Military Bags.
By Jonathan Campbell
As regular readers will know, we have an obsession with luggage and bags. We love military kit too. These bags, used in training to store the parachute, are lightweight but super-tough, and they are enormous – a week's worth of clothes could easily be packed into one […]
As regular readers will know, we have an obsession with luggage and bags. We love military kit too.
When I was in Milan and Florence a few years ago, I noticed the motorcycle guys were stashing their helmets in bags. Some were using large totes but the coolest-looking guys were using ex-military pilot helmet bags. These bags are large and cavernous. They have huge bellows pockets on the outside and, most importantly, a soft padded lining to protect the expensive helmet. These bags are rare, so when an original USAF one appeared at Salvage and Sawdust in Brighton, I snapped it up. One reason is that they make great general purpose bags, whether you have a helmet to carry or not. I’ve used mine for weekends away and it copes easily with my overpacking.
Another excellent source for kit like this is Universal Surplus in Paris. They have great stock and often have deadstock (new but unused) from the French and Italian armed forces.
At the time of writing, they’ve just obtained a number of deadstock French paratrooper bags from the 1980s. These bags, used in training to store the parachute, are lightweight but super-tough, and they are enormous – a week's worth of clothes could easily be packed into one.
In short, military bags offer great quality at affordable prices – and they always look cool.
Where to buy:
Visit Salvage & Sawdust
Visit Universal Surplus
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Images. The Obsessive.
Model - Charlie Campbell (Nephew)
Watch - Seiko Capt Willard
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