Durability of the MK VII

Castor Dioscuri · Post by **Castor Dioscuri** » Mon Jun 20, 2011 5:36 am

For all the MK-VII-clad adventurers in here, urban and otherwise, I was hoping to ask how your experiences with those true vintage bags of yesteryear have held up?

I'm particularly interested in asking what the failure rate are of these things, and for those of you whom have gone through even one gas mask bag, under what conditions did it take for them to shuffle off this mortal coil?

The reason I ask is that I own a few MK VIIs. Obviously I love the look of it- what fan wouldn't-, but I am terrified of being caught in the middle of the city when it decides to give, making me lose invaluable contents! And yes, I know that these bags were built for war, but we must also bear in mind that we are talking about bags that are at least 70 years old here. Just let that sink in for a moment...

So, once again, can anyone report on how well these bags hold up under use? I'd really appreciate it!

Wolfie · Post by **Wolfie** » Mon Jun 20, 2011 7:36 am

I've been using one for around 3 years now as a purse. With the strap changed out to the Indy leather one that is. I havent been using it as often as I used to but there was a full year period where I was using it every day. Loaded with all the random trappings of a girl and more Wallet, brushes, makeup bag, cell phone, 501st Challenge Coin, pens, mp3 player, and sometimes a small umbrella lol. I still grab it when going on a trip where I need to carry a bunch of stuff. IE when we lived in Florida it went to Disney often, holding two water bottles, a camera, both our wallets and phones.

My husband has been using his for his gear and as a netbook carrying case for equally as long. Granted, both of ours were surplus bags that were never issued. The only noticible thing on any of them is a tad bit of rust on the metal bits on the bottom and that round thing on the side

I think it will depend on if you get one that was in surplus somewhere that never saw the light of day versus one that was stored somewhere that any outside elements could deteriorate the bag somehow...

Post by **Michaelson** » Mon Jun 20, 2011 8:12 am

It will depend from bag to bag.

My eldest daughter carried one in high school, and it did fine until a the area she carried her pens wore clear through the front of the bag.

Once one of those canvas threads pops, it starts unraveling like crazy.

Regards! Michaelson

Post by **Indiana Jeff** » Mon Jun 20, 2011 9:00 am

I have an original issued bag and have been carrying it daily for work for roughly three years. I've owned it for over 10, but for most of that time used it strictly for costuming. I don't overload it, but don't baby it and it's holding up fine. I do check it now and again to make sure the seam threads are all secure.

The area that most often seems to fail first is the webbing that holds the strap rings. Mine are still intact, but I can see where they are more worn than any other part of the bag.

Regards,

Indiana Jeff

Christian Jones · Post by **Christian Jones** » Mon Jun 20, 2011 11:04 am

I had two original bags over the past few years. The first one survived 2 hours. The fabric was completely rotten when I got it.
I contacted WPG and they send me another one. I used it for about 2 months and it was the same problem

.

After that, I ordered a replica from Magnoli and I have been using it everyday for the last year or so, great stuff

.

AZ Pete · Post by **AZ Pete** » Mon Jun 20, 2011 11:45 am

I have a replica from Magnoli as well as an original. I use the replica daily for work and the original for vacations, etc... I'm actually on vacation right now and using the original. It has held up good over the past year. Like above the webbing holding the strap rings is starting to wear through. I am planning to fix the issue when I get back. Other than that the original is holding up pretty good.

Pete

Post by **Michaelson** » Mon Jun 20, 2011 2:21 pm

Just keep it 'real', and remember these bags were issued in the 1940's.

They were made to be used, then tossed away and are made from plant material....cotton.

I HIGHLY suggest if you plan on using one for 'Indy' type adventures, get a repro and save your originals for display, light use, or fan gatherings.

Once they're gone, they're gone. Like I said above, my daughter used one and it did yoeman service until the small hole was caused by a thread break, and within a day the hole had grown HUGE. It was permanently retired in less than one day.

Just saying.....

Regards! Michaelson

Christian Jones · Post by **Christian Jones** » Mon Jun 20, 2011 2:35 pm

Michaelson wrote:I HIGHLY suggest if you plan on using one for 'Indy' type adventures, get a repro and save your originals for display, light use, or fan gatherings.

Exactly ! This is exactly what I do now.
Like you said above : Once they're gone, they're gone. But, do you think they will be gone one day soon ?
Sometimes I ask myself how many original bags we, Indy fans, have used over the past 30 years ?

Post by **Michaelson** » Mon Jun 20, 2011 2:38 pm

Gone soon? Probably not, but as long as they're going for the price they, the repro's are a good value vs. the price of a good original right now.

If you had asked me that, say, 10 years ago, I'd have gone in the other direction and said forget the repro's and buy originals, as they were cheap and plentiful, but I've watched those things go from $15 to over $100+ by some vendors for a decent example, so I'm a bit more careful about the originals these days than I used to be, and advise the same.

This same question gets asked all the time at the watch collecting sites I frequent. Some watches still have a plethora of parts available for a LONG time....but some models that were plentiful when I started out in the hobby are getting hard to find parts for, and are being retired to collections either uncarried, or scrapped out for spare parts.

So, it's all in how you view the situation.

Regards! Michaelson

Christian Jones · Post by **Christian Jones** » Mon Jun 20, 2011 5:30 pm

Michaelson wrote:This same question gets asked all the time at the watch collecting sites I frequent. Some watches still have a plethora of parts available for a LONG time....but some models that were plentiful when I started out in the hobby are getting hard to find parts for, and are being retired to collections either uncarried, or scrapped out for spare parts.

And the same goes for old car parts. I have a 1969 VW beetle and buying original german made parts in Germany is sometimes two to three times more expensive than getting mexican replica parts send over to Europe (depending on the parts of course)...

Collecting things is funny sometimes

.

Post by **Michaelson** » Mon Jun 20, 2011 5:41 pm

Don't get me started about old cars and parts. You can tell what I deal with every day from my avatar.

Just a new rubber seal for my windshield (reproduction, no less) costs anywhere from $137 to $198!

Regards! Michaelson

whipwarrior · Post by **whipwarrior** » Mon Jun 20, 2011 6:19 pm

Echoing Michaelson, don't get me started on cars... I've owned Volkswagens since high school, driving each one with TLC until it finally gave up the ghost. I'm on #3 now, a 2002 Golf that I picked up last summer in Nashville. Factory lease, pristine low mileage car, yet missing a bunch of odds & ends when the front was rebuilt after a minor fender bender prior to my ownership. Long story short (too late?), I wound up investing more money to fix / replace everything than I actually paid for the car itself, and I can attest that ANY part stamped with the word 'Volkswagen' will inevitably cost twice as much as the same part on any regular car. Unfortunately, Magnoli doesn't make ultra-durable repro Golfs at half-price...

Keeping this post marginally on-topic (again, too late?), my Golf is a MK-IV. Here's Madame Sophia attending the Southern Worthersee Volkswagen festival in Helen, Georgia, on May 20th.

wild_weasel · Post by **wild_weasel** » Wed Jun 22, 2011 12:14 am

Hello,

Being former military I cringe at the thought of artificially aging or distressing my gear. After receiving my W&G Mk VII bag from WPG I trimmed off all the loose threads and gave it a couple heavy spray coats of Scotch Guard to weather proof it. After the Scotch Guard dries it leaves no noticeable changes in appearance, but I’m sure it will go a long way in extending the life of my bag.

Cheers,
W-W

Post by **Michaelson** » Wed Jun 22, 2011 8:52 am

It sure won't hurt, that's for sure.

I do the same thing with mine.

Regards! Michaelson

teampunk · Post by **teampunk** » Mon Jul 25, 2011 3:19 pm

Mine lasted about half a day. The entire side ripped. I think i only had my cell phone and wallet in it at the time. Does anybody else fell guilty about cutting the original strap off? I kind of felt like i was destroying a piece of history by altering the original bag. I did get a new one, but don't think i will be cutting off the strap.

lantzn · Post by **lantzn** » Mon Jul 25, 2011 3:53 pm

wild_weasel wrote:Hello,

Being former military I cringe at the thought of artificially aging or distressing my gear. After receiving my W&G Mk VII bag from WPG I trimmed off all the loose threads and gave it a couple heavy spray coats of Scotch Guard to weather proof it. After the Scotch Guard dries it leaves no noticeable changes in appearance, but I’m sure it will go a long way in extending the life of my bag.

Cheers,
W-W

I got a W&G WPG also. It turns out to be the more olive color then the mustard color in the movie. I had ordered another brand at the same time and it was more SA which made me very happy.

Both bags look unissued and I have carried camera with all accessories packing them full with no issues. I do have an Indy strap and not the original canvas one.

SpeedRcrX · Post by **SpeedRcrX** » Thu Jul 28, 2011 8:37 am

Got mine in August 2008 I use it mostly during summer (and went with me while traveling). I put in there the usual stuff for a woman (so a lot of stuff

)

Good as new !

Kredepops · Post by **Kredepops** » Thu Jul 28, 2011 7:03 pm

It really does depend on the individual bag. I've had an original from sentimental journey for 10 years, holds up beautifully and it looks like it saw alot of action during ww2 too. Then I bought one unissued W&G from WPG and one strapholder broke after just a few hours of use.

Arch Stanton · Post by **Arch Stanton** » Sat Jul 30, 2011 12:04 am

In my opinion the durability is crapolla. My WPG ring loop on the bag wore through and the whole bag fell to the ground. I did not even wear the thing even 10 times. Maybe more like 7 or 8. I noticed it fraying after the first day. I wish I knew a good way to replace that part. The rest of the bag seems okay.

kwh · Post by **kwh** » Sat Jul 30, 2011 12:13 am

i've been using mine as a lunch bag. i even put the whole bag in the refrigerato.

keith

Arch Stanton · Post by **Arch Stanton** » Sat Jul 30, 2011 4:01 pm

Thanks, but is there a section for just tutorials? I'm not sure I'm using the search function correctly...

Mr_Vader · Post by **Mr_Vader** » Sat Jul 30, 2011 5:47 pm

Hey I'm about to pick up a WG MKVII but am a bit confused on where to get the strap, is the $12 one they offer any good, or for a more accurate should I go to Todds or Indymagnoli's?

Hollowpond · Post by **Hollowpond** » Sat Jul 30, 2011 5:58 pm

Wade Egan Wade Egan Wade Egan Wade Egan Wade Egan Wade Egan Wade Egan Wade Egan Wade Egan Wade Egan Wade Egan Wade Egan Wade Egan Wade Egan Wade Egan Wade Egan Wade Egan Wade Egan Wade Egan

Mr_Vader · Post by **Mr_Vader** » Sat Jul 30, 2011 6:06 pm

Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you

Mr_Vader · Post by **Mr_Vader** » Fri Aug 05, 2011 12:12 am

Got my W&P bag today from WPG, only problem is that they sent the MKVI instead of the MKVII, anyone else ever have this problem?

Also, shipping was incredibly fast considering it started in the middle east, kudos to them.

knibs7 · Post by **knibs7** » Fri Aug 05, 2011 11:18 am

Got mine 4 years ago (well I have a few, but only really use one) and it is still ridiculously tough. GREAT bag

Kyle

nevadasmith · Post by **nevadasmith** » Sun Aug 07, 2011 11:26 pm

Ah ha! And I thought I was the only one to have strap failure on my MKVII. Of course mine failed at the worst time. Heading toward the ammo bunker where the Nazi loot was hidden during last years Summit. I was heeling and toeing when *RIPPPP!* my bag hit the dirt. I picked it up without losing pace [Hey! We were in a hurry!], and made it to the bunker. Thank God that one of our team was [who else?] Wade himself! He took pity on this old timer and told me to contact him after the event and he would send me some replacement strapping. He did and with some help from my friendly Shoe Repair [These guys make a the boots and shoes for Disneyland], I was back in action again.

Thanks again Wade! I got mine from WPG and considering it's age, it lasted a for a few months of heavy use while at Mouse House. Indy is one of the few costumes you can wear there. I was carrying a couple of bottles of water, along with some misc. gear.

If I had it to do over, I would probably get a reproduction. Who do you guys think makes the best repros? I wouldn't want a repeat this year at Fort Mac.

~Nevada Smith~

nicktheguy · Post by **nicktheguy** » Mon Aug 08, 2011 12:00 pm

The sides that attach to the strap can rip pretty easily depending on the overall condition of the bag - I had a mint one and started using it a week ago - the webbing ripped away from the side - and I am pretty sure it's due to stitching rotting over time. Some bags will not have that, others will - it's the luck of the vintage draw.

Post by **Michaelson** » Mon Aug 08, 2011 1:31 pm

That's what I essentially posted last June here, so we're all on the same page.

Regard! Michaelson