British S10 NBC respirator number 1 - 1989
Manufacturer: Avon rubber, England
Model: S10
Country: United Kingdom + many others
Production run: 1986 - 2011
Replaced by: Scott GSR
Issued to: Military, Police
Condition: Used but in good shape
Year: 1989
Price: £12.50 + £3.90 postage
Availability: quite common
Source: private eBay seller
Shipped from: UK
- S10 face piece (used)
- Standard 40mm NATO NBC filter (new)
- old S6 40mm NATO filter (Used)
- British MOD radiac dosimeter watch (new)
- British army DPM camo haversack (used)
What should have been in the kit. (to be complete)
- Spare Standard 40mm NATO filter
- NBC rubber gloves
- Decontamination kit
- Chemical detection papers
- Protect to survive booklet
At last! an S10 for my collection
The S10 Gas mask kit by Avon rubber is possibly the most recognised gas mask in the world. It was synonymous with the british armed forces and highly regarded as one of the best mask of all time. Many of it's features live on in more modern mask designs today.
Fortunately for me this fine S10 fell my way quite recently so now I can appreciate what all the fuss is about.
Until now I had often considered the S10 a rather expensive mask for building my collection. Usually Several cold war masks could be bought for the price of a single S10 and so it hadn't seemed that appealing.
Whilst skimming the ebay listings one night I came across this kit which was being auctioned at a low price. Due to the S10's popularity I was half expecting to get gazumped right at the end of the auction by someone else (which normally happens) but this time it would be different.
The final price I paid for everything was £12.50 plus £3.90 postage which didn't seem bad at all. Normally a decent S10 can go for between £30 -£70 depending on the seller so this kind of price was not that common.
The S10 NBC respirator was first pressed into service in 1986 as the natural successor to the hugely popular SR6 (S6) which had been the mainstay mask of the british army since 1966.
The S10 kits were issued to all of the UK armed forces and also to civilian police forces and others making this mask truly universal.
The S10 NBC respirator was manufactured by Avon rubber in England and was exported to many other countries around the world as well as the UK
Many consider the S10 to have been a technical leap in design and the blueprint to modern masks. They remain extremely popular with collectors, preppers and the people who run about in the woods with pellet guns. Simply stunning.
The S10 was scheduled to have been phased out by 2007 and replaced by the newer Scott GSR. This didn't happen and so the S10 continued in active service until 2011.
The face piece
The S10 face piece is made from good quality materials. The rubber used in the construction of the mask seems very robust and sturdy whilst also being supple to the touch.
It doesn't take long to realise that this mask is top notch in terms of design and build quality. It has some clever innovative features and looks like it could get you out of a sticky situation without breaking a sweat.
I expected nothing less from a company like Avon who have a track record of making some of the best quality respirators in the world.
Time to take a closer look....
The right side of the face piece features a 40mm NATO filter fitting and the size marking of the mask. In this case it's a size 3 (small)
Running around the mask from right to left is a raised rubber ridge which is in fact a chemical hood stop. This ridge prevents the hood of an NBC suit from falling backwards and exposing the users head. A neat idea not often seen with gas masks.
On the left side of the face piece the date circle is stamped into the rubber. This mask was manufactured in 1989.
Moving down slightly the mask we discover the voice diaphragm. This circular part presumably helps to clarify the voice comms. It will be interesting to see if this side fitted diaphragm makes any difference.
The front of the face piece features a large circular structure which is home to the exhale valve, drinking system and a voice trumpet. It looks like a very well designed assembly on first glance and it becomes apparent where some of the more contemporary masks had got their inspiration from.
The drinking tube starts inside the mask with the mouth straw then it passes out through the side and around the outside of the disc ending with a water bottle adapter which is secured underneath the chin.
A small lever is situated on the left side of the disc next to the tube (see above photo) which acts a direction adjustment for the mouth tube inside. When the time for rehydration comes around it can be very difficult to locate the tube inside the mask once it has been donned.
A quick swing of the lever can get direct the tube into the users mouth quickly and without much fuss. A clever design in my opinion.
The exhale valve/voice trumpet section consists of a single rubber disc acting as the valve whilst the surrounding cavity is shaped in such a way as to amplify any sounds coming from inside.
The inside of the face piece features a rubber inner mask which helps with making a good air tight seal and it offers a little extra comfort for the user.
Another feature of the inside is the nasal cup. The nasal cup is designed to divert warm air into the exhale valve and away from the eye pieces. It seems quite substantial on this mask so the need for anti-fog cream shouldn't be required.
The drinking straw required for rehydration is situated on the right side of the nasal cup and unlike the straw on the Czech M10M, it can be stowed to one side and away from the users mouth when not in use. I found the straw to be very annoying and intrusive on the M10M as it was always getting in the way.
The drinking system on the S10 seems far more useful.
The last things to mention on this face piece are the eye pieces and the rear head harness.
The head harness is a six point strap and clamp system. Nothing special. Just some plastic clamps on the fixing points where you might expect metal buckles and the six corresponding straps made from a single piece of moulded rubber.
I'm not a fan of rubber harness straps but these are made from very soft and flexible rubber. I may not run the risk of having my hair ripped out now!
One remarkable design on this mask is the eye pieces. They appear to be made from Perspex/Plexiglass and not from traditional glass. They have an interesting shape to them. They Sort of look curved when first seen but on closer inspection are flat but with curved edges. I presume this shaping helps with the overall field of vision?
Considering this mask has been issued the eye pieces have only superficial scratches on them. Nothing really noticeable.
The Filters
L12a1 or SP10
The SP10 is the filter which originally shipped with the S10 mask. It's a full range NBC protective filter housed in a plastic casing rather than the usual metal type. The SP10 has a NATO 40mm threading and will fit other NATO masks.
Old S6 filter - MK2 pattern
The other filter which came with my kit is an old british style piece which originally shipped with the Avon S6 - The mask which came before the S10.
The filter is dated 1981 and dinged up to hell but it still works (I think?)
Once again this is a full range NBC protective filter with a NATO 40mm thread and was the filter to SP10 replaced.
The Haversack
The photo above shows the british army S10 haversack which came with my kit. Its decorated with army standard DPM camouflage and dated 2007 so not the original haversack which came with the mask.
This haversack is every bit as formidable as the S10 itself. It's strong, tough and well designed.
The quality of materials used here are far more superior than the vast majority of other gas mask bags I have had my hands on.
The only criticisms are that maybe the haversack is a little large and cumbersome and the lack of a waist strap to prevent it flapping around if running away from danger.
There is plenty of room inside the haversack for 2 filters, the face piece and all of the regular accessories without having to squeeze anything in. This can often be a downside to the soviet haversacks which are generally smaller by comparison and carry the risk of the face piece being squished out of shape.
The mysterious extra item
One surprise with this S10 kit was the addition of a brand new and sealed British M.O.D. dosimeter watch.
These are supplied to people tasked with working in a radioactive environment (obviously!) and have been in service since the early 1980s.
They work by means of photoluminescent glass that is exposed to radiation and records the levels over a period of time.
unfortunately this dosimeter does not display the radiation readings for the user to see rather the dosimeter is hooked up to a special reader to extract the information. (available separately).
The dosimeter watch is a nice little extra in the bag which I wasn't expecting. I don't intend on opening the foil pouch as it might affect it's value one day. A quick google image search indicates that the watch isn't all that interesting to look at.
Just a blank watch face and a crappy looking strap.
Donning and Doffing
Getting the S10 over the head and sealed for business is quick, easy and pain free.
The straps on the read harness seem to be flexible enough to left set in the desired position whilst the mask is taken on and off negating the need for readjustment after every deployment. One concern with the fixing clamps is that they may get weaker over the years and allow the strap/s to slide back out.
Getting the mask off again is just as easy.
Overall the S10 is a great quality respirator which certainly lives up to it's reputation. I would certainly reach for this mask first in the event of a disaster without a doubt.
