Finnish Army Webbing
M60 Belt System
1960s
The system as a whole is often referred to by the slang term "tetsari", which is derived from taisteluvyö (combat belt).
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This is a :SA taisteluvyö m-60
Description
The term SA taisteluvyö m-60 refers to a combat load-bearing system used by the Finnish Defence Forces (Puolustusvoimat), colloquially known in Finland as "tetsari". Introduced in the 1960s, it served as the standard gear for decades before being replaced by the m/85 and m/05 systems.
Physical Description
Pouches: Standard configuration included two large frontal pouches—often used for 3–6 rifle magazines or NBC gear—and a "bread bag" (leipälaukku) used as a butt pack in the rear.
Attachments: It featured leather loops for tools like an entrenching tool and was designed to work alongside the "sipulisäkki" (onion bag) assault rucksack.
Historical Context: It was most commonly worn with the iconic m/62 camouflage uniform.
Standard pockets:
Here are the specific terms for the common components:
Special pockets:
The m/60 belt was not developed in isolation; it was the backbone of the broader m/62 equipment set, which included:
Bread Bag (Leipälaukku): A large rear-mounted pouch used as a butt pack for rations and personal gear.
Sipulisäkki (Onion Bag): A lightweight cotton rucksack designed to hook directly into the m/60 belt and suspenders for assault loads.
Key Components: The system abandoned the reliance on small, individual pouches for a broader "webbing" approach. It consisted of a heavy-duty leather service belt, cotton canvas shoulder straps (suspenders), and two large frontal pouches designed to hold magazines for the then-new RK 62 assault rifle.
Materials: While the belt remained leather (a signature Finnish choice for durability in arctic conditions), the suspension and storage components used heavy canvas, a material that was eventually criticized for becoming heavy and stiff when frozen or wet.
Attachments: It featured leather loops for tools like an entrenching tool and was designed to work alongside the "sipulisäkki" (onion bag) assault rucksack.
Historical Context: It was most commonly worn with the iconic m/62 camouflage uniform.
Standard pockets:
In Finnish military terminology, the pouches used with the m/60 system have functional names. The general term for a pouch or pocket in Finnish is "tasku".
Here are the specific terms for the common components:
2x Lipastasku - Magazine pouch (for the RK 62 rifle magazines)
1x Leipälaukku - "Bread bag" or butt pack (used for mess kit, canteen, rations)
1x Suojanaamarilaukku or Kaasunaamarilaukku - Gas mask pouch/bag
1x Kenttäpullo - Canteen (often carried inside the leipälaukku or a dedicated pouch)
1x Kenttälapio - Entrenching tool/shovel (attached to the belt with leather loops)
1x Leipälaukku - "Bread bag" or butt pack (used for mess kit, canteen, rations)
1x Suojanaamarilaukku or Kaasunaamarilaukku - Gas mask pouch/bag
1x Kenttäpullo - Canteen (often carried inside the leipälaukku or a dedicated pouch)
1x Kenttälapio - Entrenching tool/shovel (attached to the belt with leather loops)
Special pockets:
Integration with the m/62 System
The m/60 belt was not developed in isolation; it was the backbone of the broader m/62 equipment set, which included:
Camo Uniform: The iconic m/62 "cucumber" camouflage.
Bread Bag (Leipälaukku): A large rear-mounted pouch used as a butt pack for rations and personal gear.
Sipulisäkki (Onion Bag): A lightweight cotton rucksack designed to hook directly into the m/60 belt and suspenders for assault loads.
History note Category
ShiftTransition from WWII: Following the war, the Finnish military relied on a mix of domestic and surplus equipment. The m/60 was developed to modernize the "infantryman's workspace" for the Cold War era.
Key Components: The system abandoned the reliance on small, individual pouches for a broader "webbing" approach. It consisted of a heavy-duty leather service belt, cotton canvas shoulder straps (suspenders), and two large frontal pouches designed to hold magazines for the then-new RK 62 assault rifle.
Materials: While the belt remained leather (a signature Finnish choice for durability in arctic conditions), the suspension and storage components used heavy canvas, a material that was eventually criticized for becoming heavy and stiff when frozen or wet.
Printed Label
Object Details
Category
Load Carriage Systems
Related period
Materials
Leather / Cotton Canvas
Dimensions
Catalogue number
Object Associations
- Finnish Army
SA taisteluvyö m-60
https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taisteluvyö
M / 60
The oldest unified carrying system consisted of a combination of shoulder straps and a belt, with pockets on the belt. The pockets had leather straps. Normally, there were two cartridge pockets on the front of the belt, one on the right and one on the left, which included different types of weapon magazines used at the time, such as submachine gun barrels and barrel magazines, as well as a separate assault rifle case. To the back, a bread bag with a kit, a field bottle and stuff was attached to the center. Both the gas mask and bread bag could also be carried with their own shoulder straps. To the left came a Fiskars folding field shovel. The assault rifle's holster contained two rounds of fire in one pocket, or six. Another cartridge pocket may have had a raincoat on hand for a gas alarm . It is a good idea for a right-handed man to place a raincoat in his left pocket so that it acts as a cushion during the downfall. If needed, roll mines, tent stacks, etc. could be hung on the hooks on the front of the battle belt cutouts.
During the 1990s, the carrier system ceased to be used for military training. The carrier in the system was mainly a backpack m / 31, which since the 1960s had a perforation on the hooks in the battle belt incisions or sometimes a saddlebag.
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The Finnish Defense Forces have used several different types of combat belts (in Finnish military slang , for example, Tetsari ), the latest being the m / 05.
M / 60
The oldest unified carrying system consisted of a combination of shoulder straps and a belt, with pockets on the belt. The pockets had leather straps. Normally, there were two cartridge pockets on the front of the belt, one on the right and one on the left, which included different types of weapon magazines used at the time, such as submachine gun barrels and barrel magazines, as well as a separate assault rifle case. To the back, a bread bag with a kit, a field bottle and stuff was attached to the center. Both the gas mask and bread bag could also be carried with their own shoulder straps. To the left came a Fiskars folding field shovel. The assault rifle's holster contained two rounds of fire in one pocket, or six. Another cartridge pocket may have had a raincoat on hand for a gas alarm . It is a good idea for a right-handed man to place a raincoat in his left pocket so that it acts as a cushion during the downfall. If needed, roll mines, tent stacks, etc. could be hung on the hooks on the front of the battle belt cutouts.
During the 1990s, the carrier system ceased to be used for military training. The carrier in the system was mainly a backpack m / 31, which since the 1960s had a perforation on the hooks in the battle belt incisions or sometimes a saddlebag.
In Finnish military terminology, the pouches used with the m/60 system have functional names. The general term for a pouch or pocket in Finnish is "tasku".
Here are the specific terms for the common components:
The system as a whole is often referred to by the slang term "tetsari", which is derived from taisteluvyö (combat belt).
The development of the SA taisteluvyö m-60 (Model 1960 combat belt) was a pivotal shift in Finnish infantry gear, moving away from World War II-era leather webbing toward a more modern, standardized load-bearing system.
1. Design & Material
https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taisteluvyö
The oldest unified carrying system consisted of a combination of shoulder straps and a belt, with pockets on the belt. The pockets had leather straps. Normally, there were two cartridge pockets on the front of the belt, one on the right and one on the left, which included different types of weapon magazines used at the time, such as submachine gun barrels and barrel magazines, as well as a separate assault rifle case. To the back, a bread bag with a kit, a field bottle and stuff was attached to the center. Both the gas mask and bread bag could also be carried with their own shoulder straps. To the left came a Fiskars folding field shovel. The assault rifle's holster contained two rounds of fire in one pocket, or six. Another cartridge pocket may have had a raincoat on hand for a gas alarm . It is a good idea for a right-handed man to place a raincoat in his left pocket so that it acts as a cushion during the downfall. If needed, roll mines, tent stacks, etc. could be hung on the hooks on the front of the battle belt cutouts.
During the 1990s, the carrier system ceased to be used for military training. The carrier in the system was mainly a backpack m / 31, which since the 1960s had a perforation on the hooks in the battle belt incisions or sometimes a saddlebag.
----------------------------------------------
The Finnish Defense Forces have used several different types of combat belts (in Finnish military slang , for example, Tetsari ), the latest being the m / 05.
M / 60
The oldest unified carrying system consisted of a combination of shoulder straps and a belt, with pockets on the belt. The pockets had leather straps. Normally, there were two cartridge pockets on the front of the belt, one on the right and one on the left, which included different types of weapon magazines used at the time, such as submachine gun barrels and barrel magazines, as well as a separate assault rifle case. To the back, a bread bag with a kit, a field bottle and stuff was attached to the center. Both the gas mask and bread bag could also be carried with their own shoulder straps. To the left came a Fiskars folding field shovel. The assault rifle's holster contained two rounds of fire in one pocket, or six. Another cartridge pocket may have had a raincoat on hand for a gas alarm . It is a good idea for a right-handed man to place a raincoat in his left pocket so that it acts as a cushion during the downfall. If needed, roll mines, tent stacks, etc. could be hung on the hooks on the front of the battle belt cutouts.
During the 1990s, the carrier system ceased to be used for military training. The carrier in the system was mainly a backpack m / 31, which since the 1960s had a perforation on the hooks in the battle belt incisions or sometimes a saddlebag.
In Finnish military terminology, the pouches used with the m/60 system have functional names. The general term for a pouch or pocket in Finnish is "tasku".
Here are the specific terms for the common components:
Lipastasku - Magazine pouch (for the RK 62 rifle magazines)
Leipälaukku - "Bread bag" or butt pack (used for mess kit, canteen, rations)
Suojanaamarilaukku or Kaasunaamarilaukku - Gas mask pouch/bag
Kenttäpullo - Canteen (often carried inside the leipälaukku or a dedicated pouch)
Kenttälapio - Entrenching tool/shovel (attached to the belt with leather loops)
Leipälaukku - "Bread bag" or butt pack (used for mess kit, canteen, rations)
Suojanaamarilaukku or Kaasunaamarilaukku - Gas mask pouch/bag
Kenttäpullo - Canteen (often carried inside the leipälaukku or a dedicated pouch)
Kenttälapio - Entrenching tool/shovel (attached to the belt with leather loops)
The system as a whole is often referred to by the slang term "tetsari", which is derived from taisteluvyö (combat belt).
The development of the SA taisteluvyö m-60 (Model 1960 combat belt) was a pivotal shift in Finnish infantry gear, moving away from World War II-era leather webbing toward a more modern, standardized load-bearing system.
1. Design & Material
ShiftTransition from WWII: Following the war, the Finnish military relied on a mix of domestic and surplus equipment. The m/60 was developed to modernize the "infantryman's workspace" for the Cold War era.
Key Components: The system abandoned the reliance on small, individual pouches for a broader "webbing" approach. It consisted of a heavy-duty leather service belt, cotton canvas shoulder straps (suspenders), and two large frontal pouches designed to hold magazines for the then-new RK 62 assault rifle.
Materials: While the belt remained leather (a signature Finnish choice for durability in arctic conditions), the suspension and storage components used heavy canvas, a material that was eventually criticized for becoming heavy and stiff when frozen or wet.
2. Integration with the m/62 System
The m/60 belt was not developed in isolation; it was the backbone of the broader m/62 equipment set, which included:Camo Uniform: The iconic m/62 "cucumber" camouflage.
Bread Bag (Leipälaukku): A large rear-mounted pouch used as a butt pack for rations and personal gear.
Sipulisäkki (Onion Bag): A lightweight cotton rucksack designed to hook directly into the m/60 belt and suspenders for assault loads.
3. Replacement and LegacyThe m/85 Successor: Development of a replacement began in 1980 through a collaboration between the Finnish Defence Forces and Finn-Savotta. The resulting m/85 system addressed the ergonomic failures of the m/60, moving toward nylon and integrated padding.
Current Service: Despite being officially replaced by the m/85 and later the m/05 modular vest system, the m/60 leather belt remains in use today as the standard trouser belt for the modern m/05 uniform.
Would you like to see a comparison of the pouch layouts between the m/60 and the modern m/05 system?
Key Components: The system abandoned the reliance on small, individual pouches for a broader "webbing" approach. It consisted of a heavy-duty leather service belt, cotton canvas shoulder straps (suspenders), and two large frontal pouches designed to hold magazines for the then-new RK 62 assault rifle.
Materials: While the belt remained leather (a signature Finnish choice for durability in arctic conditions), the suspension and storage components used heavy canvas, a material that was eventually criticized for becoming heavy and stiff when frozen or wet.
2. Integration with the m/62 System
The m/60 belt was not developed in isolation; it was the backbone of the broader m/62 equipment set, which included:Camo Uniform: The iconic m/62 "cucumber" camouflage.
Bread Bag (Leipälaukku): A large rear-mounted pouch used as a butt pack for rations and personal gear.
Sipulisäkki (Onion Bag): A lightweight cotton rucksack designed to hook directly into the m/60 belt and suspenders for assault loads.
3. Replacement and LegacyThe m/85 Successor: Development of a replacement began in 1980 through a collaboration between the Finnish Defence Forces and Finn-Savotta. The resulting m/85 system addressed the ergonomic failures of the m/60, moving toward nylon and integrated padding.
Current Service: Despite being officially replaced by the m/85 and later the m/05 modular vest system, the m/60 leather belt remains in use today as the standard trouser belt for the modern m/05 uniform.
Would you like to see a comparison of the pouch layouts between the m/60 and the modern m/05 system?
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