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Old 12-22-2008, 18:08   #4
LoneStar
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Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Bamberg, Germany
Posts: 3
I just got back from there a few months ago, and while I wasn't in any sort of SF unit, just a traditional maneuver role, there were a few things we ended up changing on our kits.
Like gits said, the mission really dictated how we set up our kits, we would even change our kits around for individual missions if it was needed.
The few major problems we had with the issued gear was:
1. Vest/Rack (or whatever term you'd like to use)
2. Smoke Grenades
3. 203 rounds
4. IFAC
5. Gloves
The rack issue really was just an individual thing, each person just decided to purchase one themselves, rather than worry about the unit trying to find a "one rack fits all" type deal.
For smoke, it may sound stupid, but the two magazine pouches that Army issues will actually fit an HC Smoke grenade perfectly, we used that quite a bit without any problems and it saved our unit some money.
The 203 rounds, the Army (or perhaps just our unit) doesn't issue any sort of 203 pouches that will hold the basic load for a standard 203 gunner. I believe it was tactical tailor that makes some that worked really well, for anything from HE to Star Parachutes (basically the size differences). I think they came in a 1, 3, or 4 round pouch.
As for the IFAC, this again fell on individuals who just decided to find something better than the issued IFAC, though our unit still dictated that we wear whatever replacement in the same location as the IFAC and with all the same identifying marks of the original IFAC.
Last, the gloves, the issued ones SUCK. Maybe they issued y'all something different, but the "aviator" gloves we had were shit. There are tons of companies that offer some very afordable gloves that are far better in functionality and quality. The Oakley's that everyone seems to like are nice, but I think they're a little slippery on the pistol grip of any M4 (or I'm assuming M16) as well. The best gloves that I used were the BlackHawk Hell Storm S.O.L.A.G., or something like that it's been a while since I ordered them, they were magnitudes better than the issued gloves.

Those were the main 'unit wide' issues we had from what I recall. But like we said, your mission is really going to dictate what you wear, and how you wear it. Above all though, it will really come down to personal preference. In my mind, a soldier should be able to set up his rig in a way that is comfortable to him, and allows him maximum effectiveness, as long as his rig isn't a safety concern or just down right retarded (which I have seen). I don't think we had any two people with the exact same setup, which makes purchasing with govt funds difficult. But best of luck to y'all, I hope this helped in some form or fashion.
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