Posted: 11/6/2011 8:49:44 AM EDT
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My unit is part of the 86th IBCT which is affiliated with the Army Mountain Warfare School, which pretty much writes Mountaineering doctrine for the Army. So I'll share what I've gleaned from that, but can't speak as to what the NWTC is doing.
Currently there's no "standard issue" crampons and snowshoes for the Army. The Army Mountain Warfare school is constantly evaluating new products, and the ones that are approved get pushed down. The stuff is basically battalion bought COTS stuff. Example: the snowshoes I used earlier this year were Tubbs, which we've had for a couple years now. These were provided by our battalion to our unit. Another shipment of snowshoes was loaned from my battalion to an MP unit from my state. These were a more recently selected model snowshoe that were lighter and smaller, of a different design and company (maybe they were MSR?) I'm doing a bit of searching but can't seem to find the exact model of Tubbs I used. The closest is the Tubbs "Men's Mountaineer Snowshoe". However, the binding system seems to be updated, and the ones we had were grey, and not in any goofy civi colors. Oh, and to add, they sucked. Loud, and easily broken. On AT w/ the canadians we brought 2-3 times as many as we needed only to end up breaking about half of them by the end of the week. For the final event we borrowed some from the candians and they were great. Old school metal frame with string, with buckle bindings. Silent, durable, an easily fixed in the field; they were great. I was however able to find a picture of the model of crampons I was last issued. 
I think they're "Grivel G10 Classic", but they're not on the website catalog. |
| At Fort Richardson, we issue the MSR snowshoe seen here: http://www.marcorsyscom.usmc.mil/SITES/PMICE/Operations/STAP/CATALOG/DATA%20SHTS%5C8465-01-558-9958%20tap.pdf |
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Quoted:
At Fort Richardson, we issue the MSR snowshoe seen here: http://www.marcorsyscom.usmc.mil/SITES/PMICE/Operations/STAP/CATALOG/DATA%20SHTS%5C8465-01-558-9958%20tap.pdf I'm pretty sure those are the ones I saw on pallets given to the MP unit. Same body, if not the same binding system. |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
At Fort Richardson, we issue the MSR snowshoe seen here: http://www.marcorsyscom.usmc.mil/SITES/PMICE/Operations/STAP/CATALOG/DATA%20SHTS%5C8465-01-558-9958%20tap.pdf I'm pretty sure those are the ones I saw on pallets given to the MP unit. Same body, if not the same binding system. Yeah, the NSN is in WEBFLIS, so it is at least an established item. I don't have any real experience with using them besides a few hours over the last 3 years. I've only used them a couple of times for PT or to get off the drop zone.....never again will I jump them when I am pulling a JM duty on a C-17(makes it harder to trace the bottom of the door). |
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