The stuff the Army issues is Excellent!

[noneck]

We reserve the title "Dancing Bear" for someone else at 1650 Burrard. I guess a title that transcends Regimental History!

 

[daftandbarmy]

And speaking of mess tins, I'm here to tell you that the CF mess tins were about the best in the world - and as you can tell I've eaten out of my fair share of mess tins.

Here is why:

1) They are strong enough to survive any parachute descent, undented, in the outside pocket of a bergen
2) The corners are smaller, resulting in a nice, even, precise pour into one's metal mug, thermos, or someone else's mess tin
3) For some reason, the metal was far easier to scrub clean (in the unlikely event that you had the need to clean them outside of a course)
4) You can fit both mess tins into a C9 pouch, or the equivalent
5) The metal handles seemed sturdier than the competitor's mess tins
6) They are strong enough to be used for driving tent pegs, digging shell scrapes or leaving on an open fire roasting raw meat in for hours without deforming (don't ask me how I know)

 

[Danjanou]

We reserve the title "Dancing Bear" for someone else at 1650 Burrard. I guess a title that transcends Regimental History!

Actually I never held the title of Dancing Bear during my tenure in Cinderellas Castle On Burrard, there was a lot of competition back then. Now the CSM was shockedimpressed by my skills on the dance floor at the Old Harp and Heather.

Back on topic, I'll agree re the old Bren  pouches. I hated them when first issued and quickly replaced them with M-14 pouches after a trip to Ft Lewis. However they made a comeback and I rigged them on both my 64 and 84 pattern. By the time I turned the stuff in there were 4 on there to carry all the crap that came with being a CSM (mine tape, glow sticks, plasti cuffs etc) as well as ammo, and stuff that went bang or boom.  I still have them in the box marked army crap out in the garden shed.

 

[GAP]

And speaking of mess tins, I'm here to tell you that the CF mess tins were about the best in the world - and as you can tell I've eaten out of my fair share of mess tins.

Here is why:

1) They are strong enough to survive any parachute descent, undented, in the outside pocket of a bergen
2) The corners are smaller, resulting in a nice, even, precise pour into one's metal mug, thermos, or someone else's mess tin
3) For some reason, the metal was far easier to scrub clean (in the unlikely event that you had the need to clean them outside of a course)
4) You can fit both mess tins into a C9 pouch, or the equivalent
5) The metal handles seemed sturdier than the competitor's mess tins
6) They are strong enough to be used for driving tent pegs, digging shell scrapes or leaving on an open fire roasting raw meat in for hours without deforming (don't ask me how I know)

did the raw meat have a scaly tail attached?

 

[OldSolduer]

Cup, Canteen.

I've had many a mocha in mine on TQ 6B.

 

[Bass ackwards]

Cup, Canteen.

I've had many a mocha in mine on TQ 6B.

I had always disliked hot chocolate until someone handed me a "cup, canteen" full of the stuff one wintry night in Shilo in '83/84. I've enjoyed it ever since.
That same winter -after being sent from the Battleschool to 3RCHA (still in Shilo...sigh)- I remember, one night on an exercise, being sent from the gun to the kitchen truck. Standing in line with a slung FN and the "cup, canteen" I had been told to make sure I had, wondering what this was all about  -until the guy in the truck poured a concoction of dark rum, butter, brown sugar and hot water into aforementioned cup.
Heavenly!
For twenty-odd years, I've been trying with varying degrees of success to recreate that wondeful elixir I tasted that night. 

 

[daftandbarmy]

Cup, Cateen - yes, first class. The British 44 pattern metal mug is awful in comparison. You have to layer 'black maskers' on the rim to avoid roasting your lips. Similar problems occur with the equivalent Norwegian and German products.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Never thought I'd hear myself say this, but the old 'rubber' raingear is quite good. Too bad they didn't come out with this a couple of decades ago instead of the old 'cellophane' grade rainsuit we had to use.

Far easier to carry than the new heavyweight CTS breathable stuff, especially if you're dismounted infantry. If we had a lightweight triple layer breathable suit issued as in the UK and US, instead of the breathable Iron Man suit we have now, I wouldn't be posting this.

The old rubber suit is guaranteed to keep the water out and warmth in. Gore-tex can only take so much pounding from the 'Wet Coast' monsoons before it gives out. I've taken it on a couple of civvy expeditions and it made my day...or week in one case. It's nice and baggy too, so it's easy to pull on quickly over your other kit, and the elastic waist belt's a good idea that I've never seen incorporated into an equivalent product from other countries.

I've still got my set in my ruck with a 'when all else fails' sticker on it.

 

[PanaEng]

Never thought I'd hear myself say this, but the old 'rubber' ...

Well, by what I read from other posters, this may not agree with them but I have another "Never thought I'd hear myself say this, but the old 'rubber' " boots 'gummby.'  They were great in at least one situation. I was on my 5A in Chilliwack - rainy season and we spent a few days doing defencive works and living in trenches (until we got evicted by the rising water table). Suddenly they were the best piece of kit we had. Hip waders would have come in handy during that course.

 

[armyvern]

You mean the "old" still-in-the-system-boots-rubber-gumby-that-were-indeed-awesome-but-that-don't fit-over-our-new-footwear boots yes?  >

 

[PanaEng]

Yes, but I don't want to see a few pallets of them show up at my front door...  ;D

 

[daftandbarmy]

You mean the "old" still-in-the-system-boots-rubber-gumby-that-were-indeed-awesome-but-that-don't fit-over-our-new-footwear boots yes?  >

Running shoes fit. Not too tactical, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

 

[BDTyre]

I had always disliked hot chocolate until someone handed me a "cup, canteen" full of the stuff one wintry night in Shilo in '83/84. I've enjoyed it ever since.
That same winter -after being sent from the Battleschool to 3RCHA (still in Shilo...sigh)- I remember, one night on an exercise, being sent from the gun to the kitchen truck. Standing in line with a slung FN and the "cup, canteen" I had been told to make sure I had, wondering what this was all about  -until the guy in the truck poured a concoction of dark rum, butter, brown sugar and hot water into aforementioned cup.
Heavenly!
For twenty-odd years, I've been trying with varying degrees of success to recreate that wondeful elixir I tasted that night.   

We had that one night on an exercise.  It really helped too because it was an awkward brigade/IBTS ex that involved a lot of standing around in the snow and wondering how you could stop your toes from freezing.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Well, this one isn't so much WHAT the army issues but HOW.

I ordered a bunch of kit from Logistik Unicorp, online, and it arrived within a week. AND it all fits. Amazing.

Is there any reason why we can't have this online order system as an option for all our kit?

 

[Ecco]

Is there any reason why we can't have this online order system as an option for all our kit?

Long story short, the answer is CADPAT/ops eqpt disposal regulations: Nobody cares about what happens to your DEU.  Not the case with ops clothing.
The second part is that the CF supply system must be able to provide the op kit in deployed and dangerous conditions.  We may not always have the luxury of civilians running the clothing store in theater (CANCAP).

You will see more and more items go on the Consolidated Clothing Contract (3C) from time to time, but there won't be much ops clothing.

 

[armyvern]

AND it all fits. Amazing.

Yes, it is amazing ... considering that your sizes propogate to the Logistik system via peoplesoft from the CFSS sizes on your CF clothing docs which are maintained by your local supporting clothing stores. 

And, well they should be getting it to you in 5 days --- keeping their contract depends on it!! Also remember that in the grand scheme of things -- Logisitk-Unicorp is a vast civilian enterprise which is NOT subject to federal bureaucracy that the Canadian Forces Supply System is ... and that "we" - the CF - are a mere drop in their bucket ... the CF being one of their smallest customers.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Long story short, the answer is CADPAT/ops eqpt disposal regulations: Nobody cares about what happens to your DEU.  Not the case with ops clothing.
The second part is that the CF supply system must be able to provide the op kit in deployed and dangerous conditions.  We may not always have the luxury of civilians running the clothing store in theater (CANCAP).

You will see more and more items go on the Consolidated Clothing Contract (3C) from time to time, but there won't be much ops clothing.

Well, the army's never had a problem at tracking me down in  the past when they want something back from me, so I don't see why they couldn't hit me up for the Tac Vest I have on issue whether it was sent to me by Fed Ex or issued by a storeman.

 

[armyvern]

Well, the army's never had a problem at tracking me down in  the past when they want something back from me, so I don't see why they couldn't hit me up for the Tac Vest I have on issue whether it was sent to me by Fed Ex or issued by a storeman.

The issue isn't with you - the issue is with the fact that cadpat is subject to CTAT/ITAR - meaning that employees working at civ companies dealing with it need security checks done. The civ company's handling our items like that need to be certified. They also need to certify their employees or any "visitors" to their business' who would come into contact with our controlled goods - or prevent those visitors from coming into contact.

http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/showdoc/cr/SOR-2001-32/bo-ga:s_1_1//en#anchorbo-ga:s_1_1

DEU, of course, is subject to none of these regulations and that's why it's so much easier to go the civ supplier/provider route.

As for the Army tracking you down - you wouldn't believe the numbers of troops now who come in to ask for new issues of cadpat and when asked where their stuff to exchange is say "I threw it in the garbage" ... it's absolutely amazing how thick in the skull some troops are. You may not be one of them ... but I can only imagine how many would come out of the woodwork that I've yet to meet should their cadpat get delivered to their door - there's a whole bunch of them who really would take that as a signal to chuck out all their other stuff. Sure, we could track them down looking for it, but if they've already tossed it, donated it (yep - we've had them do that too  :) or given it away -- it's a little too late to be tracking them down - the stuff is already gone out where it shouldn't be.

 

[geo]

If I had a troop tell me "I threw it in the trash"..... I'd send him dumpster diving AND would certainly look at ways of developing his mind - so that same said error won't happen again.

 

[armyvern]

If I had a troop tell me "I threw it in the trash"..... I'd send him dumpster diving AND would certainly look at ways of developing his mind - so that same said error won't happen again.

This is why I experience aneurysms weekly ...  :-\