# Ziploc - The best non-intentional peice of military kit.



## Armymedic (5 Nov 2005)

I was thinking (yes, that is dangerous, and no it didn't hurt) "where would we be without Ziploc bags"? I am not sure about the rest, but I carry everything, ranging form my spare socks to the medications I dispence in the field in varying sizes of Ziploc. I also guntape ziploc bags as to make them more durable to carry my notebook in and to have an improvised wallet in the field.

Where would we be without Ziploc bags?

What other household inventions are almost a must for us in the field? Baby wipes immediately come to mind. Any others?


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## armyvern (5 Nov 2005)

Armymedic said:
			
		

> What other household inventions are almost a must for us in the field? Baby wipes immediately come to mind. Any others?


I read the topic heading and was going to post, that from a female perspective Baby wipes pulled a pretty close second place!! Then I opened up and found you had them covered. Yes, baby wipes, a girl's best friend!!


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## Old Ranger (5 Nov 2005)

Doesn't Ziploc now make various travel bags?
(larger ones to go inside rucks, duffles etc....just to clarify)
(for keeping clothes dry, or the smell contained)


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## COBRA-6 (12 Nov 2005)

Ziplock bags are the soldier's best friend in the field. I've gone through so many I should have shares in the company... keeps what should be kept out, out, and what should be kept in, in. Good idea gun-taping them though, never thought of that one...

Baby wipes and Wet Ones seem to be made for the Army... combine them with Gold Bond and you're good to go...  

I love zip-ties of all sizes, from tiny ones that keep kit where it should be, to huge ones that could restrain the Hulk, an assortment of zip-ties has come in very handy more than once...

Anything else??


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## Bzzliteyr (19 Nov 2005)

I got some of those travel bags off the shopping channel, they are great.. some work by rolling, some work with a vaccum.  "space bag" is the name you want to look for, they sell some at Wal-mart.. camping section.. 2 to a box.  I ordered a bundle for $30ish on TSC.com.


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## Daidalous (19 Nov 2005)

A another good one is your own roll of TP.  You never know when the rocket house will run out.


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## Cpl4Life (19 Nov 2005)

I second the ziplock bags.  But have you noticed the quality of the plastic has been declining?  I just purchased some new ones a few months ago and compared them to the old ones I have in my pack (the old ones are at least 4 yrs old) and the new ones seem really cheap.  So if anyone has some old ones make sure you hang onto them (if your wife wants some to freeze her jam or something make sure you make her use the NEW ones).


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## Old Ranger (19 Nov 2005)

The Frezzer ones are more durable.


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## Big Foot (19 Nov 2005)

Those little carabiners seem to be pretty useful, too. I mean, this summer I found I had all sorts of stuff I wanted quick access to snap-linked to the yoke of my webbing.


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## Armymedic (19 Nov 2005)

Big Foot said:
			
		

> Those little carabiners seem to be pretty useful, too. I mean, this summer I found I had all sorts of stuff I wanted quick access to snap-linked to the yoke of my webbing.



Oh heck yes. Home Hardware here is Pembroke has been selling them for a couple years. Now 3 RCR has puchased a whole wack and issued 2 per person.

We put one in each loop on the shoulders of the TV. Last week I used one to hold a micro light and a lighter on my pant loops right beside the Leatherman in the field. Worked great as I didn't have to dig thru pockets to get them out.


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## COBRA-6 (20 Nov 2005)

Carabiners! There's one type of sports drink that comes with a carabiner on each bottle, I forget the name, but a cheap way to get them... 

Speaking of carabiners, I find the best way to carry my helmet when not wearing it is to make a small paracord loop at the rear of the helmet harness where the screw is (after re-enforcing it with a washer so it doesn't pull through the leather) and clip that to a carabiner on the left side of my tac vest. Easy to get to and it doesn't flop around too much...


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## teltech (20 Nov 2005)

Mike_R23A said:
			
		

> I find the best way to carry my helmet when not wearing it is to make a small paracord loop at the rear of the helmet harness where the screw is (after re-enforcing it with a washer so it doesn't pull through the leather) and clip that to a carabiner on the left side of my tac vest. Easy to get to and it doesn't flop around too much...


AAAARRGH! Unauthorized kit mod!!! ;D
I may have to just do that...


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## Peace (20 Nov 2005)

I found that Q-Tips were always pretty good in the Field but i haven't masted how to keep them dry and unbroken... prolly just  a ziplock away....  and gold bond is awesome for  chafage.


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## George Wallace (20 Nov 2005)

Peace said:
			
		

> ....   and gold bond is awesome for   chafage.


Never been too much into powders....take up valuable space (for other things)......Now, SPANDEX.......since getting some Spandex shorts, the problems with chaffing have been non-existant.  I think that thought may have come into play with the new CF unisex underwear.

Another piece of kit I became quite attached to was a cheap $1.99 Exacto knife to carry in my pocket.  When the blade got dull, just snap it off and keep going.  Good for opening up IMPs length-wise and other odd tasks.  

A cheap pair of four inch Dags to keep in your pocket to cut wire and the zap straps on your laundry bags.


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## geo (20 Nov 2005)

Tie wraps & gun tape are some all time favorites.


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## Old Ranger (20 Nov 2005)

Bzzliteyr said:
			
		

> I got some of those travel bags off the shopping channel, they are great, some work with a vaccum.   "space bag"



You take a vaccum along with you?

Would a piece of shrapnel cause your ruck to expand beyond the limits of the space time continum?

 ;D  I know the kind you are refering too.  Some of them on the market are designed only for travel; hence no need for the vaccum.  The domestic storage ones need the vaccum.

Now, do you use ziploc's in the space bags?

Ben


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## Navalsnpr (20 Nov 2005)

Hmmm... Some things I've put into Ziploc bags in the past are:

Cigarettes & ignition source (nothing worse that trying to light a stove w/o a match)
During Range Competitions, I always keep my match cards in a ziploc bag inside my Gas Mask Carrier.


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## PPCLI MCpl (20 Nov 2005)

Not necessarily the best pieces of kit,  but when it comes time to maintain our weapons, everyone asks to borrow my Shave Brush and Electrician Hook Set.  I keep both in a gun tape re-enforced Ziploc bag with a hunk of Brillo pad.


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## ZipperHead (20 Nov 2005)

IMO, the best Ziploc bags are the freezer-strength ones with the sliding plastic chummy-mcbobble (yes, that is a technical term.... that I made up) that allows you to quickly and easily open/close said bag. 

I carry a little exacto knife that is a slide-out spring loaded dealie (hard to describe, so here's a pic of something similar)





and I keep that in my FMP pouch, to help get rid of all that paper that stays at the top after you tear it out in a hurry. Good for a range of other things, plus you don't have to worry about de-limbing yourself like you would with other knifes (Xacto ones are pretty good at that).

PPCLI MCpl, I assume that the electrician hook set that you speak of is like the tools that the dental types use to remove plaque, etc from the fangs? Those things are good to get into where the sun don't shine (on weapons, people!!!). 

I think it's the little things that make all the difference, and I am NOT shy about ripping off good ideas from people. Another one for people with brass hat-badges is a tooth brush with the rubber-tipped gum massager to work out the crud without scratching the brass to rat-crap (unless that is what you want to do). 

Al


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## Pte. Bloggins (20 Nov 2005)

Peace said:
			
		

> I found that Q-Tips were always pretty good in the Field but i haven't masted how to keep them dry and unbroken... prolly just   a ziplock away....   and gold bond is awesome for   chafage.



If you buy a travel pack of Q-tips they come in a little plastic box, holds I think about 30 of them.


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## HADES 1962 (20 Nov 2005)

Zip Lock bags are diffidently a must either in the field or just plain travel.
1 thing I can not find any more are those TIDE laundry tablets, there were excellent for short TD's.


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## PPCLI MCpl (20 Nov 2005)

Allan Luomala said:
			
		

> PPCLI MCpl, I assume that the electrician hook set that you speak of is like the tools that the dental types use to remove plaque, etc from the fangs? Those things are good to get into where the sun don't shine (on weapons, people!!!).



Exactly. The right angle hook and "Z' hook can find carbon anywhere on a C-7 or C-6.  The C-9 is still a burden when it comes to cleaning.


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## Bzzliteyr (21 Nov 2005)

Trick for "acquiring those tools"?  Go visit Base dental and beg.. I heard they have old ones to get rid of sometimes.. get them after they have been sterilized.. ew!


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## Kunu (21 Nov 2005)

Cpl Bloggins said:
			
		

> If you buy a travel pack of Q-tips they come in a little plastic box, holds I think about 30 of them.



Another method, which I use for carrying small fragile stuff when camping, is to put them inside one of those metal Altoid tins, and then Ziplock that.  

Also, if anyone has any qualms with the durability of freezer Ziplocks, MEC and other outdoor stores sell map cases, for which one would have to really go out of their way to tear.  They're kinda pricey though.


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## S.LEEP (24 Dec 2005)

This just in...

Really big ziploc bags... 

http://www.ziploc.com/big-bags/


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## TCBF (24 Dec 2005)

" The C-9 is still a burden when it comes to cleaning."

- We wear out more weapons from cleaning them than we do from firing them.

Tom


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## Britney Spears (24 Dec 2005)

Isn't that what they said about the FN C1?

I think we need more progressive, enlightened NCOs like TCBF.......


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## DG-41 (24 Dec 2005)

Gun tape trick: Keep lengths of gun tape wrapped around the pens & pencils in your FMP. That way you're never without.

I once repaired an Iltis fuel pump (on Phase 3 no less) using my dags, some field phone wire, and the gun tape I kept wrapped around the pens in my FMP.

Other field must-haves: Gold Bond (although I'm not going to talk about how I learned about it; too disturbing) a Braun electric shaver ($20 at Zellers and it runs on AA batteries) Kiwi liquid shine (easy and painless way to blacken combat boots in the field) baby wipes, paracord, and of course, every single bit of kit wrapped in its own Ziploc bag.

DG


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## Old Ranger (24 Dec 2005)

DG-41 said:
			
		

> I once repaired an Iltis fuel pump (on Phase 3 no less) using my dags, some field phone wire, and the gun tape I kept wrapped around the pens in my FMP.



I find using a hammer works best ;D


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## NL_engineer (24 Dec 2005)

Best place to keep gun tape is around your Gerber (most engineers keep gun tape around there FE knives). As for ziplock bags the only problem I have with the ones with the slider tops, is that they do not give a air/water tight seal.


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## Jay21401 (17 Feb 2006)

One way to keep your matches, and other small items dry and together is to place them in plasic film containers. They are light weight, small and easy to pack.
When putting matches in them make sure to glue or take the strike strip on the unside of the container cap.


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## chrisf (17 Feb 2006)

Old Ranger said:
			
		

> I find using a hammer works best ;D



Would that be the mallet and duct-tape repair method? (Extra parts to be smashed off, any parts that weren't meant to be smashed off duct-taped back on)


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## Cdnarmybear (17 Feb 2006)

A personal fave, along with baby wipes, are the little travel size Purel hand Sanitizers. Packed, of course ,in a snack-size zip lock bag ;D


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## bojangles (18 Feb 2006)

For winter feild ex I think one of the handiest things I brought with me were a half dozen pair of those .63 cent little stretchy gloves that you can buy at Wal-Mart. They are thin enough to wear underneath the new contact gloves and having a few extra pairs in your butt pack keeps your hands dry and warm all day. 
Another thing that I brought with me was those foot and hand warmers (hot pockets) that used to be really popular. Again, I bought a bunch of them at Wal-mart and they kept my feet nice and toasty when everyone else was doing the "Oh my God my feet are sooo cold dance".


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## Caleix (22 Feb 2006)

Just a warning with those "hot packs"....if you put them on before you march or do whatever it is you think you may need them for, you risk the chance of the pack "giving out" or dying on you mid-way through the exercise or march (personal experience...VERY COOOOLD!!)
and that can cause your feet to become even more cold then they would be without the hotpack due to the extreme drop in temp.

just some food for thought 

Caleix


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## Goober (22 Feb 2006)

In the field, one of the things I have on my must have list, is Bounce sheets. I stick them in the kit, and pockets of those stinky bastards I share the tent with.


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## TN2IC (22 Feb 2006)

Bzzliteyr said:
			
		

> I got some of those travel bags off the shopping channel, they are great.. some work by rolling, some work with a vaccum.  "space bag" is the name you want to look for, they sell some at Wal-mart.. camping section.. 2 to a box.  I ordered a bundle for $30ish on TSC.com.



I just got them last week...seem great right now.... no problems with them.


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