Bushcraft PLCE webbing

[harryhaller]

boops, that site you posted is a real treasure trove. Are they good on delivery and so on?

 

[harryhaller]

i use it because IT WORKS and that's more important in the wilderness/up mountains and god knows where else than what it LOOKS like, or prehaps i'm missing the point of this website....???!!!

Well, back in the real world there are some points better not to be ignored. It is about being mistaken for someone who is "para-military". There are some countries which are rather wary of this because of extreme-right activity in the past and other reasons. It's ok if one could be just parachuted into some wilderness - or drive there in a car with your gear stashed away out of sight and then start off from the car park. But for people like me, I have to get to where I am going without a car - and that starts at the front door.

There's no doubt, at least in my mind, about the usefulness of webbing, but I need stuff that has a civilian look - for very good reasons which I won't go into detail here because politics doesn't belong here. But they can all be summed up simply by saying that I do not want to send the wrong message to my neighbours etc.

It is not against the military - a soldier is a soldier - but, as I said above, about paramilitary fears.

 

[He' s left the building]

boops, that site you posted is a real treasure trove. Are they good on delivery and so on?

I encountered a website error when I first ordered (a year ago) but one phone call put that right, my second order recently went through with no delay.

ukkitmonster is another retailer of bushcraft/military gear and I have happily used both in the last year.

 

[BushcraftBaird112]

Ukkitmonster is great, they have a good selection of things to buy.

 

[RAPPLEBY2000]

Well, back in the real world there are some points better not to be ignored. It is about being mistaken for someone who is "para-military". There are some countries which are rather wary of this because of extreme-right activity in the past and other reasons. It's ok if one could be just parachuted into some wilderness - or drive there in a car with your gear stashed away out of sight and then start off from the car park. But for people like me, I have to get to where I am going without a car - and that starts at the front door.

There's no doubt, at least in my mind, about the usefulness of webbing, but I need stuff that has a civilian look - for very good reasons which I won't go into detail here because politics doesn't belong here. But they can all be summed up simply by saying that I do not want to send the wrong message to my neighbours etc.

It is not against the military - a soldier is a soldier - but, as I said above, about paramilitary fears.

I agree to some extent, not wanting to put across the wrong paramilitary type image
my argument has always been we shoulden't have to bow to the social misconceptions about which kit we decide to use.
webbing still has a long way to go to be aceptable as a piece of outdoor kit.


just as a secondary question about the "paramilitary" surely if they were to use daysacks they would be able to hide/evade and escape in crowds/cities far more easily than if they wore webbing?

 

[He' s left the building]

Social misconceptions I can deal with, but I work in many parts of the world where posession of military-looking gear can get you detained/arrested, I can fully see where harryhaller is coming from!

 

[RAPPLEBY2000]

I can fully see where harryhaller is coming from!

I know, I know, It would be foolish wear webbing in an unfamiliar country especially in a third world country or those known to have mercenaries etc.and I don't for example wear webbing in an area that would cause concern like near a military/govt establishments, or near schools.

 

[He' s left the building]

in an unfamiliar country especially in a third world country or those known to have mercenaries etc...

Worse than that, I was referring to transiting through int'l airports in the USA!

 

[RAPPLEBY2000]

yup i agree, anything involving security and or passports webbing would be a no no!
or in areas known to be on a heightened security like the center of London,

not only because of an outwardly obvious bomb threat, but webbing could easily be used to conceal drugs or other banned items inside seams bottles etc.. I woulden't even bother trying to get webbing through customs.
Webbing is for me something that stays in the UK!

Not sure if I mentioned it before, but i keep my kit in webbing right next to me whilst I do public Bushcraft demo's and no ones ever even noticed or questioned it.

webbing is great but same as anything you have to be aware that it may offend or worry some people.

 

[Zodiak]

With some not too clever bidding on e-bay I have ended up with a right motley collection of bags and pouches that I planned to use with my 1972 aluminum pack frame, but it didn't really work so I would welcome suggestions how I could make a useful pack for overnight stops.

My current inventory is
3 x PLCE side pouches
3 x day sack yokes
1 x Hippo padded belt
2 x PLCE water bottle pouches
2 x S10 gas mask cases

I am happy to put some of this back on e-bay to fund extra bits but I would like to put some kid of plan behind it this time

I reckon I can get my kit into both water pouches and 2 side pockets, but can't find a comfortable way of attaching them with just a day sack yoke.

I don't really want to shell out on a full sized bergan (a) because I have already overspent (b) I prefer to travel really light if I can.

 

[Hetzen]

I'm no expert, but I think all you need really is a PLCE Webbing Yoke and a belt, you can use two of your Water Bottle Pouches to set up the harness. And I'm asuming the PLCE side pouches are the 10 ltr ones which clip and zip onto a bergen. In which case you have your day sack there, which you could fit a tarp, hammock/bivvy, sleeping bag into.

You then only need to get rid of two day sack yokes and one side pouch. Not sure how the gas mask case works, but I'm sure others will fill us in.

 

[RAPPLEBY2000]

Not sure how the gas mask case works,

The gas mask pouch is in essence the same as the other pouches it has a few internal pockets it's slightly larger and has optional shoulder strap/waist belt(depending how it's carried.

With some not too clever bidding on e-bay I have ended up with a right motley collection of bags and pouches that I planned to use with my 1972 aluminum pack frame, but it didn't really work so I would welcome suggestions how I could make a useful pack for overnight stops.

My current inventory is
3 x PLCE side pouches
3 x day sack yokes
1 x Hippo padded belt
2 x PLCE water bottle pouches
2 x S10 gas mask cases

I am happy to put some of this back on e-bay to fund extra bits but I would like to put some kid of plan behind it this time

I reckon I can get my kit into both water pouches and 2 side pockets, but can't find a comfortable way of attaching them with just a day sack yoke.

I don't really want to shell out on a full sized bergan (a) because I have already overspent (b) I prefer to travel really light if I can.

as mentioned a belt and PLCE yoke is needed, otherwise you could try fixing the pouches to a frame MOLLEE or Alice fashion, but you'll need to put some horizontal straps on your frame to carry the pouches

 

[RAPPLEBY2000]

Hi again just had a thought about the rucksack frame idea, this is how the Us army did it.

Ok difficult to see what's going on but basically all of the parts are removable
underneath all this gubbins is this simple frame:

Note the webbing Harness at the top of the frame to carry pouches/machettes, plus the many metal loops to add different loads etc

 

[Bravo4]

:yikes: :aargh4: AAAAAAGGGG!!! It's a prc-77....... :AR15firin :AR15firin :AR15firin prc-77

One reason I tend not to use army webbing and the like (although there are a couple of items I still use) is that it reminds me of **** like the prc-77 and all that went with it.

 

[RAPPLEBY2000]

:yikes: :aargh4: AAAAAAGGGG!!! It's a prc-77....... :AR15firin :AR15firin :AR15firin prc-77

One reason I tend not to use army webbing and the like (although there are a couple of items I still use) is that it reminds me of **** like the prc-77 and all that went with it.

ah sweet sweet memories the things we "had to carry"!
I'm guessing with that rather understated reaction that you don't like the prc-77?
(i never said you should (or want to) carry all that gear it was just an example of what you could carry on the frame.

 

[Bravo4]

Sorry, had not thought of or seen one in some time. Human mules was we .

It is a good rucksack frame but they are not all the same. Mine was used when I got it, dropped my fully loaded ruck ten thousand times onto the ground and it's still solid. I saw some that were issued brand new and broke right away.

A couple of "disposable" pouches that I still use, one from a claymore and the other's for (was for)M249 SAW ammo. I still use the canteen cup but not the ruck or frame.

 

[RAPPLEBY2000]

That's fair enough, Iv'e tried a few times to use the same principal with an Alice pack frame but I've never really been happy with the results,.the pouches seem to rattle and bounce around far more than on a belt. i reckon if there was a pack frame with Mollee straps atatched it would work quite well though.

 

[harryhaller]

Frankly, I'm confused by all these terms: PLCE, ALICE, MOLLE etc.

This is my rucksack:


I like the system of horizontal straps. According to the manufacturers, that straps system is compatible with the Alice and Molle system - but I don't know what either is and why it is compatible with both. Needless to say, I don't really know what PLCE specifically means. I see the stuff here on this thread but I don't know what is specifically PLCE, just as I don't know on my own rucksack what is specifically Alice and what is specifically Molle because apparently - the straps on my rucksack are called the PALS straps system!

In any case, I would love to have a plain trouser belt with uses that system. (Whatever it's called )

 

[Nat]

MOdular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment - American and some Brit gear

Personal Load Carrying Equipment - British Armed Forces

All-Purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment - American

 

[harryhaller]

Thanks Nat - but what I meant was, what are the particular characteristics of each system?