Arctic1's big winter gear thread.

Tactical Gear Tactical Gear
1

I posted this on LF, back in Feb. Hopefully some people can find it useful on here as well.

Ok, thought I’d do a proper post of my gear, with a winter theme. This is how I am currently set up for 72 hours sustainment during winter operations. Some items have been omitted, like food and ammo, as well as comms and mission essential items. Other than those items, my gear is packed and ready in case of a short notice alert.

Hopefully you guys can pick up a thing or two from how I do things.

1st line:
Consists of a winter weight field uniform, boots, gloves and Gore-Tex hat. Over that I put on my winter overalls, and my overboots:


My smock:

With content:

Left chest pocket: Notebook cover, notebook, pens, spork, FO protractor
Right chest pocket: Compass
Left shoulder pocket: 4 pairs disposable gloves
Left hip pocket: Left shooting mitt
Right hip pocket: Right shooting mitt

2nd line consists of the following:

HK416N:

Aimpoint Comp M4
M3X light w/tape switch
Magpul XTM hand stop kit
BFG VCAS sling (VTAC LUSA mount)
Rear BUIS (in pistol grip)

Ops Core helmet and Peltor ComTacs:

First Spear patrolling suspenders/First Spear AGB:

Pouches from left to right:
ATS single M4 mag pouch w/DBT frag pouch piggybacked
Specter Gear double M4 pouch
SORD dump pouch
SPEC OPS Brand Sheath
DBT MBITR pouch
MOLLE smoke grenade pouch – for TQ
TT Canteen/Utility pouch
SPEC OPS Brand Utility pouch
ATS Small Medical pouch
MOLLE smoke grenade pouch – for TQ
Specter Gear double M4 pouch
DBT smoke pouch

With content:

From left to right:
3 HK416 mags
Multi-Tool
Chris Reeve Yarborough knife
SOFT-T Tourniquet
Nalgene bottle
Light Sticks and MS-2000 strobe (IFF)
Petzl Head light
Electrical tape
5 m mine tape
Clothes brush
Thermal balaclava
FO Protractor
Notebook/Cheat cards/SOP folder
IFAK
SOFT-T Tourniquet
2 HK416 mags
Aimpoint 3X Magnifier

Worn, front:

Worn, left:

Worn, right:

Worn, rear:

3rd line consists of the following:

Ruck; Karrimor SF TECMAC 50L with PLCE side pouches:

Front:

Rear:

With contents:

Carinthia Defense 6 sleeping bag
Ajungilak ”Bamse” sleeping mat
TT ROP assault pack
2 sandbags
2 waterproof compression sacks
Thermal Long Johns
Wool boxer
Wool socks
T-shirt
Towel
Toothbrush/Toothpaste/Painkillers/Clothesline/Sowing Kit
ECW Jacket

Assault pack contents:

2 waterproof compression sacks
2 spare magazines
Weapons cleaning kit/lens paper
Bottle of lube (Slip 2000)
Spare batteries
Hexamine cooker/matches
Para-Cord
Thermal shirt

Ruck worn front:

Ruck worn left:

Ruck worn right:

Ruck worn rear:

When we bivouac, we usually store our gear outside the tent or shelter, either in a ski pit or ruck pit, in order to save space inside the tent/shelter. Weapons and load bearing gear is stored on a weapons rack that is covered up, to protect the gear from the elements. This also negates any issues with temperature fluctuations and weapons freezing. All weapons field maintenance is done outside. Snow and water are the enemies of weapons during winter, so use lube to prevent water from getting into the mechanism, and use the blue clothes brush to remove snow from critical components when time avails itself. Problems arise when leaders fail to do proper checks and inspections in the field.

One key factor for success when it comes to winter survival is to never lose your gear. We never place our gloves, head gear, tools etc on the ground. If it is snowing, if it’s windy or just plain dark, your shit will be gone before you know it. Therefore I follow a very strict regimen on how I pack my gear, and I always put things back in their place when I am done using them. This allows me to find my stuff with ease, as well as making sure I don’t lose anything. This goes for all kinds of climates of course, but winter is sort of unforgiving; you lose your gloves or mitts, you will lose the ability to do simple tasks, unless you go ahead and rough it out. Big issue there is frost injuries.

When it comes to clothing, layering is the name of the game. I am probably old fashioned, but I don’t like Gore-Tex/hard shell type clothing or synthetic underwear/moisture wicking garments. My preference is for cotton based outer clothing and wool base layers. These garments, for me, breathe better, are more durable and wool has a warming effect even when moist or wet. The winter cammies are in a fire retardant, water/wind resistant, light weight fabric. It is important to be disciplined when rucking, thus it is better to remove layers and freeze a few minutes before marching than to start walking in the thermal shirt you wore to keep warm. Dehydration due to excessive sweating as well as hypothermia from wet clothes is not recommended.

Footwear for me is Alpha Omega. I have issues with iliotibialband syndrome in my right leg, so if I don’t have footwear that compensates for my over-pronation, I get issues. That said, I stay away from Gore-Tex or heavily lined boots during winter. Gore-Tex boots gets wet, never dries, and freezes and usually get very cold. Most frost injuries we see on feet are a direct result of wearing Gore-tex boots. Thin unlined leather boots, coupled with the issue over boots is the way to go. Just remember to open to over boots properly when inside to air them out, and also to remove the insoles in your boots so that any moisture trapped in the insole or underneath it also evaporates, when drying your boots.

My choice of fighting gear is based off of what enables the best individual tactics; I value being able to get comfortably into the prone position, being able to move while prone and not have pouches and mags dragging on the snow or ground. That is why I went with the patrolling suspenders/belt kit approach. I get the pouches out to the sides, and have nothing on my stomach. My critical items are easily accessible by me, non-critical items are accessible by teammates. This is also transferrable to situations where I will have to use body armor, the belt kit integrates well with BA.
The biggest minuses are of course when riding in vehicles and when wearing rucks. The belt kit is not the most comfortable kit to wear in a vehicle, but I can choose to either rough it out, or take it off while in the vehicle. It is easy to put on before we dismount. As for the ruck issue, it all comes down to choosing a ruck that rides high enough to clear the belt kit.

I chose the Tecmac 50 on a hunch, based off of a walkthrough/talk through video online by the retailer, as well as my knowledge of Karrimor quality. The issue ruck we have is too large (120L/7320 cubic inches), and I wanted a smaller ruck. I received it, and it fit my setup perfectly, it is the perfect size for what I need. It has a ton of options and possibilities:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQmgIYh8vOY

The compression sacks in both my ruck and assault pack are used for the following reasons:

  1. Easy to organize gear when packing – easy to separate different items for easy access
  2. Saves space – compressed clothes take up less space

My concept for packing my ruck is based on ease of access and simplicity. The main compartment holds my assault pack and the ECW jacket (in compression sack). The right side PLCE pocket holds one compression sack containing my spare clothes; dry sleep clothing. I dry out the other garments during the night. The left PLCE pocket will hold food, extra water etc. When bivouacking, I can just unzip the side pouches, bring them inside the tent/shelter and leave the rest outside. My toiletries are kept in a zippered pouch in the lid.

If I need to escape, I will just grab my assault pack from my pack and start evading. I should be able to survive for a bit with what I have in my 1st line, 2nd line and the contents of my assault pack.

If you guys have any question, just ask and I’ll try to answer to the best of my ability.

2

Very cool. Thank you for sharing.

3

I don’t have time to read it all at the moment, but gorgeous background.

4

Thanks for sharing, a most informative read.

5

Very good reading. I may have missed it but other than the Nalgene bottle, what do you run for hydration? Specifically, keeping it from freezing overnight.

6

@High Tower:

Good question, and hydration/water supply is a real issue during winter. The biggest danger is the weather itself, as your thirst sensation is reduced. In addition you will also be affected by cold diuresis, further increasing risk of dehydration.

To combat these effects, we need leadership and discipline. We say that winter survival is 20% gear, 80% knowledge.

The first step to stay hydrated is to regulate water intake. Inexperienced leaders will often order people to empty their canteen in one go. This is purely a waste of water, seeing as the ideal intake level of a human is ~1,5 desiliters of fluid every 15 minutes. Excess fluid basically goes right out again. It is also important to not solely drink pure water, but something containing salts to ensure proper electrolyte balance.

What this means in practical terms is that hydration should ideally be done collectively, ordered by the SL. That way he can control that everyone drinks, and he can also regulate water expenditure. However, ideally each soldier will take small sips of water continously.

A 1 liter canteen should last 1 1/2 hours approximately if proper hydration protocol is followed. We also advise soldiers to add snow to their canteen during breaks in movement, to refill it.

A few tricks to avoid water bottles from freezing are:

-Invert it in your pouch. Water freezes where cold air interacts with the surface, so this method will delay the freezing of the opening of the bottle. Works best with bottles that have wider openings.

-Fill the bottle with warm water before moving, and whenever possible; takes longer before it freezes and you expend less energy heating the water after drinking it

-One method that works, although I don’t use it, is to place your bottle in a wool sock and hang it around your neck, next to your body

I personally have a Source bladder in the assault pack, although I rarely fill it during winter. One tip is to run the bladder on the inside of your clothing, people prefer the front, and run the tube along your arm. There is a risk of the bladder bursting if you have do something other than march.

Bottom line is that you have to plan according to the climate, and water resupply will be a limiting factor during winter, as you need to melt snow or have water brought forward. Carrying extra canteens in your ruck is an option, but they will freeze eventually.

7

Those are some great tips - thanks!

8

Thanx for the info and pics. You remind me how much I hate the cold. I type this from Panama.

But seriously, is the 416 a choice because it’s more reliable under such conditions or just a personal choice/you prefer piston driven AR?

Glad you’re on our side!

9

Will- I believe that’s his issue rifle.

Anyhow, on the cold. I’d much rather be cold than hot. At least I can add clothes. You can only take so many off and still be too damn hot.

Arctic1, I love your posts. I’ve lived my entire life in sub-arctic/arctic conditions and I feal a kinship with another arctic dwellere. I don’t have any experience with arctic warfighting, but I do recreate and hunt in winter conditions. I agree with your view points on wool in most cases. Merino wool makes up my base layers and socks. However, from that point on I wear pretty much all synthetics. The ECWCS level 7 tops and bottoms from our military are excellent stuff. I probably wore them for 45 days this year in the field, mostly on snowmobiles.

10

I didn’t think there were many issued 416s these days. Interesting. I should rephrase then if those who issued the rifle did so because it was decide the 416 better in that invironment vs standard AR design or some other reason.

This was my office this morning. You can keep the cold. :cool:

11

HK416N–The N means Norway.:wink:

OP, how do you feel about folding the trigger guard?

12

Arctic-
Very informative post. I like your idea of wool base layer, but why cotton layer for outer clothing?

13

Hopefully Arctic or you don’t mind my interjection. I wear cotton outer “whites” when hunting in the winter. They are much quieter and flexible in very cold temps. Those are my two biggest reasons. They are underlined with layers of wool or synthetics below them. Cotton kills when it’s your base or mid layer, or when it’s above freezing and it can get wet. At 0F it doesn’t really get wet or have any issues for me. I’m looking forward to Arctic’s comments.

As for you Will :smiley: Beer stays colder this way :smiley:

14

@Will Brink:

Like AKDoug and RyanB stated, it is my issue rifle. As to wether or not it is more a reliable than a DI design I don’t know, but it did beat out the C8, G36KV, SIG 551, Steyr AUG, FN F2000 during the trials. We have purchased close to 42.000 rifles, most with the 16.5" barrels, a few thousand 10.5" guns and a few HK416S rifles, with 20" barrels.

They have worked great so far, from up here in the arctic to the rugged terrain in Afghanistan.

@AKDoug and rdbse:

I am living proof that the “cotton kills” idea is a myth! :wink:

To be serious though, in my original post I stated “cotton-based”, as in not hard shell-based. The uniforms I use are normally NYCO or something similar. I would never use a 100% cotton uniform, or use cotton next to the skin.

Hard shell-based uniforms have a few positives:

-Very good water and wind resistance
-Lightweight
-Dries quickly

In my view, the negatives outweigh the positives:

-Cold
-Not very durable
-Poor breathing properties
-Loses wind and water resistance with use

For a hard shell uniform to work properly, ie. for moisture to pass through the membrane, there needs to be higher pressure inside than outside. That means that the uniform needs to be sealed up, which in turn means no using all of the fancy pit zips and other ventilation options. This leads to a lot of moisture being trapped inside the uniform and inside the membrane, leading to your clothing becoming wet, and your uniform freezing. When the membrane is frozen, no moisture will escape at all, further compounding the issue.

The same issue happens when the membrane becomes polluted from sweat and grime, no moisture is able to escape.

You can use all the ventilating features, but moisture will still be trapped inside the uniform, because you are wearing all your gear preventing the “chimney” principle from working.

Lastly, the outer layer of the uniform is not extremely abrasion resistant, and wears out quickly when wearing all the gear and doing infantry stuff, resulting in reduced water resistance and reduced wind resistance.

I’m not saying that for certain climates/weather types that it isn’t a good option, it is very good when it is from +10C to -10C. Colder or warmer, I’m not touching shell uniforms.

In my experience, a NYCO type uniform is the best overall uniform, when combined with a light weight rainsuit. During winter our white overalls do that job, for summer we are getting a light weight rain suit.

Weight quickly adds up if you have to carry both your NYCO uniform and your hard shell uniform, to be able to switch based on the climate/weather.

For me, a well designed NYCO uniform has many positives:

-Lightweight
-Breathes well
-Dries realtively quickly
-Takes a lot of abuse
-Ok wind and water resistance
-Warmer

Negatives:

-Retains some moisture
-Needs more maintenance to retain wind and water resistance

I have used NYCO uniforms for 11 years in the military, rarely used our Gore-Tex uniform, and it works very well. Before 2005 we didn’t have synthetic uniforms, so we have used a cotton based uniform for most of our modern military’s history.

15

Arctic,

Do you DWR your NYCO uniform? Or do you just have your rainsuit to throw on if you’re actually getting some liquid precipitation?

Also, what material is the rainuit if not Gortex?

Great thread, btw. Nice minimal kit.

16

Thanx for the info Arctic. Is there a particular lube used for the climate?

PS, My mothers name was Inga, and her side of family all from Norway.

17

No doubt, but it’s something I’m willing to suffer for the other benefits. :stuck_out_tongue:

18

I have never treated my uniform with anything. It’s a single layer rip-stop fabric, so it dries quite rapidly except for the knees and elbows, where there is a double layer for reinforcement.

I will put on my rain anorak if there is a lot of rain. Otherwise I just stay wet. The winter over-whites are also water and wind resistant.

I’m not sure what the material is, but it’s a nylon type fabric.

@Will Brink:

We are issued and use BreakFree CLP. It works very well.

That’s cool that your family on your mother’s side is from Norway! I have some family on my mother’s side who immigrated to the US over a century ago (Portland, OR and Spokane, WA), and were naturalized citizens. My mother’s uncle also immigrated to the US in the 60’s, to New York, and became a US citizen as well. So I have family on both coasts.

19

There’s a fair amount of CLP hate out there I have noticed. Never used it myself, but sounds like it gets the job done for you in those rugged and cold conditions.

My mothers side form Norway immigrated to Maine, so from one cold ass (but beautiful) place to another basically. You’d feel at home in Maine in the winter. :wink:

20

Thanks for the info Arctic. I didn’t realize what NYCO was and looked it up. I have several garments that have similar civilian type fabrics. One of the things I really like about the ECW coat I wear is that it breaths and wicks away moisture. I wear it as a top layer often as in that photo above. You don’t have the options a civilian recreationist has, so your mission drives your gear more than mine does. I love to hear what other arctic countries are doing for clothing.