We’ll start with a hat tip to Tam for this link: I Am a Stryker-X Assault Backpack, and This Airport Lounge Is an Insult
Y’know, I’ve a lovely Tactical Tailor 3-Day Assault Pack that I have been slinging around almost everyday for something like 13 or 15 years. Actually, lemme blog it up…ah..3/19/2004 is when my TT bag reported for duty. So..about 14 years.
Anyway….
I have never assaulted anything (except good taste), if I did I would hope it wouldnt take three days, and if it was going to take three days I’d imagine I’d need more gear than what fits in a 3-Day Assault Pack. But the simple fact is that while I hope I never have to live the zombie-apocalypse lifestyle, gear that is designed to do so will more than adequately meet my day-to-day needs and be able to handle that sudden, unexpected hiccup in societal cohesion.
In short, if it’s good enough to climb the mountains in Afghanistan its good enough to sling over my shoulder while wandering downtown Montana.
Same for military surplus stuff. Someone spent a zillion dollars to develop product X, they built enough of them to get the per-piece price down to almost nothing, and then they tested the design to be durable enough to win a war. Why wouldn’t I take advantage of that?
Broadly speaking, there are only two drawbacks to overkill when it comes to gear: weight and price. Crap thats built to survive Ragnarok is not going to be cheap. And it ain’t gonna be light. But what it will do is give you exponentially better chances of keeping your act together when that 0.1% chance of disaster hits. Plus, that stuff literally lasts a lifetime. Buy once, cry once, and rock on.
I’ve paid some stupid money for gear in the past and….every single piece of expensive gear I paid a lot of money for is still with me today, functioning 100%, and has never let me down.
So just because you’re not planning to jump out of a helicopter and into a sangar in Sangar doesn’t mean you don’t want the high-speed,low-drag, high-price,low-discount gear. Life is short, it’s shorter with low-quality critical gear.
The fact that you and Trevor buy that gear, helps make the companies that make them profitable. Thus, making the bags possible for their original and intended purpose.
No need to justify your purchasing decisions. Besides, I’m sure it accents fabulously with your snappy fedora and man purse…
I like military surplus too, especially the older items which were stored and hardly used.
My current ruck sack is a surplus Swiss Army canvas salt and pepper backpack. Its pretty small, but it forces me to keep my load out real and allows the bare necessities. The rest – I have to grin and bear it.
Sportsmans Guide had these insanely inexpensive years back, two packs for $10 – $15. These packs are hell for stout and shrug off the thorny branches of our rurals down here in south Texas. I am grateful something convinced me to buy a couple of these, including larger and smaller day pack version of it. Prices now are crazy – $200 and up I’ve seen. Heavy duty leather and canvas – its heavy but well made and makes me happy.
I’m a total gear snob, and subscribe entirely to the “buy-once, cry (or Crye, haha) once” philosophy. I’ve rarely found a piece of gear or tech I can’t justify to myself. One thing I’ve thought more about lately though is maintaining some degree of subtlety and covertness in my appearance. For that reason, I’ve starting buying less tactical brands, and more things from brands like Arcteryx, Helly Hanson, Outdoor Research, etc.
I have a great Mystery Ranch 3-day bag that I keep in my trunk for a BOB, but my backpack for walking around town or an airport is a blue Arcteryx. My necessary items still carry comfortably, but the bag is less likely to jump out at security, or get more than a cursory screening from the TSA. For whatever reason, the TSA loved to unpack my Maxpedition bag….
One of the best satire pieces I have read in awhile! My everyday bags have tended to be from REI. The first was bought in 03 and still running strong bought an all black one for work in 10 and once again still working. Field gear I tend to stick with what I was raised on in military the large Alice ruck system. I love the new stuff but haven’t found anything I want to dump money on yet.
Once again great article!
I do most of my getting around on foot or by bike and so I use a lot of stuff that was originally for bike messengers. My two main man bags are a messenger bag and a pack made by Chrome Industries. 5.10’s Free Rider mountain biking shoes are great for biking and comfortable for walking. All of it is bombproof construction.
I have my fair share of mil surp gear, some acquired while I was in, some after.
I have an ALICE 2 (med 3 pocket) + frame, from a neighbor throwing it away.
I have an ALICE 1 (lge 6 pocket) + frame, I had to order and wait for that one from Clothing Supply.
Now I rarely use either, but I am loath to get rid of either one.
For my daily carry, I have a Maxpedition Fat Boy over-one-shoulder bag. Carries all my wallet, checkbooks, ID, plastic, reading material, gun, and 2 full magazines. Hide in plain sight.
Older Targus computer backpacks are urban stealthy, and of very good construction. I’m talking about the ones from when laptops were HEAVY.
Good padding, strong shoulder straps, lots of pockets, heavy cordura and good zippers.
They are widely available in thrift and goodwill stores for no real money.
My main travel carryon/oh shit bag is a targus laptop backpack. It’s even got a drag handle, and NO molle.
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Surplus swiss black 5gal rubber water bladders went to the desert with me and made even the spectre jugs look bad. Easy to carry,store,hang and dispense,great to sit on or use as a cushion and dirt cheap. I liked to use a lot of older issue gear,just seems better thought out instead of flavor of the month new issue.