Usually used military surplus equipment in the best available (or affordable) condition is the best deal you can make, especially if you buy stuff that was issued like that together in the army of your own country, because there you can find it for the lowest prices, and what was issued together also works very well together like the wheels in a swiss wrist watch.
Other equipment may also fit together very well, as most equipment of most NATO armies is very similar, but some pieces will not fit together. And if you don't know a specialist who can tell you about that, it's usually the easiest to get everything from the army of the own country. And usually it's also the easiest and best deal if you choose to collect the at last issued equipment system of the own army that already entered the military surplus market. For a Brit that would be currently the MTP camouflage stuff, that's easily available and still pretty new.
The NATO stuff is long lasting and robust and if you keep your equipment as streamlined as possible, try to achieve the shortest possible packing list, it will still be portable comfortably and will surely last you for decades if not a lifetime in intended use.
The only exceptions from that rule are modern glued military boots and padded clothing and sleeping bags.
You should buy boots, padded clothing and sleeping bags factory new if you somehow can afford it and rather save the money at other pieces of equipment if you have to consider a lower budget.
Modern glued boots degrade in the storage and they break by aging invisible from outside. Your risk to get bad ones if you buy them used or new old stock is very very high. The foam in the soles can fall in pieces after a few steps or a relatively short time. Usually that can't be repaired.
Padded clothing and sleeping bags also degrade in the storage and break invisible from outside. The plastic fibre insulation breaks, the sleeping bag keeps its weight but doesn't keep the ability of warmth retention.
Such old military sleeping bags can still be usefull for the hunting cottage, or if you transport them by car or boat. And especially if you want to sleep by the fire and a few spark holes shouldn't matter. The stuff is still heavy and bulky like a new winter sleeping bag (or rather more if it's an old model) but only warm like a new summer sleeping bag.
Not every piece of military equipment is offered factory new to private civil clients, but you can buy without any problems a factory new complete hiking equipment that is made according to the specifications of one or the other NATO army. And that's also sensible and worth the money, if you know what fits together how, or you can find one who will explain it to you, because the factory new bought original NATO equipment will surely last you a lifetime and often isn't more expensive than the usual short lasting civil outdoor equipment.
If you are a serious all weather camper it is sensible to buy step by step, or if you can afford it in one rush, a factory new modular military sleep system, consisting of inner bag, outer bag and bivvy bag.
Like this you get a summer sleeping bag, a winter sleeping bag and a waterproof bivvy bag (the latter also can be recommended to buy used in very good condition). And they all fit perfectly into each other and can be used in unusual extremely cold weather conditions and are even large enough to wear a complete field uniform in them including thick padded military winter clothing. That all together would allow you to sleep in the coldest weather conditions that one can imagine in most European areas.
All together it wouldn't be especially lightweight but you could still haul it around and might use that option from time to time. But what you surely will use regularly is the summer sleeping bag and the bivvy bag, and perhaps also the winter sleeping bag.
In my opinion it's the best option to buy such a modular military sleep system factory new.
So far I see the only two options for a civil client to get such a system out of European production are the both modular military sleep systems of the highest quality.
Compared to Asian made civil sleeping bags and newer used military surplus bags they are factory new surprisingly cheap.
One option is the Snugpak Special Forces system. The other is the combination of Carinthia Tropen (or Defence 1) and Defence 4 and Carinthia GoreTex Sleeping Bag Cover.
All pieces of both systems are always easily available from the makers, well described on their homepages and for sure worth the money.
The Snugpack system is a bit lighter and cheaper, the Carinthia system is a bit more robust but more expensive, especially regarding the bivvy bags.
What's the better recommendation for the single user depends on several details of the intended use. Roughly said, they are nearly identical, but in use there are indeed a few pretty important differences, like different pack volume and weight of the bivvy bags, moskito net in the Carinthia Tropen or the zipper adapter and warmth collar in the Snugpak Special Forces system.
I already wrote half a kilometre about these systems for example here:
Greetings from Orlando, FL USA! This is my first post and I'm looking forward to input from those of you across the pond with presumably greater access to UK military gear (although I'm working on acquiring some). I'm aware that the recent British lightweight bag was apparently inspired by the...
bushcraftuk.com
