A note about gloves: test and practice with them before going into the field with them, especially if your job requires fine dexterity work. The feel can be drastically different and an adjustment period may be necessary.
As an army medic I witnessed and then treated a guy who grabbed the barrel of the 50 cal he had just fired to brace himself as he climbed down the M-113 it was mounted to. No gloves, 2nd degree burn on his palm. Silversulfadiazine cream and a new bandage 3 times a day for 4 days fixed him right up though.
A Casio Illuminator is the best watch I'd say if you're in the service. It's cheap robust and accurate. You can pick them up for £20 ish and the battery will last at least 10 years. If you want something better you could invest in a the Tough Colar which uses radio band to keep the time 100% accurate all the time and it's solar powered so it shouldn't ever run out of juice. The water resistance is increased as well to 200 meters so it's good for diving. It wouldn't hurt to get a mechanical watch if you are so inclined either, I'd recomend an Orient Ray III, it's reasonably accurate but very tough. Stay away from the all black displays because they aren't as easy to read and people have reported a lot of problems on them. Get the normal displays.
Kuddlesworth NA --i had one of those "smart watches" and the buttons and dials and functions were translated from Chinese and made zero sense. A plain waterproof watch with tritium numbers is best. It glows all the time, not just after sunning itself: LUMINOX.
For me, it was an electrically heated pot. Back in the '90s, I was on an electronic warfare team. Our radio intercept gear was mounted in a commo hut on a truck. Luckily, the gear inside the hut used regular household current (115V AC) and there was a standard outlet on the outside. Perfect place to plug in that hot pot/plate and cook Ramen.
You don’t need to spend $200 for a watch. I got the standard G Shock watch at the PX for under $50 and survived all field exercises and a full deployment. Just make sure it has an alarm feature so you can wake the next pvt for radio watch.
For gloves, look into MSSR. I used them on the diamond drills slinging steel. Super durable and similar to mech gloves. Used them on the rig in -50c and in the summer in +25c
When I first clicked on the title and it was only music I was worried as a blind person and that it would not be listed by a person and then mats theme came and I just relaxed :-) now I know I am getting a thorough video! No matter what Matt talks about it’s always a joy
also plastic zip lock baggies and a couple trashbags... ziplocs keep essentials dry... socks dip, smokes etc, trashbags if u gotta hump your poop out and youd be surprized when u have too. and a bic lighter.
I indeed favor getting half a roll flattening it and putting it in a ziplock to stay dry. Two halves are less bulky than one full roll and it can be used as kindling.
@@TheSquidPro i recommend getting something called Shit kit, its bag with toilet paper, some kind of water to wash your hand, plastic bag, and gloves I think, look for it on amazon
Foot powder, rain gear, j boots, flashlight, knife pocket knife, bungee and 550 cord, extra canteen, watch, notebook w/pencil, lighter, large ruck when issued med. Lot more but 20 years retired.
My add ones are a American poncho liner, wet wipes and a good mattress foam. I would not do a solar battery charger or the stove. Although back in my day lots did bring one so just borrow one. Got to cut the weight somewhere!
Hi Matt, Next time, I would just make a definitive list of what a Western Soldier should just buy, like recommending Under Armor Underwear and Mechanix Gloves, etc. The watch, I'm just going to say, Casio G-Shock with an appropriate band. The First Aid Kit, I'm going to take you to task on that one; You need 2, one needs to be a "Blow-Out" Kit for plugged holes in yourself or your buddy; 2 Chest Seals (non-vented), two CATS Tourniquets, an Israeli Bandage, Large Nitrile Gloves and Quick Clot, Trauma Shears, as these will keep you alive and avoid the 3 minutes it take to bleed to death, with a rip away tethered pouch, carried on your belt or armor plate - Best $100 of life insurance you will ever buy. The other kit needs to be a "Boo-Boo" kit for lesser things and need to have Ibuprofen, Imodium, safety pins, band aides, tape, Neosporin, etc. and should be small enough to fit into a cargo pocket, stored in a heavy ziplock bag.etc. The Jet Boil Stove is Good, however take a look at the MSR Wind Burner Personal Stove or Duo stove, which is far superior when trying to cook or heat water in the snow or at attitude and for humans (not you) they also have a coffee press as well. Finally, if you "have to" get a military tattoo get a 2"x3" one that has your Blood Type, Like "AB-" on your upper left chest area or maybe over your heart, as if they shoot you there, it doesn't matter, as medical treatment will not be needed. Kids are "Supermen" and old Soldiers are "Realists".
Never been .mil, but one of the problems I've had with waterproof boots, especially in the rain, was the water just ran down my legs, filled up my boots and had nowhere to go. I've had trench foot 3 times. It ain't a ball.
Another good squad/section stove would be the MSR dragonfly. Compact, very light, and more importantly multi-fuel. Can run on naphtha, kerosene/diesel, gasoline, and jet fuel. First used wan at the US Army Mountain Warfare School, and shortly after went out and bought one myself 😉
Field gloves, neos/boot gaiters, good underwear, sturdy watch, good multitool, notebook w/holder, jetboil, camo face paint kit, headlamp (red white light), first aid for boo-boos, solar or power bank to charge phones. You're welcome.
I almost took a drill to the hand *dumb I know* I was wearing a pair of mechanix mpact 3s damn lucky cause it caught the drill bit up in the reinforced material
Headlamps werent a thing in the 80s. We had those angle torches 3 coloured lenses. I dont get the Red trend. We were told thenn it was demonstrated Green is not as visible over long distances. Personally I find it softer on the eyes reading maps at night and its easier to go back to natural night vision. Anyone else have thoughts on this??
The eye is most sensitive to green, so if your eyes have adapted to the dark, dim green (i.e. a tritium thing) will do the least harm to your night vision while giving you just enough light. The easiest to recover your night vision from, is red. So if you need a bright light for some reason, go for that.
I always found it stupid that timing in the military is such an important thing yet they dont issue watches , sure it would probably suck like the rest of most issued important kit but still , they should issue it
+Matsimus i want to join the RCAF after im finished with university in JA and hopefully one of those heads i buzz over during a show of force is you matt😁
Hi. I was a soldier in South Africa in the 80's and early 90's so most probably sound extremely outdated. Is this seriously what you are carrying with you these days? Is the issue kit not up to the task?
Either that or range tea put him off for life, or the coftea which seems to come out of most norgies 😂 I don't really drink hot drinks, the main time I do is when training with the military.
I've never heard of these gloves before. I get real issues with the skin on my hands drying out and cracking in cold weather, so far I haven't been able to find any decent gloves which allow me to still operate my rifek effectively. Osprey are the brand favoured by British soldiers, but I find it awkward changing magazines with then due to the fingertips not being form fitting so it's awkward pressing the release catch.
Socks and underwear: the two go hand in hand, and are thoroughly underrated until they're both soaked in sweat for the third day in a row because you're stuck in the middle of nowhere as an LP/OP, fighting position, or long range patrol. Boots: definitely underrated,and something that needs to be reviewed for mission and personal requirements. Make sure they're authorized by your unit. Pens: skip the gel ones and find a good ballpoint that can work in multiple weather conditions. Map pens are also amazingly useful. Pants belt: this seems stupid to mention, but seriously. Find a good belt that meets regs and use it. Something reasonably stiff and secures the extra length past the buckle. Battle Belt: this is mainly for the ground combat guys on foot. You may have one issued to you, and it'll work. Use it until you figure out how to configure it to work in conjunction with your body armor, and then figure out how to upgrade if you can. Compass: this actually is useful, and should be something that you can get from supply. GPS: possibly useful, depending on your role. Ground combat guys will likely find this useful. Mag pouches: Yes, these will actually be useful if you can swap these out. Esstac, G-Code Scorpions, Tyr pouches, and HSGI Tacos are orders of magnitude better than the typical pouch w/ flap. Just make sure they can hold your gear secure when needed and allow for quick gear access. Shit kit: baby wipes, TP in a sealed bag, and hand sanitizer. Comes in really useful, and can double for giving wipe down baths. Hygiene: baby wipes, toothbrush, razor, shaving cream (Cremo or Shave Butter), body powder. Wash yourself, take care of your face, take care of your damn teeth, keep your junk and feet dry. Poncho liner (woobie) and tarp: ALWAYS have these on you in a field exercise. You should be issued them, and don't feel bad about swapping them out for better ones from supply ASAP. You can also buy your own fancier ones, as long as they aren't some garish color. Scarf/shemagh: seems stupid and tacticool, but I actually used my shemagh frequently in the field for a variety of things, especially during cold weather training. Yes, neck gators and beanies exist, but this added additional warmth and protection, and it helped break up my outline and cover my face with surprisingly good effect. Jetboil: worth it, or go halfsies with your battle buddy. Bring extra tea/cocoa/coffee and you'll be everyone's best friend, the CO's included. Ear pro: overlooked and something I wish I had invested in earlier. Ground combat bubbas would do well to invest in some decent ear pro, and I have tinnitus from not doing so. At a minimum, get something like the Surefire flanged style ones that allow some hearing. If you can, get something like Otto Engineering Noizebarriers. Yes, it really is worth it, especially for infantry and artillery guys. Eye pro: The issued glasses are good. WileyX has a better fit for me though. Invest in a good set and you can wear it in and out of the field. Ouch kit: bandaids, a couple compressed gauze packs, tape, moleskin, superglue, NSAID, antacid, antidiuretic. A couple other odds and ends that you personally would use and you're well set. This is underrated, and doc will appreciate it since he won't have to deal with you for every little thing. TQ: carry more than you're issued. CAT or SOFTT-W are the most common, and for a damn good reason. Field knife: something basic for everyday stuff, like an ESEE Izula or similar. Nothing fancy or flamboyant, doesn't need to be a dedicated combat blade or hardcore mountaineering knife that can baton wood. Just something to cut minor things that can be kept handy. Have a small sharpening kit and learn how to use it as well. Regulation/uniform requirements: some of the uniform regulations get thrown out the window when you're actually in the field. Stuff for garrison and within regulation doesn't always translate well for field use. Don't outright ignore the regs, but try to be close if it's not something that's immediately approved. Example: a black field belt as opposed to coyote brown or whatever else. An OD green or coyote brown pair of gloves vs whatever is issued. Or even a thermal fleece base layer that does a better job than the issued ones, as long as it isn't visible under your cammies. Make sure that stuff conforms to flame resistance when required, especially if you're part of a flight or vehicle crew.
i have to agree. The two most underrated pieces of kit. a bad pair of socks can grow fungus between your toes in a few minutes and if your underwear dont fit properly or dont keep the sweat away from your crotch you stink and get jock itch like nobodies business. And dont forget deodorant. Very important when you are in a jungle or foreign environment. You SMELL different and trust me bad people can smell you
Doesn't necessarily mean more expensive stuff is better, can be angel dusting. I always go for the brad names in clothes, that should ensure quality but not always, I spent 3 times more on a pair of running pants without having de facto better performance than a pair 3 times cheaper.
Lol are you saying our military equipment sucks lol no it doesn't it's actually fairly good. We have the most kills on the worst terror group the Taliban
Watch out (pun intended) for smart watches. The Bluetooth and wifi features can broadcast your position. The Garmin 601 has a stealth mode, and uses AAA batteries. Also, look for Tritium hands, like on the Traser Soldier.
On a related note smart watches are prohibited in Operations Zones, so if your job requires you to be in one you'll want to steer clear of using a smart watch as you'll have to take it off every time you go into the Ops Zone.
Not in the British Army, its the most expensive mediocre or crap piece of kit whose company gives the procurement officer the best employment opportunity or share package when he/she leaves the armed forces. They actually removed the majority (possibly all) the officers from the procurement team and replaced them with NCO's to try and prevent this. If they had any sense they would know that the NCO's will just be cheaper to bribe; but your companies never made weapon sights before, a crate of beer? The contracts yours.
Mr. Meow the American poncho liner was the best investment I made back in my day. Lots of great idea here but depending on your trade, if you got to hump it you are going to have to make some choices...
Phil Ham I got an American jacket liner too. The best. This kit must have been made of some space age NASA stuff because I wore it all year round in the field. Do you remember the CF knockoff version of the poncho liner/blanket? I wish we had better boots. Goretex was just coming in to the system when I got out.
All good stuff. Only thing I'd add to carry in your pack (not pouches) would be some baby wipes or similar for those day(s) you go without a wash so you can do the face, hands, armpits, crutch routine.
The essential piece of kit that I wouldn’t leave home without was Silly String. While clearing rooms in a building, a quick blast of Silly String into a room will get hung up on tripwires.
Both my lads are in frontline units. One recce, one armoured. Both swear by the cheap casio sports watches they first got for going to phase one training. The reason this came up is because I offered to buy them “decent” G-Shocks and they both politely declined saying that the cheap casios had never let them down and they were light and small enough not to get caught on stuff.
Indeed. They are just as accurate and durable. They lack some features, but mostly the "cool factor". Unless you are going to be diving in deep water or something like that, they are perfectly fine!
Good on your boys! You must be proud!! 1VP veteran here, deployed overseas with a Seiko Automatic winder, helped me keep the CO and DCO sorted out (Batman Radio operator, here) ...In my old age, a Casio Solar does it for me. Lasts many years for only $100 at Costco. Ha haha ha ha Now that I’m in the “mentoring” stage of my life/retirement, all the kids see my Casio watches front and center!! All the Best!!
Absolutely! Ive gone thru two of them in 7 year period. There is a speciffic model that works the best. Ill try to remember come back here, Its still on my work desk.
Just a recommendation based on personal experience, don't bother with a solar charger. The small ones suck, I was in 29 palms in the middle of summer several of my Marines and I tried using solar chargers from a number of different manufacturers and the best ones still took a whole day in direct sunling to charge a cellphone. You're better off with a simple battery brick, I've got a cheap one that can charge my phone 10 times on a single charge and it cost a fraction of what my solar panel cost
What ho Matsimus. Ski patrol head lamp hint. Wear it around your neck upside down. It is easily adjustable to shine foreward, and will stay looking where you are going, and not where your head is looking. Also, use antipersperant on your feet, especially in the winter. Try it on one foot first Calibrate, eh! One warm dry foot, one cold damp foot. Wonderful for skiing too.
Electrical tape is worth its weight in gold (for tying up loose straps and silencing PPE). So is some strapping tape for feet after a long forced march. You'd also want barrier cream for chaffing/moisturizing. I'd also be sure to purchase a high-quality durable multi-tool and flashlight as the NATO issue stuff is pretty underwhelming.
I learned about electrical tape and it’s many uses long after I hung up my uniform and then also retired from teaching high school for 30 years. I attended a year of electrical trade school and worked in construction (as a 58 year old rookie). I was amazed what good electrical tape can be used for: sealing cuts, holding dressings in place, stretching to hold dressings in place, starting the clotting process by taping a wound shut, making cordage to wrap a dressing in place etc, etc, etc. Now in my retirement/mentoring stage, I teach my junior shooters to always have a good brand of electrical tape in their ‘get home’ or ‘bug out’ bags. Peace Be To Journey!
Best shooting gloves ever; PIG Full Dexterity Tactical (FDT) Alpha Gloves. Best operator athlete underwear; Bjorn Borg Polyamide Boxer Brief - they have the worlds only contour cut crotch cradle in front of them.
The question is are they just good for shooting, or for everything else a soldier needs to do too? It isn't a video about what to bring to a day at the gun range, after all.
@@TrangleC They're definitely not rice paper but they've got their place on the field. I talked to enough guys in the military that has used them and love them. I have a couple pairs myself. You have good feeling with them and they protect the hands good through sustained rifle fire. If you're a tanker or a machine gunner use some different gloves. I can definitely feel waaay better with the pigs than I can when compared with my mechanix.
Don’t buy a canister stove, because you have to use specialized fuel units. If you purchase naphtha/white gas stoves you can easily get fuel from the CF, they pay for the fuel and you don’t have to. Buy a personal Silva/Sunto compass, it has a variety of uses.
I VP Veteran here... the Lypsyl Brand we were issued sure was funny. I’m used to carrying a simple Minty Chapstick (my girlfriend from grade 11 taught me that, Thanks Gina), then when I joined the Regular Army, they issued me this brand of “Ski Wax” as we called it. LOL hah ah ah aha. I kept the Lypsyl in my “Bug out” bag and the Mint Chapstick remained with me on deployment! Life is good. All the Best!!
Back in the eighties we were not allowed to drop bombs with gloves at all. When they came down from Ottawa we were given four different gloves. When the they asked me which gloves worked best for me? I pulled out my NI gloves broke the ice, stuck my gloved hand in the water for 20seconds, picked up a an 81mm bomb & held it by the fuse at arms length for 60sec. In the end we were all issued NI gloves. I also proved you could write while wearing them The biviy bag has & fleece were issued after most of us had already purchased them.
My son served in Iraq and Afghanistan - USMC. His top two were Ibuprofen- lots and more and socks; again lots and then some more. When operating a FOB he wanted candy for the local kids. My CVS in town helped me ship a “ship” load of hard candies over there for patrols to hand out, for the squad to suck on and as gifts when talking with elders in villages. Chocolate bars were also prized as much now as in 1, 2, Korea or ‘Nam. My grandfather talked about getting chocolate in boot camp in 1 and begging for it for the DP children while fighting in Italy in 2. Uncles/cousins in the other two also said a Hersey bar was an important “hearts and minds” gift.
This year can be basically boiled down to the socks problem I neglected.. will make repetitions...no wait.. reparation.. hmm.. I will fix sock problem! Baaarrhhh.. socks. Socks were to Einstein foot impediments.. Love. I will get more socks tomorrow! Today.. Phase one: Collect socks Phase three: profit.
NEVER get a watch with a plastic band if you go to the field a lot. The military bug repellant we were issued would dissolve the band and it would fall off in the field.
Do not forget sweet granola bars, they give good extra energy when proper cooked food is not available (long marches, guard duty). Also serve as tradable goods.
It took about a minute to figure this was Canadian. To me it was the ELCAN Scope (I own one when they were more affordable) that was a give away! The recommendations are realistic and wished I knew about them long ago! Thanks
Medical tape (Or surgery tape) am not sure what it is called, but something akin to that. Tape your feet for long marches. Also remove the tapes afterwards, or it will get infected.
Moleskin? These days I keep a roll of black electrician’s tape in my first aid kit. I learned that in Electrical Trade School and working in Construction... that’s after 15 years in uniform. Cheers!
I did the whole "buy the cool thing" when I was a wee Pte. Heres my $.02, from the Infantry side, even tho nobody asked - I recommend that all new soldiers use only issued kit for like the first 2 years of being trained, that way you can learn WHY something sucks, instead of just having the "well my cpl friend told me it was bad so its bad". Sometimes a soldier will think something is poo because he doesn't know how to use it properly. Plus all the suffering you do while using that issued kit will build character! After that... - Don't spend money on a big fuck off buck knife, that's what bayonets are for. "BUT CQ DIDN'T GIVE ME A BAYONET' CAUSE I'M A GUNNER" - you have a bad CQ. If anything buy like a $20 buck pocket folder. Buck has a lifetime warranty, if you lose it- well you're only down $20 and you wont look like a jabroni with a rambo knife dangling from your hip. - Stealth suit jackets are better than issued rain jackets, but, consider the following, just be wet - dont worry, youll dry. - buy a puffy in lieu of the issued fleece - which is actually pretty good - from Crappy tire for like $40. If you wanna be the cool kid then I guess you can spend $200 on a snugpak but don't be salty when it gets stolen or when you melt a hole in it with cigarette butts or somesuch. - boots is boots, idk man they're your feet. - If you wanna be good at nav, go buy a sunto compass on amazon for like $100. get one in mils with a declination screw/meridian lines/mirror/lanyard/roamer on it. Spray paint your last 3 with a stencil on the lid, tie it to your gear, and never lend it to a soul, not even your best bud. (goes for most things)After that steal/find a map of every trg area you go to and gitgud. - like knives, buy a cheap watch. The criteria should be - black so my WO doesn't notice me, does it have an illum button, can I turn off the beeps. Sure you can get a garmin watch for $300 Canadian pesos so you can get a 10 figure at all times - OR - you could just gitgud at land nav. - get a good 2 point sling, one that has a quick adjust on it, and that is long enough to allow you to manipulate your gat without having to swim your sling. 1 point slings are for oper8ers (not you - the reader). - Dump pouches are neat, get one AFTER you get fast at putting them back into their pouch AND doing up the goddamn buckle. And remember, always have your bayonet, that's your solemn commitment - before God - to shock action.
@@AlexSDU yea and no. Theres a 90% chance that when someone says "yea go to the QM" or "go to the Q" They mean Compay Quarter Master. They -could- be referring to Regimental QM.
Your first tip is bang on. Young/new troops should be using issued kit for the most part. First: you don't know what gear you'll actually want to customise until you've used the issued gear and understand *WHY* it doesn't work so that you know what you are looking for in your replacement kit. Second: you don't make enough money yet to be constantly buying gear that you realise doesn't actually do what you though it would/what you *NEEDED* it to do. Third: have you heard of the Geardo? Every unit has one. If you spend half of every paycheck on kit, but you aren't sure who the Geardo is, then I'd suggest looking in the mirror. boots: highly dependent on your job. If you work in the rear with the gear then a comfy pair of SWAT/Magnums with side-zips are probably going to be great. If you work out on the pointy end, then you'll want a more robust pair of boots that won't fall apart after a couple hundred clicks of marching. And on that note, when picking out that pair of boots for walking hundreds of clicks while weighed down with 30-40kg of gear, don't go for the latest "tacticool" boot made by your favourite sunglasses manufacturer. I'd suggest investing in a pair of boots from a company with a history in mountaineering or similar. (I like Haix, but that's just me. Try before you buy)
A good flask that is durable. Bought mine back in 1987, has been all over the world, is covered in several dents, but still keeps my brovel hot for eight hours. A spare CBRNE/NBC haversack to carry the extra ammo, or grenade's, or the kit the Boss gives you at the last moment.
Hi Mat, good advise you have given, unfortunately most will learn the hard way! The underpants is a good one especially for tropical work where your goolies would go rotten and breed fungus at an alarming rate.
I went on a winter FTX and I absolutely agree with your advice, to get those boot covers (we call them "mukluks"). That, and packing some extra, warm socks is always a good idea.
I was under the impression that in the various modern military organizations bringing your own personal firearm was a no no. Something that makes no sense to me, but that's just one of many reasons I didn't make a career of it. Regardless, you may still be able to equip yourself with your own knife. And no, I'm not referring to a multi-tool. Get yourself a good quality fixed blade fighting/utility knife. My personal preference is for a Bowie style knife with a functional false edge and a blade anywhere from 8 to 10 inches long . Other people's mileage may vary, get whatever appeals to you that you think will do the job. Quality is important, but does not necessarily get inordinately expensive. If you look around you should be able to get knives that will do the job in the US$60 to US$120 price range. Note that you may need to upgrade the sheath in order to get it to attach to your belt/web system, which would be an additional expense.
@@minarchist1776 I can only speak of the Canadian Forces but bringing your own firearms is a big no no (CANSOFCOM notwithstanding). For knives I've seen all sorts from Kabars, to Glock field knifes and various folders (folding knives seem to outnumber belt knives from what I've seen) but a popular choice is the Grohmann #3. It's not a big knife but it's a great all around blade that a lot of guys swear by (myself included). We also have the issued Gerber and Eickhorn bayonet 2000, which aren't too bad.
@Conor Duffy If you are an officer a sword may be part of your dress uniform. In which case you would be permitted to have it with you. I know that when I went overseas my orders specifically authorized me to carry a dress sword with me. However, just because one can have a specific pattern of sword available for one's dress uniform does not mean that trying to carry it into battle would be a reasonable thing to do. For one thing, modern military dress swords have atrophied to the point that they are largely only good for cutting cakes. For another, one can only carry so much stuff on one's person. Given all the other stuff that a combat grunt would have to carry an actual sword would simply take up too much space, interfere with one's movement, and weigh too much. Personally I have found that a fixed blade knife with a 10 inch blade is about the maximum length that I can carry easily with all the other junk I would like to have. I have tried knives with 12 inch blades but they started getting awkward to carry. The closest one could come to a sword that would actually make a certain amount of sense in some environments would be a machete. But again, you come back to the problem of where and how you are going to carry the thing so you can get to it easily and not have it interfere with either your movement or your ability to carry other stuff.
Don’t waste your money on a Gerber multi-tool they are junk. Buy a Leatherman. Quality is far superior with the Leatherman Wave and you can access the many of the tools especially the blade without unfolding it. Buy once cry once. Don’t waste you money on a solar panel. They take forever if they work at all and the cost more than a battery. If you buy a battery they can charge a phone multiple times depending on the milliamp rating of the battery. You can look up the milliamp rating of your particular device and then divide into the number of milliamps of the battery and that is how many times you can charge your device. My battery can charge my iPhone 7 times and weighs about a pound.
Another major thing that I think is a lighter. They are useful for a lot of things, including cooking rations (if you use something like a hexi stove that is used in the British army).
The most important thing is a easy to clean and indestructable plate to eat. Its called mess kit because everytime u use it it is a mess. Keep that for real situations in all other cases use a good plate. I always had such a flexible dark green one with me.
Was in the Navy, but two items I always carried on my belt when aboard ship was a MagLite and a Buck knife. Both handy for everyday use and emergencies.
The Navy Boarding Parties that I worked with echoed your sentiments. They taught me that the ship can be a formidable maze in the dark. I made it a point to learn as much as I could from them. I’m former 1VP (active duty Regular) and Reserve Infantry. All the Best!!
It reminds me of my few travels. Whenever somebody got a cut or tear: The first thing I say is: Find me German - they allways have some sort of first aid kit and other things practical. You generally can identify them a long way off: They wear white socks in their sandals. Seen miles away. Otherwise you hear it on their atrocious accent; but their english vocabulary is probably more extensive than yours. Again in a country like Turkey there is allways nearby somebody who has worked in Germany (Gastarbeiter). As a canadian make sure you have a french-speaker handy - in many parts of the world you can get by in french. F.i. in Turkey the pharmacists generally speak some french. Personally I found spanish usefull in Italy. Tea bags: They were actually invented during WW1 for the trench soldier. Keep a couple in your breast pocket. Being canadian is actually an advantage with the civilians: Yanks are generally a bit to snotty and the french are arrogant, so canadian is a good compromise. If you run into a norwegean - allways praise Tordenskiold as a Norwegean - works miracles for the conversation - and NEVER call them swedes - ever.
@@Hebdomad7 The Swedes are wrong - as per usual. I once got allmost kicked out of Sweden by reiterating the old truth: Sweden is only usefull for toxic waste and maximum security criminals. I.e. nobody notices a violent criminal in Sweden - sort of blends in with the landscape.
A few extra tips. Watches- style and how they display time is personal preference, but three features i will recommend are these. Radioactive illumination like tritium is amazing in my experience. Sapphire glass is expensive but worth it if you can afford that. Avouid steel straps, for weight and heat transfer in colder climates. Silicone is my current strap, its comfortable, easy to clean but it is not as strong as leather/titanium. I often notice how soldiers tend to forget to bring sunscreen, bug repellant, pills for headaches, headlamp as you mentioned in the vid and lastly one thing i have come to appreciate is chapstick/lipbalm. I never use it in my daily life but for some reason my lips are dry and cracked after a few days into an excercise.
I always liked the HS Specialties 'goopy' face paint. I kept mine with a mirror and make up applicators from Shoppers Drug Mart (for better detail than my finger) in a CPGear small notebook cover. It was in my right breast pocket for 11 years.
Wet wipes/baby wipes as nobody likes having peanut butter butt down range.
scipher99 also works wonders cleaning weapons
We call it swamp ass
@ Yeah sorry 89D it would have been nice to have had 3 hots and a cot.
@ OMG LOL the fingers comment has absolutely made my day, Thank you for that.
Never understood wet wipes. Just learn to wipe you are correctly.
My summer kit was .
- hammock
- ranger blanket
- ground sheet
- cooler with snacks and drinks
Joy's of being the only bus driver available
matsimus: get a stove.
marines: why would i need a stove to cook crayons?
Melt them into a sandwich spread
@@dannythompson5514 where do i get bread?
You're thinking of the Army. Marines are fine with rocks, and, gravel.
All the good food goes to the Chair Force
@Adam Beeson apparently the same as what you get at home
A note about gloves: test and practice with them before going into the field with them, especially if your job requires fine dexterity work. The feel can be drastically different and an adjustment period may be necessary.
commented for documentation.
@Yar Nunya so that i can see it in my history and act accordingly in the future.
As an army medic I witnessed and then treated a guy who grabbed the barrel of the 50 cal he had just fired to brace himself as he climbed down the M-113 it was mounted to. No gloves, 2nd degree burn on his palm. Silversulfadiazine cream and a new bandage 3 times a day for 4 days fixed him right up though.
A Casio Illuminator is the best watch I'd say if you're in the service. It's cheap robust and accurate. You can pick them up for £20 ish and the battery will last at least 10 years. If you want something better you could invest in a the Tough Colar which uses radio band to keep the time 100% accurate all the time and it's solar powered so it shouldn't ever run out of juice. The water resistance is increased as well to 200 meters so it's good for diving. It wouldn't hurt to get a mechanical watch if you are so inclined either, I'd recomend an Orient Ray III, it's reasonably accurate but very tough.
Stay away from the all black displays because they aren't as easy to read and people have reported a lot of problems on them. Get the normal displays.
Kuddlesworth NA --i had one of those "smart watches" and the buttons and dials and functions were translated from Chinese and made zero sense. A plain waterproof watch with tritium numbers is best. It glows all the time, not just after sunning itself: LUMINOX.
For me, it was an electrically heated pot. Back in the '90s, I was on an electronic warfare team. Our radio intercept gear was mounted in a commo hut on a truck. Luckily, the gear inside the hut used regular household current (115V AC) and there was a standard outlet on the outside. Perfect place to plug in that hot pot/plate and cook Ramen.
You don’t need to spend $200 for a watch. I got the standard G Shock watch at the PX for under $50 and survived all field exercises and a full deployment. Just make sure it has an alarm feature so you can wake the next pvt for radio watch.
For gloves, look into MSSR. I used them on the diamond drills slinging steel. Super durable and similar to mech gloves. Used them on the rig in -50c and in the summer in +25c
Small roll of duck tape and a foot blister kit added to your first aid kit .
As a aircraft engineer one of my most used tools is my Leatherman.
John O I’m an IT guy now (and ex-infantry) and don’t go anywhere without my leather man.
When I first clicked on the title and it was only music I was worried as a blind person and that it would not be listed by a person and then mats theme came and I just relaxed :-) now I know I am getting a thorough video! No matter what Matt talks about it’s always a joy
also plastic zip lock baggies and a couple trashbags... ziplocs keep essentials dry... socks dip, smokes etc, trashbags if u gotta hump your poop out and youd be surprized when u have too. and a bic lighter.
Shit kit/toilet paper-sometimes its gonna save your ass. Maybe top 10 tricks for gear management-pouches, cargo bags etc.
I indeed favor getting half a roll flattening it and putting it in a ziplock to stay dry. Two halves are less bulky than one full roll and it can be used as kindling.
@@TheSquidPro i recommend getting something called Shit kit, its bag with toilet paper, some kind of water to wash your hand, plastic bag, and gloves I think, look for it on amazon
Foot powder, rain gear, j boots, flashlight, knife pocket knife, bungee and 550 cord, extra canteen, watch, notebook w/pencil, lighter, large ruck when issued med. Lot more but 20 years retired.
My add ones are a American poncho liner, wet wipes and a good mattress foam. I would not do a solar battery charger or the stove. Although back in my day lots did bring one so just borrow one. Got to cut the weight somewhere!
Hi Matt, Next time, I would just make a definitive list of what a Western Soldier should just buy, like recommending Under Armor Underwear and Mechanix Gloves, etc. The watch, I'm just going to say, Casio G-Shock with an appropriate band. The First Aid Kit, I'm going to take you to task on that one; You need 2, one needs to be a "Blow-Out" Kit for plugged holes in yourself or your buddy; 2 Chest Seals (non-vented), two CATS Tourniquets, an Israeli Bandage, Large Nitrile Gloves and Quick Clot, Trauma Shears, as these will keep you alive and avoid the 3 minutes it take to bleed to death, with a rip away tethered pouch, carried on your belt or armor plate - Best $100 of life insurance you will ever buy. The other kit needs to be a "Boo-Boo" kit for lesser things and need to have Ibuprofen, Imodium, safety pins, band aides, tape, Neosporin, etc. and should be small enough to fit into a cargo pocket, stored in a heavy ziplock bag.etc. The Jet Boil Stove is Good, however take a look at the MSR Wind Burner Personal Stove or Duo stove, which is far superior when trying to cook or heat water in the snow or at attitude and for humans (not you) they also have a coffee press as well. Finally, if you "have to" get a military tattoo get a 2"x3" one that has your Blood Type, Like "AB-" on your upper left chest area or maybe over your heart, as if they shoot you there, it doesn't matter, as medical treatment will not be needed. Kids are "Supermen" and old Soldiers are "Realists".
I know that gerbers tend to fit pretty well in 9mm magazine pouches
Never been .mil, but one of the problems I've had with waterproof boots, especially in the rain, was the water just ran down my legs, filled up my boots and had nowhere to go.
I've had trench foot 3 times. It ain't a ball.
Another good squad/section stove would be the MSR dragonfly. Compact, very light, and more importantly multi-fuel. Can run on naphtha, kerosene/diesel, gasoline, and jet fuel. First used wan at the US Army Mountain Warfare School, and shortly after went out and bought one myself 😉
Field gloves, neos/boot gaiters, good underwear, sturdy watch, good multitool, notebook w/holder, jetboil, camo face paint kit, headlamp (red white light), first aid for boo-boos, solar or power bank to charge phones.
You're welcome.
I almost took a drill to the hand *dumb I know* I was wearing a pair of mechanix mpact 3s damn lucky cause it caught the drill bit up in the reinforced material
Happy New Year, Matsimus!
Headlamps werent a thing in the 80s. We had those angle torches 3 coloured lenses. I dont get the Red trend. We were told thenn it was demonstrated Green is not as visible over long distances. Personally I find it softer on the eyes reading maps at night and its easier to go back to natural night vision. Anyone else have thoughts on this??
The eye is most sensitive to green, so if your eyes have adapted to the dark, dim green (i.e. a tritium thing) will do the least harm to your night vision while giving you just enough light.
The easiest to recover your night vision from, is red. So if you need a bright light for some reason, go for that.
I just want to know when people say soldiers do they mean just infantry or are like tank crews and medics soldiers
The most important part is the paycheck.
In germany you have to buy your own body armor if you want some.
A mich helmet.. we had em in the ranger regiment and 82nd abn Div.
Hosengummis und Pischnur
you forgot tobasco or franks - you can eat anything the army serves with that stuff
I always found it stupid that timing in the military is such an important thing yet they dont issue watches , sure it would probably suck like the rest of most issued important kit but still , they should issue it
Mechanics gloves are fire. Dont get the ones with velcro.
Hey what happened to that CROW used to be kickin about?
Oh he bought one those Chinese powerbanks.
Here's my list.
1. Gun
2. Ammo
3. Armour/Helmet
4. Clothes
5. Toilet paper
6. Spoon
7. Cup
8. Medkit
9. MRE
10. Extra pair of underwear cus mom told so.
I'll note jetboils are rather noisy
I never got issued a gerber 😐
1# A whip for anyone insubordintes refusing to do there STAG
Where there's a whip there's a way
22:11 88P2 on a refueler? Why the hell would maintenance have their own refueler?
Some countries give you gloves
Real top 10 essentials:
10) Baby wipes
9) Baby wipes
8) Baby wipes
7) Baby wipes
6) Baby wipes
5) Beef jerky
4) Baby wipes
3) Baby wipes
2) Baby wipes
1) Did I mention baby jerky? Sorry, I mean beef jerky & baby wipes.
6:55 is that pvt pile?
Cable ties.
+Matsimus i want to join the RCAF after im finished with university in JA and hopefully one of those heads i buzz over during a show of force is you matt😁
Hi. I was a soldier in South Africa in the 80's and early 90's so most probably sound extremely outdated. Is this seriously what you are carrying with you these days? Is the issue kit not up to the task?
Soviet army: *nervous sweating*
3:06. HAHAHAHAHAHA nop. (Mine became a fingerless glove after 2 month)
Remember if the army wanted you to have a wife they would of issued you one
... My God; if I had only listened. I'd be a richer man 😉 ...
The Army did issue a kit called “House-wife”, it contained everything you needed to mend your clothing! Ah, the good old days of Robin the Hood!!
@@pierevojzola9737 with us they expect us to buy them ourselves...
Hahaha, nice jarhead quote
Dimitri Sredojevic jarheads are Marines, it’s a Golden Era Drill sgt quote
15:40 all this time you've said you moved to Canada. This proves that you were exiled for not drinking tea.
Must have been Coffee.. 🍺
Traitor, matsimus this is war crime against the British people
Either that or range tea put him off for life, or the coftea which seems to come out of most norgies 😂 I don't really drink hot drinks, the main time I do is when training with the military.
I am pretty sure more soldiers use Mechanix gloves, than mechanics.
Synystr7 mechanic here, only using uvex gloves 😂
anyone know the model he was showing at 5:43?
@@alfalegionnaire3451 mechanix M-Pact gloves Tan
@@Spartaner043 yeah same
I've never heard of these gloves before. I get real issues with the skin on my hands drying out and cracking in cold weather, so far I haven't been able to find any decent gloves which allow me to still operate my rifek effectively. Osprey are the brand favoured by British soldiers, but I find it awkward changing magazines with then due to the fingertips not being form fitting so it's awkward pressing the release catch.
Socks and underwear: the two go hand in hand, and are thoroughly underrated until they're both soaked in sweat for the third day in a row because you're stuck in the middle of nowhere as an LP/OP, fighting position, or long range patrol.
Boots: definitely underrated,and something that needs to be reviewed for mission and personal requirements. Make sure they're authorized by your unit.
Pens: skip the gel ones and find a good ballpoint that can work in multiple weather conditions. Map pens are also amazingly useful.
Pants belt: this seems stupid to mention, but seriously. Find a good belt that meets regs and use it. Something reasonably stiff and secures the extra length past the buckle.
Battle Belt: this is mainly for the ground combat guys on foot. You may have one issued to you, and it'll work. Use it until you figure out how to configure it to work in conjunction with your body armor, and then figure out how to upgrade if you can.
Compass: this actually is useful, and should be something that you can get from supply.
GPS: possibly useful, depending on your role. Ground combat guys will likely find this useful.
Mag pouches: Yes, these will actually be useful if you can swap these out. Esstac, G-Code Scorpions, Tyr pouches, and HSGI Tacos are orders of magnitude better than the typical pouch w/ flap. Just make sure they can hold your gear secure when needed and allow for quick gear access.
Shit kit: baby wipes, TP in a sealed bag, and hand sanitizer. Comes in really useful, and can double for giving wipe down baths.
Hygiene: baby wipes, toothbrush, razor, shaving cream (Cremo or Shave Butter), body powder. Wash yourself, take care of your face, take care of your damn teeth, keep your junk and feet dry.
Poncho liner (woobie) and tarp: ALWAYS have these on you in a field exercise. You should be issued them, and don't feel bad about swapping them out for better ones from supply ASAP. You can also buy your own fancier ones, as long as they aren't some garish color.
Scarf/shemagh: seems stupid and tacticool, but I actually used my shemagh frequently in the field for a variety of things, especially during cold weather training. Yes, neck gators and beanies exist, but this added additional warmth and protection, and it helped break up my outline and cover my face with surprisingly good effect.
Jetboil: worth it, or go halfsies with your battle buddy. Bring extra tea/cocoa/coffee and you'll be everyone's best friend, the CO's included.
Ear pro: overlooked and something I wish I had invested in earlier. Ground combat bubbas would do well to invest in some decent ear pro, and I have tinnitus from not doing so. At a minimum, get something like the Surefire flanged style ones that allow some hearing. If you can, get something like Otto Engineering Noizebarriers. Yes, it really is worth it, especially for infantry and artillery guys.
Eye pro: The issued glasses are good. WileyX has a better fit for me though. Invest in a good set and you can wear it in and out of the field.
Ouch kit: bandaids, a couple compressed gauze packs, tape, moleskin, superglue, NSAID, antacid, antidiuretic. A couple other odds and ends that you personally would use and you're well set. This is underrated, and doc will appreciate it since he won't have to deal with you for every little thing.
TQ: carry more than you're issued. CAT or SOFTT-W are the most common, and for a damn good reason.
Field knife: something basic for everyday stuff, like an ESEE Izula or similar. Nothing fancy or flamboyant, doesn't need to be a dedicated combat blade or hardcore mountaineering knife that can baton wood. Just something to cut minor things that can be kept handy. Have a small sharpening kit and learn how to use it as well.
Regulation/uniform requirements: some of the uniform regulations get thrown out the window when you're actually in the field. Stuff for garrison and within regulation doesn't always translate well for field use. Don't outright ignore the regs, but try to be close if it's not something that's immediately approved. Example: a black field belt as opposed to coyote brown or whatever else. An OD green or coyote brown pair of gloves vs whatever is issued. Or even a thermal fleece base layer that does a better job than the issued ones, as long as it isn't visible under your cammies. Make sure that stuff conforms to flame resistance when required, especially if you're part of a flight or vehicle crew.
We trying to make them fast and effective slapping all that on won't fully benifit them
@@a1marine105 I have no idea what you're trying to say.
i have to agree. The two most underrated pieces of kit. a bad pair of socks can grow fungus between your toes in a few minutes and if your underwear dont fit properly or dont keep the sweat away from your crotch you stink and get jock itch like nobodies business.
And dont forget deodorant. Very important when you are in a jungle or foreign environment. You SMELL different and trust me bad people can smell you
May i steal this?
@@ridgerunnersurvival Late reply, but yes, steal away.
Matt: says to "not go over the top"
WW1 canadian officer: slowly turns his head
U.S. infantryman here. Canada explain
matsimus, whats your favorite cheese
I MUST know now.
I don't need sleep i need answers
Compo, surely!
1. gloves
2. gaiters
3. boxer briefs
4. watch
5. multitool
6. notebook holder
7. camping stove
8. face camoflage
9. headlamp
10. first aid kit(personal)
11. charger
Amen
12. Tobasco
@@Darth.Fluffy or franks
@Darth.Fluffy you spelt tobacco wrong
@@TawnyRain2332I think he's talking about Tabasco hot sauce
Even cheap G-Shock watches are amazingly durable. I have my dad’s old watch from his 24 year in the military( Don’t know exactly how long he had it)
what about chinese G-Shock?
Remember your equipment was made by the lowest bidder.
Doesn't necessarily mean more expensive stuff is better, can be angel dusting. I always go for the brad names in clothes, that should ensure quality but not always, I spent 3 times more on a pair of running pants without having de facto better performance than a pair 3 times cheaper.
@@user_____M did I say that?
@@johndane9754 its implied that lowest bidder means its gonna be shit
except for our rifles, the most important part of our equipment.
Lol are you saying our military equipment sucks lol no it doesn't it's actually fairly good. We have the most kills on the worst terror group the Taliban
Matt, you forgot Tabasco sauce and/or HP sauce.
Timo Salesto Tabasco sauce is G.I. In every 🇺🇸 MRE
Franks red hot in Canadian IMP’S
I’d prefer franks, crystal or Texas pete
Sriracha comes in plastic bottles and is very shelf stable.
Don't forget salt and pepper
Watch out (pun intended) for smart watches. The Bluetooth and wifi features can broadcast your position. The Garmin 601 has a stealth mode, and uses AAA batteries. Also, look for Tritium hands, like on the Traser Soldier.
On a related note smart watches are prohibited in Operations Zones, so if your job requires you to be in one you'll want to steer clear of using a smart watch as you'll have to take it off every time you go into the Ops Zone.
remember, the military is using the "best" they can get by the LOWEST bidder.
Yep, when you see "military grade" in marketing for something being sold in a store that's a red flag.
Not in the British Army, its the most expensive mediocre or crap piece of kit whose company gives the procurement officer the best employment opportunity or share package when he/she leaves the armed forces. They actually removed the majority (possibly all) the officers from the procurement team and replaced them with NCO's to try and prevent this. If they had any sense they would know that the NCO's will just be cheaper to bribe; but your companies never made weapon sights before, a crate of beer? The contracts yours.
Man I wish I had these options in the 80’s. The best piece of kit you could get hold of was American rain gear and a poncho liner.
Mr. Meow the American poncho liner was the best investment I made back in my day. Lots of great idea here but depending on your trade, if you got to hump it you are going to have to make some choices...
Phil Ham I got an American jacket liner too. The best. This kit must have been made of some space age NASA stuff because I wore it all year round in the field. Do you remember the CF knockoff version of the poncho liner/blanket? I wish we had better boots. Goretex was just coming in to the system when I got out.
The brown wool sweaters that were authorized wear under the BDU blouse were awesome, too.
All good stuff. Only thing I'd add to carry in your pack (not pouches) would be some baby wipes or similar for those day(s) you go without a wash so you can do the face, hands, armpits, crutch routine.
Good for bum rash!
1# has got to be a woobie, I love that thing more than life itself.
I have one and i dont get the hype
Woobies are the best things ever invented
I've used one as my blanket for 25 years. Cool in warm wx and warm in cool wx. Have one in my backpacking rig too, lightweight FTW.
AP --without that you woobie cold :)
The essential piece of kit that I wouldn’t leave home without was Silly String. While clearing rooms in a building, a quick blast of Silly String into a room will get hung up on tripwires.
That seems like such an odd thing to carry but at the same time a really neat idea!
Both my lads are in frontline units. One recce, one armoured. Both swear by the cheap casio sports watches they first got for going to phase one training. The reason this came up is because I offered to buy them “decent” G-Shocks and they both politely declined saying that the cheap casios had never let them down and they were light and small enough not to get caught on stuff.
Indeed. They are just as accurate and durable. They lack some features, but mostly the "cool factor". Unless you are going to be diving in deep water or something like that, they are perfectly fine!
Good on your boys! You must be proud!! 1VP veteran here, deployed overseas with a Seiko Automatic winder, helped me keep the CO and DCO sorted out (Batman Radio operator, here) ...In my old age, a Casio Solar does it for me. Lasts many years for only $100 at Costco. Ha haha ha ha Now that I’m in the “mentoring” stage of my life/retirement, all the kids see my Casio watches front and center!! All the Best!!
I had a cheap $15 casio all through basic and ait and it was still ticking by the end. Only died when it got shot out playing airsoft
Absolutely! Ive gone thru two of them in 7 year period. There is a speciffic model that works the best. Ill try to remember come back here, Its still on my work desk.
CASIO w-96h IS THE ONE
Just a recommendation based on personal experience, don't bother with a solar charger. The small ones suck, I was in 29 palms in the middle of summer several of my Marines and I tried using solar chargers from a number of different manufacturers and the best ones still took a whole day in direct sunling to charge a cellphone. You're better off with a simple battery brick, I've got a cheap one that can charge my phone 10 times on a single charge and it cost a fraction of what my solar panel cost
Eton hand crank radio \ bat pack \ flashlight... also has a solar panel on it.
yea for example, as an army finance admin, i choose to carry a pen and maybe just maybe sometimes a calculator. vital tools lol
No abacus?
What ho Matsimus. Ski patrol head lamp hint. Wear it around your neck upside down. It is easily adjustable to shine foreward, and will stay looking where you are going, and not where your head is looking. Also, use antipersperant on your feet, especially in the winter. Try it on one foot first Calibrate, eh! One warm dry foot, one cold damp foot. Wonderful for skiing too.
Electrical tape is worth its weight in gold (for tying up loose straps and silencing PPE). So is some strapping tape for feet after a long forced march. You'd also want barrier cream for chaffing/moisturizing. I'd also be sure to purchase a high-quality durable multi-tool and flashlight as the NATO issue stuff is pretty underwhelming.
I learned about electrical tape and it’s many uses long after I hung up my uniform and then also retired from teaching high school for 30 years. I attended a year of electrical trade school and worked in construction (as a 58 year old rookie). I was amazed what good electrical tape can be used for: sealing cuts, holding dressings in place, stretching to hold dressings in place, starting the clotting process by taping a wound shut, making cordage to wrap a dressing in place etc, etc, etc. Now in my retirement/mentoring stage, I teach my junior shooters to always have a good brand of electrical tape in their ‘get home’ or ‘bug out’ bags. Peace Be To Journey!
Best shooting gloves ever; PIG Full Dexterity Tactical (FDT) Alpha Gloves.
Best operator athlete underwear; Bjorn Borg Polyamide Boxer Brief - they have the worlds only contour cut crotch cradle in front of them.
I was just about to suggest these. They may not be as durable but to me I can feel so much better than any other glove I've used.
The question is are they just good for shooting, or for everything else a soldier needs to do too? It isn't a video about what to bring to a day at the gun range, after all.
@@TrangleC They're definitely not rice paper but they've got their place on the field. I talked to enough guys in the military that has used them and love them. I have a couple pairs myself. You have good feeling with them and they protect the hands good through sustained rifle fire. If you're a tanker or a machine gunner use some different gloves. I can definitely feel waaay better with the pigs than I can when compared with my mechanix.
Don’t buy a canister stove, because you have to use specialized fuel units. If you purchase naphtha/white gas stoves you can easily get fuel from the CF, they pay for the fuel and you don’t have to.
Buy a personal Silva/Sunto compass, it has a variety of uses.
Is chapstick/lip balm provided?
I reckon that stuff may be good for cold and/or dry areas
I VP Veteran here... the Lypsyl Brand we were issued sure was funny. I’m used to carrying a simple Minty Chapstick (my girlfriend from grade 11 taught me that, Thanks Gina), then when I joined the Regular Army, they issued me this brand of “Ski Wax” as we called it. LOL hah ah ah aha. I kept the Lypsyl in my “Bug out” bag and the Mint Chapstick remained with me on deployment! Life is good. All the Best!!
Back in the eighties we were not allowed to drop bombs with gloves at all. When they came down from Ottawa we were given four different gloves. When the they asked me which gloves worked best for me? I pulled out my NI gloves broke the ice, stuck my gloved hand in the water for 20seconds, picked up a an 81mm bomb & held it by the fuse at arms length for 60sec. In the end we were all issued NI gloves. I also proved you could write while wearing them
The biviy bag has & fleece were issued after most of us had already purchased them.
Black Hockey Tape, stays tacky in hot and cold conditions, very strong and when twisted can be used as cordage.
Also Id suggest a leatherman wave with a bit kit.
My son served in Iraq and Afghanistan - USMC. His top two were Ibuprofen- lots and more and socks; again lots and then some more.
When operating a FOB he wanted candy for the local kids. My CVS in town helped me ship a “ship” load of hard candies over there for patrols to hand out, for the squad to suck on and as gifts when talking with elders in villages. Chocolate bars were also prized as much now as in 1, 2, Korea or ‘Nam. My grandfather talked about getting chocolate in boot camp in 1 and begging for it for the DP children while fighting in Italy in 2. Uncles/cousins in the other two also said a Hersey bar was an important “hearts and minds” gift.
... Don't forget 'coffin nails', can trade for anything (cigarettes) ...
Funny I posted lots of painkillers and socks as well
This year can be basically boiled down to the socks problem I neglected.. will make repetitions...no wait.. reparation.. hmm.. I will fix sock problem! Baaarrhhh.. socks. Socks were to Einstein foot impediments.. Love. I will get more socks tomorrow! Today..
Phase one: Collect socks
Phase three: profit.
@@gumunduringigumundsson9344 .... I love my sock puppet 😉 ... (It soothes me when I've forgotten to take my meds😀) ...
I wonder who this video is for.
"Ok, guys we are raising an army, but only 10 items per man!"
Well to be fair there's only so much stuff you can either wear or shove into a pack.
NEVER get a watch with a plastic band if you go to the field a lot. The military bug repellant we were issued would dissolve the band and it would fall off in the field.
After basic training, I’m gonna consider getting some of the things you’ve recommended.
Do not forget sweet granola bars, they give good extra energy when proper cooked food is not available (long marches, guard duty). Also serve as tradable goods.
It took about a minute to figure this was Canadian. To me it was the ELCAN Scope (I own one when they were more affordable) that was a give away! The recommendations are realistic and wished I knew about them long ago! Thanks
I knew right away. Cam pattern, beret, the Colt Canada rifles.
First!! Yay, does this mean I'm canon fodder? Also, you forgot 1 thing, a big pair.. you need a big pair, same goes for female soldiers.
Medical tape (Or surgery tape) am not sure what it is called, but something akin to that. Tape your feet for long marches.
Also remove the tapes afterwards, or it will get infected.
Kinesio tape ?
@@Kevin-fj5oe Looks like it could work. Taping toes as well.
Moleskin? These days I keep a roll of black electrician’s tape in my first aid kit. I learned that in Electrical Trade School and working in Construction... that’s after 15 years in uniform. Cheers!
Or you could join the Air Force instead....
No, I do not want to become fat.
The world's finest paramilitary organization. Cub Scouts for grown ups. :-)
@@minarchist1776 cries into my mai tai while lounging at the hotel pool.
Yea but also I want to do outside lol
I saw a guy grab a hot 240 barrel once. Drill sergeant said “Congratulations warrior, you just became a burn victim.”
Imagine suffering from burn during deployment day after the day.
Had the same experience with the changing the c9 barrell except I was wearing the goretex issued gloves which melted into my palms lol :/
Sun lounge chair and pina colada with plenty of sun screen
I did the whole "buy the cool thing" when I was a wee Pte. Heres my $.02, from the Infantry side, even tho nobody asked
- I recommend that all new soldiers use only issued kit for like the first 2 years of being trained, that way you can learn WHY something sucks, instead of just having the "well my cpl friend told me it was bad so its bad". Sometimes a soldier will think something is poo because he doesn't know how to use it properly. Plus all the suffering you do while using that issued kit will build character!
After that...
- Don't spend money on a big fuck off buck knife, that's what bayonets are for. "BUT CQ DIDN'T GIVE ME A BAYONET' CAUSE I'M A GUNNER" - you have a bad CQ. If anything buy like a $20 buck pocket folder. Buck has a lifetime warranty, if you lose it- well you're only down $20 and you wont look like a jabroni with a rambo knife dangling from your hip.
- Stealth suit jackets are better than issued rain jackets, but, consider the following, just be wet - dont worry, youll dry.
- buy a puffy in lieu of the issued fleece - which is actually pretty good - from Crappy tire for like $40. If you wanna be the cool kid then I guess you can spend $200 on a snugpak but don't be salty when it gets stolen or when you melt a hole in it with cigarette butts or somesuch.
- boots is boots, idk man they're your feet.
- If you wanna be good at nav, go buy a sunto compass on amazon for like $100. get one in mils with a declination screw/meridian lines/mirror/lanyard/roamer on it. Spray paint your last 3 with a stencil on the lid, tie it to your gear, and never lend it to a soul, not even your best bud. (goes for most things)After that steal/find a map of every trg area you go to and gitgud.
- like knives, buy a cheap watch. The criteria should be - black so my WO doesn't notice me, does it have an illum button, can I turn off the beeps. Sure you can get a garmin watch for $300 Canadian pesos so you can get a 10 figure at all times - OR - you could just gitgud at land nav.
- get a good 2 point sling, one that has a quick adjust on it, and that is long enough to allow you to manipulate your gat without having to swim your sling. 1 point slings are for oper8ers (not you - the reader).
- Dump pouches are neat, get one AFTER you get fast at putting them back into their pouch AND doing up the goddamn buckle.
And remember, always have your bayonet, that's your solemn commitment - before God - to shock action.
Great tips, mate. BTW, what is CQ?
@@AlexSDU Company Quartermaster
@@ZackyChann I see. Thanks. I always thought that Quartermaster is QM.
@@AlexSDU yea and no. Theres a 90% chance that when someone says "yea go to the QM" or "go to the Q" They mean Compay Quarter Master. They -could- be referring to Regimental QM.
Your first tip is bang on. Young/new troops should be using issued kit for the most part. First: you don't know what gear you'll actually want to customise until you've used the issued gear and understand *WHY* it doesn't work so that you know what you are looking for in your replacement kit. Second: you don't make enough money yet to be constantly buying gear that you realise doesn't actually do what you though it would/what you *NEEDED* it to do. Third: have you heard of the Geardo? Every unit has one. If you spend half of every paycheck on kit, but you aren't sure who the Geardo is, then I'd suggest looking in the mirror.
boots: highly dependent on your job. If you work in the rear with the gear then a comfy pair of SWAT/Magnums with side-zips are probably going to be great. If you work out on the pointy end, then you'll want a more robust pair of boots that won't fall apart after a couple hundred clicks of marching. And on that note, when picking out that pair of boots for walking hundreds of clicks while weighed down with 30-40kg of gear, don't go for the latest "tacticool" boot made by your favourite sunglasses manufacturer. I'd suggest investing in a pair of boots from a company with a history in mountaineering or similar. (I like Haix, but that's just me. Try before you buy)
perfect timing for WWIII
A good flask that is durable.
Bought mine back in 1987, has been all over the world, is covered in several dents, but still keeps my brovel hot for eight hours.
A spare CBRNE/NBC haversack to carry the extra ammo, or grenade's, or the kit the Boss gives you at the last moment.
Hi Mat, good advise you have given, unfortunately most will learn the hard way! The underpants is a good one especially for tropical work where your goolies would go rotten and breed fungus at an alarming rate.
I went on a winter FTX and I absolutely agree with your advice, to get those boot covers (we call them "mukluks"). That, and packing some extra, warm socks is always a good idea.
1#: Gun.
Active Aidan 1# Skyrim battle axe
fingers
I was under the impression that in the various modern military organizations bringing your own personal firearm was a no no. Something that makes no sense to me, but that's just one of many reasons I didn't make a career of it. Regardless, you may still be able to equip yourself with your own knife. And no, I'm not referring to a multi-tool. Get yourself a good quality fixed blade fighting/utility knife.
My personal preference is for a Bowie style knife with a functional false edge and a blade anywhere from 8 to 10 inches long . Other people's mileage may vary, get whatever appeals to you that you think will do the job. Quality is important, but does not necessarily get inordinately expensive. If you look around you should be able to get knives that will do the job in the US$60 to US$120 price range. Note that you may need to upgrade the sheath in order to get it to attach to your belt/web system, which would be an additional expense.
@@minarchist1776 I can only speak of the Canadian Forces but bringing your own firearms is a big no no (CANSOFCOM notwithstanding).
For knives I've seen all sorts from Kabars, to Glock field knifes and various folders (folding knives seem to outnumber belt knives from what I've seen) but a popular choice is the Grohmann #3. It's not a big knife but it's a great all around blade that a lot of guys swear by (myself included). We also have the issued Gerber and Eickhorn bayonet 2000, which aren't too bad.
@Conor Duffy If you are an officer a sword may be part of your dress uniform. In which case you would be permitted to have it with you. I know that when I went overseas my orders specifically authorized me to carry a dress sword with me. However, just because one can have a specific pattern of sword available for one's dress uniform does not mean that trying to carry it into battle would be a reasonable thing to do.
For one thing, modern military dress swords have atrophied to the point that they are largely only good for cutting cakes. For another, one can only carry so much stuff on one's person. Given all the other stuff that a combat grunt would have to carry an actual sword would simply take up too much space, interfere with one's movement, and weigh too much.
Personally I have found that a fixed blade knife with a 10 inch blade is about the maximum length that I can carry easily with all the other junk I would like to have. I have tried knives with 12 inch blades but they started getting awkward to carry. The closest one could come to a sword that would actually make a certain amount of sense in some environments would be a machete. But again, you come back to the problem of where and how you are going to carry the thing so you can get to it easily and not have it interfere with either your movement or your ability to carry other stuff.
Don’t waste your money on a Gerber multi-tool they are junk. Buy a Leatherman. Quality is far superior with the Leatherman Wave and you can access the many of the tools especially the blade without unfolding it. Buy once cry once. Don’t waste you money on a solar panel. They take forever if they work at all and the cost more than a battery. If you buy a battery they can charge a phone multiple times depending on the milliamp rating of the battery. You can look up the milliamp rating of your particular device and then divide into the number of milliamps of the battery and that is how many times you can charge your device. My battery can charge my iPhone 7 times and weighs about a pound.
Another major thing that I think is a lighter. They are useful for a lot of things, including cooking rations (if you use something like a hexi stove that is used in the British army).
The most important thing is a easy to clean and indestructable plate to eat. Its called mess kit because everytime u use it it is a mess. Keep that for real situations in all other cases use a good plate. I always had such a flexible dark green one with me.
Dip
Was in the Navy, but two items I always carried on my belt when aboard ship was a MagLite and a Buck knife. Both handy for everyday use and emergencies.
The Navy Boarding Parties that I worked with echoed your sentiments. They taught me that the ship can be a formidable maze in the dark. I made it a point to learn as much as I could from them. I’m former 1VP (active duty Regular) and Reserve Infantry. All the Best!!
It reminds me of my few travels. Whenever somebody got a cut or tear: The first thing I say is:
Find me German - they allways have some sort of first aid kit and other things practical. You generally can identify them a long way off: They wear white socks in their sandals. Seen miles away. Otherwise you hear it on their atrocious accent; but their english vocabulary is probably more extensive than yours.
Again in a country like Turkey there is allways nearby somebody who has worked in Germany (Gastarbeiter). As a canadian make sure you have a french-speaker handy - in many parts of the world you can get by in french. F.i. in Turkey the pharmacists generally speak some french.
Personally I found spanish usefull in Italy.
Tea bags: They were actually invented during WW1 for the trench soldier. Keep a couple in your breast pocket.
Being canadian is actually an advantage with the civilians: Yanks are generally a bit to snotty and the french are arrogant, so canadian is a good compromise. If you run into a norwegean - allways praise Tordenskiold as a Norwegean - works miracles for the conversation - and NEVER call them swedes - ever.
And vice versa.
Swedish Chef in Sweden is known as the Norwegian Chef.
@@Hebdomad7 The Swedes are wrong - as per usual.
I once got allmost kicked out of Sweden by reiterating the old truth: Sweden is only usefull for toxic waste and maximum security criminals.
I.e. nobody notices a violent criminal in Sweden - sort of blends in with the landscape.
I AM NOT SNOTTY
A few extra tips.
Watches- style and how they display time is personal preference, but three features i will recommend are these.
Radioactive illumination like tritium is amazing in my experience. Sapphire glass is expensive but worth it if you can afford that. Avouid steel straps, for weight and heat transfer in colder climates. Silicone is my current strap, its comfortable, easy to clean but it is not as strong as leather/titanium.
I often notice how soldiers tend to forget to bring sunscreen, bug repellant, pills for headaches, headlamp as you mentioned in the vid and lastly one thing i have come to appreciate is chapstick/lipbalm. I never use it in my daily life but for some reason my lips are dry and cracked after a few days into an excercise.
In German we have a saying:„Wer billig kauft kauft zweimal.”
Meaning: If you buy cheap you’ll buy twice.
I always liked the HS Specialties 'goopy' face paint. I kept mine with a mirror and make up applicators from Shoppers Drug Mart (for better detail than my finger) in a CPGear small notebook cover. It was in my right breast pocket for 11 years.