When a member of the general public hears the term “military grade” or “mil-spec,” they for some reason believe that means the product it is referring to is durable and high-quality.
We all know this is complete bullshit.
In stark contrast, anyone who has spent more than 5 minutes in the military dealing with actual “military grade” items, understands that this term generally embodies a steaming pile-of-shit product that is painted OD green and sold to the military by the lowest bidder.
Now, we certainly don’t advocate for being a ‘geardo’ or ‘gear queer’ or any variation of that classification. Anybody that buys ALL their own military gear is a fuckin’ weirdo that is probably unpopular with the ladies.
With that said, there are a few select items that we believe will make your time in the service more comfortable and enjoyable and are definitely worth the splurge.
Here are 5 pieces of gear that you should consider buying:
- Boots
To put it bluntly, the issued boots are complete fuckin’ garbage and belong in the dumpster. Anyone that actually likes the issued boots is a psychotic freak, belongs in a mental institution, and has most likely never tried an actual nice pair of boots.
Your feet take you where you need to go, so it would (I can’t believe I’m using this word) BEHOOVE you to take care of them.
There are a million different pairs of boots to choose from, and different boots are good for different MOSs. I’d encourage you to try on a bunch of different pairs and see which ones work best for you. Take a few laps around the store to make sure they jive with your nasty feet.
My personal favorite is the Tactical Research Mini-mils. These boots are zero drop and fit more like slippers than boots.
Another quite popular boot is the Rocky S2V. These provide quite a bit more padding and support for less POG-oriented MOSs.
Expect to spend around $200 bucks on a decent pair of boots. It’s a bit steep of a price point for good boots, but it’s definitely worth the investment.
2. Backpack
The issued backpack, or “assault pack” is typically… just ok. It works well for some extra clothes and some pogie bait. If you’re carrying a computer or ipad or need more than just two pockets, the issued backpack is kind of trash.
Get yourself a nice backpack that fits your needs. Durability is the key here, especially if you’re in a non-POG job classification and going to be out in the field.
I made the mistake of buying several low-cost options and destroying them before finally buying a nice, high quality bag. You’ll save money in the long run if you just bite the bullet and buy the nice one out of the gate.
Personally, after destroying like 4-5 shitty Amazon backpacks, I settled on a YETI Crossroads 35L backpack after receiving a glowing recommendation from one of my peers. It was $200+ bucks, but the thing is built like a fuckin’ tank, and should last a while. I’ll keep y’all updated on that one. I don’t want to look like I’m in the military when I’m out and about, so I personally enjoy more civilian-oriented options. There are plenty of good tactical options out there. Just take a look around and find what works for you.
Please don’t mistake what I mean by “civilian-oriented.” A $700 dollar leather Supreme or Gucci bullshit bag is just dumb. Please don’t. This is the military, not a fuckin’ hype-beast fashion show.
One key point… make sure your bag fits uniform standards for your service in terms of color and materials. If your NCO or OIC is a dick, they might give you a bunch of shit for carrying a bag that doesn’t fit the bill for uniform standards.
3. Knife / multi-tool
Look, if you’re waddling your ass around with a large, fixed-blade knife hanging off your belt in a sheath and you’re not purposefully doing this to be ridiculous, you need to chill the fuck out. A simple folding knife with a pocket clip or a reasonable, lightweight multi-tool is perfect for 99% of people.
This one is a delicate balance of quality and price, and your purchase should depend on what exactly you do in your daily duties. I know some people are really into knives, but cost vs quality benefit varies a lot in this category. Be careful not to overspend. There are some very decent knives out there for sub $50.00. Just… don’t be a dumbass.
I got by for years with a $7.00 (not a typo) folding knife from Walmart. The majority of the time, I just use my knife for opening boxes, the occasional cutting of some 550 cord, and basic tasks like that. I recently upgraded to a Browning folding knife I got at a gun shop in Pennsylvania for $30.00.
4. Woobie
The Woobie is probably the most iconic piece of military gear there is. This fuckin’ thing can do it all. I bought an OD green woobie outside of Fort Benning, GA just after basic training way too many god damn years ago, and it is still my go-to blanket. It has been to more countries than most people in the military these days.
Not a lot to say here, except most dudes don’t want to cuddle a blanket that is covered in some other dude’s ass sweat if you’re getting a used one, and most dudes don’t want to give up their woobie at CIF turn in at the end of their career.
Just buy a woobie at the beginning of your career and use and love it forever. Leave the issued one in the bag for turn in at the end of your career. Oh, and don’t just use the issued one and say you’re going to buy it from CIF later. It will cost more and hurt more when you have to give those morons money.
5. Water container
This one may be obvious, but unless you want to use a standard issued canteen and have your water taste like plasticky shit, or use an issued knockoff Camelbak and drink out of basically a thick, chalky condom, you’re going to need a good water container.
I’m not a fancy guy, so i really don’t give a fuck if the thing keeps my water that cold. Some guys are divas and care a lot about that sort of thing. If like me you don’t care, a Nalgene container works pretty well. They are lightweight and the big ones can carry a shit ton of water. They’re also easy to hang on shit. If you’re more of a princess, maybe get an insulated metal water bottle like a Hydroflask.
For day to day, this is a great investment.
Obviously, in the field, you’re kind of stuck with a knockoff Camelbak most of the time. But at least that can just be when you’re out in the suck. Back in garrison, you’ll have much better tasting water.
These are our top 5 recommendations for military gear you should buy for yourself. Anything we missed here? Let us know what to include in our next list. Or don’t. Fuck off.