>>2196954This has all been said before, but anyway:
Generally, military surplus gear is roughly the same quality as your average Columbia or other middle of the road level outdoor clothing (I personally like Columbia, they make some great stuff, but I digress). Apart from this, a lot of the garments use top of the line fabrics such as GoreTex, Thinsulate, Polartec, etc., which for the price mostly can't be beat because brands such as Arc'Teryx that use these fabrics will charge a premium for them because they pay extra to use them on license. A much greater amount of military surplus outdoor clothing does NOT however use those fabrics, and will instead use typical cotton or polyester blends. The construction of the garments is mostly designed for longevity, universal fit, and durability. What you will notice in nearly all surplus products barring Arc'Teryx LEAF and the ever so rare Patagonia products is that they are NOT designed to save on weight. Sleeping bags, bivies, tents, pads, canteens, etc. are all designed under the assumption that the average troop using them will be attached to a mechanized element and not expected to ruck with them for distances exceeding *maybe* 12 miles. More high-speed units are issued gear that is designed with this in mind, but that gear commands a price that defeats the purpose of buying military surplus over typical high-end outdoor gear.
For some good starter gear, it's really unbeatable as long as you don't mind looking a little strange lugging around surplus camo gear and wearing OD green and coyote clothes only. Once you get serious about the outdoors, you would be wise to upgrade to consumer brands.