tactical vest

[KevinB]

PSP -- needs to make a MOLLE version of the Chest Rig and Patrol Vest.
 I found the GenIV DHTC CR needed a larger gap between the rifle mag pouches - and the multi pouches above.
My comment was more for working with a Cdn Co. to produce gear - rather than looking to Artkis and their legacy gear (if we wanted Legacy gear we could stay with Cdn made legacy gear...)


riggermade -- T up with Bomber made DLR can be of use  

 

[riggermade]

I don't have alot of confidence in DLR

1 RCR was looking to buy drop legs for the troops to carry extra mags and we were prepared to make them and they were shut down because it was part of a weapons system and not authorized or so they were told

Troops being troops just went and bought what they wanted anyways

 

[paracowboy]

what's really pissin' me off about DLR this time is, the CLS himself said he wants these pieces of kit in the troops' hands before they get on the plane. The Brigade Comd told DLR to cut through the tape. CO 2 RCR wants this kit for all his infantrymen.

But DLR is pissy because it's all going to one supplier, instead of a 10 year project, with study groups and cometing bids. Never miond getting troops the kit to complete the mission and stay alive, it's all about the bean-counting. Makes me wanna vomit. Or punch someone. Maybe a combo...

 

[riggermade]

Para
I see you are still as opinionated as you were when you left 3 RCR but I agree

It is almost impossible to get a contract from Ottawa unless you are big

Being here in Pet and doing 5 years withe 3Rd as the SPR I know alot of the guys and custom make their kit and I do it as cheap as i can but they shouldn't have to pay out of pocket

 

[Andyboy]

Interesting thread.

 

[KevinB]

Interesting thread.

HE LIVES...

 

[riggermade]

Not much use getting the kit if you can't train with it....be nice to see the troops have something that works when they start the training so when they are over there they are used to the kit they are wearing

 

[paracowboy]

Not much use getting the kit if you can't train with it....be nice to see the troops have something that works when they start the training so when they are over there they are used to the kit they are wearing

no doubt. Instead, they're gonna be in theatre before they see this shit. Stupid. Me, I'd buy my own, practice with it now, and keep the new one in the kitbag to replace if I break my own. Then sell the purchased one to my replacement at cost when I rotate out.

Not that I'm advocating any troopie go spend his own cash. Seriously. Actually, I'd probably just go with my webgear, since I've got so much more experience with it, and it's all broken in and comfy.

 

[GregC]

Greg,

I ran down to your Coy lines with the latest poop. It should have trickled to you by now. If not, come on up to my Office.

Botom line, DLR is being stupid (as DLR is known to do). Figure 5 - 7 weeks from today for delivery. (I'd say more like 6 - 12, personally, knowing DLR as I do.) So, do the math, and figure out for yourself what you want to do.

Nope, as usual the no hook private is the last to know ???

I'd come up for the low down if I knew who you were Para and where you worked! Drop me a PM if you wouldn't mind, as I know there are alot of us in the lines very curious about this gear, and we've been told very, very little as of late. Hopefully whatever you passed on today will indeed trickle down, but with the sheer amount of courses and work  going on, sometimes it gets rather chaotic.

 

[Farmboy]

Quote from: Andyboy on Yesterday at 21:50:32
Interesting thread.


HE LIVES

Hope all is well!!

 

[Sapper24]

A few questions, if its your first tour do they care if you use the issued tac vest? last more directed to engineers, what type of chest rigs/vests are you using in afganistan? any answers welcome, sorry if this has already been asked, no time to do a search...
Sapper24  CHIMO!

 

[Andyboy]

Hey guys, yes all is well. Busy, busy, busy is all. Who isn't though? 

Interesting comments with respect to DLR Etc. I had kind of an odd experience with some folk there recently in regards to some contract work. From what I saw of the system they are operating under, and the capabilities they have available to them, I'm kind of surprised that the issued equipment is as good as it is. And that isn't a shot at anyone there, from what I could tell the people I met with were frustrated and disappointed as well.  The plain fact is that the skills and experience necessary to design and construct decent individual equipment is in short supply and it must be exceedingly difficult to attract good people to a dysfunctional organization. That being said the products still need to be fielded so while it might not he optimal it ends up falling to whomever happens to be available at the time to get it done. A carpenter might not be the best guy to fit a leaky pipe but if he is the only one available and he says he can fix it what are you going to do?

A

 

[KevinB]

Andy - excellent to see you around here again.  You and "another" should get the good stuff rolling out again.

 

[COBRA-6]

DLR is actively searching out Tech Staff qual officers to fill vacant positions, I could see myself there sometime down the road, but not quite yet  ;D

 

[KevinB]

I'd rather see a few of the injured and pensioned off JTF guys working in DLR.
  One of the guys who designed the PV and CR got medically released -- instead of the harnessing the knowledge and experience - both at the cutting edge of soldiering and kit designs...

yeah have another staff boob - or Retired on Active Duty SGM...
[/rant]

 

[Matt_Fisher]

Hey guys, yes all is well. Busy, busy, busy is all. Who isn't though? 

Interesting comments with respect to DLR Etc. I had kind of an odd experience with some folk there recently in regards to some contract work. From what I saw of the system they are operating under, and the capabilities they have available to them, I'm kind of surprised that the issued equipment is as good as it is. And that isn't a shot at anyone there, from what I could tell the people I met with were frustrated and disappointed as well.  The plain fact is that the skills and experience necessary to design and construct decent individual equipment is in short supply and it must be exceedingly difficult to attract good people to a dysfunctional organization. That being said the products still need to be fielded so while it might not he optimal it ends up falling to whomever happens to be available at the time to get it done. A carpenter might not be the best guy to fit a leaky pipe but if he is the only one available and he says he can fix it what are you going to do?

A

Such is the nature of the best whose staff (military) are sourced relatively arbitrarily as to what stage in their career they are at.  IE, if the career manager decides that said individual is going to do their turn outside of their primary MOS/MOC so-be-it, whether it's doing RSO at CMTC, working at DLR, etc.

From my experience with both Canada's DLR and the US' Natick Soldier Center and MarCorSysCom, Natick stands out as having a group of permanent civilian R&D engineers who are doing the work on individual equipment, whereas the Canadian and Marine models tend to employ more military pers. who are plugged in and out as part of their career cycle, rather than their expertise in said areas.

 

[Andyboy]

I should add that I've only really dealt with the civilian side of that particular organization.

Generally speaking, my experience has been that the user half of the user-designer relationship is rarely to blame for a poor final product. Just like there are Carpenters and people who do carpentry, there are designers and people who do design work. Added bureaucracy and organizational interference never help either. Too many cooks spoil a broth, but you need at least one good one on the job if you want a decent meal.

 

[KevinB]

I was woefully underwhelmed by the Military side.

Show me a recent (10years time) DLR item that has worked.

 

[Andyboy]

Yeah but you're easily underwhelmed.

Well according to the people I've talked too everything is fine.  : That's a tough one though...the helmet? I'm reaching.

 

[KevinB]

I'd claim the helmet was from previous than 10years
I can bitch about the helmets suspension system though  ;D -- but at the time I will grant it was cutting edge.