# Arid CADPAT LBV and TacVest in Afghanistan



## basxav (21 Nov 2004)

Hi all:
I asked a question about the new tactical/lead beraing vest manufactured by Pacific Safety products at www.canadiansoldier.com  Michael recommended that I come here to ask my questions as there are many knowledgeable members.

I have some additional questions about the new vest as I'm working on a 1/6th action figure project and I'd like to make it as accurate as possible. 
1) Is the new desert CADPAT tactical vest identical to the temperate version?
2) Have any modfiications have been incorporated in the new Paciific Prioduct vest compared to the temperate version? Are these modifications visible or subtle?
3) Where can I find reference photos that show the evolution of the Canadian tactical vest from Gen 1 to Gen 4 

Thanks very much!
xavier


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## jbeach95 (22 Nov 2004)

Pacific Safety makes the Canadian fragmentation vest.
http://www.pacsafety.com/products/4100.htm

FellFab makes the tactical vest.
http://www.fellfab.com/products3.html

As I have never personally seen an AR (desert) vest, I cannot answer your questions, but perhaps this will help.
http://army.ca/cgi-bin/album.pl?photo=ZMisc/A490.jpg
It appears to the same design to me.


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## Bartok5 (22 Nov 2004)

Xavier,

To the best of my knowledge, the answers to your questions are:

1.  Yes. 

2.  You are talking about two entirely different vests, which is likely causing some confusion.  The Pacific Safety Products "Patrol Vest" that you have seen photos of on this site and others was part of a small contract for a very specific CF unit.  The standard-issue CF Tac Vest in both CADPAT TW and CADPAT AR is manufactured by Fellfab, as JBeach has pointed out.

3.  Your best source for reference photos is the DND Combat Camera site.  To my knowledge, there is no such thing as "Gen 1" to "Gen 4" where standard-issue tac vests are concerned.  There have been only two designs manufactured and issued on a large scale - the "Jean Jacket" vest that started production in 1996, and the current Tac Vest.


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## basxav (22 Nov 2004)

Mark & JBeach:
Thanks very much for the clarification. I'll pop by Fellfab's website to get some reference photos and then head off to Combat camera for additional. Is it known which Candian unit bought the Pacific Safety product's vest? I ask so I can tell the other 1/6th forum I hang out that the desert CADPAT vest that's included in the photogallery link was a 'special order' for a specif unit not a general issue item

Thanks again!

xavier


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## Bartok5 (22 Nov 2004)

Xavier,

I thought that I was being quite obvious in a (admittedly needlessly) roundabout way.  The PSP "Patrol Vests" were produced for JTF 2.  Everyone else gets the standard-issue Tac Vest, with all of its identified shortcomings.


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## pappy (28 Nov 2004)

The PSP PV's I've seen are marked "Gen 4", they also come in both CADPAT (TW) and CADPAT (AR).  They also have a "matching" Chest Rig as well, that shares very similar features and can interchange some of the the modular pouches.  From what I've read hear about the Tactical vest shortcomings the CAF would be wise to bring on the PV for Recce and infantry units.  The current Tactical Vest would still suit most Arty personnel and non-front line troops that don't need more combat loads.

Check out the post on the PV and TV, you will find some pics of the PV there.


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## cadettrooper (7 Sep 2006)

i noticed this as i was crusn' ebay today, and i really stood out. i thooght it must have been a trial of some sort?

http://cgi.ebay.ca/Load-Bearing-Vest-Canadian-CADPAT-AR-Genuine-Article_W0QQitemZ180025663782QQihZ008QQcategoryZ36071QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


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## paracowboy (7 Sep 2006)

never seen one before. Looks kinda home-made to me. If it isn't, someone find this idiot and charge his ass.


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## McG (7 Sep 2006)

They were issued & used by some in Afghanistan.  I never saw them while I was there & but I saw some of the roto 0 PRT guys with them before they left (though I never saw these in pictures sent back & nobody had them when I got into country).

I've recently noticed three arid Tac Vests being worn by the CSOR guys pictured in the Maple Leaf with the graduation article.


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## cadettrooper (7 Sep 2006)

MCG said:
			
		

> I've recently noticed three arid Tac Vests being worn by the CSOR guys pictured in the Maple Leaf with the graduation article.



they (the vests) kinda look like these........

http://www.oneshottactical.com/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=oneshot&Product_Code=CR-HSGWAR-3-DD&Category_Code=CR-HSGI


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## Patrolman (7 Sep 2006)

It appears to me to be the same as the the old load bearing vest issued to the CF in Bosnia in the 90's. The only difference being the material is Arid Region CadPatinstead of solid green.


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## paracowboy (7 Sep 2006)

I've seen Arid CADPAT vests, but not the old 'sleeveless jean jacket' pattern. The ones I've seen were the 'new pattern', with the mesh, and without the dumb huge pocket on the back.

I've never even seen Temperate CADPAT vests in the old 'sleeveless jean jacket' pattern, for that matter.


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## McG (7 Sep 2006)

Patrolman said:
			
		

> It appears to me to be the same as the the old load bearing vest issued to the CF in Bosnia in the 90's. The only difference being the material is Arid Region CadPatinstead of solid green.


That is what it is & it was issued



			
				paracowboy said:
			
		

> I've seen Arid CADPAT vests, but not the old 'sleeveless jean jacket' pattern.


I believe these were bought in responce to public/media shock that our troops wore green on Op APOLLO & before the new TacVest.


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## Armymedic (7 Sep 2006)

Athena Roto 3 had the same similar jean jacket LBV issued to them in Kabul a yr ago. There are new Arid CADPAT TV in the system, and are identical in every way to the temperate TVs we have all been issued. I imagine they will be out as general issue to all troops when they go over fairly soon.


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## Infanteer (7 Sep 2006)

Ack...the Jean Jacket!  About the only thing that was good for was ordering una chai, molim....


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## paracowboy (7 Sep 2006)

so, they gave guys a layer of denim to wear OVER everything else in the desert? Brilliant.  :

Now, the next question: is this stuff available civvie-side? 'Cause if it ain't, buddy is selling DND property and needs to go to jail.


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## McG (7 Sep 2006)

paracowboy said:
			
		

> so, they gave guys a layer of denim to wear OVER everything else in the desert? Brilliant.  :


Does it really matter if the vest is a breathable material when there is armour between the vest & the wearer?


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## RequiemVK (8 Sep 2006)

Yes we got them in Roto 1, but we were not using them cause they were less practical than our new LCV.


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## paracowboy (8 Sep 2006)

MCG said:
			
		

> Does it really matter if the vest is a breathable material when there is armour between the vest & the wearer?


yup. One more layer is one more layer, and traps heat that much more. Not to mention (although I'm about to) that the vest in question is a poorly-thought-out POS.

Thankfully, someone seems to be listening, as we are SUPPOSEDLY getting money to kit out one of our companies with off-the-shelf webbing.


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## cadettrooper (9 Sep 2006)

i knew there already had been a thread on this vest before...........................

http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/28913.0.html


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## Armymedic (9 Sep 2006)

yep, thats when we talked about them before...

BTW, 2 others and I earned CDS commendations for what we did before the QRF and news crews showed up on that day.


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## KevinB (12 Sep 2006)

The humint morons and some others on RotoII signed for those vests (the old combat coat with the sleevs cutoff in Arid cadpat) out of clothing (they had a few triwalls full) 

I know a few CSOR guys had custom vests made out of Arid CADPAT


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## The_Falcon (7 Nov 2006)

I know this is old, but I was purusing the Combat Camera site, and I noticed a few soldiers wearing an issue AR CADPAT vest.  My question is, seeing as how these are relatively new, have there been an design improvements, or are they exactly the same as the green ones?


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## Jay4th (8 Nov 2006)

Between Feb and April 2006 I saw many non-infantry types wearing the old Bosnia era jean jacket Load Bearing Vest in desert cadpat on KAF. As my unit wasn't in KAF much I never did figure out how large scale the item was issued.


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## PhilB (8 Nov 2006)

When some LOG/HQ type troops from Roto 2 moved into my RSOI I noticed that some of them had AR Tacvests. Looked exactly like the TW vest just in desert.


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## Lerch (8 Nov 2006)

Hatchet Man said:
			
		

> I know this is old, but I was purusing the Combat Camera site, and I noticed a few soldiers wearing an issue AR CADPAT vest.  My question is, seeing as how these are relatively new, have there been an design improvements, or are they exactly the same as the green ones?



I noticed that too, and just for everyone else, I'm talking about the TV, not the LBV.
http://www.combatcamera.forces.gc.ca/netpub/server.np?find&catalog=photos&template=detail_e.np&field=itemid&op=matches&value=17231&site=combatcamera
http://www.combatcamera.forces.gc.ca/netpub/server.np?find&catalog=photos&template=detail_e.np&field=itemid&op=matches&value=17173&site=combatcamera

Just so everyone is on the same page and doesn't think I saw something.


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## Farmboy (8 Nov 2006)

In the second picture it looks like an issue TV in AR, 4 mags and all.  The soldier on the right has a HSGI Warlord and running a BLSS in his helmet


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## Lerch (8 Nov 2006)

Hmm...indeed, I wonder, where we can find such items from HSGI?

As for the vest, were these custom purchases or are the AR TV's actually coming out of supply now?


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## westie47 (10 Nov 2006)

If you are looking for vests/chest rigs in CadPat AR, check out Dave's Surplus. I happen to know they have a PILE of AR chest rigs from HSGI, all the models. They also have a selection of AR pouches, frag, smoke, mag, pistol, dump, drop leg holsters, utility pouches, and on and on.....


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## McG (10 Nov 2006)

westie47 said:
			
		

> If you are looking for vests/chest rigs in CadPat AR, check out Dave's Surplus. I happen to know they have a PILE of AR chest rigs from HSGI, all the models. They also have a selection of AR pouches, frag, smoke, mag, pistol, dump, drop leg holsters, utility pouches, and on and on.....


Thank you for the commercial, but this thread is about the issued kit.


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## Good2Golf (10 Nov 2006)

I thought the AR LBV/jean jacket was actually fairly widely distributed, was it not?  I saw a lot of Athena4/Archer0 guys with them and our group had them during the same period.  Personally, I wasn't a big fan of them...I think the added layer and associated heat build-up negated the carriage "benefits" (such as they were) -- good to see that the TV finally came out in AR, but I would have taken a TW TV over AR LBV if I had used it regularly.  Of course, there were some nice chest rigs floating out there, that's what I would have rather stuffed 10 mags into...(and gave more room for the massive pipes that guys like I-6 were sporting...   )

G2G


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## KevinB (10 Nov 2006)

Steriods are legal there  

*I was kidding BTW...


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## cadettrooper (30 Nov 2006)

the whole time we were talking about this thread i knew i had seen more pics somewhere of the arid LBV, or more commonly know as the "jean jacket" (not tacvest) got them off of the ctv.ca website:


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## Trogdor (7 Dec 2006)

There's the old jean jacket design or the new tacvest design in Cadpat AR.

Personally I think they should just issue a molle modular system and not waste money on vests that can carry only 4 mags in easily accessible areas.

Anywho here it is


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## Armymedic (8 Dec 2006)

If they would mod the mag pouches on the TV to hold a total of 8 mags, it would go a long way to help bring it into what we need. That and forgo the need for every RSM to have a packing list full of lipgloss and spare socks and string, and you'd have a system that may work for all rifle toting soldiers.


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## MPSHIELD (8 Dec 2006)

Can someone tell me if they are issuing the CADPAT AR TV to everyone now? I'm on TF 107 (dep Jan/Feb) and was informed we would probably not be issued the AR Vests yet i see a fellow MP wearing one. Can anyone shed some light on this? Do they have enough for most people who leave the wire now? Just curious.

Thanks in advance


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## HItorMiss (8 Dec 2006)

If you go outside the wire you get an AR TV...same as the regular TV only arid and as such is just as crappy


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## Armymedic (9 Dec 2006)

MPSHIELD said:
			
		

> Can someone tell me if they are issuing the CADPAT AR TV to everyone now? I'm on TF 107 (dep Jan/Feb) and was informed we would probably not be issued the AR Vests yet i see a fellow MP wearing one. Can anyone shed some light on this? Do they have enough for most people who leave the wire now? Just curious.



A bit of penis envy?   By outside the wire, do you mean driving around the perimeter of KAF? ;D

If you need the kit they will get it for you.....eventually.


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## MPSHIELD (10 Dec 2006)

St. Micheal's Medical Team said:
			
		

> A bit of penis envy?   By outside the wire, do you mean driving around the perimeter of KAF? ;D



LOL-Nope, that won't be me. I'm with the CS MP PL (outside the wire)  NOT GS MP PL. No penis envy here. 



> If you need the kit they will get it for you.....eventually.



As i said in my previous post, I was just curious. Trying to make some coversation that's all -that's what a forum is all about!


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