British 1958 Pattern vs DDR UTV Part I - Kit Comparison

A comparison between British 1958 Pattern and the UTV (Universelle Tragevorrichtung), the DDR's last design of web equipment which was undoubtedly influenced by the British equipment.
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[@MrKaido93]

Greetings you have an informative insightful video into the comparison between the E. German NVA UTV 1990 webbing gear. From 1988 to 1990 I was a US Army Military Police Officer stationed in the then West Germany. I did get to see and purchase some of the new East German Army NVA 1990 UTV webbing a piece at a time. At Sturm and Various Dealers of Militaria. I got initially the Belt, Gernade Pouch and Makarov Pistol Holster. The new 1990 version FDA Uniform was a copy of the Soviet M88 Afganka design which is a copy of the US Army BDU. The Patrol Cap is similar to the Swedish Cap with Elastic built in head band with a the DDR national symbol ( Hammer & Compass) on the front of the forehead of the wearer. I was also told by former E.Gernan Border Guards that the E. German government looked into producing a Kevlar version of their M56 Helmet, this unfortunetly did not come about as to cost prohibitions. I am very impressed as the UTV 1990 system seemed like West NATO quality gear in quality and design. Later in 1995, I was asked to help in Building developing the then New Fledging Estonian Defense Force Military Police (As I am of Estonian background) Which I did. As the Provost Marshal of Tallinn I got to examine and test various nations Webbing, Equipment, Helmets, Weapons,Uniforms etc. After I personally found that the UTV webbing performed very well I recommended and urged the Estonian Defense Force Command to adopt the UTV System along with the E. German M56 Helmet. As I carried and tested both while deployed to the NATO SFOR International Military Police Mission to former Yugoslavia which you can see on my profile photo taken in 1997 on Deployment. I found that the UTV System in many ways better espically the Suspenders(Yoke) as you call it then then the US Army "Y" LBE Suspender end fasteners. As the UTV's vertical angled hooks made for a more confortable non interfearing secure fastening system then the US Horizontal attachment hook system. Over the years my experiences have shown me that generally all webbing systems do need a secondary securing binding lashing to keep Pouches,Holsters Equipment Secured. From becoming detached from the securinh hooks/ clips of the Load Bearing system; Belt-Suspenders-Yoke. What I do is I securely back up each pouch,holster, piece of equipment by tying each pouch or holster a piece of 550 Para Cord to any of the Webbing add ons. I do this to all webbing; Estonian, American NVA, Israeli Etc. Eventually after I left the Service of the EDF I herd that they eventually designed their own Webbing including Pistol Utility Belt. All these years later today I use my UTV Pistol Utility Belt and Suspenders, pouches as a Hunting Rig. I was able to purchase at very low prices a number of the UTV webbing gear pieces which I still Highly recommend for a Solders, Hunters, Outdoorsman etc. Some good practical items like the UTV never go out of style/use.

[@RiflemanMoore]

Fascinating stuff, interesting to now be using gear from the other side! Thanks for the kind words, glad you liked the video. I'll be honest, for me, this is just for collection and I'm unlikely to get any outdoors use out of it, much as it is very good hard wearing stuff.

[@juliusfugenstein2851]

Ausgezeichnet,Erklärung,auch gut.

[@Surv1ve_Thrive]

Thanks for this. From footage, the German NVA seemed quite well equipped and led, business-like. Saw some uniforms in Berlin cold war museum, several lockers of kit as it would have been. As well as domestic settings, homelife etc. Seemed like quite stark times for many there, at that time. On the bright side very little unemployment in post war E Germany!

[@RiflemanMoore]

As you say the NVA certainly seemed fairly professional and well equipped compared to some other Warsaw Pact foces. Stark is definitely the word I would say!

[@isu3302]

Yes there was barely any unemployed because people left east Germany due to how shit it was and so that left jobs for the people who decided/forced to stay

[@MichaelR58]

Thanks for sharing this informative presentation. 👍

[@RiflemanMoore]

I'm glad you found it so!

[@johnshanahan8477]

One more fantastic and interesting video

[@RiflemanMoore]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@arthurfontani3243]

Again perfect, however can you use a microphone closer as I have to put up tje volume fully to understand you 😊

[@user-vt1lr3jr4w]

Я носил зимнюю куртку ГДР в своих путешествиях и охоте на севере Камчатки. Это хороший камуфляж для северных широт с тундрой и лесотундрой, где краски природы не яркие. Флектарн и британский камуфляж более заметны. Однако дизайн старой формы не практичен, в карманы куртки можно положить разве что носовой платок. Пуговицы тонкие. А в этой форме карманы более практичны. Жаль, что нет больших рюкзаков в расцветке штрихтарн, никто не придумал выпускать в такой расцветке. Или чехлов для больших рюкзаков.

[@ke6ziu]

That shit is hard to come by now!

[@oajh2252]

Fantastic! I would love to see some more eastern bloc equipment!

[@RiflemanMoore]

There probably won't be much more going forward I fear but we shall see. I am keen, in the years to come, to put together some kit from opposing forces to make comparison videos covering various periods through the 20th century.

[@davidbrennan660]

Eastern European Equipment serves within its design, unlike western systems it is not as flexible, so quickly leaves its comfort zone when it no longer operates as mechanised Soviet All Arms Doctrine. It is serviceable, some items are quite good, other bits rather odd fashioned but they serve, material, quality and flexibility tend to lag era modular Western systems Polish, Czechoslovakian being as the Soviets termed it “Northern Teer “ are better systems within the canon.

[@kevinstrade2752]

Any word on whether the east Germans were going to replace the jackboots? I have come across boots with the designation m90 UTV boots....it's gotta be the replacement. The NVA was improving it's gear with the UTV set up as you display in this video. I to have a whole UTV set up except a few items. The billed cap with rain pattern and... Possibly the M90 boots. They look more comfortable than the dreaded jackboots. I have an East German paratrooper field uniform to and figured they would issue boots similar to fhe paratrooper boots, they are certainly more modern.

[@RiflemanMoore]

Yes, according to my limited understanding of the uniform element of this new design a new pair of boots was part of the set, similar to those previously issued to prachute troops.

[@kevinstrade2752]

@@RiflemanMoore thank you! Im convinced I may have found them. A bit pricey but, I havnt seen them before. The " M90 UTV" is what caught my attention. Initially thought they were tanker or utility boots for maintenance crews or etc. I can't imagine tankers ang ground crews using jackboots! Lol Thank you for spending my money. Lol kidding. Seriously. Thank you and have yourself a good day sir!!!

[@burnhappy907]

Would you do a side by side comparison of different forces uniforms? Possibly a look at your Vietnam (U.S) uniform compared to a similar time period British uniform.

[@burnhappy907]

Looking at the different features and good / bad points from each uniform. Thanks for this video as always great work.

[@RiflemanMoore]

That's certainly on the cards. I have done that with the web equipment already if you check my channel.

[@davidbrennan660]

The Strings work rather well to help attach the ABC Suit and carrier to the yoke, so it doesn’t bounce.. give it a try.

[@RiflemanMoore]

That would be a marked advantage over using the buckles alone, certainly.

[@alangordon3283]

Bungees not string

[@blueband8114]

Is there a way to contact you privately, if i do not have facebook? Its about a large amount of cap badges etc a friend has just found whilst cleaning a bereaved relatives house...also a Tommy helmet numerous boxes of items i have not seen all as of yet.

[@davidbrennan660]

I found the Genosse on fb, use his channel” Legend”, you can then message.

[@RiflemanMoore]

Sure thing, I have added my email to the video description above!

[@brandon_g_airsoft3078]

I managed to attach the East German pack to the back of the UTV harness by simply using Paracord

[@RiflemanMoore]

Sure, you can tie anything to anything when it comes to web equipment. I don't think that's the itended method per the design however.

[@davidbrennan660]

Nice work. There are variants of UTV items, if you some want photos, I can send you some. Lack of information is a bane for us English speakers, lack of an Assault Pack that fits this system is still a gapping wound in understanding it. As one would have lived in your fighting vehicle for you daily needs and likely another as a Clothing bag with your Blanket in Company Transport if it followed the older system.

[@RiflemanMoore]

I'd certainly be interested to see the other variants, yes! I am currently on the lookout for the ammunition pouch design with the small side pocket.

[@davidbrennan660]

If you get the Bulgarian system that seemed to have been developed with the DDR, you will find some real quality in production and materials that will cause old Soldiers to use the time honoured phrases that old Soldiers always use in regard to kit. The Bulgarians oddly liked to have their E tools haft up even in the early twentieth century, so maybe that is were the UTV system gets it from? The Bulgarian Complex did have a Assault pack though....like an 58 pattern oddly sized larry large pack so that maybe a clue to the DDR system?

[@davidbrennan660]

That would follow the MPi AK 74 N norm, so it has the internal pockets for 4 x 15 round chargers and the magazine loading tool, internally and externally the weapon cleaning kit. The other pouch you display follows the earlier MPi KM norm..... so it shows the continued use of the 7.62 x 39 mm weapon system on the adoption of the equipment as part of the 1990 era new dress regulations. These would have bought in nasty ( and I mean nasty) Berets and Ankle Boots to NVA Dienstuniform orders of dress. The NVA was to losing its historic look of the German Soldier they valued.

[@RiflemanMoore]

I'll have to keep an eye out for the AK 74 pouch as I say, they seem to have dried up recently. As for the Bulgarian kit I have seen it but likewise it seems to have disappeared off the market in any numbers recenrtly which is a pain! If they colaborated on designs as you say then maybe that did indeed influence the entrenching tool carrier being worn handle-up as some suggest.

[@WebGearReview]

David Brennan If you don’t mind? Could you please send me the photos of the variants of the UTV items.

[@morasboy]

Hi! You missed NVA Sturmgepack which was worn with UTV...

[@RiflemanMoore]

I did postulate that in the video but it isn't part of the new equipment perse so I decided not to include it. Not something I'd heard of before so any more info would be appreciated! How was it attached to the equipment?

[@kulikov9215]

@@RiflemanMoore Hi, I did some research on the UTV Sturmgepäck! A former nva soldier told me that the Sturmgepäck that they planned to issue was a simplified version of the Fallschirmjäger-Tornister 74 (FJT 74). It is estimated that they produced a very small number of those backpacks, same thing with the boots...

[@davidbrennan660]

Likely there would have been an adaptor for the Assault pack as well, so the older pattern could be used, the NVA were very big into “wear out dates”, they wasted little as they were short of money.

[@jk677]

A UTV Sturmgepäck doesn't exist. We did research in that regard and no UTV Sturmgepäck, atleast in a not prototype state, exists. They where instead meant to use the normal Sturmgepäck furtheron. Those where produced until 1990 and fitted perfectly onto the UTV System

[@A.ikiadis1264]

So did the Grenztruppen use this webbing and uniform as well

[@RiflemanMoore]

This uniform and webbing was experimental, as said in the video. This is what NVA troops would have looked like in the 1990s, had the wall not come down.

[@A.ikiadis1264]

@@RiflemanMoore oh yeah the wall fell in 1989 I'm pretty sure . Thanks👍

[@award3007]

@@A.ikiadis1264 The wall did come down in '89 but East Germany was annexed by West Germany in '90.

[@unsichtbar08]

Maybe, den UTV is a little bit modern than before. But I think for comfort is the parachute fighting vest, the best. Thats would the best way for a modern UTV bacl then. Also modern materials. The problem with the material, is it wet, the time is to long for dry. Then special zons, Ass and knee mor and padded material. For me the best fight NVA Battle dress, parachut battle dress. very good comfort. The tarn, also verry good, "Ein Strich kein Strich" I think, also in this time, a good tarn.

[@RiflemanMoore]

This is true, the vest is good but it wasn't designed as a standard issue bit of kit.

[@warcriminal5139]

The NVA uniform is the wrong one for UTV, the bayonet is missing, the canteen and the e- tool need the switch places and the e-tool's handle needs to face upwards not downwards.

[@RiflemanMoore]

This is definitely an example of the last pattern of NVA field uniform which would have been worn with UTV, it was in production from 1986 to 1989 so there are some variations between patterns, nva-tarnuniformen.com has more information on this. No bayonet was carried in the one original photo of a chap wearing UTV which I've seen so I decided to omit it here, I will be going over that in more detail in part II. I have seen no original documentary evidence to suggest the Klappspaten should have the handle worn upwards. The widely circulated photos which show the handle upwards were taken post-unification for a book on NVA equipment. With the lack of primary evidence I do not like to assume that the NVA would move to having the handle up rather than down. Thus it has to be carried on the hip rather than at the rear otherwise the wearer would be prevented from sitting down. If you can provide the equivalent of original fitting instructions fro UTV I will happily concede the point.

[@warcriminal5139]

@@RiflemanMoore whats your name on insta? Im gonna show you what im talking about! You didnt do any good research! If you had, you would know that the shovels handle is worn upwards, and the bajonett was also attached straight on the front of the body! Im a eastgerman militariacollector u can trust me cuz i am straight at the source!

[@RiflemanMoore]

I actually did quite a lot of reading and research before producing this video but I'll be interested to see what you have. My Instagram is linked in the video description.

[@warcriminal5139]

@@RiflemanMoore I did send you some avidence. @soviet_afghan_war_reanactor

[@kulikov9215]

Er hat eigentlich alles richtig erklärt, die Uniform ist definitiv richtig. Gruß Matze

[@user-co4rs7ob1t]

Удивительные метаморфозы рпс армии ГДР...Ремень стал очень похож на английский ремень!!!!Видимо в производстве показался на несколько пфенигов дешевле....

[@bhcgirl7096]

Diese NVA Uniform wie sie dort gezeigt wurde ist so nicht richtig. Teile davon sind nie in die Armee ausgeliefert wurden!!!!!

[@RiflemanMoore]

Ich habe in dem Video gesagt, dass es sich um eine experimentelle Uniform handelt, die im Allgemeinen nie an die Armee ausgegeben wurde. I said in the video that it was a trial uniform never generally issued to the army.