Army Infantry Rifleman loadout

[specialistCQB]

Hi, I'm new to gear, all I have now is a new set of woodland bdu's, and a woodland lbv like this one

 

What else should I get?

[navymp28]

Hi, I'm new to gear, all I have now is a new set of woodland bdu's, and a woodland lbv like this one

 

What else should I get?

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Mich Helmet W/ Cover, Alice Pack or Buttpack, Camelbak(Most modern Infantry has the Camelbak) or 2 1/2 quart canteens, M4 or M16/203 or SAW, Goggles and or WileyX glasses, Knee Pads, Body Armor(IBA Interceptor Body armor) and the like. Here are some pictues:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hope this helps.

[specialistCQB]

Thanks, and also I sorta want the woodland, my favorite camo. Also, I don't think I'm going to get the body armor because I might not feel the bb's hit me, and might be called a cheater.

[navymp28]

Thanks, and also I sorta want the woodland, my favorite camo. Also, I don't think I'm going to get the body armor because I might not feel the bb's hit me, and might be called a cheater.

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IBA isn't always worn, as you can see from the pics, sometimes Armor is acraficed for sake of speed and mobility.

 

:EDIT:

 

 

I am in training for 2 weeks and it is joint service training. I will ask the Army types in there for some more specifics as far as Infantry goes to see if I can get more info for you.

[Wraith18A]

OK, so you want to be an Infantryman, huh? US, obviously?

 

First, ditch the woodland. Get ACU. If you don't like the ACU, then go Marine Corps and get the MARPAT Digis. In fact, I'd get those first. Make sure you get some good boots. Bates Lights or some of the ICBs are good bets.

 

If you stay on the USMC look, get a Coyote Brown (CB) interceptor vest with MOLLE straps. Hang a bunch of magazine pouches, grenade pouches, etc. off of it. All of that gear should also be CB. This is likely going to be fairly expensive. If you choose to go ACU, the same thing applies.

 

If you want the 80s style US (ie, sticking with the US Woodland), then get a ALICE belt, H-harness, two magazine pouches, two canteen pouches, buttpack, compass pouch, compress pouch (ie, the same pouch as the compass pouch). This is probably going to be the easiest to find and cheapest to set up.

 

EDIT: reread the thread, and realized that you have the LBV88. Now all you need is an ALICE pistol belt, buttpack, camelbak.

[navymp28]

OK, so you want to be an Infantryman, huh?  US, obviously?

 

First, ditch the woodland.  Get ACU.  If you don't like the ACU, then go Marine Corps and get the MARPAT Digis.  In fact, I'd get those first.  Make sure you get some good boots.  Bates Lights or some of the ICBs are good bets.

 

If you stay on the USMC look, get a Coyote Brown (CB) interceptor vest with MOLLE straps.  Hang a bunch of magazine pouches, grenade pouches, etc. off of it.  All of that gear should also be CB.  This is likely going to be fairly expensive.  If you choose to go ACU, the same thing applies.

 

If you want the 80s style US (ie, sticking with the US Woodland), then get a ALICE belt, H-harness, two magazine pouches, two canteen pouches, buttpack, compass pouch, compress pouch (ie, the same pouch as the compass pouch).  This is probably going to be the easiest to find and cheapest to set up.

 

EDIT: reread the thread, and realized that you have the LBV88.  Now all you need is an ALICE pistol belt, buttpack, camelbak.

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The Woodland is still quite good to go as far as being current. Only two of the 6 Army I am currently trainig with are wearing ACU. They don't have to have the new ACU's until 2007. So alot of guys are waiting to get them until they are avaliable from there local post uniform shop. Just FYI

[specialistCQB]

sorry, but what is a ACU or MARPAT?

[navymp28]

sorry, but what is a ACU or MARPAT?

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ACU is the new Army Combat Uniform, it "Universal" digital Camo pattern. I was not all that impressed but after seeing them in person I am thinking of attempting to aquire an issue set. As far as MARPAT (Marine Pattern) thats the new MCCUU(Marine Corps Combat Utility Uniform) digital pattern. IT comes in Woodland and Desert digital patterns. I have an issue set of the Woodland pattern, very nice BDU's. Extremely comfortable...more than the standard Woodlands. I wer Woodlands everyday and I would much rather wear the Digital's. (Soon I will though ). Anyway those are the 2 patterns aforementioned. Hope this clears up the accronym game for ya.

 

ACU:

 

 

MARPAT Woodland:

 

 

MARPAT Desert:

 

[specialistCQB]

ACU is the new Army Combat Uniform, it "Universal" digital Camo pattern. I was not all that impressed but after seeing them in person I am thinking of attempting to aquire an issue set. As far as MARPAT (Marine Pattern) thats the new MCCUU(Marine Corps Combat Utility Uniform) digital pattern. IT comes in Woodland and Desert digital patterns. I have an issue set of the Woodland pattern, very nice BDU's. Extremely comfortable...more than the standard Woodlands. I wer Woodlands everyday and I would much rather wear the Digital's. (Soon I will though ). Anyway those are the 2 patterns aforementioned. Hope this clears up the accronym game for ya.

 

ACU:

 

 

MARPAT Woodland:

 

 

MARPAT Desert:

 

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I think I may just stick to the original woodland, looks WAY better to me. ACU looks better then MARPAT to be imo

[navymp28]

I think I may just stick to the original woodland, looks WAY better to me. ACU looks better then MARPAT to be imo

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You really can't go wrong with the standard woodland pattern. Army still uses it as well as ALOT of SF units. As far as I know the Army SF units have not made the swith to the ACU like Big Army.

[playa]

Have the reserve units switched over to the m16a4 as well yet? I heard that they were still using the a2...

[maccrage]

Here in Hawaii, at Schofield Barracks, there seems to be about a 50/50 split between ACU and woodland BDUs. So either one you pick would be right.

[Maple-Leaf]

Hi, I'm new to gear, all I have now is a new set of woodland bdu's, and a woodland lbv like this one

 

What else should I get?

 

I served in the 82nd Abn. back in the mid-80's and we never had that LBV thingy. So, if want to go with that then you're obviously looking to emulate the pre-ACU, pre-Iraq loadout?

 

In which case, just stick with the basics:

* PASGT, or replica, Kevlar "Fritz" helmet with woodland cover

* M16A2 + 6 extra mags

* ALICE pistol belt

* 2 1-quart ALICE canteens

* ALICE butt-pack

 

Don't bother spending loads of money buying all kinds of gear that you don't need - or that might even be incorrect.

[Melonfish]

my loadout is 80s/90's us rifleman. basically i'll run down the simple stuff.

 

to start, your K-pot helmet (PASGT) woodland cover if your sticking with woodland. woodland BDU's shirt and trousers and if you can get a real one an M65 for slightly colder weather. a damn good pair of boots!! if your in the UK get yourself something high leg but comfy.

 

your ITLBV is fine. you'll need yourself a pistol belt, buttpack and waterbottle's/hydration pack, during the alice/ITLBV upgrade alot of soldiers still kept their m16 alice pouches but more to carry either extra ammo or just general stuff.

another tip is to use short malice clips instead of Alice clips to attach your kit to your belt. not only are they more secure but they won't dig as much. if your being total geardo/accurate then try using black cable ties instead of either. these proved far more secure then alice clips.

 

armour wise. the PASGT/flak armour is the one to go for, you can get these off e-bay but they are heavy. i've seen alot of people using the ranger style body armour and that seems to mesh well, i believe the best one out is guarder. unless you can get yourself some off e-bay.

ealier ones are what you see in the film BHD later ones had Molle on them but obviously your vest would obscure that.

 

finally get your self an m16/m4 varient and away you go. standard riflemen weren't issued with pistols so don't worry about em. but if you do the us army's standard is the M9 beretta.

 

a bit long but i think about right. you might want to top off with some Nomex gloves too, if you fancy it a dump pouch or whatever. its up to you.

 

anyone who actually is ex army would prolly be able to comment much better then me anyhoo.

 

pete

[Guest]

This is what I'll be doing in a few months (or more) for an early 90s set up. Either change the tri-colour to woodland or keep it dessie.

 

1x Interceptor armour (woodland)

1x MOLLE II FLC vest

1x Tri-colour shirt

1x Tri-colour trousers

1x ESS goggles (black)

4x SDS M4 mag pouch (woodland)

1x M12 holster for m9 (olive)

1x SDS Utility pouch, in woodland

1x SDS Grenade pouch, in woodland

1x Butt pack, in olive

1x PASGT helmet with tri-colour cover

1x Camel back (olive)

1x Gas mask bag and mask

1x Pair of desert boots (belevilles)

[specialistCQB]

Alright thanks alot for all the great help guys! I have the helmet, belt and boots coming in hopefully by Tuesday!

 

EDIT: And yes JKT 1, I'm only buying stuff I need, and the stuff I need will I then get what an infantryman/rifleman would use, I'm not going to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars for gear I wont use and just to look cool. Thanks again!

[Slade xTekno]

I served in the 82nd Abn. back in the mid-80's and we never had that LBV thingy.  So, if want to go with that then you're obviously looking to emulate the pre-ACU, pre-Iraq loadout? 

 

In which case, just stick with the basics:

* PASGT, or replica, Kevlar "Fritz" helmet with woodland cover

* M16A2 + 6 extra mags

* ALICE pistol belt

* 2 1-quart ALICE canteens

* ALICE butt-pack

 

Don't bother spending loads of money buying all kinds of gear that you don't need - or that might even be incorrect.

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Don't you need the ALICE suspenders as well? Which harness type would it be, H or Y?

[Melonfish]

i think either of the suspender types. the Y was the issued one and the H was generally shop bought elsewhere. for my rig i went out and bought the H type from sealsactiongear.com WAY more comfortable then the standard Y rig but then its all down to personal pref.

 

i think SOF do the H rig too but be sure you get the late one not the 56 pattern unless your going for a nam loadout.

pete

[AirForceOne]

Get the Y-Harness. It looks a lot nicer than the H-hardness!

This is an awesome thread, and I found a lot of the info useful to me. Thanks!

[overide85]

Most of the army troops here in afghanistan wear ACU's and just mount molle pouches on their interceptor vests and wear mich helmets.

[Wraith18A]

ACU looks better then MARPAT to be imo

 

I'd ask what you are smoking, but everyone has their own preference. If you are considering the ACU, you might want to consider the following:

 

1) You're not going to blend in as well. MARPAT works a lot better in coniferous and deciduous forested areas. Because ACU is more desert oriented, its on the lighter side, and has no real green on it. Or dark browns.

 

2) ACU has more pockets than the MARPAT. Marines aren't allowed to use the pockets. So why have them? To look cool. Army now actually put pockets on the ACU that you can actually use (ie, the pen pocket). It also puts pocket where you don't need pockets (how often are you going to use the calf pockets? What would you put in there? I dunno.)

 

3) ACU also has the Mandarin collar. What does this do? If you do end up getting the Interceptor vest, it'll keep it from chafing your neck off. Trust me, this is a development I wish the Corps had come up with.

[Ghostshark_27]

Most of the army troops here in afghanistan wear ACU's and just mount molle pouches on their interceptor vests and wear mich helmets.

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+1 to that. I was in Iraq from 04-05, we didn't have the ACU's (THANK GOD!), but right on with the other stuff. Got issued MOLLE pouches before we left, and for a while command wanted us to wear the OTV and MOLLE vests, but eventually they realized that it was easier and more convinent to put the pouches directly onto the interceptor vest. We also ended up with MICH helmets about 8 months into the rotation, and as much ###### I talked about them seeing other units wear them, I fell in love with it once we picked them up.

 

If you plan on doing basic infantry loadout with an M16/M4 and a MOLLE system, then here's what I'd recommend:

1x Vest (interceptor replica or otherwise)

3x M16 double mag pouches

2x 1 quart canteen pouches

2x hand grenade pouches

Top it off with a camelback and MICH helmet, with reversable helmet cover, and you have a basic modern day US Army loadout.

[specialistCQB]

Get the Y-Harness. It looks a lot nicer than the H-hardness!

This is an awesome thread, and I found a lot of the info useful to me. Thanks!

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Glad my useless threads actually helped somebody for a change

 

BTW: I got all my gear coming in the mail, but just sold my CA MP5, and was wondering what m16 I should get? Two of my friends who know alot about guns, 1 said that they only use the m16a2 and dont use the a3/a4 and are already improving on the a2, but another said that they are using a4's now. Which is it really? Thanks.

[Wraith18A]

Marines are pretty much all using M16A4s (the ones with the rail systems) and SAWs. Very few M4s.

 

The Army is all over the M4s, I've only seen a few pictures of guys packing M16A4. Most of the A4s in use over there are in use by the DMs...if my info is right. The M16A2 (according to SFC Thigpen) hasn't been in use for awhile now...he actually laughed at me when I said that some Marine Corps units are still employing them.

[specialistCQB]

Alright, just gotta decide between the m16a4 or m4 (I love both), thanks for the help!