Plate Carriers - What are they actually for in Airsoft?

[Druid799]

No they didn’t give me a reason at all.

Have to say bud that’s some really weird shit ! 

Only thing I can think of is as you were going for aircrew , then they picked something up (like an elivated BP for instance) and wanted to check the spinal canal pressure ? 

But also as you said there a private company and they absolutely screw the money out of the Gov 

 

[AshOnSnow]

Have to say bud that’s some really weird shit ! 

Only thing I can think of is I take it you were going for aircrew ? If yes then they picked something up (like an elivated BP for instance) and wanted to check the spinal canal pressure ? 

But also as you said there a private company and they absolutely screw the money out of the Gov 

Yeah going for pilot. The plan was to fly the P8s which would also give me an -800 type rating for commercial aviation 20 years down the line while the MAXs are still operating.

Oh well. I noticed Capita billed them £400 for the 5 minute eyesight test.

Would they do a lumbar puncture for osteoporosis? My mum was diagnosed with that a couple of years ago.

 

[Druid799]

Oh well. I noticed Capita billed them £400 for the 5 minute eyesight test.

I know drives me demented , you’ve got guys buying there own kit as the issue kit is shit or just not enough to go round , the whole MoD is on its chin strap , we’ve got first rate military medical services , and there paying these fucking parasites obscene amounts of money to do the testing ! ?

 

[AshOnSnow]

I know drives me demented , you’ve got guys buying there own kit as the issue kit is shit or just not enough to go round , the whole MoD is on its chin strap , we’ve got first rate military medical services , and there paying these fucking parasites obscene amounts of money to do the testing ! ?

I remember reading a forum post years back where a mum was looking at buying her son a £900 armoured WAS kit when he was out in Afghanistan because his gear was falling apart.

And isn’t it one of the top conservative MPs on capita’s executive board? ?

 

[Tackle]

But also as you said there a private company and they absolutely screw the money out of the Gov 

Like you, the most invasive thing I had was to "cough", everything else was based on real world fitness, in fact getting my childhood asthma cleared involved pounding Woolwich common with a pti, nowt technical bout that.

As for a lumbar puncture, sounds like bullocks, reckon one or two recruits may have a previous illness, & the LP was recommended as a means to rule out nothing dormant in the system, but then capita, & any involved private medical practitioners cottoned on to the fact that they could quadruple their profit margins by insisting on a completely unnecessary dangerous medical procedure, thereby setting a precedent.

I remember reading a forum post years back where a mum was looking at buying her son a £900 armoured WAS kit when he was out in Afghanistan because his gear was falling apart.

Was in wolf armouries bout 10 years ago, pretty girl comes in with a specific list of kit, pc/pouches etc, when asked where she played she replied "oh no they're not for me, my fiances deployed in Afghanistan & his issued kit is shit, literally rotting off him in the conditions, so I need to post these to him asap"

I was disgusted then, still am tbh, if my son turned round & said he wanted to join up, id slap that shit out of him, irrespective of the fact I served, different times & different agendas.

 

[AshOnSnow]

Like you, the most invasive thing I had was to "cough", everything else was based on real world fitness, in fact getting my childhood asthma cleared involved pounding Woolwich common with a pti, nowt technical bout that.

As for a lumbar puncture, sounds like bullocks, reckon one or two recruits may have a previous illness, & the LP was recommended as a means to rule out nothing dormant in the system, but then capita, & any involved private medical practitioners cottoned on to the fact that they could quadruple their profit margins by insisting on a completely unnecessary dangerous medical procedure, thereby setting a precedent.

Was in wolf armouries bout 10 years ago, pretty girl comes in with a specific list of kit, pc/pouches etc, when asked where she played she replied "oh no they're not for me, my fiances deployed in Afghanistan & his issued kit is shit, literally rotting off him in the conditions, so I need to post these to him asap"

I was disgusted then, still am tbh, if my son turned round & said he wanted to join up, id slap that shit out of him, irrespective of the fact I served, different times & different agendas.

Also don’t forget, if I refuse the LP but then change my mind later, they get to make their money off doing my medical all over again.

My cousin seems to have a right doddle in the army - always here there and everywhere skiing and surfing and skydiving and all sorts. Never been deployed to hostile zones. Most dangerous situation they’ve put him in is a 3 week ski trip in the alps ??

 

[Druid799]

Was in wolf armouries bout 10 years ago, pretty girl comes in with a specific list of kit, pc/pouches etc, when asked where she played she replied "oh no they're not for me, my fiances deployed in Afghanistan & his issued kit is shit, literally rotting off him in the conditions, so I need to post these to him asap"

Im adamant I lost a mate in Iraq due to kit shortages/crap kit , he was in a FOB had given his armor to one of his lads going out on patrol in a snatch who’s armor was falling apart , FOB got mortared and he was cought in the blast , report said he died instantly but you do have to think mite he have had a chance if he’d had his armor on instead of having to give it to one of his lads to keep him safe ?

 

[Tackle]

Most dangerous situation they’ve put him in is a 3 week ski trip in the alps ??

You can never underestimate the danger of Brain Freeze as a result of a glass of pimms with too much ice in it ?.

 

[pierce09]

Was in wolf armouries bout 10 years ago, pretty girl comes in with a specific list of kit, pc/pouches etc, when asked where she played she replied "oh no they're not for me, my fiances deployed in Afghanistan & his issued kit is shit, literally rotting off him in the conditions, so I need to post these to him asap"

I bought quite a few things on my last tour as the issued stuff wasn't great. most guys bought their own boots and cold weather kit. i bought boots, gloves, day sack and a few smaller items. spent a fortune. 

 

[AshOnSnow]

I bought quite a few things on my last tour as the issued stuff wasn't great. most guys bought their own boots and cold weather kit. i bought boots, gloves, day sack and a few smaller items. spent a fortune. 

What rank?.

would your COs have kicked up a fuss if you’d have ditched the standard issue equipment in favour of privately bought armour and stuff?

 

[pierce09]

What rank?.

would your COs have kicked up a fuss if you’d have ditched the standard issue equipment in favour of privately bought armour and stuff?

I was a Cpl on my last tour to Afghan. Most guys bought boots and cold weather gear. My 2007 tour, a few guys bought Kandahar plate carriers if they were on mobility teams. getting in and out of a vehicle in that first iteration of Osprey was fucking horrendous. By 2010, it was claimed that if you weren't wearing Osprey, your PAX life insurance wouldn't cover you if you got injured. Probably some bull to scare young lads into keeping issued kit on. Mk4 Osprey wasn't quite as bad as the earlier stuff but its never been massively popular afaik. i certainly never liked any of it.

 

[AshOnSnow]

I was a Cpl on my last tour to Afghan. Most guys bought boots and cold weather gear. My 2007 tour, a few guys bought Kandahar plate carriers if they were on mobility teams. getting in and out of a vehicle in that first iteration of Osprey was fucking horrendous. By 2010, it was claimed that if you weren't wearing Osprey, your PAX life insurance wouldn't cover you if you got injured. Probably some bull to scare young lads into keeping issued kit on. Mk4 Osprey wasn't quite as bad as the earlier stuff but its never been massively popular afaik. i certainly never liked any of it.

Well the insurance thing was certainly understandable though. But you did have the option for personal equipment if you so chose (and accepted the risks and lack of insurance)?

 

[pierce09]

Well the insurance thing was certainly understandable though. But you did have the option for personal equipment if you so chose (and accepted the risks and lack of insurance)?

Personally, I was stuck with Osprey and a Mk7 helmet but I was attached to line infantry. Colleagues attached to SF units were issued Paraclete stuff or bought Kandahar shit so as to blend in to the units they worked with. 

If I'm honest, it never even entered my mind I could buy a plate carrier at that time. I just put up with the shitty pouches, the horrendous fit and the chaffing everywhere. 

 

[Duff]

Just came to a wonderful realisation for an alternative plate for my JPC...

 

[Druid799]

Just came to a wonderful realisation for an alternative plate for my JPC...

Good thinking Batman ! Then I thought even better one of the flexible ones ? 

View attachment 36445

 

[Duff]

Yeah but they defrost a lot quicker.

 

[jcheeseright]

Just came to a wonderful realisation for an alternative plate for my JPC...

https://www.qoreperformance.com/products/iceplate

 

[Adolf Hamster]

Just came to a wonderful realisation for an alternative plate for my JPC...

Not all heroes wear capes...

 

[TheFull9]

Not specifically aimed at the previous post; just my .02

I think the best alternative to putting ice in your PC due to excessive heat is to just wear a very compact chest rig/belt with a good, lightweight combat shirt or t-shirt, and this is from someone who owns many excessively priced PCs and has worn them pretty much exclusively for years and years.  Keep seeing people literally fall the fuck down due to wearing their uber-tactical and edgy not-multicam all black loadouts in the 30+ degree baking sun wearing plate carriers.  I cannot personally imagine many things more embarrassing than failing to survive a bloody airsoft game because you chose your kit so utterly poorly and can't manage to drink enough water.  

Ice or ice packs help with temperature somewhat as long as you wrap them suitably so you're not getting essentially a shock in one localised area (that can have genuinely bad results), however we have all evolved this brilliant thing called sweat that works a treat when combined with the right clothing choices.  No matter what cooling options you stuff in a PC it stops sweat evaporation from 2 gigantic and absolutely crucial surface areas i.e. your chest and back, where all those organs are and the central point for blood circulation - those are the biggest flat areas you have to facilitate evaporation.

I'm not saying don't do it it's entirely personal choice, I've worn PCs out in the summer, but I take them off highly regularly and make sure I have a 1-2L bladder equipped at minimum to drink in the field with 2-3L worth of bottles in my bag to drink during breaks and/or re-plen the bladder.  Last game I played about a week ago I went for the Spiritus systems chest rig and I saw so many people suffering the effects of heat stroke and dehydration is was pretty shocking.  I know some people are more predisposed to it whatever they do, but most people are not in that category and it's just their own lack of self care that causes the problems.

 

[Tackle]

Amen to everything the man above said, ditch the full pc's & just use something that carries what you need.

If you still need something that has military pretensions, can't recommend a bulls mle platform enough, 6 rows of mole, open back so doesn't hold the heat in but does have small molle platform on the harness so you can mount a hydration pouch on it, super comfy too, I wore one for a 72hr pretty hard core milsim, with a 120l Bergen on my back, didn't even know I had it on, id have killed for one back in the day when my everyday rig was 58pattern.