The typical polyester fiber batting used for the liners was almost high-tech back in the early 60s but it is old hat now. I've found that making my own liner using a good quality poly-fleece blanket gives me a more useful product. It feels and hangs better. Weight is about the same. But the warmth and adaptability are improved.

I don't think I go out of my way to look one way or another. I have several camo items, could probably make 3 or 4 uniforms... but most of that is a result of being into camo as a kid/teen. I've been slowly getting rid of stuff.I also have a small "buy now!" bone for backpacks and knives. So I have lots of surplus bags, again being slowly sold.

I do tend to camp/hike in camo pants and usually an UnderArmor type t-shirt. The extra pockets are wonderful. The moisture management is too! Usually I have a camo daypack, but most of my gear is civilian.

Like mentioned though, muted colors work pretty well for blending in. Most of my stuff tends to be that way - darker colored, not so much for concealment, but cuz I hate bright colors standing out in nature. I supposed it'd work OK in a bug-out situation, to not stand out much.

Military gear is often pretty mediocre performance wise. As others have mentioned it is made to be adequate, and to be abused by semi-trained teenagers under long term field conditions.

The military does not care a whole lot if the stuff lasts all that long as most of it is expected to be replaced regularly.

That being said, it is often available at very low prices, making it attractive even if it is not the best available. Sometimes low cost is a good quality.

There are military issue gear that are about as good as it gets though. The issue compass comes to mind. But, most of us will do fine with something that costs 1/3 what that piece of gear costs.

I like paracord too. It's about as good of a utility cord as you are going to find. Lightweight, cheap, and strong. And not real prone to rotting when its damp. What more could you ask for?

There are a lot of vets who have experience with issue gear and are comfortable with its uses and limitations, and often got it in exchange for a few years of their life. So it is understandable why they continue to use it.

I have never quite understood the fascination with military gear some people have. But I have some surplus stuff. My car kit is packed in a surplus Austrian pack. It's near indestructible and I can't tell you how long it has set in the back of my Jeep. I think it was like $3. It's bigger than it needs to be, and heavier, but I don't expect to be hiking any really long distance with that bag on my back.

The Sock (who always finds it amusing when non-red 'Americans' are against immigration)

It's not the Immigration we're against... Its the Illegal Immigrants we don't like.

I use mainly Military Style Gear, it is cheap, and holds up nicely for me. I always buy from International Military Sales, great service there!!

No affiliation with IMS Plus.

>It's not the Immigration we're against... Its the Illegal >Immigrants we don't like.

I'd love to take this further normally; but Blast our moderator is unavoidably away from his post at the moment and we all have to be on our best behaviour.
No discussing anything even possibly controversial for me. I regret making the comment.
The Sock

I realize blast is away, I do not know why, but hope he comes back soon. I was simply correcting a simple mis-wording...

Up here in my area, not many people wear/carry any type of military clothing/gear. Those that do, really stand out from the crowd.

I myself prefer earth tones in both my gear and clothing choices. I am also of the opinion that good civilian gear is of much higher quality then the mil surplus variety.

Well said.

If the point is to blend and avoid standing out it would be well to contemplate your surroundings instead of assuming that looking like a bush, or stretch of desert, will allow you to disappear.

Most of us live in urban or suburban areas and our clothing should align with what is common in that area. Jeans, tee shirts and synthetic jackets are all good. OD green M-65 cotton jackets are so common that they don't even qualify as military in many minds. OD green, dull grays and browns blend well without looking like your trying to get away with something.

Rural areas feature a lot of jeans and Carhart canvas outerwear in subdued colors that blends both with the local population and the natural surroundings.

I think you are right that selecting clothing and equipment in simple earth tones is about 80% as effective as any camouflage pattern while blending seamlessly with the local population.

I don't have a great deal of use for a lot of surplus military kit since my days in Boy Scouts. We were sponsored by an Air Force unit so we got lots of WW2 and earlier equipment. I was actually given a WWI canteen and cup in the old canvas carrier and belt. In the Pacific NorthWest, this gear always increased in weight tremendously during periods of prolonged liquid sunshine.
After my own period of service in Uncle Sam's Flying Circus, I came to the conclusion that the only folks who ever got issued decent gear were Special Forces types, the rest of us were given Vietnam era castoffs or worse. Canvas gains tremendous amounts of weight when it rains, but its performance is not enhanced.
I also would feel foolish walking around looking like some middle-aged PeeWee Rambo wanna-be. I go for the lowkey approach with just a mishmash of everything that works.
I do have an Esbit stove and a German utensil set, but I prefer my REI cookware and Mountain House foods to MREs.

I have been wrapping my mind around one central component of my military gear and my hiking/backpacking/trail running life...when my ruck was on my back, I could still reach around my LBE for gear. When my ruck was off, I still had my basic infantry EDC on me: water, ammo, compass, knife, etc. Regardless of a pack on or off, regardless if I even need a pack that day, I can grab my web gear and be ready to roll.

With current civilian packs its generally impossible to mate an LBE system to a civilian pack. And I don't want to carry extra gear in my pack, I want it on 24/7. Been trying to make my own with 1 inch webbing with imperfect results. But found some great MOLLE gear like fold up Nalgene holders.

I think my end result will most likely be a MOLLE thigh harness on a padded web belt. Adding a very light home stitched shoulder harness to hold some pieces of gear up high like my SPOT2 & compass.

I think military gear does have its place in civilian applications.