IOTV and Molle 2 ruck sack review and reflection.

HighTower

Regular Member
Howdy all!

Spent the last few months at a course in VA, was temporarily issued broken and obsolete gear for what little time was actually field spent, and two particular items have stood out as particularly interesting for both good and bad reasons. The IOTV and the "ruck sack large field pack"

IOTV: First thing I noticed when I handled the been IOTV (size medium) was how much more over coverage that BALCS cut is compared to the BALCS cut in my RBAV (also sized medium.)(FTWDN: BALCS is not standardized, but a general concept shape) For what little I wore it for, I'm exceptionally thankful I never had to operate in that particular vest... I understand the faults in the Interceptor, but as far as upgrades go, I think the IOTV was a good idea (BALCS in a releasable vest) that some how was not done right, OR it's my bias as a 5'6 and slim individual. (For SA, the medium RBAV fits me like a glove, and while a small might be better, I dont think it would take a Medium E Sapi or a 10X12 MC shooters cut plate)

Deltoid protection: Never dealt with these back in my Corps time, and very thankful I did not. System seems simple, but the additional coverage turns an already hot system into a real microwave. The fitment of the DAPS might have been better had I been wearing a small vest, but as always, plate person, THEN vest to plate.

Final summation: IOTV is not for me, but individual mileage may vary.

"ruck sack large field pack": I always heard from my associates in the Army (Psy Ops guys) how much they hated this entire system, and now I know why. This is literally a full mile backwards in load carriage design, not talking the plastic frame (mine was broken in two parts, or the broken lap belt either (had a road march with mine, lucky me I threw my inner child down a well a long time ago when it comes to rucking)

The exterior is fine, Molle for days, and it even has a separate pouch for the sleeping system (which the ILBE pack did not to my utter hatred, and my MAlice will once I send it back to TT)

The interior is a separate story, no pouch for a radio and no matter what I did, I could not pack our small packing list, or get the IOTV in a position close to my body, so every time I had to move this thing all the weight was far away from me.

The associated assult pack is more of the same, no radio pouch, no space for more then PPE and some broken down MREs. It does have a vestigial inner pocket on the external pocket, but it's almost useless.

This thing should burn in hell, I swear it is worse then the ILBE set, far worse then my Alice and MAlice.

I assume BIG Army had a good reason for the Molle 2 large rucksack, but for the life of me, I cant figure it out. Any one who does know. Please illuminate me.

Happy trails.
 

HighTower

Regular Member
They don’t have a good reason for either of those POS.
I'm trying to be open minded about what could have been the idea... like when the 1911 was discontinued in the service, slot of individuals disliked it, but those frames were the same their grand dad's used in ww2... but the ruck... IDK WTF, the IOTV I slightly understand.
 

Fatboy

Established
The original molle rucks were designed to interface with armor by means of a ball and socket type joint. Once the good idea fairy let non combat troops give an opinion on the gear it turned into a shit show. That lead to the separate IBA and molle ruck abortions. Molle was mostly fixed in the gen 3 stuff for the ruck. The IBA never really got fixed, it just morphed into other versions of overweight abortions.
 

HighTower

Regular Member
Oh man, the integration effort, forgot about that.

I know the Jump community is working on better alternatives.

My brother complained about his IOTV, I now understand why.
 
Top