Kit list suggestions?

[humint]

I‘m going on my first Ex in a week and was wondering if anyone has suggestions for a kit list. I don‘t want to take too much sh!t, so any suggestions for what/what NOT to take would be much appreciated.

Plus, does anyone have suggestions for kit to purchase. I checked out the canadianpeacekeeper.com website and they have a whole whack of stuff, but what the HE-doublehockeysticks is useful?

 

[kurokaze]

First ex? Without having done BOTP?

I just purchased the platypus from CanadianPeacekeeper, looking forward to trying to trying it out, hopefully I doesn‘t burst when I put it under my ruck!

 

[Pikache]

It would help if you tell us what kind of ex are you going and what are the planned... events.

 

[Korus]

Kurokaze;

Does the platypus (or at least the bladder) fit inside the top pocket of the rucksack? (the pocket on the flap to close off the main compartment)

 

[kurokaze]

Korus, I believe that the bladder will fit
in the top pocket of the rucksack (I will recieve
mine on Monday). I also ordered the modular
hydration pack as well (not in cadpat though,
waste of money). I‘m curious to see if the
hydration pack is slim enough to fit underneath
my ruck when I put my ruck on.

There have been questions raised as to whether or
not I‘m even allowed to have this thing for my
courses but we‘ll see.

 

[Spr.Earl]

Huminit, take what you are told to take as to issue.Remember you have to carry it!
You will get all kind‘s of answer‘s as to the gucci kit from every one even me,you be your own judge.

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Experience can‘t be gained on the internet. Take what your section commander tells you to take, and in time, you‘ll get a better feel for what is essential and what you can get away with not taking.

Better to have it and not need it than to not have it and need it.

 

[humint]

I agree, experience can‘t be gained on the Internet. However, I find it helpful to get as much info first -- so I can be informed -- and to see what works for me as I progress. I know that people will have all sorts of suggestions. I‘m asking everyone, so it‘s not as if I‘m putting all my faith in this chatroom.

As for the Ex, I am there basically as an observer -- so, just to get my feet wet. I‘ve had other tactical/field training (but not in the CF), so I think that is why they are letting me go in a very limited fashion. Nothing too serious.

 

[Fader]

Are you in the infantry, engineers, medics, sigs, logs, etc?

The type of ex your going on as well as how long your going to be out for really determines what kit you should bring.

 

[humint]

I‘m in Infantry. The Ex is your typical ruck-it for a long-time, set-up defensive area, wait for an attack.

 

[Jarnhamar]

Don‘t put anything under your ruck when your wearing it. The ruck sack is made poorly enough as it is, nuke bags will throw off the weight disturbution and a platypus will pop either the main bag or the nozzel at the end will start leaking if it‘s not very well made.
If your going on a defensive ex then bringing a platypus might even be extra kit you don‘t need.

If your interested, you might want to see if you can get thrown in with one of the sections for as much of the work as possible. I think the experence (and respect) you‘ll gain from working along side the troops and seeing what things are like on their level during the defensive will far out weight anything you learn as an observer on your first ex. See if you could even carry around the platoon commanders raido and follow him around to get a closer look.

 

[kurokaze]

Don‘t put anything under your ruck when your wearing it. The ruck sack is made poorly enough as it is, nuke bags will throw off the weight disturbution and a platypus will pop either the main bag or the nozzel at the end will start leaking if it‘s not very well made.
If your going on a defensive ex then bringing a platypus might even be extra kit you don‘t need.

I was afraid of something like that happening.
I guess I‘ll have to try putting the platypus
in my top pocket of my ruck.

humint, I agree with Ghost. As an aspiring
officer it would do you a world of good to shadow
your platoon commander on an ex.

 

[humint]

I totally agree and have offered to do whatever -- carry the radio, act as a prisoner, partisan, etc. I‘m not too sure what they have in store, but I‘m up for anything.

Thanks for the advice on the ruck.

I have a few questions:

1. Does anyone use the cloth liner for the sleeping bags? Is it necessary?

2. Where should I attach the 2L water bladder? It is US-made, so it doesn‘t fit onto the CDN webbing.

3. Should I take along the ranger blanket if I have the inner & outer sleeping bags and the bivy? Is the cold weather sleeping hood useful, or is a toque good enough?

4. There‘s no way I can wear the ruck while wearing the butt pack on the webbing -- the ruck frame goes/hangs too far down onto my @ss. How do I remedy this? Do I adjust the ruck, so the bottom pads sits in the lumbar area of the back or do I just take everything out of the butt pack when I am rucking? Suggestions?

5. Is there a prescribed way of attaching the sleeping bags, hooch, air mattress, etc. on the ruck, or can I do it any way that I find works for me?

6. Should I get an Alice pack to put onto the ruck frame? Is this allowed?

Any other tidbits of advice?

 

[Pikache]

I have a few questions:

1. Does anyone use the cloth liner for the sleeping bags? Is it necessary?
-use the liner. it helps insulation. also keep your sleeping bag less stinky (your sweat)

3. Should I take along the ranger blanket if I have the inner & outer sleeping bags and the bivy? Is the cold weather sleeping hood useful, or is a toque good enough?
-personally, I find sleeping bag inner, liner and bivy bag is warm enough for almost all weather. but bring ranger blankie too.

4. There‘s no way I can wear the ruck while wearing the butt pack on the webbing -- the ruck frame goes/hangs too far down onto my @ss. How do I remedy this? Do I adjust the ruck, so the bottom pads sits in the lumbar area of the back or do I just take everything out of the butt pack when I am rucking? Suggestions?
-being short sucks with 82 pattern ruck.
I try to lower the webbing so that it goes around my waist as tight as possible, then put valise on top of webbing. use the stomach strap to tighten the ruck around the waist as much as possible. ensure shoulder strap is as tight as possible.

5. Is there a prescribed way of attaching the sleeping bags, hooch, air mattress, etc. on the ruck, or can I do it any way that I find works for me?
-air matress between valise and ruck works for me
when packing valise, try to arrange it so that the stuff you‘re going to use first, usually the hooch is on top. whatever you‘re probably not going to use, like bug bar on the bottom.

Any other tidbits of advice?
-don‘t pack anymore than you‘re going to need. don‘t bring extra stuff you won‘t need. like two pairs of fleece

 

[SpinDoc]

For the being short bit and the ‘82 pattern rucksack, I have this to offer:

No, don‘t go and get ALICE equipment -- I think it would be frowned upon.

What you *could* probably get away with is to find the ‘64 pattern rucksack frame aka "jump ruck" aka "Lightweight Rucksack" from Vietnam War era and mount the ‘82 rucksack pack over the frame. That way it *looks* like the other ‘82 rucks if seen from the back -- and the frame sits a bit higher. What I do is I sit the kidney pad (which you will have to jerry rig if you use the ‘64 frame since the straps aren‘t long enough)on top of my buttpack, with my buttpack emptier (if that‘s a word) than usual and sitting relatively high so that it doesn‘t impede my legs.

Yeah, being short sucks... but the ‘64 frame really helps I think (for me anyways).

 

[Jarnhamar]

1. Does anyone use the cloth liner for the sleeping bags? Is it necessary?
-If im on an ex where i won‘t get much time to take off my boots and get undressed then i don‘t bring the liner because it just gets in the way, i just jump into the sleeping bag fully clothed. This however is sometimes a bad practice because you won‘t stay as warm in the sleeping bag as if you were just in underwear but it‘s personal choice i guess. If you sleeping and your defensive position is attacked you might catch some flack for having to put all your clothes on in a hurry, add to the fact that your not used to getting dressed in a hurry and you make a sceen infront of your future troops. Good for moral though

2. Where should I attach the 2L water bladder? It is US-made, so it doesn‘t fit onto the CDN webbing.
-If im not mistaken the US one has little metal clips on the side. Open them up and clip them on to the strap on either side of your ruck sack.

3. Should I take along the ranger blanket if I have the inner & outer sleeping bags and the bivy? Is the cold weather sleeping hood useful, or is a toque good enough?
-I never use the arctic hood, a touge is good enough unless your actually in the artic. I always bring a ranger blanket. If your in the defensive you can cover your kit (or ground) with it to camoflauge it and if your sitting in a trench you can wrap it around you to keep warm or pull over your head if you or your trench girlfriend is a smoker and hide it.

4. There‘s no way I can wear the ruck while wearing the butt pack on the webbing -- the ruck frame goes/hangs too far down onto my @ss. How do I remedy this? Do I adjust the ruck, so the bottom pads sits in the lumbar area of the back or do I just take everything out of the butt pack when I am rucking? Suggestions?
-I‘d say what bedpan said. Take the stuff out of your butt pack and put it in the top of your ruck. Lower the webbing. Get an older style ruck sack frame. I use a jump ruck and i can have it and my webbing fully loaded with crap and they dont even touch.

6. Should I get an Alice pack to put onto the ruck frame? Is this allowed?
-I‘d say no. Working with a regiment before your course is a catch 22 in a way. You learn all kinds of great little tricks to make life easier and be more comfortable BUT when you start course everyone has to be the same so you can‘t use most of the tricks (or equipment modification)

 

[Pugil]

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If im on an ex where i won‘t get much time to take off my boots and get undressed then i don‘t bring the liner because it just gets in the way, i just jump into the sleeping bag fully clothed. This however is sometimes a bad practice because you won‘t stay as warm in the sleeping bag as if you were just in underwear but it‘s personal choice i guess
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Taking off your boots before sleeping is a MUST! I have learned in the past that you should always take off your boots before sleeping otherwise your feet will sweat and moisture will acummulate inside your boots and those factors will lead to blisters. Bring ALOT of spare socks and footpowder everything, ALWAYS look after your feet. During exs, I dont care how much wet I am, but as long as my feet are dry and warm I am happy.

 

[Jarnhamar]

You may be happy but your trench partner might not be happy when his c9 is jamming and it takes you 4 extra minutes to get to the trench when hes under attack because you haven‘t slept in 2 days, can‘t see straight and your trying to tie up your boots fumbling with the laces because your fingers are frozen

 

[Pugil]

In whatever case you should be able to get up quickly and fight. It shouldnt take more than 25 seconds to put your boots on, if you have the old combat boots, just slide you feet inside the boots and do a quick knot. You dont need to tie up all the way, you can fix it later when things are calm. With the new gore-tex boots, you have the same fast-laces that you find in the jungle boots. With tha system, the time to put on and take off your boots are cut in half.

 

[humint]

Thanks for the help.

As for the sleeping bags, could I get away with the inner, the cloth liner, the bivy, and the ranger blanket? If I don‘t need the outer blanket, there‘s no sense taking it. What sort of temps would I need the liner, inner, outer and bivy -- are we talking -20C and more?

Actually, I‘m over 6 feet tall, but I‘m all legs. I think that‘s why the ruck hangs so low on my back -- that, plus the shoulder straps may be framed wrong. I‘m going to take a look at it tonight.

More questions:

1. What about Gortex socks? When do you need ‘em?

2. Scrim ... do I need it? Where the heck do I get it (other than on CDNpeacekeeper.com)?

3. Wash basin .. where‘s the best place to keep it so it doesn‘t get trashed?

4. Is a shaving kit necessary on the weekend Ex‘s. Do they do inspection?

5. Camo paint -- I can‘t find the sticks (do we even get issued those in the Res?), is the other (i.e. commercial stuff) alright?

I think that about does it.