Most Special Operations Forces (SOF) like to wear Salomon Boots or Asolo Hiking Boots.  The Asolo-brand hiking boot (model FSN 95 GTC) are issued to several SOF units and are well regarded by those unit members.  Both Salomon and Asolo make models with Gore-Tex (water-proof, breathable skin) and their boots accept orthotic insoles.  Don't confuse the ever-popular Merrel boots that you see around town as a serious hiking boot - it is neither rugged nor supportive and is most appropriate for your "urban soldier" walking around downtown Fayetteville, NC or Columbus, GA. 

Next, invest in some good pairs of socks.  Although it may seem expensive to spend $15 - 20 per pair of socks when those cotton tube socks from high school are so much cheaper, just remember how much you'll be humping and your socks will save your feet.  Most SOF units recommend Smartwool socks or Thorlo socks.  These versatile socks come in a variety of thicknesses, lengths, and materials.  Most will opt for the very thick hiking socks, but some prefer a slimmer, more athletic fit.  Try them on and wear them with your hiking boots so you can really know how they will feel.   We recommend going with the Hiking Medium socks or the Trekking Heavy socks or the Mountaineering Xtra Heavy socks.

2. Underrated Underwear

Cold-Weather Undergarments
Long gone are the days of wearing long johns.  Today, undergarments are high-tech and worth every penny spent.  Why not long johns?  100% cotton items like long johns or sweat shirts will keep you warm (although bulky), however, if you are exerting yourself you will end up sweating and then cotton can do nothing to get rid of that moisture.  You will end up with a soggy shirt with no place for your sweat to go.  If it is the winter, you will likely also get very cold as your sweaty shirt then cools against your skin.  Go technical - get yourself the latest and greatest undergarments and you will see the difference.  Undergarments like the award-winning Patagonia Capilene line of clothing feels light, warms you, and wicks away sweat; also the microfibers minimize body odor as well.

The open, highly breathable knit and feathery weight of Capilene2 affords unhindered airflow, excellent wicking for endurance activities in warm to moderate temperatures--it's also our fastest-drying Capilene®. Because of its low-bulk design and streamlined fit, Capilene® 2 also acts an excellent layering piece beneath Capilene® 3 or 4 during colder weather.

Ideal as a baselayer for endurance activities in cool to cold temperatures, Capilene3 moves moisture effectively to keep you dry. Its brushed interior retains heat, while its smooth jersey exterior glides easily beneath layers. The fit is contoured and sleek without being restrictive. Made from quick-wicking, fast-drying and insulative 64% post-consumer recycled (and 100% recyclable) Capilene® 3 polyester, with Gladiodor™ natural odor control.  Our absolute favorite undergarment is the Capilene3 - if you are headed to Afghanistan in the winter, get at least two sets of Capilene3 tops and bottoms.

Warm-Weather Undergarments
Likewise for hot weather, regular cotton shirts and socks just won't cut it - especially if you are physically exerting yourself.  Many sports apparel companies produce a synthetic blend shirt that "wicks away sweat" and kills bad odor with its "anti-microbial" treated threads.  Most deployed service members will tend to wear the Under Armour Tactical HeatGear line of undergarments which come in a variety of military-friendly colors such as brown, black, green, and sand-colored.  HeatGear is designed to keep soldiers cool, dry, and is light-weight. Ideal use: Extremely warm weather. Over a decade ago, HeatGear, the original second skin layer, sparked the revolution of performance apparel and rendered cotton T-shirts obsolete.

3. A Good Pack Saves your Back

Let's face it - military-issue packs are terrible; they don't fit, can't be adjusted, won't organize your gear, and hurt when carrying any significant weight.  Commercial-branded hiking backpacks on the other hand fit well, are very ergonomic, organize your gear in many compartments, and come in many sizes and are fully adjustable.  The end result - you can carry more weight with less effort more comfortably.

There are so many different brands and types of packs that it would be exhausting to talk about them all.  These days, almost all backpacks feature an internal-frame design. The body-hugging nature of an internal frame enhances your balance and freedom of movement. This is ideal for many activities, such as mountaineering, skiing, scrambling and hiking in rough terrain.  Why are hiking backpacks better than standard military issue?  They are much more comfortable, made of more modern (and lighter weight) materials, fully adjustable chassis, more rugged and padded hipbelts able to distribute your load, and have smart features like a separate sleeping bag compartment and panel-loading access.  Using a commercial off the shelf hiking backpack will allow you to carry more weight with greater comfort for longer distances.

Whatever your pack model, you should put about 80% of the load where it can be most efficiently carried: on your hips. To do so, most packs offer suspension systems with padded, contoured shoulder straps, load-lifter straps, a sternum strap and a padded hipbelt.  Check out our complete selection of large full-features backpacking packs or smaller daypacks.  One of our favorites is the Osprey Atmos 65 backpacking pack which is capable of fitting your gear for several nights of travel.

 

 

A SOF favorite daypack is the  Kelty Redwing 2650 Backpack. This daypack is rugged and very supportive with a nicely padded hipbelt.  Plenty of interior pockets and exterior compartments keeps your gear organized.  And it is just the right size at 2650 cubic inches.  This bag is versatile enough to carry your gear in garrison, carry your workout gear to the gym, or your personal gear and laptop on the rotator flight across the pond.  The Redwing also has side mesh water bottle sleeves and a daisy chain on the outside to latch extra gear to it.

One thing to mention - you will more than likely get your share of gear issued to you - especially backpacks.  Over the years, we have been issued more than a handful of daypacks, "36-hour" bags, gear duffels, and backpacking packs.  So many have been substandard - the ubiquitous BlackHawk backpack that most SOF teams get issued is a sub-par piece of equipment - it is overly bulky, uncomfortable, non-adjustable, and with a terrible hipbelt.  Additionally, latching gear to the outside of it or below is a complicated chore.  Plus, this vanilla daypack was issued to be used as a "36-hour" bag - no way could you fit 36-hours worth of clothes and personal items in this!  Get yourself a nice Kelty Redwing or an  Atmos 35 Backpack as your 36-hour bag.  Another sub-par piece of equipment is the Eagle Creek backpack often issued to SOF units (model Thrive 65L).  This pack is overbearing - although large in size, is heavy, boxy, and uncomfortable when bearing any weight or sizeable load - for a 65L pack, I would recommend going with the Osprey Atmos 65 instead.

4. Sleeping Bags and Sleeping Pads

Sleeping bag technology has come a long way.  Gone are the days of huge overstuffed mummy bags that weighed ten pounds and couldn't fit in the trunk of a car.  The latest sleeping bags are filled with 100% goose down, keep you warm to below-freezing temperatures and compress to a very small size - easily fitting in a minute stuff sack and saving your room and weight in your pack.  Although synthetic bags may keep your warm and are cheaper than 100% down bags, they do not compress nearly as well - get the goose down bag for a truly warm sleeping bag that will save room and weight in your pack.  Deploying to Afghanistan in the winter?  Check out the best 4-Season Down Sleeping Bag for the maximum warmth.  Sleeping Pads provide two things - comfort padding underneath your sleeping pad and insulation to displace you from the cold (or frozen) ground beneath. 

5. In-Garrison Gear

Many of the troops deploying to Afghanistan will end up in-garrison somewhere instead of at an FOB or COP.  Mega-bases like Bagram AB, Kandahar AB, and Kabul are likely places to end up in-garrison.  If this is where you are destined, there is a whole separate set of gear you will require.  Instead of a sleeping pad on the ground, you will be sleeping in your hooch on a bed (albeit a small unsupportive mattress).  In the winter months, you are going to freeze your butt off in your hooch.  Bring flannel sheets and the most efficient and warm blanket you can find (think compressible down and fleece).  You will be walking to and from your hooch to the bathroom, showers, gym, mess hall, your office (Tactical Operations Center, etc.) and all places on the compound on foot.  You will also need to gear-up with the cold weather garments listed in section 2, above.  We highly recommend the Capilene3 by Patagonia.

6. Nutritional Supplements

It is hard to meet your nutritional goals when you are deployed.  It is sometimes hard just to eat a few hot meals in one day!  The best thing you can hope for from your Dining Facility is a couple of candy bars and the best you will find at your Shoppette is a power bar.  If you are taking the time to work out and try to build some muscle while you are deployed.  Find out how to ship nutritional supplements right to your APO address. 

Take your muscle-building assault to the next level and finish your goals strong by combing these incredible top selling supplements today.  We recommend the Muscle Building Stack.  This stack includes these and more:

Optimum 100% Whey Protein
Optimum 100% Whey Protein won the Supplement Of The Year and Protein Powder Of The Year award for 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008! Since the very beginning, Optimum Nutrition has raised the standard by which all other whey protein supplements are judged. Now we're raising the bar again with the 3rd generation of ON 100% Whey Protein: ON 100% Whey Gold Standard.  Order now.

Optimum Opti-Men
Vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients are the body's fundamental building blocks. They support a strong foundation and are responsible for our energy levels, performance and vitality. We have designed Opti-Men™ as a complete Nutrient Optimizaton System. By packing over 75 active ingredients into one pill, we've created much more than a multi.  Order now.

You shouldn't have to throw back a dozen pills or juggle multiple bottles and packs to get your daily nutrients. Opti-Men™ delivers all the essentials in one pill that you take in the morning, noon, and night. Convenient and complete, it's the ultimate nutrient system for the active man.

Higher Power ZMA
Higher Power ZMA is a unique patent-pending anabolic formula produced by a proprietary manufacturing process, containing highly bioavailable forms of zinc and magnesium. Formulated with vitamin B6 to further enhance zinc and magnesium absorption and utilization, ZMA™ is a powerful non-steroidal, all natural dietary supplement to increase free testosterone, total testosterone and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) levels and enhance muscle strength significantly greater than placebo during a strength training program.  Order now.

Higher Power Micronized Creatine
Simply put, creatine monohydrate is the most popular and effective bodybuilding supplement on the market. People consistently using creatine are making HUGE, AMAZING gains!  Creatine is bodybuilding's ultimate supplement, and for good reason. For one thing, creatine can significantly increase lean muscle mass. It is also responsible for improving performance in high-intensity exercise, increasing energy levels, and speeding up recovery rates. It's no wonder athletes who use it have such of an edge over those who do not.  Order now.

Military Personal Loans - 24 Hour Service

7. Military Deployment Pay

Find out exactly what your benefits and entitlements are for your next Iraq or Afghanistan deployment.  This article lists all of the military deployment pay, incentive pays, allowances, and other benefits for your and your family while deployed.

Operation Anaconda and Beyond
Although this is good book overall, but one may think the author is a former Delta Operator the way he kisses their ass. Also, he does nothing but badmouth and degrade Navy SEALs. In nearly every section where he is talking about the SEALs, he finds a way to make them seem amateurs in comparison to Delta, which isn't true. He does give a nod to the accomplishments of MAKO 26, but other than that he slags them for reasons I don't understand.  It takes a long time for the action to kick in, but once it starts it is very interesting and provides another example of how idiots often find themselves in top tier leadership roles within our military/Government.

Roberts Ridge
This is an account of a group of US Navy SEALS who are ambushed on a mountain in Afghanistan and require rescue by Army Ranger rapid response team. The Rangers are subsequently ambushed requiring yet another rescue team. The story is told from the perspective of the soldiers on the ground, facing unbelievably cold weather, horrible terrain and a lot of determined enemies. Quite a few don't make it, but the story is more about the determination of these highly trained warriors to never leave a comrade behind. The action is quite detailed and the reader almost feels like he is there with the troops. Highly recommended.

Shadow Wars
David Pugliese gives you the P.D.B. (Presidential Daily Briefing) digest of Special Operations in the recent campaign against terror. While the closing chapters are peppered with his political commentary on America's incursion into Iraq, his reporting on operations conducted by the elite forces of the world is a nice, tidy historical record. The photos are interesting and it is an entertaining read for the history, military and special operations enthusiast. I enjoyed this book and highly recommend it- a fine addition to your military library.