Our friend from Soldier Systems dropped me a line to give us a head’s up on his latest post on the Asymmetric Warfare Group’s equipping initiative to select troops in Afghanistan. He asked that we cross post it here for our readers to review.
Basically, the way I understand it, the AWG has been looking at off-the-shelf items primarily from the mountaineering and custom tactical community to lighten the load of the average Joe in combat environments like Afghanistan. Everything from boots to buckles, the AWG’s list is impressive.
My colleague Matt Cox at Army Times has written about some of this, but I’m not sure he had the space to include all of the items…but in this Internet age, we can.
There have been numerous questions floating about the equipment chosen for the Armys Asymmetric Warfare Group fielding of a battalions worth of lightweight COTS equipment to the 4th ID for their current deployment to Afghanistan. In an effort to dispel any rumors, we got a list of the equipment issued but have removed sensitive materials including any references to armor.
Smartwool
Mens Sport NTS Crew T-Shirt
Mens Sport NTS Bottom
Mens Microweight NTS Crew Long Sleeved T-Shirt
Mens Microweight NTS Long Underwear Drawers
Mens Microweight NTS Tee
Mens Microweight Boxer
Socks PhD Outdoor Light Crew
Socks PhD Outdoor Medium Crew
Arcteryx
Knee Caps (Green/Grey)
Merrell
Mens Chameleon EVO Mid Gore Tex
Womens Chameleon ARC Mid Gore Tex
Asolo
Mens Fugitive GTX
Womens Stynger GTX
Suunto
M-3 DL Handheld Compass
Wrist Watch GPS X10
Garmin
ETREX Vista HCX
Petzl
Headlamp TACTIKKA XP
Surefire
Weapon Light M600C (kit)
Magpul
Magazine (PMAG)
Aimpoint
Optic Micro T1 w/ Larue mount
Mountain Hardwear
Phantom 45 Sleeping bag
Nemo
GoGo Shelter, Olive Drab
Mystery Ranch
3 Day Assault Packs w/ Bolsters
Read the rest of the list HERE…
Ha! I saw pics of a 4ID guy with a T-1 on his M4.
Mystery solved.
Alright, your friendly civilian backpacker and tech nerd here, I would love to put a list together to compare with this, but if you’re into the whole brevity thing I’ll just fire off a couple of thoughts that might help this list out.
That bag seems like too high of a temp rating, check out the Marmot Helium, 800+ down, 15 degrees, barelay over a pound, samller than a loaf of bread, badass.
That bivy is a POS, those Nemo go-go, granted I haven’t used one, but the main support ‘pole’ is an inflatable tube, totally worthless when you get a hole in it, really ruin your day if you’re in the ‘stan. Check out instead the Outdoor Research Advanced Bivy Sack, a full gortex tough as nails bivy. Its like your own little FOB.
Let me know what you think but I love the ideal they are looking into the civilian backpacking community for gear, there are a lot of high quality items. Just watch out for gimmicks, like inflatable poles.
Preston Gross-Rhode
Hessens Innenminister Volker Bouffier (CDU) hat vor m
Nothing from Lightfighter.com? this list is full of FAIL!
That watch beats the old school “glow in the dark” OD Greeen issue one I got. Bummer.
Seen this yet?:
Remains Identified as Navy Capt. Michael Scott Speicher:
http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=47359
also
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090802/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_gulf_war_missing_pilot
Showing up For Sale in shops across the border in Pakland soon… after a convoy gets robbed.