What are your Experiences/Thoughts regarding MILSURP? I understand a lot of people like it because you can get high quality items at a low price while some see it as fashion while some others see it as an abomination. Did you/would you buy MILSURP ( military surplus ) items if/when the situation is/was right? Did you buy it local or online/if you bought it online where from? How did/is the purchase work(ing) out for you? I'm asking simply because in need of new long-lasting /out/doors gear and am thinking of buying MILSURP.
Image unrelated.
>>687308
All I know is I went to Bass Pro Shops last night and I totally didn't fit in.
I need a pickup truck and some camo t-shirts. I look really out of place in nice sweaters and khakis.
Surplus can be great of you know what your looking for. I'm a former mil fag so I know what my preferences are pretty well. Generally speaking they are great in that they are cheap and usually pretty durable. But lack features and comfort of commercial alternatives. I honest would avoid it unless you've had previous experience with it or are willing to spend a but to experiment. For example I really like the Alice pack but I also know many ppl who hate it. This stuff varies and is very individual based in your habits and preferences.
Depends on what surplus you need.
Clothing/boots
Hell yeah, there's ton of good stuff for all weather conditions. Just don't wear it around or you'll look autistic
Packs/rucksacks
There are a large variety but there are a select few that are best. Personally, I'm a fan of Alice but it is all subjective preferences
Sleeping gear
There are a ton of options for tents shelter halves/sleeping bags/biveys/cots/you name it
I personally have a czech sleeping bag which is comfy as hell and 2 Austrian shelter halves and a polish shelter half. The Austrian ones are nicely water repellant, but not much good for cold without insulation. The polish one didn't come with poles/rope to hold it up, but it makes a nice rain cover and ground cloth
There's also a fair amount of mess kits availavle. You just need to dive in. I suggest going to an actual milsurp store so you can see what you like in person
>>687308
Good things I have bought milsurp:
>wool blend blankets that are majority wool (75%+)
>bivvy bags
>anything camo, for hunting and paintball
>ammunition
>soft shells (not sure if these were actually milsurp, but they had them at the milsurp shop)
Things I got a good deal on but probably wouldn't buy again:
>ALICE II pack
While these are great packs and they serve their purpose well, they aren't what I would consider a great hiking pack. They are great for what they are intended for: long heavy weight ruck marches to take everything you need with you to go kill stuff. However they are heavy. I think mine weighed 6-8 lbs. dry. This is probably heavier than some ultra lighter's entire base weight. For some reason the pack also wanted to shift during inopportune times going up and down rocky mountain trails.
It is a great pack and I still have it, but I use my 55L for trekking instead.
Things I would never buy milsurp again:
>MREs
Seriously, this stuff could stop the Niagara from flowing, it is even worse on your colon. Some of the treats are good but I think it is too offset how bad the rest of it is. Plus they are expensive per calorie as far as hiking food is concerned.
>>687336
Meant MOLLE II pack, not ALICE. herp derp
>>687308
I spent 4 years in the military wishing I had better gear. More comfortable, lighter, better accessories and options.
I see it as the lowest bidder making the bare minimum that will work for everyone in as many situations as possible. Not the best at anything except price and durability.
so basically a cheap, durable turd.
>>687327
Can I ask why you liked the Alice? Can I also ask why the people you met who disliked it disliked it?
>>687334
>>687336
>>687337
Good to know, thank you. Did you buy your stuff online ( if so from where? ) or from local MILSURP stores?
>>687343
I do like the thought of cheap and durable but your post does make me question if you've found anything both durable and comfortable? We can set price aside in this hypothetical.
>>687346
Ive bought from both. Though as far as clothes and packs go I'd suggest buying in a store so you can see how it feels first
>>687346
I bought my stuff local. The MOLLE II pack was like $110 in perfect condition. It looked brand new. Plus, it came with the side pouches which some online do not. These packs almost encourage you to pack too much stuff as well because they are huge. You learn real fast to cinch them down and not use all the space.
Most other things were comparable in price to online after factoring in shipping. It just depends though, one milsurp store right down the street wanted $160 for a similar MOLLE II pack in pretty beat up condition. Go to a few and see what you find.
Milsurp is great if you don't mind everything being heavy and over built.
>>687336
+1 for:
blankets
bivvy bags
camo
ammo
soft shells
+1 for the hate for Molle 2 gear. That shit is useless, even for training.
-1 for the hate on MRE's. MRE's have dropped in price, all of the constipation stories are myths (You are supposed to be having a liter of water with each meal) and if you strip them, can become really effective /out/ food.
I would reccomend you keep to the good External Frame backpacks made for the military- the Alice and the FILBE.
For boots, most are good, but they will be heavier than civilian models
For cold weather gear, you can't beat the prices, but you better like Black, Tan or Green.
The MSS (modular sleep system) is a very adjustable sleep system if you are 6'2" or shorter- but you will need to get a new compression sack for it, the standard one sucks dick.
Everything milsurp is going to be heavy but far more durable than anything else you can get for the price. If you're car camping, that's ideal. If you're hiking, not so much. Just compare each item to what's commercially available, and mix and match your gear. Besides, if everything you own is milspec, people will think you're nuts.
I do still use my winter boots, polypros and poncho. Poncho is probably getting replaced with something lighter soon (I tend toward hiking). I just keep moving further away from milspec as time goes by.
>>687355
When you bought online which website did you use? I know you can find a bunch of them through Google but I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask.
>>687359
I'll look into those packs, thanks.
>>687452
Are you replacing the poncho because it is worn or simply because it is heavy? How long have you owned it and how has it held up?
>>687452
>Everything milsurp is going to be heavy
and it will smell bad, under perform most things on the market and people will look at you like an idiot.
>>687359
>new stuff sack for mss
You wouldn't know a good one to fit it would you? I was thinking about getting one that fits the patrol bag and bivy then another for the bivy and cold weather bag. I never have a need for all three.
Anybody who doesn't use or like milsurp is a fucking worthless human being and should get the fuck off /out/ and preferably put a gun in their mouth and pull the trigger.
Commercial gear is SHIT, if you use it you are SHIT. I hope you fucking die in the woods with your over priced novelty toys
>>687586
>"SEMPER FI"
thank you for your service
I buy a lot of milsurp, and I use it /out/ exclusively.
ama
>>687597
I bet your Arc'teryx jacket looks really great at your trans-friendly yoga class, font forget to piss your vote away on Commisar Bernie Sanders you useless liberal piece of shit.
>>687586
>people that don't like what I like are stupid
>butthurt about it
You've come to the right place, Anon.
>>687620
/pol/ pls go
>>687620
nigger I can't afford Arc'teryx anything besides my ilbe, I use surplus stuff often but I don't think that
>"Commercial gear is SHIT"
and
>"Anybody who doesn't use or like milsurp is a fucking worthless human being"
Like I have my LK35 frame loaded up for camping this weekend along with my US patrol bag and swiss haversack (pic related, summer bag on top in pic, I swapped it), but lets be honest, a Marine issue tent will last forever but it's fucking 8lbs. Fuck that jazz. Also I browse /k/ and own a few funs, we're on the same page m8 but I'm just not gonna shit on someone because they use commercial gear.
>>687623
>guy shits on everyone who uses commercial gear and calls them worthless
>I'm butthurt
;^)
>>687633
I posted this
>>687606
And agree somewhat, there are good cheap commercial products that outperform their 'surp counterparts, usually eqyipment, but when it comes to garmets military issued, or contracted gear is almost always better for /out/.
Remember all surplus is made in a commercial setting, and the government contracts companies to create their gear, most companies also do business commercially selling alternatives, and unissued gear.
In some situations, gear isn't issued but the person being outfitted needs to buy commercially offered equipment.
Same goes with law enforcement, so in the end it's all basically the same shit. Some tactical gear is expensive and overpriced, civilian gear is the same and so is some surplus.
It's all the same shit to some extent, except! That military surplus has some sort of "field" use to backup its reputation. Some milsurp is downright awful, and some is great.
>>687637
Also I'd rather hunt in field proven camouflage then in mossy oak and real tree goofy bullshit.
>>687633
>No guys, I'm not really a pussy gearfag. I'm a tough guy, I own a bunch of 'surp!
You just listed off a bunch of shit you've seen other people post on /out/. Stop trying to pass yourself off as one of us, it's fucking sad and embarassing. Just go enjoy mimosas with your wife's boyfriend while you talk about how black lives matter.
>>687643
I actually kind of dig his setup. Looks good.
>>687637
I agree, but it depends what you're doing /out/ too.
Also you have to admit often the issued stuff is swapped, in case of tents and cots, I've read that a lot of infantry swap there tents for lighter snugpak ones and cot covers for those nice pop out ones on amazon. Both companies contract gear to the gov, just not to those troops in particular. Also guys swapping for crye shit.
Bottom line, surplus is good but for me not always the best.
>>687643
Oh fuck off, want more proof? I used to post in the milsurp circle jerk threads and even tripped, left because I lost interest in the camo patterns and some of the autistic namefigs.
>"one of us"
Its not some sort of cult cool your jets.
>>687646
Thanks man, LK35 frame is super easy to attach shit to. With all the tie downs all I needed was some carabiners and paracord, plus a web belt or two.
>>687656
>>687638
>I hunt from a blind
The Post
As much as I love milsurp, I even gun hunt deer in a BDU top because muh pockets, flecktarn and woodland are shit for turkey hunting and bow hunting.
Mossy oak break up is the best I've found for those two. You can hunt deer in a white tshirt and blue jeans because deer are retarded but you have to blend the fuck in while hunting them up close and turkey will see your out of place camo as soon as they look your way.
Pic Related
>>687672
> You can hunt deer in a white tshirt and blue jeans
Deer around me spook from white, it's only viable to wear in deep snow around my parts.
> flecktarn and woodland are shit for turkey hunting
agree, but fleck is real nice for bird hunting in tall grass plains, late in the fall.
I pretty much exclusively hunt and track coyote, so having a pattern that breaks up my figure is a bit more important then completely blending in.
Like I said, there are great commercial products that out perform the surp, and there is surp that out performs commercial.
that picture is pretty dope btw. in my region though mossy oak and real tree are kind of a joke because of the nature of our forest and plains. Northern New England is quite a different situation when it comes to blending in while hunting.
>>687684
I wear tropentarn in swamps for duck hunting. The tan almost matched the water perfrctly.
>>687606
what countrys milsurp do you buy and which items/origin do you favor over the others?
>>687716
Not that guy but Swedish, Finnish, and Austrian are my favorites. All have very tough web gear and simply designs. East European is good too.
>>687716
US, RUS, Armenian, GER, I'm also really digging Swedish stuff
>>687730
Depends on what I find in local thrift, I also prefer specific contractors.
>>687730
I have some Austrian clothes from Ivan, which are hella comfy. two swedish LK35's from vtower, and 3 finnish gas mask bags. Some other pouches/odds n' ends too.
>>687530
I'm actually a cross poster from /k/ so I got a lot from www.kommandostore.com. they're having a winter warmth sale right now and will have Gorka soon if you're interested
>>687346
I am a short guy with wide shoulders. It seems the frame fits my build perfectly. Ppl who hated it typically are either small without broad shoulders or taller people. The Alice is a short and wide shape when fully packed. I went through the transition from Alice to MOLLE to ILBE during my time in. I just happened to luck out with the Alice fitting me perfect. For the avg Joe an ILBE or any modern design would fit better but that bitch will still be heavy. MOLLE a shit. Stay away from it unless you're getting it for free or close to it.
>>687557
Nah mate, I skipped over the MSS. My friend got one and he always bitched about the stuff sack. I am also too tall for it, at 6'6" or 1.98M.
>>687346
i like the ALICE pack because it is mostly a large main compartment, with pretty large pockets on the outside. also, you can take the bag off and tie stuff to the frame. at a scout jamboree i tied a 5 gallon water jug to the frame and lol'd at the plebs carrying that shit
>>688119
I remember seeing a picture of someone in vietnam with all sorts of ammo cans strapped to one of those frames. I feel sorry for those poor bastards who had to carry all that shit, but it looks like they made the best of it
I have a Dutch NATO jacket, best windbreaker I've ever had.
I think most of it is vastly inferior to civilian gear. It's heavy, bulky, and usually stinks. Plus you look like a fuckin' man-child faggot playing army if you use it.
>>687774
Fuck Ivan I cant even come here to escape your shilling
>>687322
>nice sweaters and khakis
Do you also subscribe to Sensible Chuckle magazine?
I like Milsurp. It may be heavier than most other alternatives, but it's cheap, durable as fuck, and very effective at what it does. Best bang for your buck by far.
That being said, if you can afford the lighter, more expensive stuff, go for that instead. There's a reason infantrymen come back from 4-6 years of service with blown knees and backs.
>>687532
Even in the middle of fucking nowhere wilderness elitist faggots lurk to judge those they deem unworthy.
When I am hunting in a popular area, or just fishing, I will wear my navy Blue fleece lined Sweater and my Green BDU's.
I look like the country hick I am.
But when I am going on a creep or hunting somewhere remote, I will wear my BDU's. But I will pack an Orange Space blanket incase I get injured and need to be seen. (it fits in my back left pocket that I don't use for anything else, and doesn't hurt my ass like my fatass leather wallet)
>>690595
>you look like a fuckin' man-child faggot playing army if you use it
There is an element of this but mainly just if you have camo clothing or all matching camo / tacticool gear.
>>690683
kek
This should be /out/'s motto
