MILITARY BAGS & CASES

Made from heavy, olive drab cotton canvas, this military pouch is Chinese military issue circa 1970s. Measures 9” tall x 7” wide x 3” in a shield shape (narrows at the bottom), and closes with internal and external flaps, both secured with cute little wooden closure. The 1-1/8” wide shoulder strap adjusts from approx 26” to over 50”. These have been flying off the shelves for use as purses. .

Could very well be for a gas mask, but that's just a guess, and we know not from whose military. Interesting, though, and rubberized for your protection. It's olive drab, 9-1/2" x 11" x 4", with hook-and-loop belt fasteners. The belt fasteners are oriented so that there's an 8" x 10" snap-flap pocket on the front, a fold-over closure for the bag itself on one short side with a hook-and-loop catch against the body, and a 4" x 6" pocket with hook-and-loop closure on the opposite short side. Good deal if you need to keep stuff dry. Even better after a few hours in the sun and a good spray with a fabric freshener.

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.

Originally a canteen pouch with two little mouse ear flaps that wrap around the top and snap closed, this insulated olive drab bag could double as a purse or a dog bone holder. Which technically would make it a pooch pouch. Measures 7-1/2" x 7" x 2-1/2". Snap straps on the back let you clip it to your pack or belt.

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.

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.

Red is the new olive drab. Unless it’s navy blue, or orange, or camo. You pick from our rainbow of new repro bags designed like German Field Medic’s bags, in heavy-duty 22-oz cotton canvas with a pair of leather buckled straps and adjustable web shoulder strap in black, and a white cross on a red circle on the front flap. Bags measure 11-1/2” x 12-1/2” x 3-1/4”.