Military surplus gear???

[thecyclops]

New to hiking and here also.Glad to be here.
A little about my self...I am an EX-Runner,as I hurt my back about 6 weeks ago and it looks as though I will not be running anymore I have taken up hiking/walking and weight lifting to fill the void.I am engaged,I have a 3 1/2 year old boy who is also autistic and am a full on vegetarian...
1st,I have a reasonable amount of hiking stuffs (Mostly stuff that I have been using from my bugout bag)but was wanting some opinions/feelings on some military surplus that is available.For example I can get a military (used) ALICE pack with frame for around $30 delivered,or something comparable in a pack for around $100 retail.Gloves,hats,coats,gear all military surplus readily available and cheap...But am I missing something here?Is some of this stuff sub par or unsuited for hiking/camping?Anywho I am planning a month of backpacking along the Appalachian trail in late may of next year and wanted some opinions before I invest $$$ in the rest of my equipment.Thanks.

[monkeyman3791]

I am in the military and have used the majority of the surplus equipment that is available in army navy stores. The ALICE pack is a great ruck and very reliable. This is the kicker however, The ALICE is made for war, meaning it is made to withstand the destruction of daily use in a combat environment. So what that means to you is that this ruck should outlast any type of trail hiking you will ever do however, you lose a bit of comfort as it is not made to be comfortable. Understanding that, it really is a pretty good ruck though. My unit is a highly specialized unit and we are issued some really good high tech bags and to be honest they are only a tad bit more comfortable than the ALICE. An alternative that cost a bit more than the ALICE is the three day assault pack and the MOLLE pack. Both are newer and pretty damn good bags. Military gear is not cheap in all honesty the majority of the hiking gear available for retail is cheaper than military gear. LIke i said earlier though it is made for durability. Feel free to ask me any other questions you may have on military gear. I use this stuff to do my civilian hikes as well. Hope this helps...

[thecyclops]

Awesome! Hey thanks man,exactly the info I was looking for and I will be ordering ALICE soon.I already ordered a "german cold weather OD hat" that looks warm and very different than any civilian hat I have seen (Will be here Wednesday) and the US M-65 field jacket w/liner looks to be incredibily nice,especially for the $50 price tag (used) The only thing I think I havent seen on some of the military surplus sites is 4-6 man tent that is pack-able,lots of 2 man tents and BIG shelters,but nothing in the middle.Looks like it might be REI for the tent

[whiteOak]

no, the military gear is usually much heavier than the private sector equivalent. those army backpacks weight FAR more than a Gregory.
I do like army surplus gear stores, but I dont use their equipment for backpacking or hiking

[monkeyman3791]

A tent would be one of the things i would buy from somewhere other than a surplus store. The reason is that we are taught to make shelter if we need a place to sleep while in the field and because we are usually always on the move there is no need for a tent. The only tents the military has that are pretty damn good are the large 10-20 man tents. That will probably be a bit heavy to carry. Whiteoak is right in that they are heavier than the private sector equivalent but that is because of durability. All military rucks are made with think materials to withstand a constant beating. I owned a very popular ruck that I bought from an outfitter for 200+ and after a year I had several small holes in it. The ALICE will prove to be a cheap durable alternative that does weigh more and is not as comfortable as ones you can buy in the private sector but you are cutting a couple hundred out of your hiking expenditures. The M-65 is a great warm jacket but if you can spend 40-50 more buy a gortex. You can find a BDU gortex jacket for like 50-80 bucks and they are warm, waterproof, and made of a thick outer layer so if your hiking gets your in the think you wont cut your expensive northface lol

[whiteOak]

he's right. man, I should get one of those BDU goretex parkas! that looks like just my kind of thing.
there are few pleasures better than walking around a really excellent old army navy surplus store

[thecyclops]

Thanks guys!!! I will check out the BDU gortex for sure,and as far as weight goes,and I hope this doesn't sound like I'm being cocky because I'm truly not trying to be,but weight is almost a non issue for me.I am a non-smoker,vegetarian,super health-nut and cardio fitness junkie.I have conditioned my body to RUN 15+ miles without stopping (on my long run days) and run 40+miles a week overall + a day or two of cross-training so hiking 10+ miles with weight has been quite easy for me.About 3 weeks after I hurt myself I went out with 2 hiker friends with a 30lb sack (just to feel the weight and I had not been hiking in over 10 years) and I flat-out out hiked them,I was holding back and it truly felt EASY to me.I guess lightweight could be better but not on the top of my list I suppose.I am looking more for durable/functional gear,and of course CHEAP because I am cheap,lol.

[CRashster]

I say use what you have and have fun. You'll be able to upgrade later as needed.

[Sergemaster]

I gotta agree with the Monkeyman as well whe it comes to using MILSURP gear. Sure it may not be the deal of choice for minimalists and other gram weenies, but it is reliable and dependable as well.. Although I have a slew of different packs, my medium ALICE pack with frame still gets use when going in deep for a few days straight or more. The sleeping bag especially the extreme cold weather bag is although heavy, will keep you warm in the coldest of temperatures and rides nicely strapped to an ALICE.

WoAk, you definitely have to get a surplus MILSPEC gore-tex Parka. I still use my old USGI woodland pattern and it still does the job 15+ years later without showing signs of losing any of it's water repellant abilities.

Cheers,
Serge

[whiteOak]

sounds good, serge. any advice on where to buy one?