I only have one piece of millitary kit and its my German Para Boots which I love. The ankle support is really good as I found out when drunk and decided to do a standing jump over a ditch, my knee got badly sprained but my ankle bearly ached for 30 mins.
The best kit from each army in your opinion
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I'm going to resurrect this good old thread:
Gotcha beat, went on active duty in 1976 and ate C-rations dated 1945.
I use a lot of military surplus. It's rugged and cheap. Unfortunately, it's usually heavy, too. Unless I'm backpacking, though, it's my preference - among other things, I don't have to worry about the kids and the dog being rough on it.
Some of my favorite gear:
US: M1951 wool shirts, cots, mosquito nets
Italian: Parka (once you cut off all those silly decorative buttons), 6-liter aluminum olive oil canteens
Norwegian: Cold weather hats
Swedish: Wool blankets, mittens, Frost Moras, mess kits
German: Leather motorcycle mittens, fleck camo parka
Belgian: Wool sweater
Gotcha beat, went on active duty in 1976 and ate C-rations dated 1945.
I use a lot of military surplus. It's rugged and cheap. Unfortunately, it's usually heavy, too. Unless I'm backpacking, though, it's my preference - among other things, I don't have to worry about the kids and the dog being rough on it.
Some of my favorite gear:
US: M1951 wool shirts, cots, mosquito nets
Italian: Parka (once you cut off all those silly decorative buttons), 6-liter aluminum olive oil canteens
Norwegian: Cold weather hats
Swedish: Wool blankets, mittens, Frost Moras, mess kits
German: Leather motorcycle mittens, fleck camo parka
Belgian: Wool sweater
UK - the water bottles. MUCH better than the US ones. 2 pints is just that bit better than 1L, and the wider mouth of the UK bottles makes them easier to fill and dry out. And the crusader mug as well.
Germany - the poncho
US - cotton ripstop BDUs are just about the best material and best cut. For me, anyway.
Canada - camouflage. I love CADPAT - so much better than all those other digital patterns and the colours are spot on.
I can never quite get my head around why so many people rave about Trangias. I can't abide the things.
Germany - the poncho
US - cotton ripstop BDUs are just about the best material and best cut. For me, anyway.
Canada - camouflage. I love CADPAT - so much better than all those other digital patterns and the colours are spot on.
I can never quite get my head around why so many people rave about Trangias. I can't abide the things.
Don't use much military kit, except Swedish Trangia, and one of these French Army Gortex jackets that I really like. Sometimes the high collar is good, protective and cosy, sometimes it can get in the way when you want to look down (eg map reading)...
Have a yearning for a little splinter cam though too . Maybe just a cap or some trousers.
Have a yearning for a little splinter cam though too . Maybe just a cap or some trousers.
Swedish army - LK 70 ,LK 35 ,Stainless trangia ,Wool cargo trousers , Mora ,Sheepskin lined canvas coat ,snow blouse.
Canadian army -Old issue og windproof trousers , og arctic parka.
US Army- od nyco bdu,s ,ecwcs goretex parka,
UK Army -95 pattern og goretex gloves , water bottles ,crusader mug , arctic sleeping bag .
Canadian army -Old issue og windproof trousers , og arctic parka.
US Army- od nyco bdu,s ,ecwcs goretex parka,
UK Army -95 pattern og goretex gloves , water bottles ,crusader mug , arctic sleeping bag .
US - BDU's the standard battle dress uniform just keeps getting better and better, unlike the c95 trews with a crotch down by your ankles the americans have given a generous cut with double panel and bar tack and plenty of room to manoeuvre. the shirts are rather nifty too and now have bellowing around the shoulders to allow free movement.
British - no one can beat the british smock it is possibly one of THE best outdoor garments going and there's a reason its been standard kit for many years!
loaded with pockets, comfortable and warm you cannot beat it.
Russian - Digging utensils that can be used to fry eggs, sit on and chop down tree's? oh yeah talk about versitility
the russian entrenching tool is a prime example of multi functional.
German - Boots, you cannot beat a good pair of german boots (mendl anyone?) their para boots are some of the most popular surplus going for a reason.
British - no one can beat the british smock it is possibly one of THE best outdoor garments going and there's a reason its been standard kit for many years!
loaded with pockets, comfortable and warm you cannot beat it.
Russian - Digging utensils that can be used to fry eggs, sit on and chop down tree's? oh yeah talk about versitility
the russian entrenching tool is a prime example of multi functional.German - Boots, you cannot beat a good pair of german boots (mendl anyone?) their para boots are some of the most popular surplus going for a reason.
The best bit of kit i've used is SSARF- Surveillance System and Range Finder. Basically oversized binos that contain a laser range finder, binos, camera, Thermal Imager, GPS, and electronic compass. At a click of a button you can identify a target day and night up to 5km away, get its range, grid reference etc, photograph it, and send the whole lot of info over the radio to whoever wants it. Absolutely brilliant when you consider all the bulky, heavy and useless kit it replaces... Not too many bushcraft applications though! (Mods- this info is in the public domain)
For that, it's tricky as every time i replace some of my obsolete kit, the replacement is a godsend. i'd probably go for Windproof smock, tropical trousers, olive green SF basha, metal mug and the Softie jacket.
For that, it's tricky as every time i replace some of my obsolete kit, the replacement is a godsend. i'd probably go for Windproof smock, tropical trousers, olive green SF basha, metal mug and the Softie jacket.
British army mess tins work for me, perhaps more sentimental value though as I got my first set in the Boy Scouts in the early 60's. Swedish Army Ranger stove (much the same as the Optimus 91 set or the Clas Olson clone at £9.99) works very well and is compact, much much better performance than the Army 'Trangia' set ups so loved by many here, British Army ration packs, still IMHO the best going, a couple of the American army 'petrol' stoves are worth having, Swedish Army or civvie versions of my much loved Optimus 111/111T stoves, American Army Mountain Troop cooksets, Vapalux lanterns and M65 trousers/British Army lightweight trousers to name but a few.
right here we go then my list
1, swiss army engineers rucksack
2, swedish army trangia stove
3, swedish army shirt
4, swiss army wool scarf
5, german para boots any mark
6, norwegian artic sleeping bag car camping only
7, german kfs
8, swedish mug
9, britsh royal navy work shirts blue
10, dutch army 80's issue og combat jacket
1, swiss army engineers rucksack
2, swedish army trangia stove
3, swedish army shirt
4, swiss army wool scarf
5, german para boots any mark
6, norwegian artic sleeping bag car camping only
7, german kfs
8, swedish mug
9, britsh royal navy work shirts blue
10, dutch army 80's issue og combat jacket
hmm...
top of my list...US ARMY JUNGLE BOOTS! the vietnam style right thru to more modern versions, absolutely fantastic, never had a blister, and had plenty of pairs with only one minor fault. good makes are 'belleville' and 'altama' this goes the same for the desert version. my only issue, the soles wear quite quickly.
then onto the rest...
British issue SAS smock, whether its a ww2 one, or a modern one, perfect pocket layout, built in hood, good fit, well built, and wear well. also the matching trousers!
US army BDU trousers, excellent and wear well again.
US goretex, blown away by it.
British Bergen, shame its a pain without webbing, but the build quality is immense, great design too..deffo KISS!
PLCE webbing or ARKTIS chjest rigs.
Medium ALICE and LARGE ALICE packs.
British water bottle and related cups metal and plastic.
Snugpak bivvy jacket, sleeka elite in my case.
biasd to american stuff cos its generally so well made.
good thread!
top of my list...US ARMY JUNGLE BOOTS! the vietnam style right thru to more modern versions, absolutely fantastic, never had a blister, and had plenty of pairs with only one minor fault. good makes are 'belleville' and 'altama' this goes the same for the desert version. my only issue, the soles wear quite quickly.
then onto the rest...
British issue SAS smock, whether its a ww2 one, or a modern one, perfect pocket layout, built in hood, good fit, well built, and wear well. also the matching trousers!
US army BDU trousers, excellent and wear well again.
US goretex, blown away by it.
British Bergen, shame its a pain without webbing, but the build quality is immense, great design too..deffo KISS!
PLCE webbing or ARKTIS chjest rigs.
Medium ALICE and LARGE ALICE packs.
British water bottle and related cups metal and plastic.
Snugpak bivvy jacket, sleeka elite in my case.
biasd to american stuff cos its generally so well made.
good thread!
Nice one.
Although it was DARPA.
Actually your both right : )
The idea we now know as the internet, came from a military project under taken by DARPA.
Amazed these are not more popular. Love mine, and nearly finished my Hobo stove around them.
I think many prefer the BA metal mug, or even its Swedish equivalent which has a lid and a hook up system. Brilliantly designed even if I do say so myself. But I might well be wrong..
