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When I first got to Afghanistan (or right before), I had every square inch of it loaded down with shit......rifle mags....pistol mags.....IFAK.....PLB.....flashlight.....belt cutter.....knife and scabbard......you name it.

That is, until:

I got off the fucking C17 and that 120 degree heat hit me in the face.....

My IOTV went on a strict diet! You learn real damned fast what is needed and what you can squeak by on.

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There is not a group anywhere that can measure up to the ARFCOMER.   We all know that we are married to super models, do 100 one armed pull-ups while eating a cookie with the other, and date 20yr old goddesses when we reach 50yrs old.   We are sexual tyrannosauruses  who's SOs like to have sex multiple times a day, because they are turned on by all the cool gear we have.



After looking over this thread in the tactical forum, I am, again, in awe of our awesomeness.  ARFCOMERS have everything but the kitchen sink attached to their plate carriers, and the sink is usually attached to the war belt.   We carry enough ammo to supply the Alamo for a week.  



http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_6_10/342310_Plate_carrier_thread_____This_is_NOW_a_post_pics_of_your_Plate_Carrier_THREAD___.html



Here is my challenge.   While working out at the gym today, and ripping through my pull-ups like an arfcom stud should, I realized it might be a little tougher with all my gear on.  My Plate Carrier is very sparse, with only two rifle mags, two pistol mags, and a flashlight hanging off of it.  It still weighs close to 25lbs with all that attached....a guess.   Add a rifle, my war belt with a pistol, and  more mags, and I'll bet I'm close to 50lbs of gear.   How about a 3day pack?   What's yours weigh?  Mine is a bit heavy.



To challenge myself, I added 50lbs today, and did a set of 10 pull-ups.   I probably need to try it with closer to 80lbs, being realistic.  



Can you do a couple pull-ups with all your gear on?  That seems like it might come in handy.  



How about after you put all that gear on, can you walk farther than a block or two without going into cardiac arrest?  Can you walk a few miles up hills in it?   I know most ARFCOMERS will defend their mothers basement till the bitter end, but will that be the only place you wear all of your gear?  



I'm challenging you tacticool, operator as fuck, geardos to get out and wear your kit, and find out if it's practical to have 14 30rd mags on your person at one time.  





I have to give my buddy Sparks556 kudos, for making me get out and test ourselves with all our gear on.   It's an eye opening experience, one that I hope you all can benefit from too.



Let's hear some after action reports.   Grab a buddy and go for a hike.    



Good Luck!





This challenge is not directed to those of you who do this for the real money, and down range.    I can't imagine what kind of SUCK it must be to hump all the gear you do, in places that would be challenging to hike even in a tshirt and shorts.  I am in awe of you folks.

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And what I'm getting at here, in tongue and cheek, is that we may or may not be able to carry a 50lb pack, but at least find out for yourself before the day comes and the timing of that discovery is inconvenient.  


Some of those plate carrier kits look damn nice, but with 9+ mags, and a ton of shit hanging off off them, combined with someone out of shape just seems ridiculous.   My buddy Sparks556 is near 15yrs my junior, in great shape, and found this out too.   The rig he set up first, according to him, was just too damn heavy.   Now his kit is streamlined, and more realistic.   I followed his lead, setting up my own.  

After our hikes, we enjoy discussing how our gear carried, and what we thought of it.   Then we go home and make adjustments.   Next time out we can reevaluate.

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Yup same here.  We where lucky and had a good RIP, and I paid attention to what they where carrying.