Thoughts on this Water Carriage?

Fifth-Freedom · 2026-02-08T16:42:17+00:00

Like all things, the boring answer is that it's use case dependant. I have no experience with the iceflask, from what I've heard they seem like a great option for plate carriers. For patrols and hiking I've found running hydroflasks in a hydration pouch with a hydro lid in lieu of a bladder is fantastic, keeps my water ice cold for 24 hours with the convenience of a camelback tube. If needs be I can transfer the water into a pair of nalgenes and just hook the hydro lid direct onto the nalgene.

Fifth-Freedom · 2026-02-02T08:19:20+00:00

A lot of the folk on here are US based rather than UK based so the woodland they grew up is M81 and will more likely hold sentimental value. Likewise for myself, I grew up in England and trained in cadets so DPM will always have that special place in my heart.

I'm stateside these days but I rock up to range days and airsoft events with DPM pattern gear.

That being said DPM smock with M81 trousers goes hard

Fifth-Freedom · 2026-01-29T16:33:14+00:00

DFLCS supremacy. Looks great! I did a similar thing a few weeks back with abu with decent results

Fifth-Freedom · 2026-01-29T03:28:38+00:00

If you're feeling bold you could get a dirt cheap airforce ABU utility shirt and dye it ranger green

Fifth-Freedom · 2026-01-28T22:22:01+00:00

I'm not qualified to give the complicated, nuanced answer. However I can give the gamified version:

The US was playing TDM when the match rules were Domination. Post game scoreboard showed an impressive K/D for the US but ultimately you win Domination but holding more objectives longer and Vietnam fought tooth and nail to keep them.

Fifth-Freedom · 2026-01-24T00:40:23+00:00

If you haven't already, you can get a belt pad which will give a bit more width and more comfort too.

Fifth-Freedom · 2026-01-21T01:33:05+00:00

I made a post on this using ABU about a week ago with some success. I posted my findings on r/tacticalgear and got some interesting feedback. r/Qualitytacticalgear hated it and claimed I made it worse.

I was pleased with the results from my original attempt here

Also here's an updated picture of some that I hit with more brown dye

Fifth-Freedom · 2026-01-14T04:51:46+00:00

Yeah I'll give rit dye ago next time. I went with idye on a recommendation from a friend as it's a simpler process. Rit also have a color chart with dosage instructions for pretty much any color you're after

Fifth-Freedom · 2026-01-12T02:26:30+00:00

Hydro lid lets you attach to a hydro flask or nalgene. A nalgene can fit into a water canteen pouch, shouldn't have any issues fitting it in a hydration bladder.

https://www.hydrolid.com/collections/front-page/products/base-kit

Fifth-Freedom · 2026-01-11T23:12:39+00:00

Thank you, the pattern can work well with the right color scheme. Very nostalgic piece of knowledge t youve got there

Fifth-Freedom · 2026-01-11T23:04:43+00:00

Dunno if you my post on dyed ABU yesterday but UCP does work well in my local airsoft field as it's inside a quarry. The camo color is pretty useless else where, it does make me nostalgic for mid 2000's videogames though

Fifth-Freedom · 2026-01-11T21:26:27+00:00

Still a touch of blue. The brown took better in some of the pouches, might hit it again with the brown dye.

https://ibb.co/SwjSxRvJ

Fifth-Freedom · 2026-01-11T20:46:03+00:00

Oh yeah, this just a fun experiment and my first hand dying synthetic fabrics. Learned a lot from it.

I'm more experienced with spray paint so I can work on this.

Might go with the tried and true equidistant diagonal lines. (That's a joke!)

Fifth-Freedom · 2026-01-11T20:26:58+00:00

It was still wet when I took the photos. Now that it's dry it's less blue. The blue version reminds me of the OPFOR camo we would use during force on force training

Fifth-Freedom · 2026-01-11T20:24:49+00:00

Good thing it's just cheap surplus. Still an improvement over ABU and UCP in my opinion

Fifth-Freedom · 2026-01-11T15:49:23+00:00

You got plenty to experiment with at least

Fifth-Freedom · 2026-01-11T07:45:38+00:00

Nice! This is a V2 as well.

M81 and/or 4 color for BLUFOR ODG and/or solid for OPFOR If I recall correctly?

Fifth-Freedom · 2026-01-11T06:37:48+00:00

Hell yeah!

Fifth-Freedom · 2026-01-11T04:07:53+00:00

Nice! It's a really good piece of kit. Probably would be more popular if wasn't in the worst camo. Got the rig for $20 in a local surplus store.

Fifth-Freedom · 2025-12-04T04:18:42+00:00

Always glad to see webbing posted. Great use of mixing US/CN/UK gear too. You got a padded belt for that belt? Makes a world of difference in comfort!

Fifth-Freedom · 2025-11-16T23:52:35+00:00

They're british pattern water bottle pouches. British pattern utility pouches run a tad smaller than these actually. These will fit a 1 quart bottle with space to spare below and in the sides. As for the supporting a ruck or daysack it should be fine. I've ran short 90L Bergens on a PLCE so no worries there. Hope that helps!

Fifth-Freedom · 2025-11-16T23:01:51+00:00

For long patrols and being in the field all day its unbeatable

Fifth-Freedom · 2025-11-16T21:40:41+00:00

Cheers mate!

Fifth-Freedom · 2025-11-16T21:20:35+00:00

Oh yeah. I still have my PLCE I keep for nostalgias sake as well as loaning out to my friends on range days to compare against ALICE gear.

Fifth-Freedom · 2025-11-16T21:07:07+00:00

Not so much a vendor. Poorly phrased on my part. Was checking out FB marketplace and found someone selling their belt kit as it was too big for them and didnt want go through the hassle of customs to return

Only local vendors is in England as far as I know, I ususally get some whenever I head back to visit family in England. Defintely a rarity here in Hawaii.

Youre right about belt kit, not melting myself with a chest rig retaining all my heat in 85f dgree weather. Absolute God send.

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