The Waco Kid

The TLBV was issued in woodland camo 😎 , black for police units and to Michael Biehn when he was in charge of Seal team 6. Yes I cropped out Charlie Sheen. Desert versions, like ALICE, turn up. But unlike ALICE I’m not 100% sure it was actually on general issue. There is a 40mm grenadier version too. In use the TLBV replaces the ALICE Y suspenders and also solves some of the problems with it. The shoulders are generously padded and the lower edge of the vest has multiple belt loops so supports the pistol belt very well. The TLBV has a massive range of adjustment and integrates pretty well with the PASGT vest and IBA.

ALICE goes high speed with: the Tactical Load Bearing Vest (Enhanced) not only TACTICAL but also ENHANCED! 🤩🥳 Technically not ALICE but IIFS. Although this and the associated training pack were designed to integrate with it. Prior to the TLBV(E) the was the non-enhanced Tactical load bearing vest. It had vertically orientated magazine pockets. It is therefore less cool, even the model looks disappointed. 😥

Nice. I always like the utility strap as a sling. Good touch with the optic, grey mag and wear on the receiver.

No…… Cold weather tigger finger mittens. These consist of: 1) cotton windproof shell with a supple leather palm and wrist adjuster. The back is lined with a thin layer of polyester batting. 2) wool/nylon blend knitted mitten, very similar to the D3a liners They can be worn together of separately and you can slip your trigger finger into theme main glove if it’s especially cold. With the M16 rigger guard flipped down you can operate the trigger. With both layers on operating the selector with your thumb is awkward. Either layer alone it’s okay. Getting a new mag out of a pouch it harder than getting it in the gun. For the UK the only practical uses I can think of for skirmishing are: 1) Ice Station Zebra load out or 2) Games where you may be standing about in the wind. The shells will fit over most thin “tacticool” gloves. They can be dummy corded and removed quickly. Depending where you look they maybe cheaper than the shipping. Certainly cheaper than a modern waterproof shell mitts and fleece liner. The most important factor is you can brew up wearing these. 😉

Ceefax! Old people! I resent the implication sir! 😋 I recall reading jokes on Ceefax and pressing a button to reveal the punch line. What else do you need? 😁

Mittens extreme cold weather. These are literally big mittens. You will not be changing a mag wearing these let alone shooting…. But they are warm and there is a cord to go up your sleeves just like primary school. 😁 Over white covers were made and they come in Olive, Woodland and ACU. Wooly pad on the back for cleaning your goggles/wiping you nose. They have M65 type liners and are sized to go over the trigger finger shells (next item).

The basic issue glove was the D3a light duty work glove. They area simple thin leather glove with a strap and buckle to secure them across back. Wool blend liners are designed to be worn inside the leather glove in the cold. Neither layer is waterproof, the liner is a fairly coarse knit and not especially wind resistant. Pretty basic and not very good in the wet but they are an okay work glove. Issued in black or tan. Not really a shooters glove and that explains why acquiring a pair of flight gloves was popular.

Yes titanium stuff is ridiculously light. To the point I sometimes wonder if I forgot packed something as the bag feels wrong. Everyone loves a hobo, it’s the smell! 😋 ECWCS accessories. The overwhites. The standard old US issue ones include a baggy parka and pants with cargo pockets. Over gloves, lid and pack covers are available. Not a lot to say about them apart from the material not being the best. The are pretty thin and don’t fully conceal the colour beneath.🤨 Despite being thin they don’t dry that quickly. The recent replacements are much better. I have a knock off/foreign set made from microfibre that are way better and pretty windproof.

Thing is that would be any idea put forward at by my local council.🤨

Well ones a Bolt M4a1 and a couple of G&G’s. I am no expert but: Condition and what’s been done to them will make a big difference. There is visible damage and wear on them. I suggest clear pictures of each and you might get useful feedback. Starting membership with “How much are my pews worth?” may get you some stick.

A lot of airline stuff is oddly outdated. Faxes are still used, I think investment tends to go where it’s seen and back room stuff had been left behind.

I asked my wife why her knickers were labelled C & A. She said it’s so she knows which way round they go.

Never had a close look at genuine Swedish kit. I bet it’s hard wearing stuff. I like the Swedish M44 cook system. My pot is knock off Miltec, 😢 , but the rest was unused issue. Well thought out design. I may have more stoves than rifs. 🤷‍♂️ Is there a thread on “how to survive an airsoft weekender without getting Nora virus”? 😏 Question one - what am bested big roll? Answers will hinge on whether you prefer softness or length. 😋 Also modifying the dispenser for better SPS - sheets per second… I’ll get my ECWCS parka.

How about some Tiger Stripe and 1970’s porn star ‘tache for the full Flight of the Intruder look. 👍😁

Pretty sure I’ve seen those for sale on LoveHoney. 😜 You have search for “Putin Put-in-Pleaser”.

Okay, the hunt is on. These ones? 😍 https://www.adventurenutrition.co.uk/military-biscuits-fruit-95g-long-bbf.html Or these ones? 😁 https://hungryrabbit.com/2011/06/the-white-rainbow-rainbow-cookies/

ECWCS type 1 & 2 boots I don’t have so can’t cover much. Main contractor was BATA but also Acton and Airboss. Draw backs from some accounts are: 1) Weight (1..25 to 1.5kg ish). 2) Tread isn’t modern Vibram. 3) The white ones are disco…. Good things are: 1) Warmth (-30C or -60C) aprox. As an aside. The felt USAF mukluk liners work as bed socks or for when you are in your arm chair smocking a pipe. 😉

Cheers dude. 😉 I hope it’s of some use to someone. Just been over to visit one of the other members for hot coffee and biscuits brown! 😁

No, military cold weather kit isn’t generally “skirmishable” in the UK. * (see below). It would have to be incredibly cold to play in ECWCS kit of any generation. Militaries certainly operate in pretty extreme conditions using it. Probably talking sub -20C. But that may not mean fighting. There is the aspect that simply being able to function in those conditions when your enemy can’t means you effectively “win” without even having to fire a shot. It would have to be pretty bad for an infantryman to choose to enter a fight wearing a gore-tex parka. They are just too noisy for starters. Other bits maybe. A heavish windproof but quiet British type smock works very well and is probably still the best outer for poor weather 90% of the time. I my “youth” I was an winter climber for fun and did farm labouring for work. It would have to be absolutely sheeting it down before going to an actual waterproof layer. For purely cold I loved Buffalo kit. But that is incredibly hot and you had to vent it if active. For work a ‘95 smock, thermal shirt and wool pulley was fine. Tweed was for the higher orders! * So why is it kit like ECWCS useful for skirmishing? 1) Milsim / Battlesim. We are all larpers after all! 2) Events or over nighters. 😴 🔥 🍲 🚽 🥶 and 3) How much time at your average skirmish day is actually not in game? There is a lot of standing around. A lot of sites it is 90 minutes plus from doors open to game on. Note: MSS update. The bladder was calling so I had to get up. Bit of frost starting on the bag but no condensation, -5C. I put on M65 pants. Otherwise fine but my back remembers why I usually kip in a hammock!

MSS test 3. Intermediate bag this time out on the patio in gore-tex cover plus two kip mats. Polypro u/W, double socks and cvc hood. So far fine at -4c. Of course bladder capacity is the real test….

Grey. Having the upper and lower different shades like a true frankengun would be good too. 😉

Collecting Gen 1 ECWCS Parkas, are fairly common on the UK market. As well as copies of varying quality. Larger sizes in good condition tend to be pricey. Helikon copy in Olive The matching trousers don’t seem to have be used that often and can be picked up cheaply in nearly new state. M65 liners are very common and modern reproductions are about £35 for a jacket. The genuine ECWCS ones style are not much more but uncommon and the clones work fine. The polypro underwear is readily available, not expensive. I’ve found sets still packaged. Fibrepile jacket pocket layout. The fibrepile is pretty rare in Europe. I don’t have the original bib (pants) and use a SPEAR set. If you find a jacket it’s likely to be expensive. They were/are quite sort after by hunters and bush folks in the US and don’t really show up over here. Might be a stock pile in Germany somewhere. I’ve yet to see it show up on Ukrainian troops. 😉

I though it was part a fancy sniper detection system. 😋 or a very tactical toilet plunger!

Yes they were liked but not so much in the field by infantry. They did get a bit of a reputation as garrison wear because as made they weren’t waterproof and relatively noisy. There are publicly disclosed letters between Natick, WL Gore and a unit Commander (can’t remember which). The troops expected a waterproof layer, but Natick’s view was it’s to keep you warm. As gore-tex goes they are incredible robust. Relatively undergrowth resistant and many parkas have survived despite working in the motor pool. I’ve like them but unlikely to really use them in extremis. It was in the mountains these days I go for something that weighs less! Another “test” run of the MSS patrol bag and bivi. Over night temp was about 4c and a little bit of breeze. Set up was the same. I did start off with the gen 1 ECWCS insulation layers to see how much different they made. Flipping sweating within minutes. So had to strip done to the base layer. About 4am I put the M65 liner pants back on. Having the other components in the bag probably kept it a bit warmer too. Slept like a log until 9am… ECWCS insulation components: Natick development photo and then my larp version. 😁 Layers are all the same size and are design to stack. If you are going to wear two M65 field jacket liners then you may need to go up a size on the parka. 1) Polypro underwear, warm and relatively thick. Like a thin fleece rather than a modern base layer. The boots are designed to provide a lot of the foot protection so another layer of socks may be useful for sleeping in. 2) Fibre pile “brown bear” jacket & bib. Black reinforcements and chest pockets. Not as windproof or neat as modern faced fleece. Warm though. The black SPEAR style fleece superseded this the later generations of ECWCS are more like that. Chest pockets on it are useful however. 3) M65 field jacket and pants liner go over the fibre pile. I’m not wearing the jacket liner. These are constructed like the usgi poncho liner. Loose cut with high leg, the dedicated ECWCS versions have buttons outside legs to put on over big boots and the jacket has chest buttons. They are very smooth so make decent sleep wear. The pants ideally need braces (M1950) as they have no waist support if worn alone.

I am very happy with the M9. I never had issues with the 1911. Some people find the cold weather performance sub par, which is probably true. But single a stack 1911 handles so well I still miss it. 😭