In this video I break down my patrol load out, as well as talk a little bit about philosophy of chest rigs and infantry considerations. Enjoy! And stay tuned for more break downs in the future!
I spent 25 years as an 11B. 2 combat deployments to Iraq. I have been in small scout/ sniper sections and conventional Light Infantry Platoons. For the life of me I cannot get onboard with these minimalistic kits. I feel naked without the means to sustain immediately on my body. Great review and great overview.
It amazes me how far the load bearing equipment has become. I was in the military in the 70's to late 80's. I was first issued the cotton "H" harness and matching web belt, mag pouches, butt pack with 2 metal canteens, a K-bar or M-16 bayonet and small pouches for first aid and compass. Also a poncho "L" shaped angle flashlight and steel helmet to top it all off.
Trust me. What he is not telling you or SHOWING you is what your midline looks like after about hours and what it FEELS like in 4 let alone humping or patrolling. Even when you harness it correctly it still is a "MotherFuqer"
Yep in the 80s throu 91 we had Web Gear and Flak Jackets keft over from Vietnam War, we did upgrade to M16A-2 No Scopes (unless you were Special Forces or a Sniper) HMMV's with Canvas top and doors. We did have a nice Pack though the Alice packs were lightweight and comfortable.Yep nobody had Plates yet
about to make this my squads SOP for kit, been a squad leader for about a year now and have had to learn all of this over years of being in. I greatly appreciate this video
Very interesting to see how the gear is changing from plate carriers to high speed sustainment systems. Feels like we are going back to our Vietnam roots with modern updates. Thank you for taking the time to make this. Looking forward to the plate carrier video. Rah!
Outstanding video Marine. Semper Fi. I can't guess your rank but I'm willing to bet you are "that guy" that everyone in the company relies on for survival/sustainment/gear expertise. When I left in 2016 most infantry guys were just carrying the bare minimum or less, admin pouches were nonexistent, taps weren't issued, and NVGs went in the cargo pocket (with J arms in the bottom of the ruck). Radios weren't really carried by anyone short of squad leaders. IFAKs stayed in the sealed bag. When guys made rank and had to carry more stuff it seemed like they were just fighting against the issued kit and their enlisted common sense telling them "ounces equal pounds". I agree that at some point the battle between armor coverage and sustainment is going to tip in favor of the latter. It's scary to think about Marines going light on a two way range but it may very well happen
Outstanding video Marine! Good closing comments. The casualty rating went down by 80% in the Vietnam War after they adopted the Flak. Fragmentation and shrapnel deaths were common prior to the Flak. Intermediate Pool Comp was a gut check. My hope is that they adopt the maritime lightweight buoyant plates that NAVSPECWAR has for our Naval Infantrymen for the coming Pacific/ Asian theatre War. Your Story is Written in Stone. Semper Fi.
Been enjoying your series. I retired 20 years ago so seeing the new gear and thought process has been enjoyable. I also appreciate that you have two canteens plus a bladder. I’ve seen many a video where the gear has zero water on it. I would never go anywhere with just a bladder. They pop too easy.
Videos from Ukraine portray the importance of body armor. The next war may be fought in trenches. Artillery and mortar shrapnel casualties could be reduced with body armor. Looking forward to your plate carrier & rucksack videos.
@@kentallard8852At first, not only US but 35-country coalition. At second, Russia had excellence in quantity and quality of air forces, but could not realize it against Ukraine air forces and air defence. That was the main reason why now they have to fight on the ground in trenches like in the WWI/WWII. This show us, that modern conventional war still is not very blitzkrieg, like many war theorists thought before WWI/WWII. It is still trenches, but with camicadze drones and satellite intelligence. Infantry still rules.
@@woodsghost9088 evidently the Taliban is far more responsible than we are. We can’t be trusted with even “semi-auto” firearms… but dirka dirka Muhammad jihad can
Good. I deploy US FLC vest : 2* Triple M4 magazine pouches + 2* canteen pouches ( with 2* Nalgene Oasis) + 1* rear side admin pouch. Very balanced load-out similar with TAPS present here.
Looking at what the British have done for the last 30 years with kit makes me wanna try that loadout, In hot environments you can go 2-3 days without a pack like that
Really love all your video's and gear and the way you lay it all out while yo go into details and reasons for all of it. I notice you answer almost all your comments which not a lot of even good channels do. I think it helps people learn and get Info on gear. Keep it up man you Rock.
I dont see the army doing well in the next war. i see every day what their infantry has been reduced to nowadays. i pray the Corps doesn’t desecrate itself the same way.
@@TheGruntPerspective You can neutralize the flavor with a pinch of vitamin c after the purification process. Grunt in Vietnam started adding Koolade to theirs not knowing it was the vitamin c doing the trick.
Depends on how you fight and where, what season, what your role is. Fighting straight leg it’s good to have the larger rig, but if you know your out of a vehicle particularly a Bradley, LAV or striker then it becomes a good idea to not have a smaller rig for ease of going in and out of the vehicle. Fighting as a company commander means a different kit than squad automatic rifleman in a fireteam.
@@TheGruntPerspective I look forward to seeing it. I’ve done straight leg, then ops out of humvees in Iraq, then commissioned in the guard and have been part of the mech community since; but the only way they’ll send me out to do infantry stuff again is as a Bradley company commander (but I just finished a company command slot), or in a Bradley as a BN S3.
I was telling my guys in my scout (19D) platoon before i got out the guard, we need to prepare and train for a conventional war, that means carring canteens, instead of camel bags, E-tools in our rucks or assault packs, more ammo, compasses, protractors, a fix blade or even better a bayonet that can cut wire. When i was the poggiest of pogs back in the BDU days, even i had a buttpack, with just the basics mre bag, and a poncho. But i was maintenance pog so if i would have been in the shit then things would have gone drastically wrong. Technology is good to have but it's not good to depend on, it sucks carrying all that extra stuff but sucks more if you don't have it and you need it Edit for grammatical errors
@@TheGruntPerspective i just hope that none of your guys ever have to deal with NBC or CBRN or whatever they call now, that's its probably the worst scenario for our young service members
I believe that you should completely wire your radio through your chest canis to allow you to plug that straight into your headset, and I think that would just make it a lot more convenient than any other way
I run ARs and AKs so I have chest rig load outs for each platform and can throw that over a slick plate carrier if I want armor. May be doing something where getting in a fight isn't likely and don't want the weight and bulk of plates.
Great video, but there is small but important problem. Your TQ is not folded correctly ;) Time strap should be on edge so it is faster to deploy and use tq.
I’m waiting for belts with harness and flack vests ti come back around myself.. I’m not a fan of chest rigs.. it’s a small bridge between a plate carrier and deuce gear that really answers a question never asked.. h harness and belt carry better with more versatility then a chest rig. You can always add a flack, chest rig or plate Carrier over a good m deuce setup to add more capacity wo ever changing your initial and essential gear.. you also have way less interference concerns when adding a ruck. The Brit’s did it the right way.. they kept the belt and added to it.. I think one should have all three and the plate carrier should be able to have the chest rig attached or detracted quickly for various needs.. but we need ti stop working from chest down and start working from belt up again and I do think eventually that is where we are headed back to as the age of quick hit vehicle born door kicking ends and more conventional trench type ware fare increases
Do a little more research. What you’re “waiting for” is already standard issue. The TAPS shown here can be worn with an H harness, or it can be set up to attach to the issue vest. The vest can be worn with or without plates. The system includes a belt too.
@@coryhoggatt7691clearly you’re the one needing more research..one you’re responding to a random comment made to a video prob a year ago.. and doing so very I won’t say I’ll informed but rather so not even understanding the context of the conversation being had. Last thing.. takes about a 2sec google search on the taps systems to come up with the realization it fits no one.. there are no less then 100 companies that modify them to work as good as it can. That still has absolutely nothing to do with talking about older school jungle type gear work on the belt around the waste via harness if some sort.. See you’re still stuck on the entire concept of a chest rig.. I was actually going down the road of a belt system not a chest system.. The Brit’s have about the best load bearing system out there.. they wear a slick carrier with an old school harnesses belt system. Things carry better around the waist.. and more so larger more universal pouches are way more useful the smaller purpose built pouches. Chest mounted carriers have one and only one use and I’ve got zero clue how they got to where they are currently.. that’s when dawning a full ruck you can’t wear a belt system.. that is seriously the only advantage.. If you feel differently then I invite you come to Florida do some training with me and realize that you want nothing on your upper torso cause of heat. Plates are a secondary not a primary.. People talk about first like a second line and that thinking is ass backwards.. you want to be able to breath and you want mobility.. 99% if the time.. the only fn time you actually have any advantage wearing chest mounted shit is cqb or if you’re the driver of a rig cause it’s fucking hard as fuck to sit with a belt mounted system.. This is why you see law enforcement making that change.. that is the right move for them considering 99% of thier day is spent in a vehicle.. Last thing you clearly never served had to wear this shit real time or if you did it was minimal use.. cause fucking no one wears this this type of shit once over seas and they get more leeway on what they carry and how they carry it.. Takes months of dawning this shit to realize how useless and cumbersome it is at everything.. You want to layer up per the situation but have the .01% if situations be the standard and that is where all branch’s have gone. Jesus you got 2 years now of the war in Ukraine.. go look at what those troops are wearing now compared to what they did 2 years ago.. Seriously you say I need more respect and at the time of you responding to this it would’ve taken you 2min to realize and somewhat understand the things I said and why I said then..
TAPS Chest Rig loadout 8 magazines Two canteens Headlamp Camo face paint Two flat pack tape rolls (100 MPH tape) Bic Lighter and whistle Israeli bandage/Cravat and signal mirror Potable aqua tabs 2 Tourniquets Multi-tool Map of AO/PACE beads 550 cord Small sharpie Red light Orange air panel Water bags (3) 1 liter Liquid IV Small fire kit with tinder, ferro, striker Space blanket in plastic bag wrapped with tape Batteries (4 AA, 4 123A) Insect repellent wipes IFAK
Brother you should check out the the airborne version if you can find one. I chose one over the tap and if you run 7.62 pouches or the tactical tailor universal mag pouches you can have an extremely flexible piece of kit.
What do you think about wearing your FLC or TAPS over your plate carrier/IOTV? That's basically SOP for anybody using issued stuff in my unit. You can use buckles to secure the FLC/TAPS to the plate carrier/IOTV to minimize excess strap.
It can be done well if you upgrade the harness on your taps to an h harness. All in all I think it’s a good idea though, it allows for you to have a patrol load and an assault load. I’ve done this many times personally where I wear my taps and carry my plate carrier in my pack completely slick. When it comes time to do so I stop, adjust my harness on my taps a bit, and throw my armor on under my taps.
You should also put your iMac in a fanny pack as that will allow to wear it separately so if you don’t have your fighting gear on, you can still have your IFAK with you all times
great video and kit! im new to gear and im looking to get a TAPS for myself and build it very similarly to yours, do you happen to remember what kind of pouches you have and where you got them, or maybe some recommendations?
Hey man question. I'm with u about wearing belt with PC. If u don't wear it with taps do u just run ur side arm holster on normal belt? I Kno military always aren't issued side arms but I'm tryna force it just because plus I don't have sop. I run a pretty stuff belt normally so I could just run a holster on it. What's ur take?
No I don’t, the reason I dont wear I a belt is because most the time when I’m wearing this kit I’m doing pretty heavy patrolling. Most the time with pack and hip belt on so I can’t wear both. What I’ve done in the past is remove on of my mags and put my pistol inside a mag pouch.
Damn that's what they issue these days? That shit looks like mid and lower back problems galore. Why didn''t they simply embrace the RRV like we did during GWOT and OIF/OEF? I ran the eagle RRV for... close to 12 years. Shit worked fine, and my back never complained about it, till this day (it bitches about the rest of the shit I had to carry though). Sucks that you guys can't choose kit. Back then we gave zero fucks, and if we could get ahold of it, we ran it regardless of what COC said. I got my first RRV from a SEAL who took a liking to me, even though I was a Ranger. He was like "fuck that shit. I just lost this, here ya go" And I was like "damn for real? Thanks!" Blackhawk made one that could carry a hard plate, and once I got ahold of that I used it nearly every patrol.
@@TheGruntPerspective ah. Ok. I'll never understand why line units aren't just given guidelines and a equipment allowance rather than issuing kit. What works for one person doesn't necessarily work for another, and so long as the guidelines are met, it shouldn't matter what manufacturer is being worn. But, big army I guess. Gotta justify that military industrial complex somehow, right? Stumbled across your video while researching what kit grunts get issued today, since my nephew just joined up and he's asking for my advice. Told him "I'm old as fuck, kid. Idk what the fuck they give you guys today, let me find out". Now i know.
@@lincolnpascual all of the developments in gear the last 20 years has gone towards plate carriers, our load bearing gear is a bit behind the curve right now
@@TheGruntPerspective in watching the video of your belt right now... seems like you could sort out a lot of that shit with a modern version of the old Alice gear. I'm thinking... 2 piece battle belt with suspenders on the outer (inner with velcro to minimize bounce and quick don/doff) and load that bitch down with the essentials for warfighting. You can still toss a plate carrier over it if needed, and dump the whole kit in an emergency as well. If I can find a good H harness, I'm going to see if I can mock one up. Test it on my nephew... he's still both legs. But the hips are far better at load distribution that the shoulders and back, and i can't imagine carrying all the standard gear PLUS mission/job specific gear as well all on a plate carrier. The old JPC I still have can't carry much more than ammo and water without getting absurdly heavy. Hell I still use my old RRV/Ruck combo when i go hunting, camping or hiking (the sum of my current physical activities). Still gets the job done and done well. I think they're using a similar setup in Ukraine right now on both sides.
You make an interesting point at the beginning regarding standards of carry for past conflicts. I got a redundant question because you showed us in the video. But If you could change the carry standard off of the Infantry T&R standard for the assault load, what would you add to it? Would you add anything else to it that isn’t in the vid?
We could not keep SOP supply pushed up in Desert Storm, even before the ground fight started. Always a rear POG holding back or an OIC more worried about rear area officer call than takning care of his foward Marines.
If you take a look at my taps kit upgrades video, I explain it there! But in short it’s just malice clips attached to the webbing on the pouch and on the chest rig
Maybe covered in a comment response but no way to search the 239 comments (as of writing) made. I am not in military. It appears you have all the basics covered except food. Since this is a SOL setup, it seems like that should be included. Is there a reason you don't carry something like a protein power bar or even protein power powder in your TAPS? Those would seem light weight and that you would need fuel for your body to sustain. You could obviously forage but that takes time and, in some areas, might have limited availability. Love to hear your thoughts.
I think that in a future conventional war soft armour will be used instead of plates as it is lighter and provides protection from artillery fragmentation threats.
I’d rather carry an extra 20 pounds of water and ammo, then an extra 20 pounds of hard plates. It definitely depends on what you’re doing though, obviously in an urban environment hard plates are going to be worth it. In other environments like mountains or jungle..maybe not so much?
Quick question, where can i find those LBT buckled mag pouches. I'm not finding any one my search, if you have extras or something lmk I'll buy it off you.
Haley strategic MP2’s , they fit perfectly in the center 4 pouches with no additional retention required on them. If you try to put them in all 6 mag pouches though the 1st and 6th ones will kinda bind up though
@@TheGruntPerspective ya. Ive used tabs and other purification. I just got a new pair of the caps. Not tried them yet.. freezing is bad for sawyer minis n such. So was curious if caps were grunt proof.. thanks.
@@TheGruntPerspective I get it thanks for that info and reply your channel is now my favorite with gear knowledge or battle rattle lol. there's another channel that I like but it's more survival and field craft and its called Ranger survival and field craft, its great, have you seen it?
Still don't get how you guys carry everything on your chest. How are you able to stay low, crawl, climb through windows, go flat over walls, etc. without this getting in the way?
thank you so much for you insight, they do look large in size, I'm Australian we are unable to test these things thank you. i like your video on field jackets VS combat jackets. if i may say it seems misleading to call a combat uniform a combat uniform as they are much less durable .one would think to them self-hay it's got the word combat in it well then it must be good they could call it a fob uniform or even a garrison uniform. @@TheGruntPerspective
That’s why the infantry is a young man’s job. It definitely is but unfortunately there isn’t really a good way to get round the weight burden and still carry the stuff you need. Especially with body armor. Belt kit is probably the best way to go but American military’s don’t really do that on a broad scale anymore. Hopefully in the future.
