Metallic ink-printed t-shirts and underwear.
Showing posts with label gear. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gear. Show all posts
27 November 2010
28 December 2006
Best buys
Most worthwhile purchases for my recent deployment (in no particular order):
1. Bright, lime green fluoresecent Samsonite luggage straps. Good luck finding your three or four bags among a sea of similar bags. These luggage straps made it a piece of cake to quickly locate my bags when there were hundreds to search through. A name tag just doesn't do justice if you have to read each name tag.
2. Under Armour boxer briefs. The Under Armour shirts are nice and comfortable, but the boxer briefs are worth every penny. Amazingly comfortable in the heat and cold for long periods of time. I still wear them every day.
3. Thorlo socks. I didn't have sore feet or a blister in 9 months. My feet never hurt. Thorlo socks are expensive, but also worth every penny. I still wear these every day, too. There are several different varieties, but I found the Thorlo PT socks to work just fine for everyday wear.
4. Play Station Portable (PSP). A great way to pass the time during long periods of waiting around, and there are plenty of such times.
5. Rigger's Belt. The Army-issued nylon belt is crap. The Rigger's Belt from SpecOps is much better, and it's no wonder many people purchase this for themselves.
6. Recon Wrap. A very simple but great piece of gear. I wore it underneath my helmet as a sweat absorber.
1. Bright, lime green fluoresecent Samsonite luggage straps. Good luck finding your three or four bags among a sea of similar bags. These luggage straps made it a piece of cake to quickly locate my bags when there were hundreds to search through. A name tag just doesn't do justice if you have to read each name tag.
2. Under Armour boxer briefs. The Under Armour shirts are nice and comfortable, but the boxer briefs are worth every penny. Amazingly comfortable in the heat and cold for long periods of time. I still wear them every day.
3. Thorlo socks. I didn't have sore feet or a blister in 9 months. My feet never hurt. Thorlo socks are expensive, but also worth every penny. I still wear these every day, too. There are several different varieties, but I found the Thorlo PT socks to work just fine for everyday wear.
4. Play Station Portable (PSP). A great way to pass the time during long periods of waiting around, and there are plenty of such times.
5. Rigger's Belt. The Army-issued nylon belt is crap. The Rigger's Belt from SpecOps is much better, and it's no wonder many people purchase this for themselves.
6. Recon Wrap. A very simple but great piece of gear. I wore it underneath my helmet as a sweat absorber.
30 July 2006
Clothing and gear, part 2
Some additional rants about clothing and gear...
How many t-shirts and pairs of socks and underwear do you need?
This is largely a question of your FOB's laundry cycle. Here at Ashraf its pretty quick, anywhere from several hours to a day and a half. So conceivably you could drop off your laundry in the morning and pick it up that night, or if it's not done then, anytime the next day.
For me, six of everything works just fine. So basically I'm dropping off laundry once every three days, which keeps my laundry loads down to a manageable weight! Beyond six of anything would begin to be a waste of space, and given the fact that everything needs to go home with me in four seabags, space is a premium. Beyond that, you'll probably need to mail things home!
Ah yes, mail. How long does it take?
I generally get mail in six or seven days. The longest I've waited for anything was 10 or 11 days. That's pretty quick considering the package is travelling from somewhere in the states to the Army Post Office (APO) in New York City, then taking a trip across the pond. Once it gets to Iraq, its a bit more tricky, because we (meaning we here at Ashraf) don't actually get mail here every day. So it might sit somewhere for a day or two before it gets picked up. But, as I said, that's pretty quick considering.
What can you send in the mail?
Anything your heart desires, of course, but be wary--anything that can melt, will melt. So chocolate is not a good idea! Dry foods are the best--I especially enjoy triscuits and wheat thins (and Easy Cheese), wheat on cheese crackers, and beef jerky. Also remember that anything you receive in the mail that isn't perishable will also need to go home with you in those four seabags unless you mail it home, or leave it here!
(the above paragraph was in no way intended to guilt you, yes you, into sending me anything) ;-)
What other "stuff" do you have?
I wouldn't survive very long without my laptop. In fact, I just replaced my old laptop. It's a good way to stay in touch with home, via chat and email. The bandwidth is probably decent enough to use VOIP (i.e., Skype) and yes, I'm working on that too. A lot of soldiers and sailors have their own laptops, and I'd definitely recommend you get the warranty or protection plan, as the dust and dirt gets in everything. If something breaks, no problem, get it replaced. Play Station Portables and all versions of iPods are also popular with all soldiers and sailors.
Finally, I like to make my time away as "home friendly" as I can. When possible, I bring things from home (a pair of slippers or something like that) just to make my routine a little bit more like home. I love getting pictures and other reminders from home to hang up in my room. It will never replace home, but if it helps just a little bit, then all the better.
Your questions and comments are welcome, as always!
How many t-shirts and pairs of socks and underwear do you need?
This is largely a question of your FOB's laundry cycle. Here at Ashraf its pretty quick, anywhere from several hours to a day and a half. So conceivably you could drop off your laundry in the morning and pick it up that night, or if it's not done then, anytime the next day.
For me, six of everything works just fine. So basically I'm dropping off laundry once every three days, which keeps my laundry loads down to a manageable weight! Beyond six of anything would begin to be a waste of space, and given the fact that everything needs to go home with me in four seabags, space is a premium. Beyond that, you'll probably need to mail things home!
Ah yes, mail. How long does it take?
I generally get mail in six or seven days. The longest I've waited for anything was 10 or 11 days. That's pretty quick considering the package is travelling from somewhere in the states to the Army Post Office (APO) in New York City, then taking a trip across the pond. Once it gets to Iraq, its a bit more tricky, because we (meaning we here at Ashraf) don't actually get mail here every day. So it might sit somewhere for a day or two before it gets picked up. But, as I said, that's pretty quick considering.
What can you send in the mail?
Anything your heart desires, of course, but be wary--anything that can melt, will melt. So chocolate is not a good idea! Dry foods are the best--I especially enjoy triscuits and wheat thins (and Easy Cheese), wheat on cheese crackers, and beef jerky. Also remember that anything you receive in the mail that isn't perishable will also need to go home with you in those four seabags unless you mail it home, or leave it here!
(the above paragraph was in no way intended to guilt you, yes you, into sending me anything) ;-)
What other "stuff" do you have?
I wouldn't survive very long without my laptop. In fact, I just replaced my old laptop. It's a good way to stay in touch with home, via chat and email. The bandwidth is probably decent enough to use VOIP (i.e., Skype) and yes, I'm working on that too. A lot of soldiers and sailors have their own laptops, and I'd definitely recommend you get the warranty or protection plan, as the dust and dirt gets in everything. If something breaks, no problem, get it replaced. Play Station Portables and all versions of iPods are also popular with all soldiers and sailors.
Finally, I like to make my time away as "home friendly" as I can. When possible, I bring things from home (a pair of slippers or something like that) just to make my routine a little bit more like home. I love getting pictures and other reminders from home to hang up in my room. It will never replace home, but if it helps just a little bit, then all the better.
Your questions and comments are welcome, as always!
29 July 2006
Clothing and gear
Are you preparing to deploy overseas to Iraq anytime soon? Or just curious about the gear we're using? I present to you my take on clothing and gear issue (and some obvious advertising for brands that I've been using)!
For the large part, the Army-issued gear is good quality stuff that should survive your tour. However, over the course of nearly three months in theater, I have found what works and what doesn't (at least for me!), so take my opinion and add it to what you already know. Maybe it will make your stay a little better.
Let's start at the bottom-up. The hot weather boots are very comfortable and do not require "breaking in". I tried on about four different pairs from three different manufacturers before I was happy. Why? If I'm going to be wearing these boots 12, 15, 18 hours a day, I want them to fit and be comfortable! Together with boots are the issue of socks. The green Army-issued socks are long (calf length) and I found that if I doubled them over, they hurt my shins and ankles even worse. Also, they tend to be itchy. Fortunately, I had brought along six pair of Thorlo socks. While they make different types (even one for military boots), I found the PT socks to be perfect. They pull up my leg just an inch or two above the top of the boots. They are well-padded, and don't itch. They are expensive, at about $11 a pair. This is totally worth it.
The Army issued Safariland thigh-holsters for our M9 Beretta's. Most people use them outside the wire, but most people also buy a leather strap shoulder holster to wear their M9 while on the FOB or while in PT gear. I didn't see the need to buy it, so I just use the thigh holster. Besides, it's one less thing to carry around or worry about.
The Army issues almost everything, but not underwear! I'm a boxer-brief kind of guy, so your standard Fruit of the Loom type is what I normally wear. However, for me, this is where Under Armour is clearly the standard. Under Armour boxer briefs are far and above the best underwear in the world as far as I am concerned.
The Army issued a thin, black nylon belt which I suspect wouldn't last me a month. I immediately purchased a khaki Rigger's belt from SpecOps which is much thicker, and sturdier (especially with a thigh holster attached). It also closes with velcro. Again, it's a bit pricey compared to a standard nylon belt, but worth every penny.
T-shirts issued by the Army are either brown (older variety, made of cotton) or cream (newer variety which is designed to go with the digital ACUs, and made of cotton and polyester). The polyester gives the cream-colored shirts a "moisture wicking" quality, not unlike the more expensive Under Armour shirts. Frankly, I am surprised by the quality of these cream-colored t-shirts and didn't expect them to hold up as they have. The Under Armour shirts are nice but the cotton-polyester shirts do an admirable job. It really comes down to personal preference here. I have and will continue to wear both.
We were issued "8 point covers" but most people bought what are known as "boonie hats" or desert sun hats. I wear it faithfully, having no desire to wear the 8 point cover. Again, purely an issue of personal preference.
I also bought a Recon Wrap which is "multi-season, multi-mode headgear." I used it underneath my helmet as a sweat absorber, and I wouldn't go without it. It is absolutely awesome.
What other gear might you need?
I bought two ammo pouches: one that holds four magazines for my M16, and one that holds three magazines for my M9.
I also bought a medium-sized backpack which I take with me anytime we're off to another FOB. I use it frequently, and it will make a good addition to my closet full of backpacks!
For the large part, the Army-issued gear is good quality stuff that should survive your tour. However, over the course of nearly three months in theater, I have found what works and what doesn't (at least for me!), so take my opinion and add it to what you already know. Maybe it will make your stay a little better.
Let's start at the bottom-up. The hot weather boots are very comfortable and do not require "breaking in". I tried on about four different pairs from three different manufacturers before I was happy. Why? If I'm going to be wearing these boots 12, 15, 18 hours a day, I want them to fit and be comfortable! Together with boots are the issue of socks. The green Army-issued socks are long (calf length) and I found that if I doubled them over, they hurt my shins and ankles even worse. Also, they tend to be itchy. Fortunately, I had brought along six pair of Thorlo socks. While they make different types (even one for military boots), I found the PT socks to be perfect. They pull up my leg just an inch or two above the top of the boots. They are well-padded, and don't itch. They are expensive, at about $11 a pair. This is totally worth it.
The Army issued Safariland thigh-holsters for our M9 Beretta's. Most people use them outside the wire, but most people also buy a leather strap shoulder holster to wear their M9 while on the FOB or while in PT gear. I didn't see the need to buy it, so I just use the thigh holster. Besides, it's one less thing to carry around or worry about.
The Army issues almost everything, but not underwear! I'm a boxer-brief kind of guy, so your standard Fruit of the Loom type is what I normally wear. However, for me, this is where Under Armour is clearly the standard. Under Armour boxer briefs are far and above the best underwear in the world as far as I am concerned.
The Army issued a thin, black nylon belt which I suspect wouldn't last me a month. I immediately purchased a khaki Rigger's belt from SpecOps which is much thicker, and sturdier (especially with a thigh holster attached). It also closes with velcro. Again, it's a bit pricey compared to a standard nylon belt, but worth every penny.
T-shirts issued by the Army are either brown (older variety, made of cotton) or cream (newer variety which is designed to go with the digital ACUs, and made of cotton and polyester). The polyester gives the cream-colored shirts a "moisture wicking" quality, not unlike the more expensive Under Armour shirts. Frankly, I am surprised by the quality of these cream-colored t-shirts and didn't expect them to hold up as they have. The Under Armour shirts are nice but the cotton-polyester shirts do an admirable job. It really comes down to personal preference here. I have and will continue to wear both.
We were issued "8 point covers" but most people bought what are known as "boonie hats" or desert sun hats. I wear it faithfully, having no desire to wear the 8 point cover. Again, purely an issue of personal preference.
I also bought a Recon Wrap which is "multi-season, multi-mode headgear." I used it underneath my helmet as a sweat absorber, and I wouldn't go without it. It is absolutely awesome.
What other gear might you need?
I bought two ammo pouches: one that holds four magazines for my M16, and one that holds three magazines for my M9.
I also bought a medium-sized backpack which I take with me anytime we're off to another FOB. I use it frequently, and it will make a good addition to my closet full of backpacks!
"Pimp" my M-16
We were issued M-16A2s. Not the newest variety of course. Many soldiers have M-4s which would have been ideal, but we have what we have.
My goal over the past month has been to make it as useful as possible.
The issued Blackhawk sling is double-looped, easily adjustable with a quick release, and nice for dismounted operations, but we don't do that all that often. And it gets caught on almost anything in the vehicle. Sling removed...
The plastic handguard is crap so I took it off and replaced it with a Knight's Armament weapon adapter rail system.
The rail has an adjustable vertical handgrip and a Surefire Tactical light.
I also added a buttstock magazine holder which is convenient if you need that second magazine fast!
Lastly, I'm thinking about an EOTech holographic sight. Very nice, but unsure if I can get one through supply. They are pricey so I wouldn't want to have to pick one up myself!
My goal over the past month has been to make it as useful as possible.
The issued Blackhawk sling is double-looped, easily adjustable with a quick release, and nice for dismounted operations, but we don't do that all that often. And it gets caught on almost anything in the vehicle. Sling removed...
The plastic handguard is crap so I took it off and replaced it with a Knight's Armament weapon adapter rail system.
The rail has an adjustable vertical handgrip and a Surefire Tactical light.
I also added a buttstock magazine holder which is convenient if you need that second magazine fast!
Lastly, I'm thinking about an EOTech holographic sight. Very nice, but unsure if I can get one through supply. They are pricey so I wouldn't want to have to pick one up myself!
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