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STABO rig/harness


mhk
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Found few days ago 3 pair of these from dealer

But i not quite sure are those stabo rigs...All metal parts are vietnam-dated

So experts...i want YOUR opinion think.gif

post-5424-1236695458.jpg

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Hard to say when these were made.I know a guy had a bunch made up a few years ago and sold them through a catalog.He had found a lot of hardware dated 68 or 69.I have one from a guy that picked it up in a surplus shop in Ft.Benning around 95.It has a sewn in belt and padded shoulders.My Nam era one is like your seconf post and has a couple post war inspection dates on it.

 

RD

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101combatvet

Might help to stretch them out.... and post a pic.

 

Found few days ago 3 pair of these from dealer

But i not quite sure are those stabo rigs...All metal parts are vietnam-dated

So experts...i want YOUR opinion think.gif

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hmm...is this kind of H stabo or should those just put cross at backside?

so its like a belt keeping whole thing together

cause it dont get it how its in that vietnamgear.com pic (just put cross?)

post-5424-1236700265.jpg

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Doesn't look right to me..... the cross over should be stitched.

Thats what i was thinking but ive also seen pics of H stabos

Also if you look that vietnamgear.com picture you notice that isnt stitched

Also just heard that 1st version wasnt cross over model

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craig_pickrall

This is the 1970 manual and it shows what would be the 2nd pattern STABO. This was a mass produced version rather than the 1st pattern that was made by riggers.

 

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post-5-1236706577.jpg

post-5-1236706584.jpg

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I quess this would be closest.

Dont say a word about my belt :lol:

 

 

Is my un-educated guess that these are the put togethers I spoke of.The story I got years back when they surfaced was a small hord was found in a wharehouse in Okinawa.... thumbdown.gif:blink:

 

Thanks for the extra pics.

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101combatvet

I have only used the second pattern.

 

Thats what i was thinking but ive also seen pics of H stabos

Also if you look that vietnamgear.com picture you notice that isnt stitched

Also just heard that 1st version wasnt cross over model

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101combatvet

w00t.gif

 

Is my un-educated guess that these are the put togethers I spoke of.The story I got years back when they surfaced was a small hord was found in a wharehouse in Okinawa.... thumbdown.gif:blink:

 

Thanks for the extra pics.

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101combatvet

They could be...... the parts look right.... and maybe modified to look like a stabo rig... IMHO.

 

Could they be the belly parachute harness ? or belly cargo straps ?
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Everything is possible since material and parts are almost the same.

Since is found these from big military dealer in europe i doubt that they making "fakes" there but who really knows :)

Thanks for answers and help guys!

 

Ps. anyone know where i can find 2nd pattern stabo for sale?

feel free to pm me

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I had this discussion with a guy who collects STABO rigs and makes repros. I saw 5 of these 68 dated STABO rigs with very soft and new feeling nylon and no stitching on the back last year for sale at UK shows.

 

From what I recall the first or early type STABOS had a loop on the back and loops sewn in for the belt and the later STABOS had the cross strap sewn together (could be the other war around)

 

I had some diagrams will try and dig them out

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Spathologist
Varangian, what is a comfort strap?

 

It's a loop of rope connected to the suspension rope; you slip it under your armpits so some of your weight is carried by your shoulders instead of all of it carried on your crotch.

 

Mine distended somehow and all of my weight ended up on my armpits. Killed a nerve and paralyzed my arm. Intensive therapy that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy got me back on flight status, but it's still not right.

 

Every time subsequent I saw a comfort strap, I made the STABOmaster cut it off or he could find himself another helo.

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  • 6 years later...

What you have pictured are STABO harnesses that look just like the ones we used in Vietnam 1970-1971 in L Co Rangers. I would add that these are just the harness. You need a pistol belt and all the ammo pouches, canteen covers etc plus the extraction assembly to have a complete set. A 120' green nylon rope is also part of the STABO system. While I am on this subject, I need to add that STABO is NOT an acronym for stabilized body operations that some one made up years ago. STABO is actually named for three Special Forces soldiers who suggested, designed and implemented the first rigs. They were Stevens, Knab and Roberts of the 5th SF Group at Nha Trang. I don't recall any ever being dated, but that is just based on my experience. If you have questions, let me know.

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  • 5 years later...

As a historical note, around 1995 or 1996, we found about a dozen of the STABO Harness type sewn directly to early LC-1 Individual Equipment Belts, 4 with Large Belts, 8 with Medium Belts.  They had about 1/4" or 3/8" closed cell foam sewn on the underside of the shoulder straps for comfort wearing completely loaded LBE.   Best we could figure is they were liberated or misshuffled from 4th ID LRSD.   The one I kept I removed the belt stitching and had the loops sewn in for the separate Belt.   I have a photo around here somewhere I am close to finding, wore it for a display at the B-24 Museum at the Pueblo Airport.

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