web gear 1 of 2

WEB GEAR

*
R.S.L.-thank you very much for the Kindle book gifts!  Excellent!
*

Despite the existence of testing centers for the military, where gear is put through its paces under the assumption that Our Boys get only the best instruments of war ( such as Greenland [ or perhaps it was Alaska-don’t quote me on either one ] testing cold weather clothing ), without knowing any of the details I can still pretty much guess that politics and economics vastly skews the whole process.  I’ve seen too much being replaced with inferior designed materials.  Now, while in theory “Mil-Spec” might have better manufacturing and/or quality control, just because a hunk of crap is built with double stitching and can last twenty years doesn’t mean it isn’t still a piece of crap.  It just means it is not a poor quality item that while NOT breaking actually performs a function properly.  I bought an M60 fatigue jacket used and it is still going strong ten years later ( despite some areas becoming thin enough to slightly tear )-but by no means is it a very warm jacket even with a liner ( although I will admit that the wool sweater you wear under the BDU blouse-yes, I know I‘m behind on Army uniforms by three decades-is warmer than wearing the jacket at all but that doesn‘t invalidate my example ). 

*

The Army ALICE gear I wore also never gained favor with me.  While in practice the shoulder straps should have distributed weight more efficiently, I never thought it comfortable.  The far worse sin was that whenever you were lying down you had gear digging into your hips AND the belt swung back and forth so that you never had the pouches or other gear in the correct places.  This might not have bothered the Generals who okayed this design, but as one who was trained to engage in firefights I took it a bit personally that my gear was NOT going to help me live and might actually even help kill me ( I won’t say one damn thing about the criminally deficient firearms being issued ).  One obvious solution to the ALICE suspender and belt wobbling back and forth like a Hoola-Hoop would have been to secure the web belt to the trouser belt.  But some mouth breather got rid of the OD fatigues and replaced them with the hideous blouse-outside-the-pant BDU’s which I can only imagine was meant to resemble camouflaged potato burlap sacks which rendered everyone into a formless blob of green which rather than for concealment was used to de-gender everyone and make us the first PC army.

*

Now, I understand the MOLLIE system uses an upper chest rig for magazines, but I’m not familiar with that system other than occasional non-encompassing pictures of Super Ninja Tommy Tactical knock offs.  I like the concept, along the lines of the Chinese SKS chest gear.  When you are prone, you can elevate your upper body slightly for access rather than rolling to one hip as on the ALICE system.  I think an even better way would be to have front AND back belt pouches, basically at 2, 4, 8 and 10 o’clock.  That way, prone or in the vehicle, you have access.

*

( I think one of the problems here is that while this would be a good idea, the folks not fighting-management-decide to have way too much other crap attached to your belt.  Such as an entrenching tool.  Which wouldn’t even be needed if the basic doctrine wasn’t “stay and die, we’ll send a replacement who will thank you for digging this hole and all he needs to do is shovel out your intestines with your E-tool because he doesn’t want that nasty crap on the equipment he has to clean for inspection before they will give him weekend leave” but rather something smart like “stay mobile, don’t worry about occupying ground where you become vulnerable”.  And what about that bulky ass gas mask?  Sure, in WWI it seemed like a good idea even if a better one was to NOT occupy low ground where the gas was ( yes, I know, I‘ve stipulated before that rail transport dictated entrenched fighting ), and MAYBIE, just perhaps, in the first Gulf War.  But it really is just one of those “well, I MIGHT need it one day” items that contributes to overburdening the soldiers.  We gave a lot of thought to training the average grunt in countering B/C with almost nothing in N, ( biological agents, chemical weapons, nuclear ) and then half assed most training in avoiding bullets.  And the average training on arty was to use that E-tool and keep your brain bucket on at all times ( much more strenuous emphasis on the helmet as if it were a magic talisman )!  

*

Obviously, the gear must stay securely in place.  Which is the vast failing of most web gear ( here just used to mean any of the holders/holsters/pouches/containers on your body for your equipment ).  The black powder horns and cartridge boxes seemed to be on a shoulder strap in most illustrations ( I could be off here and I am sure there are re-enactor minions who can chime in here ).  So, they not only bounced up and down while running, they swayed side to side.  You dove in the dirt, and where did they end up?  Who knows?  No problem, you have plenty of time under the stress of combat to find what you need, right?  Now, bandoleers were not much better.  The cloth waist belt used to house the Garand clips could move around but at least it was an all-around pouch belt.  Not just pouches up front.  In theory, you could find a clip even if the belt did a 180.  The leather bandoleers for bolt guns had a front-only design.  That looks great on horsemen on parade-I’m not sure how well that worked out for infantrymen.  And those disposable cloth deals that both the British used for their ammo and the US used for the rechargeable strips for the M16?  Even more sad and pathetic, as a thin strip dug into your shoulder and the other end with the clips swung madly about.  I continue tomorrow, as we explore the system for the Apocalypse.

END

Please support Bison by buying through the Amazon ad graphics at the top of the page.  IF YOU DON’T SEE THE AD, DISABLE AD BLOCK ( go to the Ad Blocker while on my page and scroll down the menu to “disable this site” ). You can purchase anything, not just the linked item. Enter Amazon through my item link and then go to whatever other item you desire. As long as you don’t leave Amazon until after the order is placed, I get credit for your purchase.  For those that can’t get the ads because they are blocked by your software, just PayPal me occasionally or buy me something from my Amazon Wish List once a year.  Pay your author-no one works for free.  I’m nice enough to publish for mere Book Money, so do your part.*** 
*Contact Information*  Links To Other Blogs *  Land In Elko*  Lord Bison* my bio & biblio*   my web site is www.bisonprepper.com           *wal-mart wheat
*Link To All My Published Books
* By the by, all my writing is copyrighted. For the obtuse out there