Kit upgrades. Your thoughts please.....

[DeBruhl]

Hello all,

I am looking to purchase some items to upgrade my kit. Any last minute suggestions/comments would be greatly appreciated.

Eyeglasses - I'm thinking about going with Focusers McAllisters frames. Contacts are a no go and going without is not an option either..... I have looked at many original frames and they are either pinned together or are way to small for my face. Are there any good repros out there that I may not have run across?

Waist Belt- Looking at the Duvall roller buckle belt. My main impression is a NC infantryman in Ransoms brigade. I am using a NC buckle right now. Wanting something that would not only be good for NC troops '61-'65, but also a general ANV soldier.

Gum Blanket- Claude Sinclair, federal. Will be used for my federal impression and thinking 'captured' confederate too.

Knapsack- Don't really need one, just kicking around the idea of picking up another. Already have a Federal double bag. I use it or a blanket roll. Looking for something confederate.... Would need to be NC/ANV appropriate. Suggestions???

I have searched the forums, along with many books, and have an idea the above items should work. I would like others opinions though, before I start spending any money. Mods please move to the correct forum if this is in the wrong place.

Thanks for any input,

[DougCooper]

Re: Kit upgrades. Your thoughts please.....

Are you a candidate for and can you afford LASIK surgery? Not trying to be flip, but medically, it will change your life, and make the hobby much easier.

[JimKindred]

Re: Kit upgrades. Your thoughts please.....

Does your unit have any standards to go by or offer any sort of guidance?

[DeBruhl]

Re: Kit upgrades. Your thoughts please.....

Doug,
**Yes,I could go with LASIK surgery, but I really do not mind glasses. In fact they have prevented serious eye injury both in 'modern' times as well as in the hobby!**

Jim,
I guess the answer to your questions would be yes. That said, the standards are specific as far as what uniform coat/jacket and trousers are to be used based on our US and CS impressions and timeframe, but everything else ( gun, equipment, etc) is up to whatever the individual prefers. Most purchase from mainstream sutlers with a few buying more quality gear. I have to admit I have a mix of mainstream and limited high quality. One of the main reasons for joining the AC was to get input and more specific guidance in the areas of quality gear and ways to improve my impressions.**

[kirklandaustin]

Re: Kit upgrades. Your thoughts please.....

On the thought of the gum blanket i just bought one from Claude Sinclair and he dose a great job at making them he uses the oils and period correct recipes to make them. I would suggest getting one from him and he makes both federal and confederate. hear is his link his number is not on there but just search his name and you can find his number http://www.claudesinclair.com/Palmet...ilBlanket.html.

Austin Kirkland
"just a poor man fighting a rich mans war"

[hireddutchcutthroat]

Re: Kit upgrades. Your thoughts please.....

Well your Federal knapsack may have had a Fed rubber blanket in it when you found it or it was issued to you. I guess it would have a Fed blanket and shelter half too for that matter!

[robwall1861]

Re: Kit upgrades. Your thoughts please.....

I have a CS Ground Cloth and Kibbler Pack from L.D. Haning and my Federal Gum Blanket is Jarnagin made (bought in '99). Just my .02 worth.

Sincerely,

[DeBruhl]

Re: Kit upgrades. Your thoughts please.....

Thanks for the replies so far...
I believe Claude's gum blanket is the way I'm going to go.

Mr. Johnson, my knapsack did happen to come 'supplied' with a Fed blanket and shelter half. The unit I'm with does Western Federal 40% of the time, so that is why I have more Federal equipment (blanket, shelter, etc) and use it as captured equip when doing CS. That said, a good coverlet is in the works for CS usage. Just waiting on more funds.....

Mr. Wallace, thanks for the input on the knapsack. I have looked at his Kibbler online, but would like to examine a Kibbler style in person to see how the fit is.

Thanks again,

[Diplogeek]

Re: Kit upgrades. Your thoughts please.....

All of my leathers (Federal and Confederate) are from Nick Duvall, and they're pretty fantastic. I have his roller buckle belt and would recommend it.

On the knapsack question, I'm curious- I'd like to get a knapsack, but my unit galvanizes, and I can only afford one. I've been eying up a Federal double bag that's for sale (used) at a pretty reasonable price, but if it would look totally stupid to use it for a Confederate impression, then it would be harder to justify the purchase. My unit's Confederate impression is the 4th Alabama. Thoughts? Would a Mexican War pack allow more latitude to be used with both impressions?

- Allison Jones

[Silas]

Re: Kit upgrades. Your thoughts please.....

If you go to MB Young and Co's f/b page, you can see what he is calling a Pennsylvania Pack as it was documented to some of the early CW infantry units. Link : https://www.facebook.com/pages/MB-Yo...77013229092716 I've got one and used it at the Vicksburg LH last May as the same pack was ID'd to an Illinois soldier from the 118th who was at Chickasaw Bluff and Arkansas Post before mustering out from wounds suffered at the latter battle.

This style pack had extensive usage with many variants. The Kibbler and M.B. Johnson packs are of the same family.

[DougCooper]

Re: Kit upgrades. Your thoughts please.....

Get a good double-bag from an approved vendor and you are set. If you dont was to shell the money for a good double-bag, use a blanket roll

[Diplogeek]

Re: Kit upgrades. Your thoughts please.....

Thanks for that tip on the Pennsylvania pack, Mark- I had never heard of MB Young before; it looks like he's got some good stuff.

And Doug, I've been eying up a few double bags from the approved vendors list for a while now. The siren song of more reenacting gear is, sadly, bad for my wallet but at least it's good for my impressions(s)!

- Allison Jones

[DeBruhl]

Re: Kit upgrades. Your thoughts please.....

Allison, I would agree with Doug and go with a good double bag or the blanket roll. That is what I do now. If I am not mistaken the 4th Al was part of Law's brigade of the
ANV..... From my research it is fairly clear the many troops in the ANV carried captured Federal equipment. I have found where soldiers wrote of carrying captured knapsacks, etc. There are also several pics I have run across that show captured and killed ANV confederates wearing Federal packs. I have found a few instances of Federal troops carrying a Mexican war style pack, but not many. All things considered I would say your best bet is the double bag. By the way, Thanks for your opinion in regards to Duvall's roller buckle belt!

[Diplogeek]

Re: Kit upgrades. Your thoughts please.....

You're very welcome- I was really impressed with his service when I ordered from him; I initially ordered a Federal accoutrement set shortly before Gettysburg. Because it took me a while to decide to pull the trigger, he didn't have a ton of notice, but he told me he could get it to me before the events, and the gear turned up right on time. The roller buckle belt was an impulse buy at an event, and it's great, too. He's a real pleasure to deal with.

Thanks for the thoughts on the double bag. I'm always a little wary of going the "captured Federal equipment" route, because I know it can be overdone, but it looks like in this case there's actual justification for it. I'll have to see if that one I found last week is still up for grabs.

- Allison Jones