Lets Talk Marine Corps Packs and duece gear

[Sgt Leprechaun]

These are the RAT boots. I've seen em but at 200 a pop a bit too expensive for my blood at the moment. Want to get a pair..eventually.
http://quanticomilitaryboots.wordpre...-the-rat-boot/

[Sgt Leprechaun]

Here's a bit on the camelback, and the ILBE system:

http://www.military-backpacks.com/il...ration-system/

A good little ebay guide to the ILBE packs available out there.

http://reviews.ebay.com/GUIDE-TO-THE...00000004421945

[tracs1833]

When I went in (1969), I used the pattern 1941 Haversack (top portion) and knapsack (bottom portion), pattern 1941 suspenders (two individual straps- we used a grenade ring in the back to keep the suspenders together), pattern 1961 rifle belt (it had evenly spaced female grommets around it with which you would fasten the male grommet on the M17 mag pouch - we carried 4), aluminum canteen (shortly replaced with a green plastic one (it did not have the "straw" hole in the top for use with gas masks), canteen cover (my first issue was the khaki 'rabbit ear' style of WWII vintage), first aid pouch (my first issue was a khaki rectangular one dated 1941 as I recall), folding e tool (shovel only, did not have a pick attachment on it), M1956 e tool carrier (had the leather strip that you could fasten your bayonet to if you wore your shovel on your rifle belt - that must have been an army thing as I never saw the e tool attached any place other than the back of your haversack). Most of us, as I recall, attached out bayonet/scabbard to the bottom of our foremost left M14 mag pouch. This is as I remember from 40 plus years ago, so it should be taken with a grain of salt.
What I also remember is that when we switched over from the M14 to the M16 we were not issued new mag pouches. Since we were reservists, and not in combat, it really didn't make a lot of difference. It just took a while to slide the 20 round m16 mags up until they reached the top of the M14 mag pouch (the M16 mags were significantly shorter than the M14 mags).

[wildwoman73]

I remember the Alice pack. Very well. I remember learning how to cram chit inside of it quickly and make the OUTSIDE of it look squared away. I remember the very first time we ever force marched with it. Was from receiving to 4th BTN. It was rainy and muggy and the swamp stench had just the right aroma to make you want to barf. I remember the first lesson in "watching out for my fellow recruits". Some dip chit didn't secure (or cram) thier locking cable correctly.


As we were miserably trucking along at warp speed, I saw it on the deck. I leaned over to quickly pick it up (as one of my fellow sisters would surely miss it, being as it locked our M16's to our racks) and every bit of CRAP packed in that dang thing shifted and landed me square on my head. Not to worry though. My trusty cavalar protected my grape. However being yelled at by 6 screeching, nagging, biotching women while I somehow got rolled over on my back feeling like a turtle in a shell was NOT my idea to "Welcome to 4th BTN".

[Caesar Augustus]

I went to boot and used the alice pack, got to the fleet and was issued the molle, deployed and went to SIF and got the whatever the **** they call it pack. Still have it along with my SAPI....Talked to a new Marine last year and said they use the same **** save for the fact the flak now has a pull away cord so it separates into four pieces so we don't drown in canals in iraq. WHen I was in we were ****ing turtles if you ended up on your back lol

[Sgt Leprechaun]

You sir, (tracs)are spot on! Here is the belt:


(Pic from the US Mitaria forum)

Here are the pouches:


(Also from USMF)

[Sgt Leprechaun]

The first aid pouch you got, tracs, was the "Jungle" first aid kit developed by, and for, Marines after Guadalcanal. Should have been a 'boxey' type thing. 'Probably' dated 42-44, unless all you got was the standard 'Carlisle' bandage pouch that looked like a wallet with a lift the dot on the front. Those were dated '41.

[Caesar Augustus]

Here's a bit on the camelback, and the ILBE system:

http://www.military-backpacks.com/il...ration-system/

A good little ebay guide to the ILBE packs available out there.

http://reviews.ebay.com/GUIDE-TO-THE...00000004421945

Is that what they named it. I remember it had just come out when I was deploying. I'm glad because they didn't have enough of them in Lejeune so I didn't get my gear till cax and since they took my molle gear at lejeune thats the last record of me having gear hence why I have all the stuff they mass issued at cax.

I use it to train now that I'm going to re-enlist

[Caesar Augustus]

We got issued an IFAK(individual first aid kit) that had the new tourney, and quick clot so we could powder any wounds that needed to quickly be stopped. It cauterized the wound shut. I did hear they actually stopped using it because either it was used to much(by morons not trained properly) or because idk because it left scars due to its burning factor

[Sgt Leprechaun]

Correct on the quikclot, it's been replaced, not sure with what though.

[Caesar Augustus]

I still don't see why they replaced it. It was efficient if messy. Most wounds during my time in Iraq 05-06(fallujah etc) were ones you died from either instantly, almost so or not even worth the 9 line they were called over.

[tracs1833]

Yes, Sgt Leprechaun, that is the rifle belt and M1r4 mag pouches I started with. I did not have the 'jungle' first aid pouch but the one for the carlisle bandage. And since we were not using the carlisle bandage, my first aid pouch was virtually useless. I could carry a few band aids or such in it but not much. Since I was in Amtracs, we had a vehicle first aid kit to rely on.
If you go to my profile page and look at the photos, you'll see one of my photos of me wearing pretty much the uniform of my time at a Marine Corps living history display I did this past March up at Jamestown, VA.

[Sgt Leprechaun]

Yeah, those Carlisle pouches were pretty well worthless, which is why the USMC went to the 'Jungle' kit eventually. Much better overall. Eventually the Jungle kit is adopted across the military and morphs into the 'Kit, First Aid', in the nylon pouch and green plastic box 'newer' Marines will recall.

[Sgt Leprechaun]

Cool! Love the Mule too.

[ryanficken]

RAT boots are garbage. About a year ago, just before we deployed, we were told that the boots were in a test phase, and our input was encouraged. I'll tell you firsthand that they don't breath well (or at all, really), they're constricting, keep moisture in, are hot, and a good portion of Marines managed to tear them up through seven months of patrols. All of those, and you can't wear them in garrison, since they're a 'combat boot'. Honestly, I stuck to my trusty boot camp issued jungle boots for the majority of our deployment. They have holes for breathability and drainage, fit well around the foot, never uncomfortable, they're not designated as a 'combat boot', and I still wear the same boots every day here in garrison. They've got a few tears and blemishes, but they're still looking good after 2 years, 7 months of that being in country.