Review: Dual double mag pouch

Here's another item from my bulk load of pouches and packs like the S10 Haversack that I have been slowly rolling out. I had a windfall of a truckload of army surplus gear ages ago, which have been sitting in the bunker, being musty, but there are some real gems in there. These may not be the cutting edge of high-speed, low-drag gear, but have been mil-spec at some stage, so they're damn tough, if nothing else.

This particular pouch came from a box full of here, and I just reached in and grabbed one at random. You can see it's already had a rough life, but has held together.

This double, dual-magazine carrying set of pouches is made of a high Denier (800-1000 I'd guess, by the feel) and are built into a single backing. From the frayed stitching marks, I'd guess that they originally came with some sort of Fastex style clips to act as the primary closure points for the box-like pouches, but was probably removed to speed things up in the field.

A broad loop-field panel on the front of the outside of the pouch acts as the primary closure as a result, with a corresponding hook-field inside the box-top lid. A tongue of webbing with a hook-field can be pulled out from inside the pouch to mate with the loop-field on the front to neutralize the hook-and-loop closure entirely, which was probably useful when the original Fastex loops were still in place.

Internally, the pouches have been given a polyurethane coating for additional waterproofing, and are double stitched throughout. Drainage grommets with a wire mesh grit filter are found in the bottom of each, this would act to keep the grit and sand out of your magazines, and was a nice little feature.

The inside of the box-lid has a little pocked sewn in, big enough for a MRE packet of waterproof matches, a P-38 can opener or maybe a button compass, I found a couple of match-packets and even a couple of water purification tablets when I went through the pouches.

The back panel of the pouches have several different ways to mount, and also shows the vintage of the pouches. ALICE style brass-wire belt hooks, and no PALS-MOLLE to be seen. A pair of steel rings allows extra strapping to be attached to sling the pouches, though the angle of the two ring mountings being different suggests there is a "right way" to do this. A question for the veterans out there. What gives?

The pouches have been stamped with a NSN, but they are all so aged that I couldn't make out the cage numbers. I'd say these pouches would work well doing double duty in much the same way as any of the Platatac FUP or bigger pouches I've grown to love, but with a far older look.

 

Review: S10 Respirator Haversack

I wanted to go a little old-school for a bit, and cover some canvas era type pouches.


A while ago I covered an Australian issue butt-pack, that I had picked up a number of years ago, and this is along those lines. I managed to score a bulk load of retired stock in the way of pouches and bags, and these respirator haversacks were one of these.

These are British Respirator Haversacks which is NSN listed as 4240 99 800 9601.  They are designed to carry the S10 respirator. I don't have a S10, but do have a full-face 3M 6000 series mask that fits nicely. Whilst I say canvas-era, these are actually a Codrura type nylon, for all the hard-wearing, non mildew and water-shedding goodness modern materials offer.

The bag measures 29 x 26 x11 cms (11" x 10" x 4.5" ) and weighs 475grams. Lacking more modern PALS/MOLLE fittings, the haversack has a couple of different attachment and carry options. A twin-stud openable belt-loop, which also features a wire hanger, from the old ALICE style fittings.

A long nylon strap with a Fastex style buckle allows for a quick waist or shoulder slung carry as well, and there is even a secondary shoestring type cold to further secure the pouch around the waist if shoulder-carried, or around the thigh id hip-carried. The cold can be secured out of the way if not in use, or removed entirely.

One side of the pouch features a hook-and-look pocket, a good size for a survival tin, a GPS unit or other small items you might need in a hurry.

The inside of the haversack is quite spacious, fitting one each of the 1L and 2L Pathopak containers with plenty of room to move. The internal dimension really give you a lot of carry capacity, and the haversack itself it very sturdily put together.

Inside the haversack, as well as the main spacious compartment are several other interesting features.

One hook-and-loop closing front pocket, and two webbing and hook-and-loop holders. These just took the 1L Pathopak's and I expect they are designed to fit additional filter canisters for the S10 respirator.

They would certainly work to fasten and store a number of smallish items, and when not in use, being made up a webbing, will simple squash out 0f the way.

The front pocket has a small hook-and-loop fixture, and features broad pockets sewn in, to fit  NBC combo-pens, morphine syrettes, first aid kit, gloves and the like. They are made of the same material as the rest of the haversack, and whilst if they had been elasticized it would have been good, they probably work just fine in conjunction with the flap.


Even the top of the haversack's lid has some features, as well as the press-stud and hook-and-loop lined lip, there are twin bands of elasticized webbing, to allow you to affix a number of small items like more gloves, a first aid kit or the like.

These may not be flashy and new like a lot of other high-speed gear thats coming put, but they are rough, rugged, dependable and spacious.

If you have some bulky gear you want to have at hand, and in your ruck is just too far away, or perhaps you want to be able sling it to a buddy, stash it under a fuel depot or just need to fit your respirator ... the S10 haversack might well suit your needs.

I've got quite a few of them, and will be listing them on www.tacticalcoyote.com soon.

Review: Shelham - 3099 Clasp knife

Way back in 1995 or so, for Giftmas, my gf's brother-in-law (who worked for the DSTO in some capacity) gifted me, and my gf's other bf a set of these clasp knives. For 20 years this has lived in my pockets, packs and car-glove boxes.

I did some research recently, to try to work out just exactly where they come from, as I've had different people tell me different things over the years. I have a good friend who was an engineer in the Army Reserve, who called it a "sapper knife".

[edit: a different friend, with 2 years as active an ADF Engineer told me on the weekend he's never heard them called "sappers knives" and only ever referred to them as "clasp knives". Primary Source FTW]

My knife is marked SHELHAM 3099 AUSTRALIA and  STAINLESS STEEL MADE IN JAPAN. Other versions I've seen online are marked with the knife's NSN of 5110-66-013-1930. Since the 1980's, Shelham (Sheldon & Hammond) have supplied the Australian Military Forces with this 3 blade stainless steel clasp knife.

The broad blade with its sheepfoot pattern, with a long flat edge that I've always been able to keep very sharp is paired with a hefty and deep biting can-opener / bottle opener. No can of beans, paint or Nuka Cola is safe.
The back plays host to the large marlin spike, perfect for working rope and knots, as well as punching holes in things, and acting as a leaver. Generally excellent as a rope and cable worker, I've abused this spike with other chores, and it has survived admirably.

Some surface pitting and a slight bend to the tip of the spike is the only evidence of its hard life. The shackle at the end has kept it dummy-corded to pants for longer than I care to remember, and the only other significant wear and tear evident is some slight bending to the shackle and some dents to the screw-driver end that sits between the blade and can-opener.

This is an exceptionally simple, hardy and useful tool, especially for anyone who deals with rope and cord on a regular basis.