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Army surplus smell???

gameflogger

gameflogger

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Joined
Dec 2, 2014
Messages
1,370
Location
Texas
What is the weird smell that all army surplus packs have?? Is it some sort of treatment that protects against bugs??
 
I can’t believe some of our Navy guys or Marines haven’t jumped on this yet. You tee’d it up for them perfect. Lol
 
It’s the smell of hopes and dreams dying a slow death.
Seriously tho most gear isn’t washed or if it is not very well so it gets saturated with sweat. Then it dries. Wet/lather/rinse/repeat for years. Then store it in a dark musty warehouse. Military gear is often thick canvas or some type material so it makes it worse. New gear is made from newer modern materials so it’s not as bad. Packs, bags, uniforms are usually the worst. A strong vinegar bath followed by air drying in the sun helps. You may hear the acronym FAN thrown around, that’s Feet Ass and Nuts. Gear can smell like any or all of that. My old ILBE isn’t too bad but it can get a bit ripe and they was even with me washing it.
 
Exhumis said:
It’s the smell of hopes and dreams dying a slow death.
Seriously tho most gear isn’t washed or if it is not very well so it gets saturated with sweat. Then it dries. Wet/lather/rinse/repeat for years. Then store it in a dark musty warehouse. Military gear is often thick canvas or some type material so it makes it worse. New gear is made from newer modern materials so it’s not as bad. Packs, bags, uniforms are usually the worst. A strong vinegar bath followed by air drying in the sun helps. You may hear the acronym FAN thrown around, that’s Feet Ass and Nuts. Gear can smell like any or all of that. My old ILBE isn’t too bad but it can get a bit ripe and they was even with me washing it.
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I actually have brand new never issued surplus rucksacks that smell like some sort of chemical
 
I have a bunch of surplus stuff and never had chemical smell....ww2 and cold war stuff definetly has some funk sometimes. 5 gallon bucket filled up mostly full and 2 or 3 cups of vinegar and sprinkle some backing soda..agitate and rinse over and over. I beat it against a stump that's by the water hose and after a while that'll help loosen up the material and quiet it down some too....that's my biggest gripe with the surplus stuff...some of the material they used is real loud until it's broke in
 
I have military surplus some of it smelled when I got it some of it didn’t. The rubber
Dry bags and pack covers I have gotten both smelled like human vomit. I believe it’s due to moth balls or some similar treatment. A few housings/washings it goes away. The GI bivy and other sleeping gear ive
Picked up hasn’t smelled at all. I have a brand new set of LBG in the classifieds now for sale it doesn’t smell at all.
 
My 2 down sleeping bags (Vietnam area I think) were discussing with white sweat stains and bad BO....it took a bunch of washing and sun drying but finally ok. I was worried I'd mess up the feathers but they still fluffy up good.....those were a pain in the butt. A backpack should be real easy

Edit: Disgusting....hahaha silly autocorrect
Sounds like the start of a corny joke....what did 1 sleeping bag say to the other
 
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gameflogger said:
What is the weird smell that all army surplus packs have?? Is it some sort of treatment that protects against bugs??
Click to expand...
Hahaha that's called mildew my friend! Gear gets packed in big bins that aren't air tight in giant warehouses in some of the most humid hot places the US has to offer, the gear itself is not treated for bugs only the clothing issued is. Another part of the smell is the water proof coatings applied to the gear breaking down......
 
woodsdog2 said:
I have military surplus some of it smelled when I got it some of it didn’t. The rubber
Dry bags and pack covers I have gotten both smelled like human vomit. I believe it’s due to moth balls or some similar treatment. A few housings/washings it goes away. The GI bivy and other sleeping gear ive
Picked up hasn’t smelled at all. I have a brand new set of LBG in the classifieds now for sale it doesn’t smell at all.
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That's the water proof liner breaking down on the Willie P bag, that rubberized coating smells like literal death as it begins to essentially rot away
 
The only time I call willie p, willie p is when it’s lighting up something as in white phosphorus!!!
 
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