pah… if you ain’t won it, you ain’t nuffink.
little karribiner? check.
little glowy light thing on zip puller? check.
huge lengths of brightly coloured climbing cord on every zip puller? check.
depends on what you want to use it for…
if you want it to carry your lunch and waterproofs while you’re at your local range, then it will be fine, if you want to repeatedly fill it to maximum capacity, repeatedly get it wet, repeatedly carry it for long periods while its full of heavy stuff, and repeatedly scuff it on rocks and the like, then it will probably start to fall apart in short order.
while you don’t always get what you pay for, you rarely - unless you go second hand on eBay - get what you don’t pay for.
i’d be suprised if a BCB bag lasted a year as a school bag, lets put it like that…
I’m tempted to order one for the ‘collection’, if I do I will report back.
1 Like
Combat trousers are horrendous. You can pick up a cheap pair of cargo trousers from sports direct for cheap enough. I am not saying go get the latest set of Montane Gucci clothes.
Lightweight, comfortable and quick drying. They check all my boxes. They are also free, which is a big plus to those families on low incomes. We all know you have some kind of aversion to PCS, but some of us find it perfectly acceptable. You really need to accept that.
3 Likes
combat trousers - and you can use pretty much anything else as an example - are funtionally acceptable, and freely available. civilian walking trousers - and if you can find a pair under £25 or so that are better than a pair of combats i’ll give you a lollipop - are not free.
about 25% of the cadets on my sqn have real problems funding school uniform, at least 10% of the cadets in my sqn come from homes where there is no central heating or more than a days food in the house.
its also about 40 miles (two hours by car, innaccessible by public transport) from my Sqn to a sports direct, rather more to a Go Outdoors, and vastly further to a Decathlon.
so, with absolutely no respect whatsoever, you can emphasis off with your ‘combats are crap, you should buy X, Y or Z’ attitude.
1 Like
Cheaply made, easily torn, made by the lowest bidder, uncomfortable, absolute pain in the hoop. Why do you need quick drying? Your on adventure training, you have waterproofs. You aren’t going to be cutting any wet and dry details.
Asda George used to do a decent cargo type trouser, doesn’t break the bank.
If you don’t want cadets to spend money, and that’s a fair one. Provide an AT budget. You could arrange a bulk buy for some cheap clothing. Or take donations.
Now, if you were talking about Goretex, yea that’s a fair one, I could see your point. Because goretex is horrendously priced. But even still. Adventure training. Not field training.
I am not saying buy anything. I resented having to buy so much crap when I was in the mob, when everything was supposed to be issued. But the emphasis should be on not wearing military clothing. Wear OGs if you want to go down the military route.
You want cadets to go on trips? Provide the correct PPE then.
And I was replying more to the Military don’t like combats for AT. Cadets are a special little bunch of people, that sometimes can get away with it.
I have seen lads crack AT in tracksuit bottoms. You can make do.
I haven’t torn any in a long time, and like I said, I find them comfortable. I need quick drying because I don’t like wearing waterproof trousers. Pain to put on and just make you hot. I prefer trousers that will dry quickly after getting a bit damp.
Like I said - YOU may not like them, OTHERS do.
1 Like
Cheers dits.
I don’t like them because I spent a long time in them, and saw their limits and abused a fair amount of sets. They aren’t special and there is a lot better out there. Especially for civvie AT.
People who wear combats are wannabes or Walt’s. There’s no need for it. It’s like all these middle aged blokes that go “prepping” and end up buying all the military gear and just looking like a melon.
Right. Take it off this topic please people. Back to bags.
If you can stretch to £60 Sports Direct sell the Karrimor SF Predator 30L in green and black (you’ll probably have to order it in tho). The Sabre, which is similar but without the Molle, is about £70.
If you want or are Ok with MTP/DPM for £40 my advice would be to get the issue PRI 45L bergen on eBay - they do come up - or an NI Patrol Pack. I saw some PRIs in Desert DPM recently for about £25. Would be fine with a cover on it.
1 Like
theres a rather tasty looking Lowe Alpine Strike Patrol 40ltr pack in DPM on fleabay at the mo - £40 as a buy it now price…
it will last forever and no one else will have one.
a somewhat leftfield option would be the Alpkit Gourdon 30ltr in Kelp Green… its a true daysack in that its not big enough to do bivvies etc… and carry all the rubbish that staff end up carrying, but it has two significant positive features - its entirely waterproof, and you can roll it up and put it in the top pocket of your bergen…
i’ve got one that i use quite a lot on the farm - its remarkably robust, and it keeps my stuff dry without having to mess about with drybags. i also use it on backpacking trips,it carries my waterproofs, duvet jacket and lunch and just slots under the lid or gets strapped to the outside of my rucksack, it means i can ditch my massive rucksack and go for a wander.