MILITARY BAGS & CASES

In nylon digital camo, this military radio bag measures 11" x 12" x 6" with adjustable straps on the side panels to pull them in, another to close the top, and a pair of female molle buckles to attach it to something else. Sew it all together, add a strap and you’ve got a great carry-all. Note openings at bottom corners. For you collectors, it’s marked  "APB03 RADIO POUCH SPM1C1-09-F-C002 8465015158636 F190686393 TAMCN NO. C54402F"

When you need to keep your powder dry, you'll wish you had this army-green rubberized bag from the Dutch military. Measures 12" tall x 14" wide x 5" deep, with tri-fold top flaps for extra waterproofing and heavy-duty embedded feet on the bottom corners. No carrying straps, but it has plastic buckles on the back and sides to add them. Easy conversion to a messenger bag or a pair of panniers.

Well then, you’ll need a little light military bag in olive drab cotton, from Bulgaria. Has a flap with an adjustable buckle strap to hold it down, and an adjustable buckled shoulder strap to sling over your shoulder. Measures 12” x 11” x 2-1/2”. Might have a touch of schmutz, which is just proof of its surplus-ness, of course, but it’s cotton, so pop it in the wash.

Our buy of the millennium is this rich, dark-brown leatherette (our vendor swears they are leather but we will say leatherette) military map/attache case from the Czech army. Measures approx. 11" x 14" in portrait orientation and will expand to approx 3" with an 11" pocket in the flap, (3) interior sections, (2) of them a full 14" deep, plus card, pen and miscellaneous slots and pockets on the inside, plus-plus it has a slide catch with a lock and a teeny key. Best of all, it could have been made for carrying tablets and i-Devices of all sorts, or even books (which are sort of like thick iPads). Has a leatherette handle on top, plus a detachable and adjustable 48" long strap. Hardware is deco-ish bright chrome.

These are used in good condition. A few even have a grainy texture (See pictures) to them instead of smooth, but surplus rules apply and you get what you get without throwing a fit.

Nah, we don’t know either. It’s an olive drab canvas bag 30” x 29” in a vaguely torso/chubby clover shape, e.g. with approx 8” bump-outs at the the top and on two upper sides. Like a garment bag for a fancy dress uniform with a giant collar and big epaulets. (OK, we made that up, but still.) Has a double zipper over the top, canvas handle grips, and adjustable 40” straps so it can be worn like a backpack. (French vets are encouraged to call us and explain.)

You’ll need a map case. From the pre-smartphone world, where military maps still live. These are 11" x 6-1/2" folded, and they open to a clear 16-1/2" x 20" window with a zippered top on one side and a 7" x 4-1/2" x 5/8" flapped pocket with (5) pen holders on it. Close with hook-n-loop fasteners and have a 42” long adjustable and removable shoulder strap. You pick olive digital camo or desert digital camo versions.

We think these started life in the Chinese military, but they won’t say. They’re small garment bags in a heavy rubberized fabric. Measure 24" x 15-1/2” x 5-1/2" but have a set of double-snap male closures with (3) alternate sets of female clips so you can keep it full length, fold it once, or roll it up to 1/3-size. Has zippers halfway down for loading ease, and the handle will detach and re-attach in another position when folded smaller. Also has a 2” x 1-1/2” ID-card slot.