FIghting/medical gear load outs..

[protus]

My kits have changed over the last few years. Mostly due to $$ and changes in my "mission" so to speak.

However my problem is i feel im to bulky or over doing some things(items). OI think im to heavy in medical stuff which is bulking my kit up. Most of it is spaced out. Ill list t he load out below.
Vest- tactical tailor mesh mod vest.
front of vest from left to right.
IFAK, two HSGI UMPs( mag pouches total 4 mags) tucked behind them kbar TDI full size.
split(vest is split front style like the two piece MAV)
1 UMP(total 2 mags), double M4 pouch (holds shears,CAT combat dressing) above that (lower peck area) sds compass pouch with 4 inch izzy and compass)..sdsi qt canteen pouch. ( holds gloves,bandana, carbiner with 550 aka drag line,,outter pouches on it hold trip wire, face paint,micro compass, area alarm )..this also alows me to run a canteen set up if need be.
back of vest-
3 liter bladder,survival straw,cleaning kit, tarp.gear fix junk(zip ties, malice clip..sewing kit)
inside vest( behind front panels ) small note pad,pens(x2) micro bible, cliff bars,chem lites, pocket knife,firesteel ear pro(x3 ).

belt-
left side- 2x pistol mag pouch,glock g81 knife..compass pouch with 4 inch izzy and CAT
right side- drop leg and single mag pouch for flash lite or multitool.

thing is my IFAK on that left front is bulky..it sits elbow high and to my side like an arm rest for a visual.
My thing is should i thin it out keep just bleeder control in it or leave it.

its basically izzys,,gauze,NPA,cath,celox,,QC combat guaze and clamps,shears, and some ouchy splinter type junk.
some of you guys have seen my kit so you know whats stuffed in it.

doesn't sound like much but my environment aint urban and im really paranoid about snagging under growth.

My other rig im scaled down ..3 cell AK rig and belt kit above with a c bak mule.


im kinda torn i guess about going native or rolling heavy...i understand its all scenario dependent but i dont have a fireteam for support and may be alone or in a small group of 3-4 people.
which has me going strip off the extra put in my 3 day ruck and stay streamlined.

reading "contact" has me going over my set ups and second guessing them lmao!

[justanothergunnut]

Proteus in my IFAK I keep the following. Izzy,NAR chest decomp, hyfin chest seal, cat tourniquet, 2 pair rolled non latex gloves, 2 h&h compressed gauze. It's very small I use the condor gen2 rip away emt.. I'll post a few pics later tonight. I also keep a 2nd cat on my plate carrier and a med kit in my ruck. Before moving to the new pouch I ran a larger version and had the same problem you do. I was packing around my own arm rest

[justanothergunnut]

I left out nasal pharangeal, lube and quick clot z fold hemostatic

[justanothergunnut]

so pictured is the pouch attached to a battle belt. It is a rip away style and is about as small as you can get and still fit what you need. Also pictured is what I actually have in the pouch, sorry for the bad pics as perfect as I am I still have to work with what im given....

[protus]

Not problem. Thanks.
Mines same size I think its an older 6*6 Med pouch like voodoo /condor made.but once full its near 1.5-2 inches or more thick. If I run it on my belt it'll be really in the way. Only place I'm not running stuff is on the back of my hydro carrier and the middle (back) of the belt.I don't think it'd work on either location.
I've had it in this same location for a long while...just trying to see if the opinion is to not carry so much ...or what.

[justanothergunnut]

doesnt really seem like you are carrying all that much Protus. Though I totally get your desire to go streamlined especially given the amount of brush and undergrowth you are dealing with. Why do you feel that placing it on the back of your belt is not a option?

[protus]

In case I use a pack.
There's more in there than what I've posted...but maybe I'm just over thinking things as always..
In my area its dense.....think Vietnam movie thick...muddy...swampy...etc...
Guess that's why I'm thinking less bulk. Honestly I've been thinly NY of dumping this rig a getting a basic 3-4 cell rig...kinda like the tt AK rig or hawkeyes rig he makes....I can't be a one man army after all LOL .....

[Rmplstlskn]

Yes, the IFAK is a bulky item for those that know what a bullet wound can do and want to have what is needed for IMMEDIATE, EMERGENCY treatment... I did some custom sewing on my main rig, as you might remember, and moved the IFAK to my BACK, on top of the water bladder pouch. It is rip-off, so I am not concerned with not being able to get it when needed, nor am I worried about it snagging on something and hanging me up. I designed the webbing to naturally ramp brush over it all when going forward. The same awareness one would use with a normal backpack when in confined vegetation is what you would use with a IFAK back there...

The front and sides are much slimmer now, and for a guy like me, I will take all the inches off I can...

[Patriotic Sheepdog]

Well Protus, you know I've been thinking a lot about this for a while. I've come to conclusion that it's mission specific. My BOK is just that. No fluff, no snivel stuff, just the stuff I need for being ventilated.

My IFAK is on my BB. It has more bandages and stuff, but also has my moleskin, sunscreen, bandaids, etc.

Now being a med guy, I have a backpack that carries a full med kit for several guys. It's a Molle II assault pack. It can carry the extra med gear plus some personal stuff for me for a one day patrol. If I was going out on multiday, then a molle II backpack with the assault pack attached. Drop the BP at the RP, then move on to objective with just the assault pack.

It's all mission specific. And obtw, I still love the UW Gear chest rig Hawkeye makes. I have the minuteman and Swampfox. Both are well made and easy to use and comfortable.

Just my insights...you have my number :)
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[protus]

I plan on calling you anyway..time to do a trail. LOL

You've seen my Med stuff...its all basic I'm just wargaming things out. My Bob has a second ifak as well.

[Hawkeye]

A problem that people have fell in to in recent years, is putting everything on their chest rig/plate carrier. Part of that is because people have, be it intentionally or unintentionally, copied much of what the military has done in the past 10+ years of the GWOT. Most of what the military has done in that regards, has been via vehicles. The foot patrolling that's been done, for the most part, is not what old school patrolling used to be. As armed prepared citizens in a catastrophic situation, we'll be acting much more like an old school Ranger LRRP team, than a infantry squad. In that regards, folks have tended to forget, that your back pack, that you should always have, is where the bulk of your gear should be. Either in it or on it. This includes medical, ammo, etc.... Instead of having 3 or 4 different chest rigs setups, its better to have 2 or 3 different packs. Small, medium, large, etc..... And then use the appropriate pack for the job/mission at hand.

Protus, let me know when your ready to chat about gear... ;)

[protus]

LOL I'm good on packs...cbak mule (small) ..bhi 3day (Med) also Med. Alice (ugghhh) and the large is the kelty falcon.
I've contemplating moving all medical sans ( cats....Lizzy's...gauze) to the pack.
But I get into the "I need this......" mindset it seems which is why deep down I'm trying to scale back what's on my front side...

[Hawkeye]

Medical wise, all you really need on your gear itself is a small pouch like the HSGI bleeder pouch, for an Israeli bandage, a roll of gauze, and a TQ. A larger "first aid" kit should be in a pouch on your belt line or pack, or in the pack.
Speaking of belt line... that's another thing folks should take a look at. Split your gear up. Chest rig, belt kit, pack, etc.... This layers your load out, and distributes weight/bulk. The majority of your items, should be in the pack.

[Hawkeye]

Like I said.... give me a call if you want my $.0556 cents worth of input.