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My own personal loadout... and yes, it's bloody heavy!

Update: My loadout has changed!

I have, since this was written a couple of years ago, since changed my webbing from PLCE, to the South African M-83 Assault Vest, and, more recently, to a Wyvern All Arms Assault Vest (review to follow), so the loadout has changed a bit (OK, so I'm getting older, but the all-up weight is NOT the reason image: big smile). Comfort, and the availbility of the M-83 vest in DPM was one of the main reasons for the change from PLCE, and reliablility the reason from the early version of the Webtex vest to the Wyvern vest. However, if you want to use PLCE, then the following is probably the best way to go!

Click for a larger imageOK, first things first. I served seven and a half years in the Teritorial Army (RMP(v)), and this is similar to what I had to carry in my webbing while 'in'. It's therefore only natural that my webbing and contents reflect the fact that I like to have everything close to hand, if the smelly stuff hits the fan, so to speak.

Most times, though, the majority of this gear will remain in the safe zone, or in the boot of my car, as, now I'm not 'in', I don't have to hump it around all day. HOWEVER: Some sites are moving to a milsim (MILitary SIMulation) theme, and for those sites, this form of loadout is not only advisable, it's bloody essential, as you don't really know when you'll get a chance to get back to the safe area!

So, with the above firmly in your mind, let's have a look-see at the crud I tend to drag around...!

Major items

1 - Personal weapon

  • Marui Steyr AUG (Military) with clip-on bipod and SA-80 sling.

2 - PLCE (Personal Load Carrying Equipment)

  • 1 x belt
  • 1 x yoke
  • 2 x twin ammo pouches
  • 1 x waterbottle cover
  • 1 x SASS Rhodesian Ration pouch
  • 1 x utility pouch
  • 1 x FFD pouch.
  • 1 x Side pouch from a PLCE Bergan with shoulder straps

Contents of pouches:

3 - Left Ammunition pouches

  • Four high-capacity (220 rounds each) and one standard (60 rounds) magazines.

Image: Current British Army issue three-colour camouflage face paint compact.4 - Utility pouch

  • Hexamine folding stove with fuel
  • Camouflage paint compact (5 colour)
  • Chemical hand warmers (useful for warming up gas mags and hands, of course)
  • plastic, sealed, bottle of 'lifeboat' (weatherproof) matches
  • flint fire starter block and 'saw'
  • small mess tin (pers hygine)
  • Personal hygine kit
  • Boot cleaning kit

Image: SASS Rhodesian Ration Pouch
Image: GP Ration Pack with box, image from Drop Zone Supplies
5 - SASS Rhodesian Ration Pouch (with 'loops with legs', to attach it to the Yoke of the PLCE)
  • Large mess tin (rations)
  • Non-stick large mess tin lid
  • strap to firmly close lid onto tin
  • Boil-in-the-bag rations from GP rat pack (breakfast, main meal, and dessert)
  • Two cyalume sticks with holders (one red, one green)
  • Cleaning kit for rifle and silicon impregnated cloth.
  • Paracord (for attaching the scrim to the rifle)

6 - Water bottle pouch

  • Water bottle and mug
  • Brew kit (from GP pack)
  • 1 x pack biscuits brown (GP)
  • 1 x pack biscuits Fruit-filled (GP)
  • 1 x chocolate bar
  • 1 x kendal Mint Cake bar
  • 1 x Tinned meat pate
  • 1 book matches (from a US MRE pack)
  • 1 x chocolate drink mix sachet
  • 1 x instant soup mix (golden Vegetable) sachet

3 - Right Ammunition pouches

  • one bag loose ammunition (0.2g Excell).
  • 4 x 35mm film containers, with 6mm ammo within for easy reloading of empty mags.
  • Reloading bottle, fully filled with 6mm ammunition.
  • 1 x Signal Smoke grenade, 'military issue', live.

French Spandoflage - damn clever kit!8 - Generally carried on my person...

  • Safety glasses (of course)
  • Mini maglite, pouch, and headband strap.
  • Gerber Multipliars, toolset, and pouch.
  • Maxon PMR 446 radio, external speaker/mike, ear-piece, and adaptor cable.
  • Shemagh (camo scarf/veil)
  • Boony hat (Compton-Webb, DPM) (when dry and/or sunny)
  • mini-binoculars (10x25)
  • battery for rifle
  • notepad in waterproof pouch
  • N.I./ Gloves (pair)
  • Woolen hat (When it's bloody cold!)
  • Spandoflage® (see the photo; camouflaged netting designed to be worn like a baloclava - available through USMC - see the links page). No more massy camouflage cream for me, mate!

9 - Carried in or on the bergan side pouch...

  • odd bits of scrim for camouflaging the rifle
  • Full and complete First Aid kit (for me, not you - get yer own!)
  • Waterproof light-weight OD jkt & trs in pouch.
  • Leg Gaitors for boggy places in general (Chobham comes to mind!)
  • Silicon spray
  • S10 respirator and haversack (urban games)
  • Insect repellant spray (Bloody midges, mossies, etc!)
  • MSR Whisperlight folding multi-fuel cooker and fuel
  • Side pouch from a PLCE Bergan, with straps
  • Groundsheet/tarp for quick overhead cover for the weather.
  • Standard mag loading tube and rod
  • There's also an GS Mk 6 Kevlar helmet, for those urban games in buildings, which is not shown in the photo.

Howzzat? All told, that lot weighs, INCLUDING the rifle, at around 25 or so pounds (roughly 12 kilos).

Clothing-wise, I use a British DPM Soldier '95 Jacket (ripstop material) and trousers, when it's nippy (cold), and a British DPM Soldier '95 shirt and tropical trousers, when it's a tad warm. Boots wise? I prefer the British "Boots, Combat, High" (now obselete - they replaced them with the "Pro Boot"); you might prefer something different, but my pair are properly worn in, and still hold polish (when I can be bothered to apply it!).

I've not included what I'd deliberately take to a weekend (or longer event), but you can add change of clothes, bergan, kip mat, sleeping bag (PLCE Green worm), bivi bag (one man tunnel tent), and a few other odds and sods for my own personal comfort!

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