Straps on top of the vest were also for various other things like "soeksteekstokke" liberally translated as landmine probe sticks. A favorite use of one of the 2L water bottle pouches on the back was to put two teabags in it as the water would get very hot when walking patrol under the South African sun. Our sleeping bag and tarp were rolled up tight and strapped upright with thge side straps over the two back pouches. Generally the bottom pouch was used to carry our Ratpack aka MRE. We did indeed carry smoke grenades to execute a FLOT maneuver (Forward Line Own Troops) when providing guidance to an arial strafe of the enemy in close contact. Jeez I cant believe I still remember this stuff. 88/89 was a long time ago man. The Battle Jacket was hot to wear but you could comfortably run in it. In fact we used to do regular fitness marches/runs in them with full ammo, water and rifle.
Few observations from your video (I'm ex SA infantry academy, and my old-man was also an academy intructor): 1. The design wasn't based on a "nothing you can do about it" approach. It was based on a "know exactly where your items are", and if you need to look in another guy's vest (if he's out of action, but you need additional ammo) then you know where the items are too. 2. The heavy black accents (webbing, vecro, etc) were proven to break up the shapes very effectively and aided low observation. 3. It's not a 4x quart water-bottle, it's a 2L water-bottle. South Africa is on the metric system. The side pouch could also take a South African style MRE pack (rat-pack), as it was the same dimensions. That was if you were on a day long patrol. If you were out for longer then you'd pack your rations around other equipment (the back pouches mainly). 4. The top-back puch had the vecro lid to be able to remove your poncho when it starts raining. The top pouch was really for your poncho and ground sheet... The bottom pouch is for the dixie-pan & cutlery. The two pouches are not fully seperated, so you can also have sticks down the in side for mine detection. 5. You don't take your bed-roll in the battle vest, that's when you take your big pack... and when you take your pack, the battle-vest and chest-webbing strapped over the pack. In the bush-war SA soldiers never went into a fire-fight wearing the pack, like the US might have done with a hybrid urban situation in Iraq/Afg, so firefights were whilst on patrol, or abush setting. 6. (ps: don't forget to look at the chest-webbing unit. It held a lot of additional ammo) SA equipment doctrine was VERY efficient for the bush-war, to the extent that it's astonishing the Brisith went into Iraq & Afg with the awful vehicle & equipment they had. SA had proven weapons, vehicles, equipment, etc, (just take a look at the "Caspir" MPV), and were ready to go, including air-conditioned, high-survivability vehicles and weapns systems. For a small country, we had the 3rd/4th best military for dry climates in the world at the time. Man for man, on the ground, by the end of the 80's, I think it was the best. (not in the air)
Nice!!! I have an MFH version one that was a secondary piece of kit given in small numbers to Army and Guard peeps for stateside training, my buddy runs the OG SADF one that I made a custom Dump Pouch for. I like the rig and the stitched construction, except for some of the magazine pouch placements, not terribly ergonomic in that regard, but it's great otherwise.
That's the best viewing I've seen of that webbing, and I served in the SADF. I was in the Armoured Corps in 1989/1990, so we were issued the old canvas webbing as well as the old metal helmet we called a 'staaldak', meaning metal roof in English. The plastic inner, which the staaldak fitted over, was called a 'Dooibie', an Afrikaans mangling of the English word 'Derby', being another name for a bowler hat. The dooibie was worn by itself as head covering right through basic training. It kinda looked like a cross between a Yank WWII era helmet and a German Fallshirmjäger helmet.
Good to wear. Interestingly when in the shadows the light would paint a shape shifting camo pattern as you moved. The brown nutria became somewhat of a canvas for this ever shifting camouflage pattern.
Old video but just came across it. Let me explain how we used it. Front and side pouches for ammo and grenades, as much as you could beg, borrow or steal. Rear spine punches for 2 2liter water bottles - not easy to access but a buddy always nearby to help you. In fact, a stick would generally drink from one man's supply and once empty the next one became the water source. On extended ops we also carried at least another 4 1liter canteens per man on old pattern 73 webbing. Reminder - we used pattern 73 well into the '90's. On major operations we combined the vest with a Pattern 83 chest rig. This combo gave you at least 14 - 16 loaded magazines and 4 grenades per soldier. More than any marine or other fighting man, ever. On area patrols we never wore the vest or the chest rig....those were for major assaults.
When I first started fighting wildfires in the early 90s, we were using old duece gear. A friend of mine found a pattern 83 and modified the back for a camel bAK bladder. He Carried it for years, I wanna say he got it for under 50.00
The US wasn't that far behind. Finished in 1984, but not adopted until 1988, the IIFS was VERY similar to Pat 83, but without the chest carrier. But, the US version didn't technically need a chest carrier; the SADF used theirs for ultralight assault or when wearing the massive rucksack. The US doctrine didn't call for most troops to run that light, and the IIFS could be worn with the Rucksack, unlike the Pat. 83 battle jacket. Its so cool to compare/contrast these systems from around the world.
Thanks, really informative tutorial. I was given a brand-new knock off version. which initially I was a bit disappointed with it. But I am now squared away, just needed a different point of view. The magazine pouches will hold one 5 round shotgun mag. As my preferred load out is a shotgun. Plenty of pockets for a few loose rounds or a 6 round canvas holder, Cheers
Seen a few reviews on this vest recently - I think there is a reproduction version out of good quality. I don't get excited about Velcro 'only' pouch closure - prefer it with snaps or buckles. I do like the uncluttered open front or 'split' design. Except for nostalgia I don't know why someone would go with this kit over the many choices in a modular LBV like the US FLC or British Osprey. I'm a fan of the US LBV-88E although it too has sewn on mag pouches but with an ALICE web belt (vest has loops for it at the bottom) additional pouches can be added to carry a full+ loadout.
@@PegasusTests lol. No. IMHO a chest rig or vest should be complete. Magazines side arms grenades knives medical water navigation and communications. My belt has other things on it. Btw way, those flat 2iter bottles apple cranberry and other juices come in should be a perfect fit for your canteen holders
Here in Canada These vests are extremely common. Most are reproductions, but they still build pretty well. You can get them in all colours. CADPAT, OD, black and many more.
Straps on top of the vest were also for various other things like "soeksteekstokke" liberally translated as landmine probe sticks.
A favorite use of one of the 2L water bottle pouches on the back was to put two teabags in it as the water would get very hot when walking patrol under the South African sun. Our sleeping bag and tarp were rolled up tight and strapped upright with thge side straps over the two back pouches. Generally the bottom pouch was used to carry our Ratpack aka MRE. We did indeed carry smoke grenades to execute a FLOT maneuver (Forward Line Own Troops) when providing guidance to an arial strafe of the enemy in close contact. Jeez I cant believe I still remember this stuff. 88/89 was a long time ago man. The Battle Jacket was hot to wear but you could comfortably run in it. In fact we used to do regular fitness marches/runs in them with full ammo, water and rifle.
I remember wearing that get-up. Good times and memories. Thanks for reviewing it.
were u SADF?
Few observations from your video (I'm ex SA infantry academy, and my old-man was also an academy intructor):
1. The design wasn't based on a "nothing you can do about it" approach. It was based on a "know exactly where your items are", and if you need to look in another guy's vest (if he's out of action, but you need additional ammo) then you know where the items are too.
2. The heavy black accents (webbing, vecro, etc) were proven to break up the shapes very effectively and aided low observation.
3. It's not a 4x quart water-bottle, it's a 2L water-bottle. South Africa is on the metric system. The side pouch could also take a South African style MRE pack (rat-pack), as it was the same dimensions. That was if you were on a day long patrol. If you were out for longer then you'd pack your rations around other equipment (the back pouches mainly).
4. The top-back puch had the vecro lid to be able to remove your poncho when it starts raining. The top pouch was really for your poncho and ground sheet... The bottom pouch is for the dixie-pan & cutlery. The two pouches are not fully seperated, so you can also have sticks down the in side for mine detection.
5. You don't take your bed-roll in the battle vest, that's when you take your big pack... and when you take your pack, the battle-vest and chest-webbing strapped over the pack. In the bush-war SA soldiers never went into a fire-fight wearing the pack, like the US might have done with a hybrid urban situation in Iraq/Afg, so firefights were whilst on patrol, or abush setting.
6. (ps: don't forget to look at the chest-webbing unit. It held a lot of additional ammo)
SA equipment doctrine was VERY efficient for the bush-war, to the extent that it's astonishing the Brisith went into Iraq & Afg with the awful vehicle & equipment they had.
SA had proven weapons, vehicles, equipment, etc, (just take a look at the "Caspir" MPV), and were ready to go, including air-conditioned, high-survivability vehicles and weapns systems.
For a small country, we had the 3rd/4th best military for dry climates in the world at the time. Man for man, on the ground, by the end of the 80's, I think it was the best. (not in the air)
Nice!!! I have an MFH version one that was a secondary piece of kit given in small numbers to Army and Guard peeps for stateside training, my buddy runs the OG SADF one that I made a custom Dump Pouch for. I like the rig and the stitched construction, except for some of the magazine pouch placements, not terribly ergonomic in that regard, but it's great otherwise.
That's the best viewing I've seen of that webbing, and I served in the SADF.
I was in the Armoured Corps in 1989/1990, so we were issued the old canvas webbing as well as the old metal helmet we called a 'staaldak', meaning metal roof in English.
The plastic inner, which the staaldak fitted over, was called a 'Dooibie', an Afrikaans mangling of the English word 'Derby', being another name for a bowler hat.
The dooibie was worn by itself as head covering right through basic training. It kinda looked like a cross between a Yank WWII era helmet and a German Fallshirmjäger helmet.
Thanks!
At the time it was such an improvement over the pattern 70. Any weight reduction was such a blessing during basics and 2nd phase.
Good to wear. Interestingly when in the shadows the light would paint a shape shifting camo pattern as you moved. The brown nutria became somewhat of a canvas for this ever shifting camouflage pattern.
Old video but just came across it.
Let me explain how we used it. Front and side pouches for ammo and grenades, as much as you could beg, borrow or steal. Rear spine punches for 2 2liter water bottles - not easy to access but a buddy always nearby to help you. In fact, a stick would generally drink from one man's supply and once empty the next one became the water source. On extended ops we also carried at least another 4 1liter canteens per man on old pattern 73 webbing. Reminder - we used pattern 73 well into the '90's. On major operations we combined the vest with a Pattern 83 chest rig. This combo gave you at least 14 - 16 loaded magazines and 4 grenades per soldier. More than any marine or other fighting man, ever. On area patrols we never wore the vest or the chest rig....those were for major assaults.
Appreciate the detailed description of how you used it.
When I first started fighting wildfires in the early 90s, we were using old duece gear. A friend of mine found a pattern 83 and modified the back for a camel bAK bladder. He Carried it for years, I wanna say he got it for under 50.00
Do you know if the Safs had a cups canteen with the 2 litre water bottle??
The US wasn't that far behind. Finished in 1984, but not adopted until 1988, the IIFS was VERY similar to Pat 83, but without the chest carrier.
But, the US version didn't technically need a chest carrier; the SADF used theirs for ultralight assault or when wearing the massive rucksack. The US doctrine didn't call for most troops to run that light, and the IIFS could be worn with the Rucksack, unlike the Pat. 83 battle jacket.
Its so cool to compare/contrast these systems from around the world.
I have a knockoff in CADPAT, I modified the pouches to hold Kalashnikov mags
Thanks, really informative tutorial. I was given a brand-new knock off version. which initially I was a bit disappointed with it. But I am now squared away, just needed a different point of view. The magazine pouches will hold one 5 round shotgun mag. As my preferred load out is a shotgun. Plenty of pockets for a few loose rounds or a 6 round canvas holder, Cheers
super ,
cool piece of kit !!
Yes it is!
Seen a few reviews on this vest recently - I think there is a reproduction version out of good quality. I don't get excited about Velcro 'only' pouch closure - prefer it with snaps or buckles. I do like the uncluttered open front or 'split' design. Except for nostalgia I don't know why someone would go with this kit over the many choices in a modular LBV like the US FLC or British Osprey. I'm a fan of the US LBV-88E although it too has sewn on mag pouches but with an ALICE web belt (vest has loops for it at the bottom) additional pouches can be added to carry a full+ loadout.
wondered how it fit on shorter people and how adjustable they are, I'm 5.6 ft and have a 37 inch chest.
If you're still wondering I'm 5 ft 4 with a wide build and it fits me perfect. Can be adjusted to rest on the top of the hips at its tightest
Fully adjustable for height and width.
Used it back in the day...good piece of gear....way superior to the green 70s canvas stuff that we used in basics..
Where can a sidearm and knives (2) be attached?
On your belt
@@PegasusTests lol. No. IMHO a chest rig or vest should be complete. Magazines side arms grenades knives medical water navigation and communications. My belt has other things on it. Btw way, those flat 2iter bottles apple cranberry and other juices come in should be a perfect fit for your canteen holders
This vest always reminded me of the Canadian Forces vest. It's sad that the CAF is still using it to be honest.
If I had a second one to dye OD. I'd wear it for One Shepard.
You and me both!
Here in Canada These vests are extremely common. Most are reproductions, but they still build pretty well.
You can get them in all colours. CADPAT, OD, black and many more.
1983 in the UK we were using 1958 pattern webbing. Utter crap.
We used it for up to 3 day patrol or ops If we need a groot sak we hung the battle jacket over the H frame or used the chest rig
Exactly... Strapped it over the back-pack.
Retro load bearing vest and rigs is cool but nothing is a good as the latest new stuff.
Get over it.