Nylon In The Video Game Vol.1: Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater & Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker

Author: Beta-TNT

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater

Naked Snake / Big Boss

Let’s start with Boss’s harness. OK, I know you guys know it already: It’s a STABO: STAbilized BOdy harness. In The Vietnam War, SOG and LRRP members wear it for chopper insertion and extraction, also it can be used with SKYHOOK.

STABO Harness, 1980s dated. G.I. Property

Dialog between Snake and Major Tom before Virtuous Mission. In their plan Snake extracts from the AO by Fulton Surface-To-Air Recovery System. Snake wears a STABO for this purpose.

Then the uniform Snake wears. In the game player can change the color or camouflage pattern of it, but for the basic, the uniform itself is based on P-58 OG107 Utility Uniform.

On Snake’s left side there are two noticeable pouches. They are M-1956 Small Arms Ammunition Cases. Each case holds two M-14 20-round magazines.

But Snake doesn’t sticky to the Field Manual, he sets all the two cases on his left side, not symmetrical positions on the front. By this way combatant can keep aiming down sight while reloading from any ammunition case.

M-1956 Small Arms Ammunition Cases. G.I. Property.

M-1956 Pistol Belt, also used by some other characters.

But I can’t recognize his CQC knife, maybe it’s fictional.

On Snake’s right side we can see a black leather holster: M-1916 .45 Auto Holster. Snake uses it for carrying M1911A1 and M1911 Custom.

On Snake’s back there is a canteen, a buttpack and a radio pouch. The canteen and it’s cover is easy to recognize: 1 quarter Plastic Canteen and M-1956 Canteen Cover.

M-1956 Water Canteen Cover, G.I. Property

1 quarter Plastic Canteen. G.I. Property.

As for his buttpack, among all the USGI webbings, the closest gear I can find is Marine M-1941 Cargo Pack. I guess they meant to use M-1961 Field Pack, due to limitations in texture resolution, the buckle part was enlarged for a better looks, and some details were removed to make it look like it is now.

In the official First In-Engine Look video of Metal Gear Solid Δ: Snake Eater released at 26th, Oct, 2023, the buttpack looks more like an M-1961 Field Pack. But there are still something wrong, such like the rim tape is too thin, the metal ends of the straps are too large, the eyelets on the flap’s right side are missing.

M-1961 Field Pack, the eyelets on the flap side is for hanging some small gears and bayonet. G.I. Property

Snake’s portable radio hides in the radio pouch all the game, but it showed up in the final cutscene: it’s an AN/PRT-4 Transmitter. There is a problem: AN/PRT-4 is just a transmitter, it doesn’t have receiving function and can not make any sound, it should be used with AN/PPR-9 Receiver.

Snake’s portable radio showed up in the final cutscene.

AN/PRT-4A (left) and AN/PRT-4 (right). G.I. Property

The survival knife on Snake’s ankle is a well-known one: Ontario Aircrew Survival Knife. In the game Snake uses it to treat gun shot injury. But the knife itself is different from the real world item.

Ontario Aircrew Survival Knife. G.I. Property.

The one we’ve got is a later version, its sheath has metal reinforced tip.

In the early trailer video, Snake wears the survival knife on his left shoulder, not the ankle. Maybe the knife also used for combat in this version.

Snake’s boots are famous Jungle Boots in the Vietnam War, with Vibram sole.

US Army Jungle Boots in The Vietnam War. G.I. Property.

Snake’s gloves are M-1949 Cattlehide Glove Shells, with some airholes on the back and has some fingers cut off.

M-1949 Cattlehide Glove Shells. G.I. Property

Eva

Eva has some special outlooking – I’m not talking about her CWU-27/P Coveralls, Mauser C-96 Holster or M-1956 Webbings. I mean the pack she carries.

The pack on her back isn’t a Soviet or US item: its a Chinese Type 65 Satchel Bag.

Have you notice the two stiches on the flap?

Type 65 Satchel Bag is a small bag for soldiers carrying their personal items, such as raincoat, pen, notepad, etc.

Chinese Type 65 Satchel Bag, 1980 dated, G.I. Property

The satchel bag that issued to author during service.

Then let’s see her boots.

Snake meets Eva at Krasnogorje Mountaintop. In the cutscene Eva hides her Soviet style riding boots under the table, thus she forgets to change correct boots while she appears in the Groznyj Grad, Ocelot sees it through.

Cutscene after Krasnogorje Mountaintop meet.

Eva wears a pair of recognizable gloves: GS/FRP-2 Summer Flyers Gloves.

GS/FRP-2 Summer Flyer’s Glove, G.I. Property

The End

The mask bag he wears looks like M-25 Gas Mask Carrier.

M-25A1 Tank Gas Mask Carrier. G.I. Property

The Fear

The Fear wears SPIE Harness, STABO’s successor.

The small pouch on his belt looks like Marine M-1961 M-14 Ammunition Pocket. G.I. Property

The pack on his hip looks like a modified M-7 Bandoleer, a.k.a. M-18 Claymore bag.

The Sorrow

The Sorrow’s webbing are quite simple: an M-7 Leather Holster, an M-1956 Pistol Belt and two M-2 Carbine Magazine Pouches.

M-7 Leather Holster for 9mm Auto (not .45 Auto). G.I. Property

Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker

Big Boss / Snake

In the game, Snake and other Mother Base members have four different looks: Fatigues, T-shirt/Nude, Sneaking and Battle. Webbings are different among them, too. But thanks to the Fulton Surface-To-Air Recovery System, all the looks has an SPIE Harness.

Big Boss (and other Mother Base combatants)’s Fatigues
- Tropical Combat Uniform (camouflage and color is )
- SPIE Harness
- Hot Weather Boots
- (leg drop holster hasn’t recognized yet)
- M-1956 Small Arms Ammunition Case
- Training Field Pack, with a small piece of reflector on the flap.
- ALICE LC-2 Belt, grey buckle version
- ALICE LC-1 Water Canteen Cover and 1 quarter Plastic Canteen

Big Boss, Sneaking Suit
- Webbings are the same as Fatigues, but only has one ammo case not two.

Big Boss, Battle Suit
- Those two M-60 Ammunition Case looks like not USGI item but LBT’s product.
- H Suspenders looks like BLACKHAWK’s product.

Blackhawk Tactical Load Bearing Suspenders (35LBS1)

Kazuhira Miller / Kaz

Miller wears Lightweight Fire-Resistant Flyer’s Suit, not common Tropical Combat Uniform.

LtCol. Kilgore from *Apocalypse Now*. No doubt Miller’s look is based on him.

Peace Sentinel (United States)

US Patrols

Most US patrols in the game are based on US Army and USMC combatants in The Vietnam War. For the sake of space saving, only gear list is provided.

- “USMC-like” light-armed patrols
- “USMC-like” heavy-armed patrols
  - M-1 Helmet with ERDL camouflage helmet cover and rubber band
  - M-2 Bandoleer
  - M-1955 Body Armor
  - (The rest gears are the same as light-armed version, but with additional M-60 ammo pouches)
- “Army-like” light-armed patrols
  - Tropical Combat Uniform
  - M-1 Helmet with ERDL camouflage helmet cover and rubber band
  - M-1956 Pistol Belt and Small Arms Ammunition Cases
  - Tropical Rucksack
  - ALICE LC-2 Water Canteen Covers and 1 quarter Plastic Canteen (on the sides of the rucksack)
  - Hot Weather Boots
- “Army-like” heavy-armed patrols
  - Tropical Combat Uniform
  - M-1 Helmet with ERDL camouflage helmet cover and rubber band
  - M-1956 Pistol Belt and Small Arms Ammunition Cases
  - P-68 Lightweight Rucksack
  - No.8 Individual First Aid Kit (on the rucksack frame)
  - M-1967 Water Canteen Cover and 1 quarter Plastic Canteen (on the rucksack frame)
  - Hot Weather Boots

“Army-like” light-armed patrols, maybe you can still remember which side-ops this photo is taken.

M-1 Helmet with ERDL camouflage helmet cover, G.I. Property

US Commandos

Commandos, basic type
- CWU-27/P Coveralls, Sage Green
- GS/FRP-2 Summer Flyer’s Gloves
- M-1956 Suspenders, Pistol Belt and Small Arms Ammunition Case
- M-1923 Double Magazine Pocket
- Rappel Seat, looks like Eagle Industries or Blackhawk made.
- David-Clark Headset, maybe 7030
- Hot Weather Boots
Commandos, heavy arms
- CWU-27/P Coveralls, Sage Green
- GS/FRP-2 Summer Flyer’s Gloves
- David-Clark Headset, maybe 7030
- SARVIP-like tactical vest
- AN/PVS-5 Night Vision Goggles
- Hot Weather Boots
Commandos, heavy armor
- CWU-27/P Coveralls, Sage Green
- GS/FRP-2 Summer Flyer’s Gloves
- Protec Helmet
- Sand, Wind and Dust Goggles (SWDG)
- (Body armor hasn’t been recognized yet)
- M-1956 Pistol Belt and Small Arms Ammunition Case
- M-1923 Double Magazine Pocket
- M-17 Gas Mask Carrier
- Hot Weather Boots

By the time Peace Walker Incident, AN/PVS-5 NVG haven’t comes out yet.

CWU-27/P Coveralls, Sage Green. G.I. Property

US Guards

Guards: basic type
- White T-Shirt
- M-1956 Pistol Belt
- M-1916 .45 Auto Holster
- M-1923 Double Magazine Pocket
- Tropical Combat Uniform Trousers
- Hot Weather Boots
Guards: Heavy Armed
- M-2 Bandoleer
- Light Duty Black Leather Gloves, with trigger fingers cut off.
- M-17 Gas Mask Carrier
- David-Clark Headset, maybe 7030
- (the rest gears are the same as basic type)
Guards: Heavy Armored
- M-1 Helmet
- M-69 Body Armor
- Light Duty Black Leather Gloves, with trigger fingers cut off.
- (the rest gears are the same as basic type)

Escorts

Escorts
- The helmets are based on HGU24/HGU25 Flight Deck Helmet. Escorts wears white helmets, and their commanders wears red helmet. It can be knocked off by gun shot.
- M-17 Gas Mask and Hood
- Three Pocket Grenade Carrier
- ALICE LC-2 Water Canteen Covers and 1 quarter Plastic Canteen

With their helmet removed, you can see their M-17 gas mask and hood clearly.

M-17A1 Gas Mask and Hood, G.I. Property

Tengu Soldiers from Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons Of the Liberty, I believe Escorts in the PW are based on them.

To Be Continued…