Military contract / civilian purchase

[bilko]

HI guys, just thinking of some of the best kit i own being military or bought as civilian kit by manufacturers who are contracted to the military.
Such as

Mora - knives

Karrimore - SF range

Alpha industries - I have one of their green and orange bomber jackets.

Nanok - Sf sleeping bags etc. Pretty sure they are military suppliers

Any more you can think of with a brief description? Torches...Surefire? Are they contracted to military?
Be fun to do some window shopping for new kit lol.
There must be loads you guys can think of contracted to the military.

 

[Shewie]

Lundhags - boots (Ranger Highs are superb)

 

[phaserrifle]

Torches...Surefire? Are they contracted to military?

I fairly sure some of the surefire stuff is used by US millitary types. although I'm not sure how normal it's issue is.

Magnum - one of the manufacturers making desert boots for the british army. (my experience on the quality is a bit variable. my old pairs (response side-zips) where poor, my new ones seem pretty good)
Lowa - pretty sure the army issue these boots too.

on the sharp and pointy side:
benchmade - have been linked to the US millitary
leatherman - british forces have been issued multi-tools made by leatherman (I would absoultely love mine if it wern't so heavy)
victorinox - not just the swiss, the germans and the dutch have their gear too if I remember right.

 

[bilko]

Great stuff, some good results coming out here.

 

[Mastino]

Wiggy sleeping bags, Lowe Alpine packs

 

[SimonM]

Meindle boots

 

[The Lord Poncho]

Sealskinz waterproof socks are on issue to the BA, along with a locking Victorinox SAK in survival packs, Lowa boots, Arteryx soft shell, Softie sleeping bags, toughbook laptops....

 

[British Red]

swiss army knives!

 

[Beardy]

The new Sealskins gloves (to match the boot liners) are pretty good too. Waterproof membrane protected by a 'contact' glove type finish and a grippy dot palm. Often available relatively cheap due to being mass produced for the forces.

They're not super warm on their own, but as a glove for relatively mild wet weather (or quite active use if it's any more Baltic than that) they seem well suited. Another use might be lining non-waterproof gloves in wet weather, or waterproof gloves that have managed to get soaked somehow until they dry out (I'm thinking along the lines of how you can use the boot liners) but I've not tried them out in that role yet. Still, worth a punt.

 

[The Lord Poncho]

Yep- it's the Hunter model!

 

[TFan]

I think the British army are now issued with Gerber multitools.

 

[m.durston]

what i've found over the years is that the MOD will get a known contractor to make them items of kit then after a few years get someone like compton webb to make a near copy at a cheaper price.
examples include the old style GS shirts being made by ben sherman, some berets made by kangol, and the arctic issue sleeping bag being made by mountain equipment.

 

[andybysea]

Just got the bivi jacket and trousers(reversible) not sure if its made by snugpak? but anyway nice and toasty will be using to give me extra warmth in winter,and with clothes on underneath i reckon i could sleep out in them and just a bivi bag in summer.

 

[The Lord Poncho]

Andy- those bivi suits are brilliant. The jackets are a godsend, and the trousers are great for lounging around camp in the evenings! They enable you to get away with carrying a thinner sleeping bag too. I don't think they are made by Snugpak, but i reckon they have similar performance.

 

[andybysea]

TLP the main reason i got it was so i could carry a lighter weight s/bag but still have a warm Jacket for kicking around in,as for snugpak your probs right its just something i heard ages ago didnt know wether true of not. Think though id wear the trew's under my loose fitting wind proofs though as dont think they'd last long round the fire.

 

[hairyhippy]

The new Sealskins gloves (to match the boot liners) are pretty good too. Waterproof membrane protected by a 'contact' glove type finish and a grippy dot palm. Often available relatively cheap due to being mass produced for the forces.

They're not super warm on their own, but as a glove for relatively mild wet weather (or quite active use if it's any more Baltic than that) they seem well suited. Another use might be lining non-waterproof gloves in wet weather, or waterproof gloves that have managed to get soaked somehow until they dry out (I'm thinking along the lines of how you can use the boot liners) but I've not tried them out in that role yet. Still, worth a punt.

These sound like the sort of thing I'm after - do you have a link to any by chance?

 

[Beardy]

They are 'last but one' at the bottom of this page. Called the contact glove even though they're a bit thicker than your typical anti contact gloves. £15. No connection to SOF except as a customer.

http://www.sofmilitary.co.uk/search_results.asp?keywords=sealskinz

 

[WeThePeoplexfbm]

well TAS, they make gear for the aussie army and make gear for civilians nto sue if it in other countrys but it a alright brand

 

[santaman2000]

Berretta 9mm

 

[Phil6201]

Swazi were making wet weather clothing for the NZDF (not sure if they still are - contract might have gone to china now).

Victorinox - NZDF Issue this knife: http://www.victorinox.com/product/1/100/1004/0.8453.3
Spyderco - We also have the Spyderco Rescue as an issue item in aircrew survival kits along with a small Silva compass: http://www.raymears.com/Bushcraft_Product/662-Silva-Ranger-27-Compass/
Magnum Boots are one of the standard issue boots.
Domex Sleeping bags