I jumped at the chance to review the Value Gear USA Modern Gear Set #2 as I am a huge fan of Value Gear, its amazing sets, and its owner (and producer, shipper, sales, customer service, and everything else to make a company work guy), Steve Munsell (also known as one of the nicest guys in our hobby).

To best set the stage for this review, here is Value Gear's Goal from their website:

The Value Gear idea is to give model builders (me included) a more useful spares box! Creating and casting sets of Generic/Universal stowage. No helmets no weapons and nothing to keep you from using it in a wooden cart, a chariot, a truck, or a panther tank. "Any Army Any Era!" is my motto. They won't work on everything but so far, I have seen people use them on so many different trucks and tanks and even some War Hammer tanks and dioramas. Stowage are accents to help give your model some story or a lived-in realistic look. Armies live under canvas.

The Generic/Universal idea is one that bounced around in my head for years, but I never had time or energy working 12 hours a day in the USA, to get started. Moving to Ireland for the past 2 years gave me the chance to be a daytime dad (priceless chance of a lifetime) and a night time sculpting and resin casting machine.

The Value Gear Promise is to have the best customer service, and constantly improving and innovative quality and new ideas. All sets will have the minimal amount of cleanup before use and no huge pour plugs to saw off and potentially ruin a piece like we have all done in the past. A little scraping and a little sanding is all you will ever need with Value Gear.

This 25-piece set is advertised for modern US Gear and can be used for any US military model from 1973 through Desert Storm, however it can be easily used through at least the

early 2000s, and, with research, some units much later (I used my ALICE (All-purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment) pack in Iraq in 2009. I preferred it over the MOLLE (Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment) system introduced in 1997 but gained widespread issue post 9-11.

Included in the set are two crates (one with a bag attached), several ubiquitous duffle bags (single and two doubles), six sleeping mats, two boxes with straps, ALICE packs attached to large bags, duffel bag, a large bag with ammo cans and other tarps, and other gear to make the vehicle look lived in and used.

The kit pieces are beautifully and crisply molded, requiring very little flash cleanup. Value Gear even includes a “Helpful Tips – Working with Resin Parts” insert. After a quick wash and priming, the pieces were ready for painting. Due to their excellent definition, painting is a pleasure, and you soon have a lot of great gear for the model.

This is a great, ready-made set for modern US military vehicles. You are only limited by your creativity. Value Gear is an affordable and great way to add to your spares box and, ultimately, to your model to have distinctive, non-repeating gear festooned on vehicles.

I highly recommend this, and all Value Gear sets. Check out the Value Gear website for 1:56 (28mm), 1:72, 1:48, 1:35 and 1:16 gear sets for military and Sci-Fi models, and wargaming, from World War II to the future and most everything in your imagination.

Profuse thanks to Value Gear and IPMS/USA for providing the review sample.