10 thoughts on “A Crushing Weight”

1. Interesting – looks like the belt is set for a left-handed officer (pistol is set on left).

   Plate armor restricts mobility more, a heavy belt shouldn’t put too much strain on the back, just tear up the legs / knees.

   Reply ↓

2. I weighed my WW1 gear and found that it is of similar weight, not including the rifle and ammunition.

   Reply ↓

3. In one of Jim Dunnigan’s books he lists all the stuff that a US rifleman has to carry into combat, and it’s something like 70 pounds.

   Reply ↓

   • Marines and Army Infantry carry much higher loads these days. I was a radio operator and marched many miles in the 80’s with 100lbs of gear on me.

     Reply ↓

     • http://www.everyjoe.com/2014/06/23/politics/the-soldiers-load-the-immobility-of-a-nation/

       Reply ↓

4. Apparently one of the tests of the medieval knight was to lay him on his back, in full harness, have him jump to his feet,, run a hundred yards and vault into the saddle of his warhorse. Tests back in the sixties show that is possible to do this.

   Anyway a rig shown above weighing in at forty pounds? Wow. I’m guessing that any kit advertised for the police market in the near future will give pride and place to the word “lightweight.”

   Reply ↓

   • I’m reminded that in the 1914 regulations the instructions for getting up from the prone position indicate that one should use the rifle as a support. Having tried it, I can understand why. Unfortunately for the police this would not be an option available to them.

     Reply ↓

   • ” …a rig shown above weighing in at forty pounds?”

     I’m not so sure it is that heavy. Note that I was careful to attribute the figure to the article.

     It is possible, I suppose.

     Reply ↓

5. My last duty rig with a SIG P226 came in at 35 pounds. That did not include my backup gun or vest. I’ve got the permanent back pain to show for it.

   Reply ↓

   • Thanks for your input, Richard!

     Looks like it is as heavy as stated, after all.

     Reply ↓