• The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
    Price is $300 $250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
    Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.

  • Today marks the 24th anniversary of 9/11. I pray that this nation does not forget the loss of lives from this horrible event. Yesterday conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was murdered, and I worry about what is to come. Please love one another and your family in these trying times - Spark

Military Surplus, and other value driven gear.

matthewdanger said:
I really like the military ECWCS gear - you just can't get a better deal on Gore-Tex.

GI ponchos are a great multifunction piece of gear.

The bivy sack from the USGI modular sleep system can be had on the cheap and is very handy.

Wal-mart sells a 3-pack of rip-stop ultra-sil nylon dry bags for 9.95 (sold under the brand, Outdoor Products I believe). They are excellent! The seams are all taped and they are reasonably dunk proof. I use them to organize the stuff in my pack and keep it dry at the same time.
Click to expand...

I have those stuff sacks from wally world too, great deal. We used them whitewater rafting on the Ocoee and we use them horseback riding. Haven't had any leaks yet but we've only had them a couple of months.


Also, my BIL gave me his boyscouts mess kit a couple weeks ago. Awesome mess kit but since mine was free I don't know what they regularly go for. Only issue is that it's definately a one person mess kit.

Lastly, if you like cast iron, I got an 8 inch skillet at the flea market (refurbished and reseasoned) for 6 bucks and my Grandma gave me two 6" cast iron skillets about 3 weeks ago.

David
 
There are some great deals to be had on line, but read the ad carefully. Noticed a deal on "Blended Wool Blankets", I won't mention the seller, reading carefully they can never be washed. My Dad told me they are for shipping purposes only and will eventually fall apart. Not a bargain in the long run. I have had years of use from my surplus wool blankets one of which is always in the truck. Good Luck.
 
I must have half a dozen or so Alice packs, plus a frame or two. I found the sleeping pads to be a great value. +1 for the gloves. Canteen and cup. The US Army 3 day assault pack is a great value too. Mine was like $39 shipped and it an awesome 2-3 day pack. All set up for a hydro bladder, fairly comfortable, plenty of room.
The rest has been mentioned. But I have friends that are completely happy being outfitted in Surplus gear.
 
E. German combat pack
German Mtn. Ranger pack
USGI Canteen cover, canteen, canteen cup & stove nest together
2qt USGI canteen with shoulder carry cover
German Bundeswehr OD utility pant/shirt
USGI poncho/liner
German army shelter tarp
USGI wool watchcap
USGI wool glove liners
KABAR Marine fighting knife
Camillus US Airforce pilots survival knife
M65 field jacket is OK, but way too heavy for my needs these days.
 
m65 field jacket liner is amazing just as warm as designer gear synthetic tops but a fraction of the rice and light to boot!
 
Swiss lagrge combat pack is a fantastic piece of gear.
German mil surplus wool blanket (fantastic heavy weight wool)
U.S. arctic mitts and liners are top notch.
Old style stainless steel canteen cup
 
I'M surprised that no one has mentioned the Swedish mess kit with trangia stove I picked one up while I was in the states for like 10 bucks and i use it all the time on my travels it can even be used to bake bread (my wife is awesome) its not lightweight but its worth it for me as its so versatile the other piece of gear I use all the time is a swiss butt pack I adapted to be a shoulder bag it replaces a day pack for short trips and is great for a more comprehensive first aid/medical bag here on the mission field cost ? 6 bucks still in plastic also I'll second the blanket, poncho,canteen/cup,and bivy bag that have already been mentioned having family in the forces is a great way to get gear when it comes time to reissue lol I tend to carry light loads on the trail but I don't worry much about the weight of my gear I just carry what makes me happy and carry less gear total to keep weight down think of the dirtbag hiking theory as in go with some luxury's and sacrifice on other things to go light
 
valcas1 said:
Thanks Brian, I look forward to your pictures.
Click to expand...

Sorry it took me a bit, but here are a couple of pics that show some of my gear.

PICT1141.jpg


PICT1146.jpg
 
Some of my very favorite outdoor gear is also some of the least expensive.

I have two of the Swedish mess kits; one aluminum and one stainless steel. I also have two East German Rucksacks and three Dutch rubberized canvas shoulder bags I use duck hunting.

And count me in with the fans of the cheap Wal-Mart dry bag set. I have at least two sets of them, probably three.

And one inexpensive product I don't know if I could live without:
Zip-Loc freezer bags in quart and gallon size!

Mora and Opinel knives are an incredible bargain.

I know I'll think of more later....


Stay sharp,
desmobob
 
I'd say my best bang for buck gear is almost all Milsurp.
Most of it has already been listed, but my favorites are:

Canteen/cup/stove kit -- probably one of, if not the most used items in my kit.
M65 Jacket -- love it, works in warmer weather without liner, in the coldest weather FL can throw at me, it's warm enough with the liner.
Swedish mess kit -- yeah, it's heavy, but man, is it nice.
Poncho -- with all the rain we get, it's great to have a few around.
ALICE pack -- LCII Med ALICE was my goto pack for 20 years
MSS -- bivy especially, but this is a definite bang for buck winner. Most other 3-piece sleep systems out there weigh just as much, and cost a lot more. Only real con is the bulk, but that can be lived with at the price.
E-tool -- what can I say, they work.
Arctic mittens -- yeah, I used to live up north, and these kept my mitts toasty.
MOLLE pouches -- especially SAW pouches. Can be attached to packs, rigged to easily wear on a standard belt, etc. SAW pouches are big enough to carry a FAK and survival kit in one, food for a couple days in another and a poncho and paracord in another.
 
Cpl Punishment said:
I'd say my best bang for buck gear is almost all Milsurp.
Most of it has already been listed, but my favorites are:

Canteen/cup/stove kit -- probably one of, if not the most used items in my kit.....
Click to expand...

I definitely love my canteen/cup/stove system, great piece of kit for not much money.
 
Nomex flight gloves, woobie (poncho liner), and rip-stop BDUs are great.

Poly-pro is awesome as are the old smoking jackets aka field jacket liner.
 
Some of my favorite blankets have been military surplus blankets. Over the years, my father bought them from the now kaput Sunnys Surplus, and bought a lot of them from Sportsmans Guide. He bought everything from cookware to rifles when he was a kid. I bought a few odds and ends, including canteens and firestarters (didn't notice the "MADE IN CHINA" sticker on some of them, but heck, he bought stuff in the 60's and I was buying in the 90's). He bought some old hikers packs there, and they are still in great shape today.

Most of what I see in the Sportsman Guide catalog is, well, not of the best quality. I love their Military Surplus gear catalog however, and have gotten some good deals. I have seen some military surplus stuff here and there at various gun shows and flea markets, but it is either sold as collectible (not really), or in such bad disrepair it is not worth it to get. At least not for me.

But, while I just dropped coin on a big custom knife, and have another big order to pick up before the year is out, I have built my kit/gear from trades and military surplus. A lot of the older military grade products are much better made than what is available in Dicks or Walmarts camping section.

The only somewhat military surplus store near me is in York PA. Stubby Gear. That applies mainly to some well used packs and BDU's. Anyone know of any brick and mortar stores in central PA/central MD/DE/northern VA?
 
1. The bag that comes with the Finnish gas mask from Cheaper than dirt...worth the price of the kit.
2. E-Tool - picked them up for $13 w/ cover, locally. Also picked up Hungarian surplus version of the Spetznaz shovel for $9
3. As mentioned in it's own thread the p-38 can opener
4. Non-surplus all time favorite - coffee cans - free and mutipurpose.
 
Yeah, got a USGI wool blanket and the finish gas mask bag that I needed to add to the list. Great stuff.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top