My Gear List

[CommoGeek]

I've posted this on another site, but knowing that some of you may not go there, I thought I'd share.

Many of know about my trip. Well, I've spent some time researching and PM'ing about gear to take. I thought I'd share that list with you and then return every month or so to tell you how it wears, fades, performs, etc.

One caveat is that I will not be as active or exposed to the elements as some of you. I will post a brief description of my activity level, Wx, etc. so you can make your own decisions. Perhaps it will help someone out there.

Boots - Wellco Infantry Combat Boot, very comfortable so far just wearing it around the office.

Socks - Various brands and thicknesses. I have Wigwam Ingenious Boot socks and Hiker socks, Thorlo LTH Hiking level 2, some other Thorlos where I've forgotten the model, and some Wigwam Merino Wool Hiker socks. I've worn the Thorlos and the Ingenious Boot socks and they are very comfortable and my feet stayed dry, despite being warm. They do wick away moisture. Where was this shit 10 years ago?! The socks ran from $11 to $14 a pair and are worth every penny so far.

Clothing - 5.11 and some Old Navy stuff. ON was cheap and I'm curious to see how well it works.

Fleece - SPEAR fleece. I found some North Face and Columbia fleece that was slightly less expensive, but they lacked the pockets and features of the SPEAR

Rain Jacket - Arktis Special Operations rain jacket. Light, comfortable, and easily compressed. No insulation, but it is waterproof.

Sleeping Bag - Wiggy's Super Light with their FTRSS system.

Undershirts - Some Polarmax All year T's and some regular cotton T's.

Lights - Petzal TacTikka Plus headlamp (white and red lenses, variable power) and some Photon Micro Light II in red and white.

Laptop - Dell Refurbed with wireless, Bluetooth, and a 4X DVD-ROM +RW. Short on memory, but I'll plus that up later.

Laptop bag - A Targus Backpack. Will hold all of my electronics, documents, plus some extras.

Other bag - Tactical Tailor 3-Day Assault Pac in Black. I almost purchased an Eagle III-A until a board member let me finger their TT. Plus, I can add pouches as needed to the TT. I don't think you'd be disappointed with either bag.

Next: Future Purchases

[The Reaper]

Looks like a great list so far.

Just what I would take.:D

TR

[CommoGeek]

This is less of a case of great minds thinking alike and more like one mind listening to the other. :)

[Brushmonkey]

While I do not know anything about your trip; however, my one suggestion would be to lose the cotton undershirts. I'd suggest something synthetic, those Polarmax and Under Armour shirts are nice.

[The Reaper]

Originally posted by Brushmonkey
While I do not know anything about your trip; however, my one suggestion would be to lose the cotton undershirts. I'd suggest something synthetic, those Polarmax and Under Armour shirts are nice.

Cotton is good as a garment when nothing is worn over it. Also good to sleep in.

He has wicking shirts for underneath gear.

TR

[Brushmonkey]

Cotton is good as a garment when nothing is worn over it. Also good to sleep in.
I agree, however; if CommoGeek is going into cold weather situations cotton is a curse. Like I said I do not know where CommoGeek is going, much less the climate there. My suggestion was based on the worse case scenario, a cold and wet climate.
- Respectfully submitted,
John.

[CommoGeek]

I mainly have cotton short sleeve with me now with some synthetic short sleeve on hand. More synthetic short and long sleeve T's are on the way once the first check clears. :) You don't realize what good gear costs until it isn't issued to you anymore.

The black wellcos are great, just a bit warm so I think I'm going to get some of the desert tan wellcos soon. Also, cold weather gear will be purchased shortly and I'll bump this thread from time to time to let you know what I think of it all. Maybe someone can learn from it.

CG

[AngelsSix]

I am here to testify, those underarmour shirts are the bomb-diggety!! Now I just have to find someone to send me some more!!:D

[CommoGeek]

After the first week in country:

Boots: Too hot. As mentioned earlier I'm going to pick up some of the Wellco Desert Boots w/o the Gore-Tex. I can say that I'd go rucking or patrolling in them though. They are comfortable even on rocks and gravel. Also, with older mil issue jungles I usually needed some orthotics in them. I do not with the Wellcos. Great kit.

Socks: The Level 3 Thorlos perform well, but seem to be a bit "fuzzy" or "hairy" after wearing them. It makes me wonder how well they will hold up. The Ingenious socks don't have that problem. Also, the Thorlos seem to retain more heat than the Ingenious.

Lights: All of what is listed above works great.

Sleeping bag: Well worth the money. I'd buy it again.

Clothing: 5.11's rock! The polarmax T's are also great. They don't retain heat or moisture. I've worn them and the cotton and the cotton is a bit warmer without (duh) the wicking properties. The 5.11 pants are awesome.

Laptop and Bag. The Targus bag is a great carryon: it holds my laptop, cables, meds, shower bag, the rain jacket, CD player, a book, paperwork, and a CD case with 70 CD's.

I haven't used the fleece or rain jacket yet. I'll keep you all posted/ updated.

Oh, I was issued a Kershaw multi-tool. I'm not sure if I like it or not. The vice grips are nice, but the lack of sizing in the screwdrivers kind of stinks. I'll see how that goes.

BTAR

[CommoGeek]

1 month down. Temps were from 97 down to 55 or so. Activity level is stagnant at times, busy at others. "Hurry up and wait" applies to us civilian types too.

5.11 is lighter weight than the ON cotton stuff so the ON is a little better on cooler nights. SPEAR fleece is the heat for those though.

The Petzal was a bit uncomfortable if worn for more than a few minutes but a U-shaped piece of moleskin added to the back solved that. (Add this to the redneck engineering thread albeit on a junior level)

The microlights are worth every penny.

I favor the Ingenius socks over the Thor-los. The Ingenius are cooler and don't develop "fuzzies" like the Thor-los.

The Targus is holding out very well. The TT 3-day won't hold my laptop in its radio/ hydration pouch, but other than that is a good pack.

The Wiggy's sleeping bag plus a 'cho liner is a "Go".

The Polarmax T's rock. I wear cotton for most days, but if its hot or I'm in armor I wear the Polarmax. The 5.11 has a wicking layer too, so that is nice.

Oh, for underlayers Cabela's seems to be the best place I've found on the 'Net for thermal stuff.

One recent addition is a 256mb USB memory stick. Bring at least a 128mb with you. Mine from Dell was around $40.

See ya' in a month.

[Brushmonkey]

Good to hear about your gear holding up well.

[CommoGeek]

I skipped a month, sue me. :)

Clothing - Our water is heavy on the bleach so darker clothing is fading a bit around the seams. Temps are getting down to freezing now. 5.11 pants are a bit cold but I can definately live with that when it warms up. The ON pants are starting to fray around the cuffs and pockets, but also cost 1/3 of the 5.11's.

Outerwear - Bought a North face parka and wear it around BAF. The zip out fleece layer is warmer than the SPEAR fleece and a bit more wind resistent. However, if you are active at all the SPEAR fleece has more options. I take the SPEAR and an unlined issue Gore Tex DCU jacket downrange with me.

Socks - I purchased more Ingenious Boot and Hiker socks. I also bought a pair of their Everyday line. For REMF status when its warm out they can't be beat. To be candid for those of you doing mounted missions with short dismounted patrols in hot weather I'd seriously look at these socks. They have the wicking properties of their thicker brothers without all of the heat buildup.

"Tactical" Stuff - I put that in quotations since I am slightly more tactical than a 3-ring circus but use some of the gear. I HATE the MOLLE ruck and find the Interceptor Body Armor to be very cumbersome. If I thought I was here longer or more active, a Kifaru ruck and Tactical Tailor MAV would be with me right now. The TT 3-day pack works great and Malice clips can't be beat. TT delivers to APO addresses and their stuff is superb. For day trips I can cram all of my tools and spare parts in the 3-day pack and have room for a shaving kit, poncho liner, water and spare T-shirt if I'm caught out for an extra day or so.

Misc. - Suunto mini-compass with thermometer and some mini 'biners to clip my stuff to. I also have a TT strobe/ first air pouch on my belt with meds, eye drops, tweezers, oowie strips, tape, and gauze. The Kershaw multi-tool is a crew-served PITA; I went back to using my 10 year old Leatherman.

As mentioned temps are down to freezing now with some rain. Activity is light to moderate. My limited experiences here and in a previous uniformed life say that you more active folks would not have an issue with anything that I brought.

I hope this thread is helping someone out there.

[Surgicalcric]

Socks - I purchased more Ingenious Boot and Hiker socks. I also bought a pair of their Everyday line. For REMF status when its warm out they can't be beat. To be candid for those of you doing mounted missions with short dismounted patrols in hot weather I'd seriously look at these socks. They have the wicking properties of their thicker brothers without all of the heat buildup.

Have you given thought to the Fox River hiking socks? They are the same length as the Ingenious and of the same material, but half the price. I have been using them along with the Ingenious here at SOPC and love them both.

Glad to hear your gear choices have been working well for you.

Crip

[The Reaper]

Have you given thought to the Fox River hiking socks? They are the same length as the Ingenious and of the same material, but half the price. I have been using them along with the Ingenious here at SOPC and love them both.

Glad to hear your gear choices have been working well for you.

Crip

Personally, I prefer the Ingenius and find that the FR's pill up and lose a lot of their material pretty quickly.

Thanks for the heads up, CG, I just ordered some of the Everyday and Hikers to go with my Boot Socks.

TR

[CommoGeek]

Thanks for the heads up, CG, I just ordered some of the Everyday and Hikers to go with my Boot Socks.

TR

De nada, Sir. I believe the Hikers are their middle-weight socks. The Everyday line seems to hold up as well as the thicker models with a lot less heat and it maintains the wicking action. I wouldn't go on a long ruck with them, but local patrols and around the FOB are fine.

[Surgicalcric]

Personally, I prefer the Ingenius and find that the FR's pill up and lose a lot of their material pretty quickly.

TR

Have not noticed my pilling up 'yet.' I will definately keep an eye on it though. Another fine example of YGWYPF.

Crip

[Razor]

I skipped a month, sue me. :)

Have you forgotten about the lawyers here? Saying that is like throwing chum into the Rio Chargres. :D

[CommoGeek]

Have you forgotten about the lawyers here? Saying that is like throwing chum into the Rio Chargres. :D

They are much smarter than I so I didn't chum as much as state the obvious. ;)

[lrd]

CG~

Have you had any problems with your laptop?

[CommoGeek]

My laptop has done very well. The Dell has held up, but I also don't take it to the FOB's. It has made it back and forth across the pond and through Germany several times.

For use at the FOBs we use Panasonic Toughbooks. I can get a model # if you'd like. They take a beating and perform without many issues.

[Surgicalcric]

I will second CG on the Toughbooks.

We use them at EMS and the FD back home. If I cant break it you should do fine with it.

My father used to tell me I could "break an iron anvil with a rubber hammer."

[ZoneOne]

On the notes of laptops...

I strongly suggest IBM's thinkpads. (many models available)
I have had one for about a little more then a year and it has survived a lot in a college enviroment. and always runs like a dream.

[lrd]

Have you all had any trouble reading the screen on the Toughbook?

CG -- since you use both -- how does battery life compare between the Dell and Panasonic?

[Razor]

On the notes of laptops...

I strongly suggest IBM's thinkpads. (many models available)
I have had one for about a little more then a year and it has survived a lot in a college enviroment. and always runs like a dream.

ZoneOne, thanks for your post, but please take notice that the environment in which CommoGeek and Crip are using their equipment is significantly more abusive and harsh than one commonly finds on an academic campus. Therefore, in the future you may want to caveat your recommendations with a note that your operational environment is very different from the one currently being discussed. For example, "I have had very good success with the IBM Thinkpad used in a relative benign college environment. It has survived an accidental drop from X feet, having X fluid spilled into its keyboard, having my drunk roommate stuff the CD drive with balogna, etc".

[CommoGeek]

Razor, good points.

I'm not the be-all and end-all on laptops, but having worked with a number of brands and models in a corporate environment before coming here I can say this and Kyo is welcome to correct me as needed.

IBM=Good kit, GREAT in the office, expensive, can be a bit heavy.
Dell=Less cost than IBM (especially the models from their Outlet), just as many features, the case seems to be a little less durable than an IBM.
Toguhbook=Drop it, kick it, cover it in dust, pop keys off and reattach, jump it, fly with it... you will not kill it. Bigger in size and a bit heavier than the previous two and less features.

If durability is your sole concern, go Toughbook.
If cost and features are your concerns, go Dell.
Travel a lot in a corporate environment, go IBM.

Note: Dell and IBM can be practically interchanged.

As for batteries, that's a hard call. New models are available with different materials. So the same size battery may be good for an hour, it may be good for 2 1/2 hours. Manufacturers should have a battery life listed for the model you are looking at.

1 last thing: my only knock against the Toughbooks are their lack of ports on the back compared to other models. If you are attaching a lot of peripherals you are probably in an environment where a Toughbook's virtues are wasted.

[CommoGeek]

Couple of additions:
Danner Agitator 45 hiking boots. Took longer to break in than the Wellcos but they are cooler as summer approaches.

Ingenious Rebel crew socks. Light, thin, wicking. LEOs needing something that is cool on your feet may want to try a pair of these out. They are a bit thin, but thicker than gore-tex sock liners. If you are looking for an in between sock that isn't too heavy these or the Ingenious everyday socks may be what you need.

I also learned how to tell the difference between their hiking socks and boot socks. Different colored thread for the logo. I can retrieve a pair from my hooch and post that guide if anyone needs it.

Hats: I don't normally wear a hat, I hate the things, but I have found one that I like for hot weather. An Adidas running hat. Lightweight with a mesh top to it, it allows body heat to escape. The reflective logo isn't that noticeable during daylight hours and I don't wear the hat after dark.

Cabela's trailhiker (I think that's the name) pants. As good as 5.11 pants, slightly cheaper. I'll see how they hold up this summer. The 5.11 stuff is bulletproof, the Old Navy pants look like a bum wouldn't wear them. Great for the winter since they are thicker but they fray easily.

Hope this helps someone out there.

[Smokin Joe]

Ingenious Rebel crew socks. Light, thin, wicking. LEOs needing something that is cool on your feet may want to try a pair of these out. They are a bit thin, but thicker than gore-tex sock liners. If you are looking for an in between sock that isn't too heavy these or the Ingenious everyday socks may be what you need.



CG,

Sorry my google skills suck today, you gotta link on the Rebel Crew Socks?

Thanks much

[lksteve]

ZoneOne, thanks for your post, but please take notice that the environment in which CommoGeek and Crip are using their equipment is significantly more abusive and harsh than one commonly finds on an academic campus.

Razor, i had a Thinkpad i took out surveying in the oil field of SE Utah...canyons, arroyos, rough, rocky roads...it worked out fine...a couple of times, it rode in a helicopter while we were setting control...it was dropped a time or two, got real dusty, dirty and was rained and snowed on...never a hiccup...but the truth be known, i think the Toughbooks might be the way to go...the Thinkpads are somewhat heavy and cumbersome (at least the model i was using) and it is best to use something designed to be abused...the IBM was chosen because at the time, its proprietary PCMCIA card interfaced well with a Trimble TSC1 data collector, whereas other cards gave us problems...

[CommoGeek]

CG,

Sorry my google skills suck today, you gotta link on the Rebel Crew Socks?

Thanks much

Joe, here's a start:
http://www.amazingsocks.com/web/pid/F1415/item.asp

I've ordered online from these folks and they've shipped to an APO with no issues, no problems.

[Smokin Joe]

Joe, here's a start:
http://www.amazingsocks.com/web/pid/F1415/item.asp

I've ordered online from these folks and they've shipped to an APO with no issues, no problems.

Thanks much