Great surplus kit that has gone...

[Mesquite]

I know about dwindling supplies etc but I am sad to see that finding great bits of kit is getting harder and harder.to find or hear folks have modded etc

Who remembers the classics like
Swedish gas mask bags

Swiss army volcano stoves

IPK's, great pegs and string and the sheet made a good groundsheet too

And the iconic Swedish Army Snow Smock, dyed by so many. I've got the jacket version and still like wearing it

What other great bits of kits have suffered from the sad saga of dwindling supplies can you think of?

 

[Nice65]

Dutch Army blankets, the ones like thick felt that weigh a ton.
Swedish Army folding shovel with snow scoop attachment, bombproof heavy duty shovel.
Lowe Alpine Sting in green not camo, you'll only need the one, it's not a big ask.

 

[CLEM]

I love surplus. I've got some great stuff over the years.

 

[MikeLA]

Late 80’s issue pattern DPM goretex Jacket with 4 pockets - never been replaced with anything as good

 

[santaman2000]

Boy Scout Yucca packs and likewise the Boy Scout 2 quart canteens

Boy Scout Mess Kits (the old ones with deep enough pots to actually cook something)

 

[boney gumbo mcgee]

Lowe Alpine Strike - in olive green.

Swedish Army Trangia (purists I know its not a trangia) - Stainless Steel Version

Swedish Army LK70 Rucksack

British Army WW2 Battle Dress trousers

Denison Smocks - (How much!)

 

[Alreetmiowdmuka]

Them Swiss army volcano stoves hard too get hold of then.I’ve got one at my dads somewere


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[boney gumbo mcgee]

Them Swiss army volcano stoves hard too get hold of then.I’ve got one at my dads somewere


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There are some on ebay still. Here is a link for one. No affiliation etc.

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SWISS-ARMY-RANGER-VOLCANO-STOVE-BUSHCRAFT-CAMPING-OUTDOORS-NEW-OLD-STOCK/292418434850?hash=item44157f3722:g:52gAAOSwX7BaZNlp

 

[forrestdweller]

i'm quite fond of the summer uniform, belt pouches and backpacks of the NVA (==former "east"german army) -- i've found brand new grenade pouches even in Christchurch (NZ); shame nobody seems to make that particiular camo pattern anymore...

 

[santaman2000]

I missed the bit about "surplus" when I made my earlier post with Boy Scout gear. For military surplus gear that's getting scarce (or overpriced due to rarity) I'd have to go with the M1 Carbine.

 

[Riven]

Visited my local Anchor Surplus the other day and I must say real surplus was thin on the ground. Shame as it used to have some great stuff.
Question is then, where has it all gone? .

 

[WealdenWoodsman]

Visited my local Anchor Surplus the other day and I must say real surplus was thin on the ground. Shame as it used to have some great stuff.
Question is then, where has it all gone? .

Couldn't agree more. The last few I have visited were full of 'Web-tex' type stuff with the odd piece of DPM to make it more interesting. Sadly I think that the proper good old fashioned surplus shops are now few and far between.

 

[Janne]

Lowe Alpine Strike - in olive green.

Swedish Army Trangia (purists I know its not a trangia) - Stainless Steel Version

Swedish Army LK70 Rucksack

British Army WW2 Battle Dress trousers

Denison Smocks - (How much!)

Swedish Army Trangia - was made by Trangia. Only made in a thinner than standard Aluminium. Called Jagar koket.

Translated "Ranger kitchen"

It differed from the civilian version that it was made from thinner Aluminium, had a burner with an "extra low burn" ring, and a small bag of extra O-rings.
Also it came in a nice thick, black cotton bag with place for cleaning stuff, matches.
Some of the aluminium pan holder tongs had a bottle opener, but this was unusable as it bent after a couple of bottles.

The majority of units that got personal cookers were not supplied with this Trangia though, they were supplied with a similar made as you write, out of SS. Much heavier.

I do not who in Sweden made it, possibly several manufacturers, but the burner must have been under license of Trangia. Maybe that one was made by Trangia.
The burners do not have any markings I believe.

The 'real' Trangias were use, abuse and replace item, lasted usually a couple of months. Got crushed.
The burners got usually a modification in early winter by the troops, where the holes got slightly enlarged with a nail. Then when the warmer season started they got replaced ('lost and replaced' by them.

 

[snappingturtle]

German para boots

 

[Flood]

Swiss salt 'n' pepper rucksack, got one recently from my father in law.
Swedish mess kit in stainless, got one from a Swedish surplus store in Floby, you need to google "Enmanskök".
Alpini rucksack.
Norwegian patrol pack.
Austrian alpine wool jumper.

 

[baggins]

Definitely +1 for the Austrian alpine jumper. Such a bombproof bit of kit, and soooooo warm.
(and i'm not paying £300+ for the divvy equivalent).

 

[Laurentius]

Of course nothing lasts for ever and it is surplus after all and manufacture stopped long ago. There are a few things I am glad of having such as the Swiss Volcano Stove, Lowe Alpine Sting Rucksack, US Army tent halves I have had so long they are somewhat faded now. Those Yugoslav haversacks are pretty good too, mine is going to wear out eventually, but then most days I am using it between my allotment and home to carry the odd necessities, and the NI leather gloves which I wearing rather a lot in this weather. At one time the old battledress jacket and trousers used to be common as muck and cheap as chips, but I don't think I have seen any in a surplus stores in a long time. I think they have gone from being surplus, to collectors items.

 

[sunndog]

Olive green NBC smock. The best hunting jacket and single ferret carrier i ever had

 

[gonzo_the_great]

The RAF belts with a real brass buckle. The later ones had a painted crome one.
My original belt that I had from being in the ATC, died on me after practically no time at all (20yrs). Had a friend take it in to swap it is the stores and what they issued then was the nasty painted one. Took a lot of crawling through ebay to find a real brass one.
(I did find a French dress uniform belt at air force belt at Endicots, which turned out to be real brass. Oh, polish polish....)

 

[mousey]

I've had a hankering for a Sadf m83 rucksack and battle vest, I don't really have a use for such a large rucksack or a battle vest, I just want one