im about to join the IDF at July,and even though i sepnd alot of time in the desert,being in Israel you know,i still need some tips about the cold,heat or other things i might encounter there,during boot-camp and during the service it self,i want to make sure i know how to handle things,how to use my streanght and weaknesses,being able to get along with my mates,making sure that i am 100% ready for that experiance,because i realy want to succeed.

so any kinds of tips,about what to bring what not,how to use certian things,will be great.
thank you all very much

Some things that are universal:

In no particular order.

1) Admit that you did it.
2) Take the damn punishment.
3) Look after yourself before you look after others (they won't help you for helping them).
4) Change socks during any rest break during hikes.
5) Be first in line for water.
6) Keep yourself as clean as possible. Wash your hands whenever you can, wash your ass crack whenever you can. Wash your feet whenever you can. It's the best way not to get sick. If you can, be as close to the front of the line for shower. There's never enough time for everyone to wash properly and odds are, your platoon/company/BN will run out of shower water somewhere a bit past half way. Do not think it is cool to be disgusting.
7) Powder your feet if you can (probably will not be possible during boot camp).
8) Keep your stuff as clean as possible.
9) When you're done with your stuff, help others always.

about the socks,i heard that a sockless soldiers is worst than a gunless soldier
what about warmth? how do i keep my self warm in the nights?

Obviously the best bet would be to have a hot pad with you but odds are they won't let you do that during boot camp (and they shouldn't).
I didn't go through boot camp during the winter but I remember some winters I spent in the field and at NCO school. Got so cold you'd wake up several times during the night.
Wear socks. If no winter glove is given, wear another pair of socks on your hands. Curl up. Do a few pushups before you go to sleep (not enough to sweat but enough to give your heart a little boost).
There is no real escape.
I don't know how cold Israel gets though.

If you are going to survive in cold contitions you will get training in that before hand.

But there are a few simple rules here too that are universal.

1. Get out of the wind, ( dig into the snow and/or put up a shelter).
2. Get dry kit on, if you are under tactical conditions (no fire) You wrap yourself in clothes, keep your head covered and then lay as close to your squad as possible.
Rotate order every hour to avoid the ones on the wings freezing to death.
3. In the morning, get up and move around to get your blood going.

This will obviously be harder to maintain then this in real life since you will have entrance trail post and commo guy up, depending on the size of your squad you might get two hours in the warmth, make to most of them..

Keep pulling kit of while doing physical activities, sweating in winter inviroments should be avoided as long as possible.

Good Luck during winter boot.

//KJ.

Get a balaclava, best bit of kit for cold weather. Shemagh around the neck is great as well for keeping heat in and the cold out.

Travel light, freeze at night.

thanks for all your advices,im not going to be in a cold place,actually its quit diffrent,im going to be in the desert but u know how cold it gets at night,brr.

If you are issued any sort of rain gear for that particular night in the cold, you'll find that it traps heat pretty well. Adding that rain layer on the outside will help keep the wind out and also trap heat.
If you are pulling guard duty, wearing a track suit under your cammies also helps. Just make sure it's not visible.
At boot camp however, there may really be no true winning combination as the instructors will probably check that you haven't done stuff to make you "too comfortable." That's when you'll just have to tough it out. Light, periodic exercise (even as little as ten pushups every five or ten minutes) can help keep you warm.

Ok, "cold weather" in the desert is something different.
Same rule about finding shelter against the wind.
I am not a big fan of the balaclava as you can´t use it while on guard duty, it impairs your hearing too much.

This debate is rather meaningless as it regards your basic training. ie: You will be told what you are going to wear.
Not much room for individual kitting out..

Had you been on an active Team I would have recomended thinsulate undergarments and a hooded sweater. Yes you read it right, a good old fashioned "hoodie".
Can be used top up during sleep hours, and semihodded during guard hours as the hood will help break up your head outline and downhooded and tied off around your neck to aviod loosing too much bodywarmth..

The one and only thing I believe the youthculture have contributed to the fighting man in a lot of years.

Good luck at basic.
//KJ.

I am not a big fan of the balaclava as you can´t use it while on guard duty, it impairs your hearing too much.

I havn't found that. If you have problems hearing with it on then cut holes for your hears. Be careful with undergarments, you may be on the move with no time to take them off and go down with a heat illness.