Where is the strangest place you have gotten Gear from?

Well, I started this because I wanted to hear your stories, and I wanted to ask if it is wrong to use War Trophies for CAP. It is a WEBB Vest that my Uncle got in Iraqi Freedom (He was there)

I got belleville boots at NCC

My dad got me a steel pot from Ft Benning after one encampment.

War Trophies? I mean, I don't see a lot of use for a gold-plated AK-47 or an broken-down Mig-21 in CAP operations...

Its not like you always know the pedigree of the gear you get. I'm pretty sure the Camelbak BFM I have probably went to AStan or Iraq judging by the markings and the wear on it when I bought it.   Doesn't mean its bad, means its "broken in." LOL.

ETA: I used to "lose" things out of my survival vest occasionally.  The little surgical razor knife things were very popular to "fall out" of my vest between their scheduled inspections, and my compass went missing once, too.  $17.50 on a statement of charges for the Tritium version of the lensatic.  Funny, that compass I think its in my chest rig right now. 

War Trophies? I mean, I don't see a lot of use for a gold-plated AK-47 or an broken-down Mig-21 in CAP operations...

Its not like you always know the pedigree of the gear you get. I'm pretty sure the Camelbak BFM I have probably went to AStan or Iraq judging by the markings and the wear on it when I bought it.   Doesn't mean its bad, means its "broken in." LOL.

ETA: I used to "lose" things out of my survival vest occasionally.  The little surgical razor knife things were very popular to "fall out" of my vest between their scheduled inspections, and my compass went missing once, too.  $17.50 on a statement of charges for the Tritium version of the lensatic.  Funny, that compass I think its in my chest rig right now. 

if it ain't secured it ain't stealing right NIN? Just a joke...

I have a shemagh that I got as a war trophy that I used once, it was really cold out, and my neck Gatorade was missing, but I needed something to help a bit, so it went on. I got asked about it a lot, and I felt really wired using a black and white scarf... So about two hours in, I just took it off and went without anything on my neck. War trophy don't make good equipment, they don't fit in, and the knives you get as war trophys are way too big.

if it ain't secured it ain't stealing right NIN? Just a joke...

I believe "Gear adrift is a gift."

If you can't secure you crap and it winds up in my possession, I'm going to try to find out who it belongs to (which means, kids, MARK YOUR GEAR!).  When its clear that it belongs to nobody, I'm going to secure that piece of equipment until its rightful owner comes a looking for it.  If the rightful owner never comes along, I've just added new gear to my stuff.

(say you're at an event like NESA.  Someone loses their flashlight out in the field, and I find it. I'm going to look for a name on it and get it back to the rightful owner with a suggestion that they dummy-cord it to their gear.  If no name, I'm going to let folks know I found a flashlight in the field and that if anybody is missing a flashlight and can identify it, please come find me.  If not claimed by the time the event is over, I'm going to let the event organizers know that I've got it, and that if someone discovers when they get home that their flashlight is missing, give me a call/email and we'll get it back to them.  I would expect the same if I lost something, which is why my gear has my name on it in lots of places)

That said, the number of bits of kit that I have that have been obtained that way are pretty few. Like maybe 1 or 2 things.

back to the OP: Ebay is not that strange anymore, but I've gotten kit at fleamarkets, military collector shows (I was notorious for knowing more the history and pedigree of a piece of gear than the dealer was...  "Oh, man, an M-1957 shovel carrier for $1.50? This guy has _no_ idea what he has here.. He're two bucks, buddy. Keep the change!") and even an estate auction or two.

When I was in the Army National Guard one of the privates gave me a Korean War aluminum canteen. It was a favorite but eventually I retired it.   

I snagged three brand new BDU Camo Goretex jackets at a local sewing joint that was closing down. It was in Hawaii and nobody would buy them, but they were 40 bucks apiece and I knew I would be headed back to Idaho soon, so it made it an easy choice.

I bought my service jacket from an old guy at the flea market. Legit.

It was the old style.