle bags full of brand new pants that will eventually get worn, as long as they don't keep shrinking. When I go camping...BDU pants. Work on the car...BDU pants. Who ever designed them was a genius.
The MOLLE pack is pretty impressive. Of course, it is also HEAVY. The straps are versatile. I can put them on other external frame packs. I have a couple extra sets of straps and loan them out to Boy Scouts when they show up with grandpas pack with rotted out or ancient straps. Grandpas' pack is now instantly comfortable.
The old M65 liner jackets. They are light and cheap and add a lot of warmth. The same goes for the poncho liner. I think they have similar materials. The poncho and newer ECWCS gortex stuff is pretty good stuff as well.
Nomex flight gloves paired with fingertip less wool liners. You put the wool liners OVER the flight gloves. And then pair those with a set of extreme cold weather mitts. When you don't need dexterity, put everything in the mitts. But when you need to use your fingers, simply take them out of the mitts, and they are still covered for quick dexterity requirements.
MSS. I have two sets for my two boys. My daughters use them sometimes as well. Very versatile. Can be used for winter, spring, summer and fall. It would be nice if the summer one was a little warmer though.
Stuff I don't like:
ALICE pack. I have a lot of negatives for this thing.......I won't dwell on them.
Shelter half.....
Black boots....Mostly I don't like the soles. The leather is really nice though.
BCGs.....do these count as surplus? Why would anyone want these for surplus?
Old grey PT shorts... most comfortable daisy dukes you will ever wear, until the elastic waist wears out. :(
Weird?! I'm....I'm crushed. Heartbroken as it were. He asked for military surplus. Is a Mosin not military surplus? Now...if I had said a used Piddle Pack. That, sir, would have been weird.
Does that make my M77 military surplus?
Or any item manufactured for the surplus market legit?
Much of what we are speaking has been remanufactured for the surplus market and never saw government approval or issue.
"Tactical gear" is not necessarily surplus gear.
How much ya wanna bet my Mosin's saw action? Shoot, I'll bet the ammo pouches were even issued. At least they smell like it.
Mosin for sure. Kyrat said since everyone has two of them. I guess I am an overachiever by far!
I do like can openers, both the small and large. I also enjoy the mess kits, the canteen cup, canteen, Alice packs, and Molle gear. I also have a few foreign duffle bags, the big sea bags, long underwear from Swiss, and wool blankets from some unknown foreign country that have been great as well. I even have a US sleeping bag that has served me well.
OK then, if we are considering the M/N a surplus item then I rank the ammo that goes into it, at twenty three cents a shot, my all time favorite surplus commodity!!!
That is almost as cheap as the p38 can openers I just bought at seventeen cents a pop.
In fact, if you hit the can with a round of 7.62x54 you don't need the can opener!
Anyone else notice that most of us long term members have duplicate and interchangeable surplus equipment; M/N rifles, canteen w/cup, sleeping gear, alice/molly gear, boots and such ???
Is that due to the gear or just an indication that we all suffer from the same malady?
Age and/or location seems to have nothing to do with it.
Surplus ammo is in. Surplus.... ammo....get it? Sort of like illegal alien. Self explanatory.
If you can hit the can with 7.62 that's sort of like Hunter's can of cherries in the fire. You probably won't get one lessen you pick it off the ground.
What do you mean "IF I can hit the can"?
Now you've gone and hurt my feelings!
Your words, not mine. I have every confidence that the can is dead from incredible distances. Sort of a done deal. However, you said "if" so I reluctantly went along with you.
I carried a P38 in my wallet for decades. Then I threw in a P51.
My opinion between the 2 is just that the p51 is bigger and the hinge also gets looser quicker. But, both work great.
I switched to my Leatherman Supertool's can opener for convenience. I am damned near as quick with either of these as the folks with the conventional can opener. And I got them whooped hands down if you take in to searching for can opener time. LOL
But, I'll say p-38 is probably my favorite surplus tool.
I was getting pretty sure I was going to have to go out in the snow and open a can of Beanie-Winnies just to save my reputation!Quote:
Originally Posted by Rick
Quote:
Originally Posted by Batch
Wow! Weren't you taking a chance they could open your can? (I slay myself).
Well, throwing cab in the fire work with all cans not just cherries.....it's just kinda chancy and you have to pick the food off the branches, or your self.
Not recommended if you actually what to "use" in the contents.....it's just an attention getter.
As far a 7.62 X54r jacketed ammo, may just perf through and leak out.....but may be not....?
Will have to wait for result of the beanie winnie's test.....
Military Style Belt with 3-Bar Slide Buckle and Nylon webbing strap is a item I use at least 3 days a week. With blue jeans, canvas pants and quick dry nylon or polypropylene long plants or bermuda shorts for paddle-sports (canoe/kayak/raft/paddleboard/SUP). My daughters are embarrassed by me and call them seat belts, but if they spent much time in the wilderness and realized how multipurpose these are they would understand.
Mostly I buy them for about $5 each at a local Army/Navy Store where there is typically a large selection of colors and lengths. But online stores also have many for reasonable prices, I just avoid the fancy buckles and cotton material. Here is a place I have ordered other webbing straps from (to secure stuff to a trailer, pickup, roof of vehicle) that happens to have a great selection of these belts in colors both webbing and buckles, price is still under $10 and better selection of materials. (Avoid Cotton, it is rotten!) 2" is good unless your belt loops are small like for some women's pants, REI and some other outdoor stores have more attractive brands for the style conscious people, but my daughters still snub their nose at the whole idea. When they are standing on a paddle board on a lake with their pants falling down and knife/blade falling off they may think differently some day. (also holds your emergency first aid and fire starter kit etc.)
http://www.strapworks.com/Double_3_B...elts_s/154.htm
I like to walk around the local military supply store and look for other interesting items but have never seen any ammo there. But I don't sit around in my backyard plinking cans much and don't consider that wilderness survival, but to each their own. Have fun. Surplus ammo from Russia and China is mostly junk in my experience. My local gun shop will NOT sell it, they would never risk their reputation on it.
I use the quick dry suspenders. Mostly for the hong.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TXyakr
Yeah, That's the ticket.....all junk....not worth looking at or shooting by any self respecting rifleman........Noted.
More for us I guess.