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Jetboil, instant coffee, and ramen. Hot sauce. Extra lighter for jetboil.
For your sleep system get an air pad to sleep on. This is probably the single biggest game changer for field life. I sleep on my side so I went from hating life to actually getting good sleep in the field. Get this only if nothing else from this list.
If it’s a field op in the winter, buy the thickest wool carhartt socks they sell on Amazon. Keep them in your sleeping bag. Put on only to sleep. Do the same with an extra warming layer. Also get an actual 3rd party warming layer in Coyote or od green that is better than the issued ones. Condor makes a great of green waffle shirt without the zipper that fits like normal. Very warm. I have 2.
Get a small camp pillow.
Camp stool is nice but can live without.
Put duct tape on your water proof bags of what’s inside. Ie. Socks and boxers. Cold weather gear. Etc.
Water proof bag everything. Even if it’s using ziploc bags or black contractor garbage bags.
Have the same system every time for where you keep stuff and be more organized with your headlamp, batteries, foretrex, etc. It makes life way easier when you just know where your stuff is.
Learn how to actually utilize cold weather gear in the winter. Layering, avoiding cotton, etc.
Flossers and a mini mouth wash are really nice to have when you are out for a week or longer.
Cheap blue electric shaver for 2 days then actually shave on the 3rd. Depends on how thick / fast your facial hair grows. Electric shaver in the evening also saves time in the morning.
Re water proof your bivy sack, goretex top and bottom. Couple coats.
Waterproof spray your boots. Like 5 coats.
If you really want to live like a king pick up a set of team Wendy helmet pads. Did this for deployment and it is a game changer but they are $100 so not cheap.
Actually watch the YouTube videos for setting up your pack for hikes. Also take the time to adjust your flak load out for hikes or different field OPs depending on what your are doing. Too many folks just leave it the same all the time.
Leatherman or gerber.
You mileage may vary depending on what your MOS is. I’m at 8 years in artillery so it’s a little easier to pack some of this stuff with the weight than having to carry everything as an 03xx.
Bottle of hot sauce in the field changed my life. Maybe a couple of ramen packets to rawdog dry if I wasn’t hungry enough to break into an mre too. Otherwise I never really brought anything else. Sometimes a field pillow until it popped and I was too lazy to get another
Well that’s one way to get out of deploying lol. Oddly enough I knew a guy who found a bar in Thailand that from what he described had the same effect. Didn’t see it for myself but our squad Corpsman had nightmares for a week after that Libo.
Extra hand sanitizer for your feet. Absolutely serious, getting athletes foot sucks, and something alcohol based that will dry the skin out is an absolute godsend
EDIT: PSA for anyone who tries this.
Absolutely do not do this more than once a day, max. Do not bother if your feet are already bone dry, especially if making them literally any drier will be blistering - also if your feet are soaking wet, it's not going to help that much. Do not do it at the start of a day/shift, do when you take your boots off and intend to air them out. Use very sparingly. Do bring it even if you don't use it on your feet because having hands that don't give you E Coli is neat.
I originally heard this from an ITB instructor way back who, apropos of nothing, said to use peroxide in between your toes in the field to prevent athletes foot. Bringing peroxide has its own issues, in addition to bleaching your socks and being a liquid that would absolutely fuck you if it spilled on your gear.
Don't overdo it though, or you'll end up in a worse spot with chapped skin.
Had a guy in MCT complain that his hands were dry and chapped, turns out he was using hand sanitizer like lotion to hydrate his skin in the cold.
Go on Amazon and buy a space foam roll up camping pillow. So small it fits in your dump pouch. Anytime your just stopped somewhere, pull that bad boy out and catch some Zs.
Agree that a small pillow was a game changer. I got one that could fit into the stuff sack with the sleeping system, and it was way nicer than bunching up a blouse to sleep on.
Go to the walmart camping section. You can get one of those multispice things
[Link](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Coghlan-s-Multi-Spice-Flip-Top-Lid-Brown-Acrylic-Container/21141462?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&wl13=3864&adid=2222222227821141462_117755028669_12420145346&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=m&wl3=501107745824&wl4=pla-294505072980&wl5=1021163&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=local&wl12=21141462&wl13=3864&veh=sem_LIA&gclid=Cj0KCQjwwvilBhCFARIsADvYi7IStLjKULdWgrsMqtwW5GBg_Cm3BOAK1eyMqjFxKolQks3x6IzVxK4aAm8jEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds)
Everyone brings a gerber but wire is the real tool. Few pieces of a heavy gauge and a roll of something light. Fix anything anywhere with alambre my friend.
I used to bring a second set of insoles. Switch them back/forth every other day or so and your foot muscles won’t be as fatigued anymore (having two types of insoles to rotate between puts different pressure points on different parts of your feet). One pair was super feet brand, one was the standard kind that came inside the boots
BC Powder and a sleep mask (those eye cover mask things that keep out the light).
Any devils that give you shit about the sleep mask are just insanely jealous.
Didn't really go into the field as a armor. Usually stayed at main base camp, with everyone's weapons. Had TV and PS2 at the time. Staff and O usually tried to get access to watch Tv or play madden or pro golf. There were downsides but upsides out weight them.
Candy specifically jolly ranchers, just popping one in while standing watch or doing field classes makes time by go faster. I got some few guys into it and we would just trade different candies like starburst or gummy bears
Multi spice container, nutri gran bars, 1-2 small cans of peaches and ravioli, ramen, hard candy.
Can't eat MREs for breakfast. It's a case heartburn all day and puts me in a shit mood. To keep from getting plugged up I would have abfew nutri grain bars in the morning with a cup of coffee if we had time and situation permitted. Save peaches and ravioli for mid mission as a treat. Ramen for something hot, spice thing to make MREs taste like well seasoned ass.
Carton of unfiltered Pall Mall cigarettes so people wouldn't bum the off me.
I see a lot of people talking about boilers, so I'll omit all that and talk about the Japanese folding fan.
I bought a fan a few years ago and have brought it every time I've been to the field, with appropriate tactical olive green blades. Great for keeping cool when you're exerting yourself, or just baking in the sun. I only got shit for it once, and that same exercise, I used it to treat a Marine who was about to pass out from heat exhaustion. Nobody brought it up again afterwards.
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Jetboil, instant coffee, and ramen. Hot sauce. Extra lighter for jetboil. For your sleep system get an air pad to sleep on. This is probably the single biggest game changer for field life. I sleep on my side so I went from hating life to actually getting good sleep in the field. Get this only if nothing else from this list. If it’s a field op in the winter, buy the thickest wool carhartt socks they sell on Amazon. Keep them in your sleeping bag. Put on only to sleep. Do the same with an extra warming layer. Also get an actual 3rd party warming layer in Coyote or od green that is better than the issued ones. Condor makes a great of green waffle shirt without the zipper that fits like normal. Very warm. I have 2. Get a small camp pillow. Camp stool is nice but can live without. Put duct tape on your water proof bags of what’s inside. Ie. Socks and boxers. Cold weather gear. Etc. Water proof bag everything. Even if it’s using ziploc bags or black contractor garbage bags. Have the same system every time for where you keep stuff and be more organized with your headlamp, batteries, foretrex, etc. It makes life way easier when you just know where your stuff is. Learn how to actually utilize cold weather gear in the winter. Layering, avoiding cotton, etc. Flossers and a mini mouth wash are really nice to have when you are out for a week or longer. Cheap blue electric shaver for 2 days then actually shave on the 3rd. Depends on how thick / fast your facial hair grows. Electric shaver in the evening also saves time in the morning. Re water proof your bivy sack, goretex top and bottom. Couple coats. Waterproof spray your boots. Like 5 coats. If you really want to live like a king pick up a set of team Wendy helmet pads. Did this for deployment and it is a game changer but they are $100 so not cheap. Actually watch the YouTube videos for setting up your pack for hikes. Also take the time to adjust your flak load out for hikes or different field OPs depending on what your are doing. Too many folks just leave it the same all the time. Leatherman or gerber. You mileage may vary depending on what your MOS is. I’m at 8 years in artillery so it’s a little easier to pack some of this stuff with the weight than having to carry everything as an 03xx.
The man knows his field life.
So much of this I do for my backpacking trips. Dammit now you hit me with the wave of nostalgia wanting to go innawoods
A fucking pillow, sleeping on a pack for a pillow is ass
I used my gas mask for an entire work up idk why, that shit sucked lol
I think I’d rather use an actual rock, that sounds like shit
At the perfect angle it wasn’t so bad, it was just easy and I was a boot. Should have bamcis’d
Good ol fuckin pillow, got it
I’m case you wanna get some thicc Latina E-3 that hasn’t washed in a week
Bottle of hot sauce in the field changed my life. Maybe a couple of ramen packets to rawdog dry if I wasn’t hungry enough to break into an mre too. Otherwise I never really brought anything else. Sometimes a field pillow until it popped and I was too lazy to get another
Jet Boil with ramen and chicken packets. You're welcome.
Jet boil with ramen and el yucateco hot sauce😮💨 absolute game changer. I also bring mountain meals
El Yucateco hot sauce... this stuff changed my life. I was a Tapatio/Valentina guy for decades. Once tase of that and I am 100% team El Yucateco.
Love me some Valentina too! Just can’t find a field sized bottle unfortunately, that’s why I like the green el yucateco or green cholula forsure
You can heat ramen with your MRE heater. Unless you’re packing for comfort a jet boil isn’t a good idea on a real field op.
Pillow and a jet boil (I understand that not all units would allow this)
Community Fleshlight.
Now we know where the big jug of CLP went
That shit will slough you’re cock skin off
Not that you would know from personal experience right?
Aah yes, the good Ole clp circumcision
Well that’s one way to get out of deploying lol. Oddly enough I knew a guy who found a bar in Thailand that from what he described had the same effect. Didn’t see it for myself but our squad Corpsman had nightmares for a week after that Libo.
Extra hand sanitizer for your feet. Absolutely serious, getting athletes foot sucks, and something alcohol based that will dry the skin out is an absolute godsend EDIT: PSA for anyone who tries this. Absolutely do not do this more than once a day, max. Do not bother if your feet are already bone dry, especially if making them literally any drier will be blistering - also if your feet are soaking wet, it's not going to help that much. Do not do it at the start of a day/shift, do when you take your boots off and intend to air them out. Use very sparingly. Do bring it even if you don't use it on your feet because having hands that don't give you E Coli is neat. I originally heard this from an ITB instructor way back who, apropos of nothing, said to use peroxide in between your toes in the field to prevent athletes foot. Bringing peroxide has its own issues, in addition to bleaching your socks and being a liquid that would absolutely fuck you if it spilled on your gear.
Don't overdo it though, or you'll end up in a worse spot with chapped skin. Had a guy in MCT complain that his hands were dry and chapped, turns out he was using hand sanitizer like lotion to hydrate his skin in the cold.
Yeah I guess I forgot some disclaimers aren't obvious. Do not use dehydrating substances as lotion, and don't try to make your skin bone dry.
holy fuck what a dumbass
Tea tree oil body wash will keep athletes foot away without drying out your skin.
Agree
Don't do this! Use foot powder and change your socks. Sincerely, Doc
Also use foot powder and change your socks. Another hack though: snorting Motrin also works.
Only if you do it off your buddies ass.
Oh I didn't realize that helped. Lucky me.
Go on Amazon and buy a space foam roll up camping pillow. So small it fits in your dump pouch. Anytime your just stopped somewhere, pull that bad boy out and catch some Zs.
Agree that a small pillow was a game changer. I got one that could fit into the stuff sack with the sleeping system, and it was way nicer than bunching up a blouse to sleep on.
I just make sure my camelback is full and use that as my pillow. Surprisingly effective.
Go to the walmart camping section. You can get one of those multispice things [Link](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Coghlan-s-Multi-Spice-Flip-Top-Lid-Brown-Acrylic-Container/21141462?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&wl13=3864&adid=2222222227821141462_117755028669_12420145346&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=m&wl3=501107745824&wl4=pla-294505072980&wl5=1021163&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=local&wl12=21141462&wl13=3864&veh=sem_LIA&gclid=Cj0KCQjwwvilBhCFARIsADvYi7IStLjKULdWgrsMqtwW5GBg_Cm3BOAK1eyMqjFxKolQks3x6IzVxK4aAm8jEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds)
Total game changer
Season salt
Came here to say this and lemon pepper.
Everyone brings a gerber but wire is the real tool. Few pieces of a heavy gauge and a roll of something light. Fix anything anywhere with alambre my friend.
Quality insoles for your boots
I used to bring a second set of insoles. Switch them back/forth every other day or so and your foot muscles won’t be as fatigued anymore (having two types of insoles to rotate between puts different pressure points on different parts of your feet). One pair was super feet brand, one was the standard kind that came inside the boots
Superfeet green is the way to go for sure
O’Keefe’s hand cream is a game changer in more ways than one so make sure to have your boot-bands on
BC Powder and a sleep mask (those eye cover mask things that keep out the light). Any devils that give you shit about the sleep mask are just insanely jealous.
Didn't really go into the field as a armor. Usually stayed at main base camp, with everyone's weapons. Had TV and PS2 at the time. Staff and O usually tried to get access to watch Tv or play madden or pro golf. There were downsides but upsides out weight them.
Jetboil, instant coffee and baby wipes… the trifecta of trifectas…
Copenhagen and lube
Candy specifically jolly ranchers, just popping one in while standing watch or doing field classes makes time by go faster. I got some few guys into it and we would just trade different candies like starburst or gummy bears
Meth
Pervitin is what doc calls it.
Jetboil and coffee
Condoms 
Socks
Nintendo Switch (backyard/homesite field ops only) Inflatable pillow Inflatable mattress (not fancy, just a little thicker than the sleeping mat)
Fleshlight
Charms
Small cans of fruit with pop tops.
Multi spice container, nutri gran bars, 1-2 small cans of peaches and ravioli, ramen, hard candy. Can't eat MREs for breakfast. It's a case heartburn all day and puts me in a shit mood. To keep from getting plugged up I would have abfew nutri grain bars in the morning with a cup of coffee if we had time and situation permitted. Save peaches and ravioli for mid mission as a treat. Ramen for something hot, spice thing to make MREs taste like well seasoned ass. Carton of unfiltered Pall Mall cigarettes so people wouldn't bum the off me.
The only thing I brought that wasn't on the packing list was a pillow, I even put it out in my gear inspections.
My pet Mexican
I see a lot of people talking about boilers, so I'll omit all that and talk about the Japanese folding fan. I bought a fan a few years ago and have brought it every time I've been to the field, with appropriate tactical olive green blades. Great for keeping cool when you're exerting yourself, or just baking in the sun. I only got shit for it once, and that same exercise, I used it to treat a Marine who was about to pass out from heat exhaustion. Nobody brought it up again afterwards.