Good point, OldSoldier (thank you for your service, by the way). I feel the same way. There's plenty of military designs that work well but they weigh 2x to 3x as much as the comparable civilian gear. I realize that sometimes you need that level of durability, but usually the military stuff is so heavy because 1) no one pushed the mfgr to engineer a capable but lighter design and 2) too many GI Joes (God love 'em!) treat their gear like hated mules instead of applying a little care. Also, some military designs are extra heavy and NOT more durable!

If weight (and bulk) is not an issue then a $30 gen 1 ECWCS setup is fantastic but IMO the civilian stuff is a better choice if you are bearing the weight on your own 2 legs.

Note that a lot of the current civilian gear is available in earth tone colors if that is a factor for you.