# Old LBV back in use in Afghanistan (now Arid CADPAT)?!



## Teddy Ruxpin (28 Mar 2005)

Britney Spears said:
			
		

> Is it Retro Monday in Kabul? Whats with the vests?
> 
> Thanks to Militaryphotos.net



No inhancement needed...   They're obviously Canadian.   There are also Brits in one photo and (guessing) embassy security guys (MPs) in civvies.

I don't know what the deal is on the vests!! ???


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## Da_man (28 Mar 2005)

yeah im a 100% sure they are canadians, but what the hell are they wearing? some sort of new tac vest?


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## Scoobie Newbie (28 Mar 2005)

old tac vest more like it.  Looks like the one I had in Bosnia 2000


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## McG (28 Mar 2005)

looks like the old LBV in CADPAT.


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## Baloo (28 Mar 2005)

Not knowing really anything about these old LBV's (Only ever used the '82 webbing and Tac Vest), I have to ask, if this is a good thing, or bad thing. How do people who have used it on tour feel about it?


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## Scoobie Newbie (28 Mar 2005)

send a pm to KevinB on this subject.  He'll fill you in.


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## McG (28 Mar 2005)

If you go through the Tac Vest threads, you will find two key criticisms.

1) The Tac Vest is ideally suited for a rifleman, is not modular, and cannot be adjusted to ideally suit a machinegunner or rifle-grenadier.

2) The Tac Vest lacks carrying space.

The old LBV did not have complaint #2.


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## Scoobie Newbie (28 Mar 2005)

Although wearing your ruck overtop of the LBV when the back hump was full sucked.  Also the TV lacks the space to carry more then for mags nicely so I wouldn't say its rifleman friendly.


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## soldiers301 (28 Mar 2005)

I guarantee you that the guys on the picture are Canadian Soldiers, the other are British Soldiers.

They worn the old LBV in AR CADPAT. This kind of vest where made quickly when the current TV was not issued yet. Now they use it in Aghanistan.

I have detailed picutre of this vest if you want but its too large to attach.


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## McG (28 Mar 2005)

soldiers301's pictures:


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## scm77 (28 Mar 2005)

Edit: D'oh! MCG beat me to it. :blotto:


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## soldiers301 (28 Mar 2005)

Lol  :dontpanic:

Thanx to scm77 and MCG for the picture !


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## Armymedic (28 Mar 2005)

soldiers301 said:
			
		

> I guarantee you that the guys on the picture are Canadian Soldiers, the other are British Soldiers.
> 
> They worn the old LBV in AR CADPAT. This kind of vest where made quickly when the current TV was not issued yet. Now they use it in Aghanistan.
> 
> I have detailed picutre of this vest if you want but its too large to attach.



So could I as I was there and gone when the action pics was taken....

Those LBV are as much garbage as anything else...Its only 20 C out here and the guys wearing them are already complaining they are too hot. They also have to wear the Ballistic vests underneath, and that just adds to the wieght and the heat.


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## soldiers301 (28 Mar 2005)

> So could I as I was there and gone when the action pics was taken....



I dont understand what you mean ? .. Sorry im french  :-\


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## DELTADOG13 (28 Mar 2005)

So when did they start wearing the Arid LBV? On Roto 0 we wore the Arid Frag vest cover with our Temperate Tac Vest for the reasons stated above. What is the reason for the change? Is it for looks or is it a Dress issue!


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## BillP (28 Mar 2005)

Personally what a waste of good cadpat AR material!! :crybaby:

 Could be any number of factors why, for the rebirth of the "Bosnia vest" i.e. the countless UCRs written up about the TV, inability to quickly produce sufficient TVs in AR, DND's 1/2-assed approach to placate the troops with something in AR camo, and with slighty better carrying capacity, etc..
 Looking at the pics, it does offer better camo I'll give it that much, but this 2 steps back approach, had better be only a temporary measure(yeah right!!) until something better is procured ie. Patrol Vest ;D


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## armybuck041 (29 Mar 2005)

Just to clarify a few things WRT this...

My Cadpat AR LBV has a Mfg Label indicating it was made in early 2002 (same as my Cadpat AR Wide Brimmed Combat Hat and some of my uniforms)... so I don't believe this has anything to do with the gripes/UCR's with the current TV as it was already made well before the current TV hit regular issue.
Secondly, in my organization, the wearing of the AR LBV vs TV has been left to the sub-unit. That being said our use of them are Op dependant. My TV is loaded and the LBV is in my Veh for use as req'd. People really aren't all that worked up about it around here. The only big gripes are the sizing (Sm/Med or Lg/XL) which means if you fall in between sizes you can end up looking like a clown, and the pocket for the Ballistic Plate in the front (which I cut out of mine).... in addition to all the other gripes. I don't think the added heat is an issue as the Frag Vest is gonna hold in most of the heat regardless of whats on top. FWIW, I think the lighter color solid fabric is gonna do more for cooling that dark colored mesh.  

Bottom line: When you expect junk, your never dissapointed.

The bottom line is that with most people the TV/LBV has become nothing more than a cover for flak-jackets with most already coming up with temp solutions for ammo stowage etc. I rarely ever wear one unless I am dismounted for long periods.

As for: _I dont understand what you mean ? .. Sorry im french _ 

I think he may have coincidentally arrived on the scene before the pics were snapped.


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## McG (30 Mar 2005)

armybuck041 said:
			
		

> My Cadpat AR LBV has a Mfg Label indicating it was made in early 2002 (same as my Cadpat AR Wide Brimmed Combat Hat and some of my uniforms)... so I don't believe this has anything to do with the gripes/UCR's with the current TV as it was already made well before the current TV hit regular issue.


Sounds like things that were ordered on a panic when 3 VP deployed in all green.


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## Britney Spears (30 Mar 2005)

And now issued so that we can all at least blend in on the parade square.


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## BillP (30 Mar 2005)

Interesting that the LBV was manufactured 3yrs ago, and we're just now seeing them! According to DND folk, the TV is supposed to be the best thing since sliced bread, and what do they go and do, issue another entirely different LBV :boring: 
 Just goes to show just how asleep at the switch the Ft. Fumble staff really are!!


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## KevinB (30 Mar 2005)

From what I saw MP's and HUMINT pers had them - and used them to dress up all super ninja secret squirrley  :

I mean the combat jacket with the sleeves cut off vest is WORSE than the TV...


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## Infanteer (30 Mar 2005)

Wow, they brought that piece of crap back?  I wore that thing for 6 months and I can attest to its shittiness; lucky all I had to do was run roadblocks and check out the cafes....

Someone turn down the suck and send the phone-number to lightfighter.com to NDHQ.


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## Fusaki (30 Mar 2005)

I got my first look at an AR CADPAT LBV today, and I get issued my own tomorrow. The other guys in my section have been using them for a few days now...

So far, the decision has been unanimous among the troops on the ground - JUNK!!!


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## MJP (30 Mar 2005)

Ghostwalk said:
			
		

> So far, the decision has been unanimous among the troops on the ground - JUNK!!!



As it was when we got them issued in Bosnia.....


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## JimmyPeeOn (30 Mar 2005)

I used the "jean jacket" in Afghanistan in '03.   CCCRRRAAAPPP.  Especilly in a vehicle.  CCCRRRAAAPPP!!! I like the TV/Webbing a lot better.


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## Infanteer (30 Mar 2005)

For those who've never used it, the "Jean Jacket" is basically an Angler's Vest used by Fishermen (not really, but it is the closest comparison).  There is no capability in the thing to properly carry the load of a soldiers gear.

Very silly....


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## McG (30 Mar 2005)

I thought the LBV was no worse than the Tac Vest.  I've only ever worn it in the summer, but over a flak vest so I would have been just as hot if I had been wearing webbing or a Tac Vest.  The LBV's fit was poor, and the TV has the upper hand on this factor.  However, the LBV beat the TV for carrying space.

. . . lack of modularity is the biggest shortfall of both vests.


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## BillP (30 Mar 2005)

Reading between the lines, there's definitely someone at DNDHQ desperately trying to cover their ass, by issuing this piece of junk! Some desk jock reading all the UCRs on the TV, comes to a conclusion that this would be a better solution?? :


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## KevinB (30 Mar 2005)

The supply guys down lovers lane in Julien had these vest for a while.  I think they where a knee jerk reaction to Op Apollo.


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## JimmyPeeOn (30 Mar 2005)

Why is it knee jerks always lead to more crap? I would rather have the new TV in AR camo with a legdrop or something.  What a waste of money and about 50 steps back.


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## McG (30 Mar 2005)

JimmyPeOn said:
			
		

> What a waste of money and about 50 steps back.


Based on the manufacture date sited by armybuck041, these AR CADPAT LBVs predate the TV.   That would have made it a tiny step forward for its day (it is just that never saw the daylight back then).


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## JimmyPeeOn (31 Mar 2005)

MCG said:
			
		

> Based on the manufacture date sited by armybuck041, these AR CADPAT LBVs predate the TV.  That would have made it a tiny step forward for its day (it is just that never saw the daylight back then).


Well, the new TV has been IN USE since at very least May 03.  I'm hoping they put at least a year or two of thought into it. So if they were already working on a new one why go backwards?  Some may say a knee jerk to Op Apollo.  If they were paying attention they would have noticed more than half the battle group using the 82 pattern instead(due to hatred of the LBV) .I just dont see the purpose of issuing that POS again.  Everyone I've ever talked to hated it more than the new one, myself included.


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