Army stuff

[Andy M]

As I get ready for the winter rally season, the garage looks more and more like the set of M*A*S*H by the hour. To date we have:

British Army arctic sleeping bag
British Army Bivvy bag
British Army throwovers
British army waterproofs
Swedish Army (Trigania) cook set
German Army Poncho
Russian Army hat

Obviously this stuff is army proof and so should stand the abuse that will get thrown at it and is cheap because the British/Swedish/German/Russian tax payer bought this stuff at cost plus 500% and then sold it at value less 97%.

What does worry me is that the whole ensemble combined with my usual riding gear is going to make me look like the paramilitary wing of the girl guides cycling section. So,  I was wondering what the group would suggest to make the whole lot less, well, green and brown.

Thanks

Fashion Victim of Leeds

[steveD]

I think possibly one of those bright yellow reflective jackets, reflective arm bands but put around your ankles and some of those valve screw on caps that glow when your wheels turn.
The problem with all that gear is that if you fall off in the dark no-one will be able to find you 'cos you'll be so well camouflaged, one advantage is that you will probably bounce though, but you won't hurt yourself 'cos with all that gear you won't be able to go fast in any case.
You would of course be able to play hide and seek with Smudge though!

Just think you could have tried the gear out at the weekend up at Dent, another weekend perhaps.

SteveD

[guest27]

Get dressed up and jump in a paddling pool of white emulsion.  When dry stab a number of spray cans of dayglo paint with a short screw driver - should sparkle the ensemble up a tad.

Diamante tiara?

Where did you get the bivvi bag from and how much BTW?

R

[guest18]

Or if you're worried about all Rog's spray cans melting the ozone layer why not visit SP Supplies website and buy some stitch on Scotchlite tape to make you a bit more obvious and less easy for car drivers to hit?

Alternatively get the worlds loudest exhaust and spray everything matt black (badly) and go with the cammo stylee...

[Richard]

I suspect quite a lot of us have similar gear.  Sleeping bag, ponchoes, bivvy bag, boots and so on.  You have to spend a lot to get Civvy gear to the same standard.  My sleeping bag cost about a tenner secondhand but nice, a Snugpak equivalent would cost about £70-£100 more.

I do sometimes think about painting an MZ in Syrian colours to match.

At least I don't wear Camo.

[Andy M]

Get dressed up and jump in a paddling pool of white emulsion.  When dry stab a number of spray cans of dayglo paint with a short screw driver - should sparkle the ensemble up a tad.

Diamante tiara?

Where did you get the bivvi bag from and how much BTW?

R

The tiara is a possibility, maybe with some LED's installed :-)

The Bivvy bag is a ('56 pattern?) nylon jobby not the goretex type actually designed to go with the modern bag. This will cause condensation issues, but I carry a tent so it serves as an inner ground sheet, blanket , extra insulation or back up for destroyed tents. If I ever had to spend a night in the thing I wouldn't bet on comfort, but it would work until daylight when I'd head off for Argos to buy another tent or head for a B&B. It came from Silvermans and I can't remember how much it was, but it was basically new and was less than the Goretex jobbies.

Andy

[guest27]

Ahh just as a thought to all of you with ideas of bivvis and bikes.

Friend (Gnome - lesser brother of Dwarf, AKA Colin Armstron - if anyone knows him tell him to contact me) was sleeping in a bivvi when someone rode off on the bike it wwas tied to (he he he) had a nice time going round the field..

Me.  Came back to my Phoxhole (Pheonic gortex 1 person tent of about 25 years old) at one rally to find it had been ridden over.  Oh well I thought and did nto worry.  Later that night it and my legs were ridden over in the dark - oooooouch!

'nother rally, same again - just glad it was not more than my legs.

Superbike Ultimate streetbike comp of mmmmmm years ago.  Decided to pitch 'tent' on top of bank and park Triton across ony access - goes off to sleep.  Wakes in the night to sound of revving engine.. then stars and a big bang.  Lots of shouting from me.  Turns out a bunch of lads from Liverpool had come down over night, moved the Triton and tried reversing up the slope.  I had the tyre marks on the tent for years and across the back of my neck and head for a couple of weeks- luckley my shouting stopped them.  Got myself a bottle of cherry brandy (!!) and a sup[port crew for the weekend out of it mind.

Have never found a double bivi - but would like one....

R

[Bill Rutter]

Get yerself a Black Country accent and an Armstrong and you'll be well away at Dent in July

[guest24]

Does anyone have a favourite army surplus suppplier on-line that they use? Or do you afficiendos all go to the shops? I need to get some kit for my next Bushcraft course in the wilds of Scotland: its got to be light and waterproof as I will carrying it all for a week...whilst hunting berries and rabbits! (and maybe a haggis)

[beeman]

And don't forget to start growing your hair, even dreadlocks if you can.

beeman

[Andy M]

Does anyone have a favourite army surplus suppplier on-line that they use? Or do you afficiendos all go to the shops? I need to get some kit for my next Bushcraft course in the wilds of Scotland: its got to be light and waterproof as I will carrying it all for a week...whilst hunting berries and rabbits! (and maybe a haggis)

E-bay is cheaper, but silvermans have everything.

Andy

[Richard Marshall]

http://www.adventure1.co.uk/
http://www.anchorsupplies.com/
http://www.armynnavy.com/
http://www.surplusandoutdoors.com/index.html
http://www.worldofsurplus.com/index.html
http://www.exarmy.co.uk/
http://www.rusmilitary.com/index.htm
http://www.meanandgreen.com/
http://www.sofmilitary.co.uk/
http://www.surplusandadventure.com/
http://www.the-outdoor.co.uk/index.html

Some of these are good, some are amusing, and some are good suppliers.  You can make your own minds up but enjoy.  Very few are as expensive as Silvermans and generally I prefer the shop in Sarnau, just north of Fishguard.

Richard

[guest24]

Fantastic guys - lots of recommendations! When I am on my course and snuggled up inside my sleeping bag, I wont be thinking of you....I will probably be hoping that it will stop raining.

[themoudie]

Dear Hackbridge,

If it continues doing what its doing at present and for the foreseeable future, you'll need an Amphicar at least and a Saracen might be more appropriate!

A green military 'bag' complete with entrapped 'bushman', will probably resemble a desirable caterpillar or wriggling pupa in the waters of the Tay, to the salmon or sea trout returning to spawn at an unseasonal time of the calender due to their bio-rhythms have been ******** up. There size and appetite will of course have been influenced by the large volumes of progesterone in the waters, after the consumption of all that Xmas 'bird'!

If I trip over you whilst stravaiging and digging my holes, I shall in the best traditions of 'Secret Auld Squirrel', not reveal your location to any other solitary army soldier person!

Hope the sun shines and the curlew, peewit, lark, redshank, golden plover et al, all chorus you. Magic!

Cheers, Bill

[themoudie]

Further to the previous diatribe, this URL shows potential!

http://www.terrawind.com/