Individual Protection Kit

[allenko]

Hi all

A couple of years back a friend of mine gave me an IPK but to date I've never found a real use for it.

What I want to know is

a) What was it used for originally ?

b) What did you guys end up doing with it (adapting it for)?

Cheers,

Paul

 

[Goose]

An IKP (KIP shelter), was used for putting a roof on a trench. You dug a trench, put the six pegs around the top, put the sheet over then put the soil back on top. It was a little bit more to it but not much! We would usually find something else to use, like wiggly tin or poles and the sheet. I did make one using a KIP only and it worked, had a dozen blokes jumping up and down on it, only dodgy bit was the entrance! The hardest bit about it was getting the damn things back out again at endex!

We used the sheets for making awnings for the vehicles, stitched together with mini cable ties used for attaching scrim to nets, and scaffold tubes for poles.

 

[Brian]

Paul,

They were originally used as a roof section/overhead cover for a fire trench, if you open it and look at the instructions they tell you how to put the pegs and rope over the top of the trench. Hope that helps mate,

Brian

 

[w00dsmoke]

Individual Protection Kit's were designed as previous posters have said to provide cover over a fighting trench, however they were designed as man portable tank proof and for nuclear protection.

The design of the string web enabled overhead cover without the aid of wiggle tin etc and with earth mounded over the right way would provide blast and fallout protection to a limited degree while being strong enough for tanks to roll over the top without fear of them collapsing.

Two could be joined togther to make a much bigger trench with overhead cover. I've built a single one and used it from a base to camp in the highlands of Scotland, but to be honest it was uncomfortable, damp, horrible to lie in , it really is a survival tool only and nothing else.

They are a very good source of heavy pegs and white para type braided cord, a bargain really.

 

[Twoflower]

I've recently bought some emergency snap eyelets (£1.99) that are designed for plastic/canvas tarps and have put some around the edges of my IPK to make a cheap and cheerful tarp. I've not tried it out yet (only put the eyelets on yesterday) but it looks like it might do the trick.

 

[spamel]

IPK are a good bit of kit, you can drive a Landrover over the top of the cover once done correctly, and they have a greater ground pressure than a tank! The best pace to be in the event of a nuclear blast is underground as the blast wave and fire ball will just pass you by! They make an uncomfortable wet trench into a bearable to live in wet trench!

There was a stupid rhyme to remember the placement of the pegs, I learnt it when I did my Combat Engineer Training at Minley. Can anybody else remember it?

 

[sticks65]

I have used an ipk for a number of years now. It is a very good and cheap substitute for a tarp. Its strong and versitile and the pegs come in very handy. Why pay £30 for a tarp when you can get one of these for £3.

 

[allenko]

Thanks all

Appreciate all you responnses, some real insights

Paul

 

[Robbo]

Could you stitch two together to make a bigger tarp ? Presumably you need to waterproof the join somehow.

(Think I might have answered my own question )

It would mean the join would be on the width rather than the length I.E you'd have a tarp 10 feet by 9 feet with a seam running across the 10 foot span.

Andy

 

[Toddy]

No reason why not, just tape or seal the seam and it ought to be fine.

2 for a fiver just now at the Blocairn car boot in Glasgow......which is why there are two in my shed just now

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Scots_Charles_River]

I bought one for taking winter climbing/walking as a survival aid. Never used it, luckily.
Now take a gore tex ex army bivvy bag instead.

Nick

 

[nickg]

I only ever slept in a fire trench once with an IPK - two of us in a 5x4x2foot cave trying to sleep with our legs pulled up to our chests - no way in hell. I got about 10 minutes sleep and cramp in both legs.
They do make useful tarps but tend to run tears in from the edge very quickly. Work well as a lean to style shelter or as a waterproof membrane on a bender (ooohh eeerr missis)

Cheers
Nick

 

[Random Roadkill]

how does the IPK tarp rate to, says, a surplus basha?

 

[w00dsmoke]

how does the IPK tarp rate to, says, a surplus basha?

The issue basha is lighter, more dynamic and bigger with huilt in loops etc. The ipk kit is just a bit of woven plastic sheet that with improvisation will make a basic small basha, but to be honest it will be basic but it does the job. It's a cheap way of buying a good groundhseet and lots of tough pegs and paracord though!

I'd love to see a pic of the IPK in it's intened role as a fighting trench... I've seen so many variations and have wondered what the mil use as a replacement now?