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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Your Tactical Gear Modifications (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 1/15/2012 7:57:53 PM EDT
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What are some mods you have made to gear that either improved safety, performance, durability, etc? It could be something obvious and simple to you, but can help out a professional or civilian gear user. What gear tips/mods have you learned through experience, or someone else's experience?
I'll start. (I have posted these before, and I'm not taking credit for them). Duct taping plates. It's a good idea to put several layers of duct tape or even a thin layer of fabric on the outer facing side of ballistic plates to mitigate spalling. It's even a good idea with ceramic plates as it will protect the plates. I also like to take a couple of inches of closed cell foam and tape it to the bottom of the plates. This protects them and in most cases will raise them to proper height. 
Cummerbund management. I like to take some shock cord and connect the cummerbund to the back of the carrier. This helps keep the c-bund where it needs to be, but also allow some stretch. 
Field stripping MRE's. Guy's have been doing this since their introduction, but this is a method I learned from ITS. Where we differ is I actually like to have a hot meal. So I take one main meal cardboard box, wrap it in duct tape and use it for every MRE I eat. Works perfectly. I also leave the spoon in each MRE. I leave out all of the deserts/candy/treats. 
Duct tape. If you have limited space, don't pack a huge roll of duct tape - wrap some around your knife's scabbard, your lighter, your light, an old card, etc. I'll try to think of more.... Well, what are yours? |
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I filled an empty water bottle with 550 cord, drilled a hole in the cap, fed the 550 through the cap, and used some tape to secure the tail to the outside of the bottle. Now it keeps everything from getting scrambled, and feeds easy. Damn good idea +1 |
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The main MRE bag can have a multitude of uses...including a make shift Asherman chest seal, water sack, porta shitter, ect. For meals, if you like hot meals you can tape the MRE, heater, salt/season/pepper/tobasco pack, and a spoon together. I ditch all the cardboard when I ratfuck my MRE's, this helps cut down on a bunch of the bulk. the beverage bag is also useful for holding the MRE shit tickets, and of course if you want to use it to mix up your electrolyte drink you can too. Adding a storm flap to the inside of a MOLLE or ALICE ruck should be mandatory. Allows for you to expand the storage room of a ruck in a pinch if need be. 550/dummy cord down stuff you don't want to lose. The old wet weather bags are way better than the newer issued ones. Turn them inside out and pack them that way. All extra straps should be pig rolled and taped down to keep them from snagging on things. Even better and more adjustable is to have a strip of velcro sewn onto the end of the strap. The velcro should have hook on one side and loop on the other, and be approximately 3-4" long total. This will allow you to roll up the excess and secure it down to a MOLLE loop or at the very least have it rolled up and secured so it won't come undone. The rest of the stuff I know is pretty .mil specific |
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The main MRE bag can have a multitude of uses...including a make shift Asherman chest seal, water sack, porta shitter, ect. For meals, if you like hot meals you can tape the MRE, heater, salt/season/pepper/tobasco pack, and a spoon together. I ditch all the cardboard when I ratfuck my MRE's, this helps cut down on a bunch of the bulk. the beverage bag is also useful for holding the MRE shit tickets, and of course if you want to use it to mix up your electrolyte drink you can too. Adding a storm flap to the inside of a MOLLE or ALICE ruck should be mandatory. Allows for you to expand the storage room of a ruck in a pinch if need be. 550/dummy cord down stuff you don't want to lose. The old wet weather bags are way better than the newer issued ones. Turn them inside out and pack them that way. All extra straps should be pig rolled and taped down to keep them from snagging on things. Even better and more adjustable is to have a strip of velcro sewn onto the end of the strap. The velcro should have hook on one side and loop on the other, and be approximately 3-4" long total. This will allow you to roll up the excess and secure it down to a MOLLE loop or at the very least have it rolled up and secured so it won't come undone. The rest of the stuff I know is pretty .mil specific Mil specific is good. |
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I filled an empty water bottle with 550 cord, drilled a hole in the cap, fed the 550 through the cap, and used some tape to secure the tail to the outside of the bottle. Now it keeps everything from getting scrambled, and feeds easy. Freaking awesome, thanks for that tip! This thread deserves a tack. Lots of great info inbound. I've got a few mods, but first ill take some pics. |
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I really like tacos, but I the two columns of molle on the front don't work very well for me. I ripped out the stitching (no small chore), and resewed them with only one molle column in the front, with two narrow channels on either side of it for the elastic cord. Now I can add single pistol mag pouches to the front. While I'm at it, I re-lace the elastic so that the ends are on the front, and then I tie them off under the pistol pouches.
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Tag for ideas.
I have been tearing apart and repackaging MRE's for years. Most of them have useless (to me) items that I would rather trade their space for something I can use. I don't eat much candy so that usually goes, along with some of the other secondary meals that don't appeal to me. A little weight/space saved here and there adds up. I like the idea of the water bottle and pcord. Only issue I have is if you have to use the water bottle to hold water, now there is a hole in it. I guess you could plug the hole (duct tape, pcord, stick, etc) but I am just playing devils advocate. |
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Tag for ideas. I have been tearing apart and repackaging MRE's for years. Most of them have useless (to me) items that I would rather trade their space for something I can use. I don't eat much candy so that usually goes, along with some of the other secondary meals that don't appeal to me. A little weight/space saved here and there adds up. I like the idea of the water bottle and pcord. Only issue I have is if you have to use the water bottle to hold water, now there is a hole in it. I guess you could plug the hole (duct tape, pcord, stick, etc) but I am just playing devils advocate. Just carry a spare cap! |
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Tag for ideas. I have been tearing apart and repackaging MRE's for years. Most of them have useless (to me) items that I would rather trade their space for something I can use. I don't eat much candy so that usually goes, along with some of the other secondary meals that don't appeal to me. A little weight/space saved here and there adds up. I like the idea of the water bottle and pcord. Only issue I have is if you have to use the water bottle to hold water, now there is a hole in it. I guess you could plug the hole (duct tape, pcord, stick, etc) but I am just playing devils advocate. Just carry a spare cap! True but I was trying to think of something you could use that you would already have on hand. An extra cap is just one more piece of crap that has one use and takes up room. |
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Theres enough empty bottles laying around on missions that if you really needed a cap there's thousands to choose from.
I wove a 4 foot piece of elastic band through the back of my ruck with an elastic keeper to to secure jackets and snivel gear once it warmed up. |
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i seen a pic from a SOG guy in vietnam that had his water purification tablet bottles taped to the plastic lid keeper of his canteens alwasy with the canteen and easy to get it. seems like a brilliant idea to me  That's what the pocket on the cover is for |
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Tag for ideas. I have been tearing apart and repackaging MRE's for years. Most of them have useless (to me) items that I would rather trade their space for something I can use. I don't eat much candy so that usually goes, along with some of the other secondary meals that don't appeal to me. A little weight/space saved here and there adds up. I like the idea of the water bottle and pcord. Only issue I have is if you have to use the water bottle to hold water, now there is a hole in it. I guess you could plug the hole (duct tape, pcord, stick, etc) but I am just playing devils advocate. Just carry a spare cap! True but I was trying to think of something you could use that you would already have on hand. An extra cap is just one more piece of crap that has one use and takes up room. I bet you could just cut a piece of of the MRE bag and stick it over the bottle mouth the screw the lid over it. |
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Tag for ideas. I have been tearing apart and repackaging MRE's for years. Most of them have useless (to me) items that I would rather trade their space for something I can use. I don't eat much candy so that usually goes, along with some of the other secondary meals that don't appeal to me. A little weight/space saved here and there adds up. I like the idea of the water bottle and pcord. Only issue I have is if you have to use the water bottle to hold water, now there is a hole in it. I guess you could plug the hole (duct tape, pcord, stick, etc) but I am just playing devils advocate. Just carry a spare cap! True but I was trying to think of something you could use that you would already have on hand. An extra cap is just one more piece of crap that has one use and takes up room. I bet you could just cut a piece of of the MRE bag and stick it over the bottle mouth the screw the lid over it. Another good idea. No need to carry an extra lid. |
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I took a small piece of 550 and melted the tips into a small flap on the wrist of my gloves so I could hang them on a biner when not in use. Does that count? WIN, do the same thing every pair I get, beats the cheap shit the put on gloves. 550 chord and water bottle, great idea. stealing, and making sop, thanks. |
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I filled an empty water bottle with 550 cord, drilled a hole in the cap, fed the 550 through the cap, and used some tape to secure the tail to the outside of the bottle. Now it keeps everything from getting scrambled, and feeds easy. There was a weird news story a few years back, about a guy who liked to feed a long piece of plastic cable into his urethra. Yeah, his dick-hole. Anyhow, he'd slowly and methodically run this plastic cable into his dick and then got himself off while he slowly pulled it out. Until he couldn't pull it out. While he was normally a smart person, he didn't know jack shit about knots... running loops in particular. What happened, the cable was looped over itself in several places and made a knot. After that story... I quit wondering why 550 cord didn't come in bottles. At any rate, I just keep 550 cord on the spool until I need it. 
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I've yet to have an issue with my 550 cord bottle, and it's certainly easier to carry than a spool. Obviously it's not a perfect solution, but it's better than any alternatives I've found, especially for the amount of cord I'm generally carrying.
It's simple, it's inexpensive, and it works. Why would you take issue with something like that? |
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I filled an empty water bottle with 550 cord, drilled a hole in the cap, fed the 550 through the cap, and used some tape to secure the tail to the outside of the bottle. Now it keeps everything from getting scrambled, and feeds easy. Why drill a hole ,just take the cap of and feed it through  
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I filled an empty water bottle with 550 cord, drilled a hole in the cap, fed the 550 through the cap, and used some tape to secure the tail to the outside of the bottle. Now it keeps everything from getting scrambled, and feeds easy. Why drill a hole ,just take the cap of and feed it through Because 550 is skinnier than a bottle's opening, and this way I don't have to fish through the bottle to get the end. You guys are thinking this through too hard. It was just a simple thing I did. If you don't like it, don't do it. If you want to change it, go ahead. |
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+1 Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I filled an empty water bottle with 550 cord, drilled a hole in the cap, fed the 550 through the cap, and used some tape to secure the tail to the outside of the bottle. Now it keeps everything from getting scrambled, and feeds easy. Damn good idea +1 |
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Not in the military, but this has worked for me when using my PVS-14. Velcro on the day cap, with a hole cut in the middle, other side on the flat part of the battery housing, and cut the cord short so that it's just long enough to put the cap on, that way it doesn't flop around when it's off, and you can velcro it to the side so you never lose it. I also take a little split ring (think swiss army knife size) and thread it around the hole where the lanyard cord usually goes on the back. It makes a perfect place to hook a lanyard to your helmet or neck, and lets you ditch the string lanyard completely and use whatever works better. When I use it hand held any one of those cheap promotional key lanyards works great. When it's head mounted a piece of 550 with a small micro biner tacked to the helmet keeps it from hitting the deck if it gets knocked off the mount.
Edit: probably a better description here |
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Not in the military, but this has worked for me when using my PVS-14. Velcro on the day cap, with a hole cut in the middle, other side on the flat part of the battery housing, and cut the cord short so that it's just long enough to put the cap on, that way it doesn't flop around when it's off, and you can velcro it to the side so you never lose it. I also take a little split ring (think swiss army knife size) and thread it around the hole where the lanyard cord usually goes on the back. It makes a perfect place to hook a lanyard to your helmet or neck, and lets you ditch the string lanyard completely and use whatever works better. When I use it hand held any one of those cheap promotional key lanyards works great. When it's head mounted a piece of 550 with a small micro biner tacked to the helmet keeps it from hitting the deck if it gets knocked off the mount. Edit: probably a better description here Good stuff. |
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It was recommended that I cross-post this here from my original thread:
I've been using rubber bands to hold tourniquets on my gear for quite a while now. This works great since they are relatively secure until you pull on them, the rubber band breaks, and you have your tourniquet in one uncomplicated motion no matter which hand you grab it with. Just grip it, rip it, and go. However, if you were to snag it on something and the rubber band broke, you would be SOL (unless you carried spares). Also, rubber bands don't do well in dry, hot, sunny environments like NV. So, I started looking at different tourniquet holders online. The Blue Force Gear Tourniquet Now is probably the cheapest option but it seemed to me that there was a decent chance of the tourniquet snagging on one of the elastic bands on the way out. Another problem I saw was that you have to pull it out from the top or bottom meaning you have to grab a smaller area of the tourniquet and pull it all the way up or down. Granted, not quite a fine motor function, but slightly more complex than just grabbing it and ripping it out of a rubber band. The Marz Tactical Tourniquet Pouch has the same issues mentioned above, now with a pistol mag pouch style flap to deal with. $20 was also a little much since I needed at least two. 215 Gear's Tourniquet/GP Holder seems like a really good option and is probably what I would go with if I were to buy one. Just flip a tab and the tourniquet is free. To me, $12 seems pretty fair so I really don't have anything bad to say about this design other than that it is still a two step process instead of just grab and go. So I dug through my box of random gear parts to see what I could come up with, and I think the outcome worked out pretty well for using items that all of you likely have laying around. What you will need: About 8" of elastic shock cord (550 would probably work too, just have to tweak the fit) 1 EA cord-lock Tie a simple knot in one end of the cord and put both ends through the cord-lock - 
Pass the looped ends through your MOLLE webbing as shown in the picture below. The end with the knot should be the loop on the bottom (this will help retain the assembly if the tourniquet is ripped off accidentally or for use) - 
Put the looped ends around each end of your tourniquet with the cord lock in the middle behind the tourniquet to minimize snagging - 
Now, when you grab the tourniquet with either hand and give it a firm yank, the un-knotted end of the cord will pull through the cord lock and unthread itself from the MOLLE webbing. In the picture below you can see how having the knotted side on the bottom will help retain the assembly - 
In can also be placed in an empty storage configuration by looping each of the open ends back around the cord-lock as shown - 
This design certainly accomplished my initial requirement of "grip it, rip it, and go" so I have since added one to my belt (as shown) and also my chest rig, and each works flawlessly. I hope someone out there will find some use in this write-up. Please let me know if you have any suggestions for improvement. |
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I've yet to have an issue with my 550 cord bottle, and it's certainly easier to carry than a spool. Obviously it's not a perfect solution, but it's better than any alternatives I've found, especially for the amount of cord I'm generally carrying. It's simple, it's inexpensive, and it works. Why would you take issue with something like that? I think some posters think you're using a canteen, rather than a disposable bottle of water like those issued by the case overseas. |
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I've yet to have an issue with my 550 cord bottle, and it's certainly easier to carry than a spool. Obviously it's not a perfect solution, but it's better than any alternatives I've found, especially for the amount of cord I'm generally carrying. It's simple, it's inexpensive, and it works. Why would you take issue with something like that? I think some posters think you're using a canteen, rather than a disposable bottle of water like those issued by the case overseas. I was envisioning a nalgene bottle. |
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It was recommended that I cross-post this here from my original thread: I've been using rubber bands to hold tourniquets on my gear for quite a while now. This works great since they are relatively secure until you pull on them, the rubber band breaks, and you have your tourniquet in one uncomplicated motion no matter which hand you grab it with. Just grip it, rip it, and go. However, if you were to snag it on something and the rubber band broke, you would be SOL (unless you carried spares). Also, rubber bands don't do well in dry, hot, sunny environments like NV. So, I started looking at different tourniquet holders online. The Blue Force Gear Tourniquet Now is probably the cheapest option but it seemed to me that there was a decent chance of the tourniquet snagging on one of the elastic bands on the way out. Another problem I saw was that you have to pull it out from the top or bottom meaning you have to grab a smaller area of the tourniquet and pull it all the way up or down. Granted, not quite a fine motor function, but slightly more complex than just grabbing it and ripping it out of a rubber band. The Marz Tactical Tourniquet Pouch has the same issues mentioned above, now with a pistol mag pouch style flap to deal with. $20 was also a little much since I needed at least two. 215 Gear's Tourniquet/GP Holder seems like a really good option and is probably what I would go with if I were to buy one. Just flip a tab and the tourniquet is free. To me, $12 seems pretty fair so I really don't have anything bad to say about this design other than that it is still a two step process instead of just grab and go. So I dug through my box of random gear parts to see what I could come up with, and I think the outcome worked out pretty well for using items that all of you likely have laying around. What you will need: About 8" of elastic shock cord (550 would probably work too, just have to tweak the fit) 1 EA cord-lock Tie a simple knot in one end of the cord and put both ends through the cord-lock - http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7175/6803740815_917efd99f2_b.jpg Pass the looped ends through your MOLLE webbing as shown in the picture below. The end with the knot should be the loop on the bottom (this will help retain the assembly if the tourniquet is ripped off accidentally or for use) - http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7011/6803734221_5052f2d70e_b.jpg Put the looped ends around each end of your tourniquet with the cord lock in the middle behind the tourniquet to minimize snagging - http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7026/6803731131_e7c1dda3fc_b.jpg Now, when you grab the tourniquet with either hand and give it a firm yank, the un-knotted end of the cord will pull through the cord lock and unthread itself from the MOLLE webbing. In the picture below you can see how having the knotted side on the bottom will help retain the assembly - http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7146/6803751855_503901b7cc_b.jpg In can also be placed in an empty storage configuration by looping each of the open ends back around the cord-lock as shown - http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7005/6803741363_f278bff2a9_b.jpg This design certainly accomplished my initial requirement of "grip it, rip it, and go" so I have since added one to my belt (as shown) and also my chest rig, and each works flawlessly. I hope someone out there will find some use in this write-up. Please let me know if you have any suggestions for improvement. I like it |
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I filled an empty water bottle with 550 cord, drilled a hole in the cap, fed the 550 through the cap, and used some tape to secure the tail to the outside of the bottle. Now it keeps everything from getting scrambled, and feeds easy. Why drill a hole ,just take the cap of and feed it through Because 550 is skinnier than a bottle's opening, and this way I don't have to fish through the bottle to get the end. You guys are thinking this through too hard. It was just a simple thing I did. If you don't like it, don't do it. If you want to change it, go ahead. makes sense to me - same basic concept as a rope bag. |
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Here's one I've been wanting to do for a while:
I have an Eagle/SKD all MOLLE chest rig and it is the most used piece of gear I have. The only real complaint I have about it is how the map pocket in the center opens/closes. The velcro requires two hands to open, will eventually wear out from repeated opening/closing, and is loud (I use this rig for hog hunting not ninja stuff). So I thought, "a zipper sure would be nice..." Anyone with a decent sewing machine (or time to do it by hand) and a GED can handle this mod. Items needed: 1 EA 7" zipper 1 EA 1" x 7" hook side velcro 1 EA 1" x 7" loop side velcro I simply taped the ends of the zipper, sewed on the velcro as shown, and installed on the rig. Now it only takes one hand to open and it's quiet. This also required no modification to the rig itself and the zipper can be installed or removed in seconds. Zipper adapter: 
Original velcro closure: 
Zipper adapter being installed: 
Finished product: 
Pay no mind to the atrocious counter-top tile work... it's a rental. |
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Here's one I've been wanting to do for a while: I have an Eagle/SKD all MOLLE chest rig and it is the most used piece of gear I have. The only real complaint I have about it is how the map pocket in the center opens/closes. The velcro requires two hands to open, will eventually wear out from repeated opening/closing, and is loud (I use this rig for hog hunting not ninja stuff). So I thought, "a zipper sure would be nice..." Anyone with a decent sewing machine (or time to do it by hand) and a GED can handle this mod. Items needed: 1 EA 7" zipper 1 EA 1" x 7" hook side velcro 1 EA 1" x 7" loop side velcro I simply taped the ends of the zipper, sewed on the velcro as shown, and installed on the rig. Now it only takes one hand to open and it's quiet. This also required no modification to the rig itself and the zipper can be installed or removed in seconds. Zipper adapter: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7027/6809511055_35d34f4527_b.jpg Original velcro closure: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7001/6809514921_fd99023ee0_b.jpg Zipper adapter being installed: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7028/6809540927_38356f3e15_b.jpg Finished product: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7142/6809555375_f7a1b1f31a_b.jpg http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7035/6809564111_012e45b169_b.jpg Pay no mind to the atrocious counter-top tile work... it's a rental. Good one. |
| I'm using an M1961 field pack with my kit and it was always a PITA to open and close, especially if I taped up the straps so I didn't have things dangling everywhere. It has straps that get run through d-buckles both to close it and to secure something on the bottom (my gore-tex jacket usually gets rolled up tight and strapped on the bottom). One day I came across the MOLLE replacement buckle sets so I bought one and installed them where the d-buckles were and now the straps are closed wth fastex buckles which is way more convenient. I'm probably going to sew velcro strips onto the straps so I can roll the straps up and secure the with the velcro instead of using tape. |
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Here's one I've been wanting to do for a while: I have an Eagle/SKD all MOLLE chest rig and it is the most used piece of gear I have. The only real complaint I have about it is how the map pocket in the center opens/closes. The velcro requires two hands to open, will eventually wear out from repeated opening/closing, and is loud (I use this rig for hog hunting not ninja stuff). So I thought, "a zipper sure would be nice..." Anyone with a decent sewing machine (or time to do it by hand) and a GED can handle this mod. Items needed: 1 EA 7" zipper 1 EA 1" x 7" hook side velcro 1 EA 1" x 7" loop side velcro I simply taped the ends of the zipper, sewed on the velcro as shown, and installed on the rig. Now it only takes one hand to open and it's quiet. This also required no modification to the rig itself and the zipper can be installed or removed in seconds. Zipper adapter: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7027/6809511055_35d34f4527_b.jpg Original velcro closure: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7001/6809514921_fd99023ee0_b.jpg Zipper adapter being installed: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7028/6809540927_38356f3e15_b.jpg Finished product: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7142/6809555375_f7a1b1f31a_b.jpg http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7035/6809564111_012e45b169_b.jpg Pay no mind to the atrocious counter-top tile work... it's a rental. That's pretty ingenious! Thanks for the idea... Az |
Coyote PIG carrier, HSGI EOD pouch as an admin/BOK, HSGI Double decker Tacos. This rig supports my Glock 24 and Colt M4. It is fairly new as you can see. I've been using it around the house to get a feel for it. I love it so far. One thing that I couldn't get used to is how the butt of my weapon fit on the front of the PIG. I cut a piece of tubing and made slots so that I could thread a MALICE clip through it and attach it to my molle webbing. The butt of my M4 now sits very securely in a pec hold position which works real well for me.
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Coyote PIG carrier, HSGI EOD pouch as an admin/BOK, HSGI Double decker Tacos. This rig supports my Glock 24 and Colt M4. It is fairly new as you can see. I've been using it around the house to get a feel for it. I love it so far. One thing that I couldn't get used to is how the butt of my weapon fit on the front of the PIG. I cut a piece of tubing and made slots so that I could thread a MALICE clip through it and attach it to my molle webbing. The butt of my M4 now sits very securely in a pec hold position which works real well for me. http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b179/unstabl/Equipment%20Files/7c36e0d7.jpg Where can I get that patch? I heart being a SAW gunner. 
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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Your Tactical Gear Modifications (Page 1 of 2)
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