Fieldcraft Best way to quiet velcro for field use

[citation04]

hey,

I would really like to remove some of the roaring rip of the hook and loop closures on all my pockets while in the field. I'm familiar with many of the common fixes. taking a lighter to it, replacing it (obviously) with either a button or magnet sewn in.

I was wondering if anyone had any standard method they use to all their new hook and loop to try to take the edge off sound wise and still maintain the effectiveness of the pocket. I assume a quick pass with a lighter? Which side responds best to the heat.

thanks for any other tips yall can supply

 

[softcock]

Re: Best way to quiet velcro for field use

Velcro is right up there with Elmer's Glue, Zip-Ties & Duck Tape in gods gifts . It pretty versatile, cost effective & so user friendly a Monkey can use it .
but Velcro is going to be noisy but its not as noisy if you tear it apart slowly on the pull separation but slowly just make the noise go-on longer . Not much you can do to make it quiet when it real quiet all around you .

You can take a Lighter/flame to your Loop but it is pretty easy to go over the line with melting the fluffy pile to nothing . & your taking away half of the Loops life-span also when flame scorching .
You can block-off sections of your Loop with pieces of Hook . just cut a couple of small squares to mate to your Loop to make the surface smaller .
You can buy a ( Snap Kit ) & put snaps were you need to have a secure closure for pockets or flaps .
You can totally tear your fabric article apart & replace with Zippers .
.

 

[Tripwire]

Re: Best way to quiet velcro for field use

The best way I've found to sound deaden velcro is to use buttons, plastic zippers, and fastex buckles....leaving the velcro where it belongs, at home.

 

[brutus1776]

Re: Best way to quiet velcro for field use

i second tripwire on this one.
lots of uniforms and gear rely heavily on velcro and it definitely has it place, but there really is no silencing it. i've done hundreds of modified 'SF style' bdu/dcu modifications for people and the trend seems to be... the guys who have the most experience like button closures.

 

[calebintn]

Re: Best way to quiet velcro for field use

I agree the buttons aren't quite as handy as velcro but they are silent

 

[Steve**12]

Re: Best way to quiet velcro for field use

Some of the new velcro that is all plastic. It's like hook and hook. Is a lot quieter. I have some on my motorcycle gloves and it seems to hold just as good if not better.

 

[HillbillyfromAL]

Re: Best way to quiet velcro for field use

Quiet and Velcro don't mix. Buttons are quiet, zippers aren't as bad as Velcro.

 

[Luke]

Re: Best way to quiet velcro for field use

FWIW, if you're close enough to a bad guy that he'll kill you when he hears you opening your pocket, your probably shouldn't be messing around with your pocket in the first place...

 

[KNIGHT11B4]

Re: Best way to quiet velcro for field use

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Luke</div><div class="ubbcode-body">FWIW, if you're close enough to a bad guy that he'll kill you when he hears you opening your pocket, your probably shouldn't be messing around with your pocket in the first place... </div></div>


Boom nailed it.

 

[ofelas]

Re: Best way to quiet velcro for field use

Best way to quiet velcro is to use buttons or other quiet closures.

 

[athhud]

Re: Best way to quiet velcro for field use

Ear protection

 

[old95b10]

Re: Best way to quiet velcro for field use

Never got to wear one of the newfangled uniforms with Velcro on them. Kind of wondered about the noise thing but never asked any of the young folk about it. Figured they would have thought I was behind the times. Never had a button give me up not ONE time .
Low tech but they worked for me.

 

[quacktastic]

Re: Best way to quiet velcro for field use

magnets are nice. Drake uses them in the duck call pocket on their jackets.

 

[Snakeyez]

Re: Best way to quiet velcro for field use

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: old95b10</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Never got to wear one of the newfangled uniforms with Velcro on them. Kind of wondered about the noise thing but never asked any of the young folk about it. Figured they would have thought I was behind the times. Never had a button give me up not ONE time .
Low tech but they worked for me. </div></div>

Second that, all my gear was low speed and is no longer issued, but all the different things I have tried to "adjust" how the velcro functions, only left me with weak / failing velcro which then cost me time and money to change it all out for new velcro (louder) or having zippers or buttons added.

 

[Wolvenhaven]

Re: Best way to quiet velcro for field use

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: quacktastic</div><div class="ubbcode-body">magnets are nice. Drake uses them in the duck call pocket on their jackets. </div></div>

I've got a pair of snowboarding pants that use magnets extensively to hold pockets closed, and while nice, if you catch the pocket on something while moving, it will open and then when it unhooks from the obstruction the magnets will slam back together causing a clacking noise, so I don't think they'd be very useful for BDUs.

 

[takeaim1st]

Re: Best way to quiet velcro for field use

Spray with the original PAM, non stick, works great.

 

[VonReich]

Re: Best way to quiet velcro for field use

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: takeaim1st</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Spray with the original PAM, non stick, works great. </div></div>

That's one my old sniper instructor had mentioned before, along with a small pass of a lighter. The lighter will reduce the life of the velcro but definitely helps for the short term need. I prefer buttons over it, but if i absolutely have to use velcro, i just dont put any super important items in it that i'll need when i have to be silent.

Buttons > Zipper > Magnets > Velcro > Nothing

 

[citation04]

Re: Best way to quiet velcro for field use

thanks fellas, i already heard the standard if your already that close your pretty much effed. but honestly that sound travels pretty good, especially on a cold morning.

im gonna try the cooking spray,

 

[2/1_Kiwi]

Re: Best way to quiet velcro for field use

I just use scraps of the opposite side of velcro to cover all but a small part of the matching velcro, leaving just enough to keep it closed.

 

[pure_mahem]

Re: Best way to quiet velcro for field use

Your only other option other than what has already has been mentioned is to wait for a cover noise if it's even available like a radio or a loud truck. best option is to not use it in the first place if it could be an issue that's why they made buttons, paracord, duct tape, safety pins, zippers, ziplocs, and invented knot tieing.