Best 3 Day Backpack (In your experience)

I have and like my 5.11 72 rush pack. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZuusNQRnMU It is a worlds apart from the ALICE packs we older guys grew to know and hate.

I chose it over the Maxpeds which were too small IMO.

I have a Mule. They aren't really in the same class of pack. I wouldn't consider the Mule a 72 pack.

I agree that--especially for an urban pack-- you'd be better of being the "gray man" and avoiding a military looking pack. That being said, some of the civilian packs are too light and just aren't sturdy enough.
 
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OK
Let me repeat myself, since those mall ninjas bleateth.
K.E.L T.Y.
Buy from a good outfit and send it back for a refund ifNyou don't like it
 
do explain your post? so anyone not rocking KELTY is a mallninja?
 
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I'm a big Tactical Tailor fan and used a 3-day Plus for 2 tours in Iraq. Was there a total of 25 months and it just kept going. My new pack is an ATC RAID, and I really like this one. Nice thing is you can add or take off pouches as needed. Both packs will take normal abuse with no complaints for under $180. I also like the Maxpedetion Condor and Falcon but have not used either in the field nor have any of the guys in my platoon.
 
Toucan Oasis said:
OK
Let me repeat myself, since those mall ninjas bleateth.
K.E.L T.Y.
Buy from a good outfit and send it back for a refund ifNyou don't like it
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Two tours in Iraq, a trip to Thailand for Cobra Gold and one to Egypt for Bright Star and I have never seen a Kelty pack. I must have a platoon of mall ninjas :jerkit:
 
You've obviously never been a Commandante of the Toucan Regiment of the Costa Rican Salvation Army.
 
Bushman5 said:
^ the OP wants a tactical/military bag though, with PALS for mounting extra pouches.
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don't confuse us with details. :D:thumbup:

......

i've had good luck with Blackhawk 3-Day packs - i only bought them because they go on sale around March usually for like 30 buckl each on the BlackHawk homepage. - i igve them to church kids every once in a while when they learn their verses.

i have no experience with Tactical Tailor packs, but i have owned their LBE stuff for years and it is a high value IMHO. clunky, but good. - plus they are excellent people who seem to give a damn when you are in their shop up in Washington, or just doing business over the phone. - I'd buy from them without hesitation.

my wife got a Spec Ops Brand THE Pack last year on a trade and it is bombproof, but the straps are straight, which is bad news if you are beefier in the chest IMHO.

Camelback seems to be very well made too, maybe a little pricey unless you get it on base though.

HTH.

vec
 
From my experience, "urban" bags fair better with the heavier Cordura material as there is more abrasion and scrapes than when in the backwoods or on the trails.

I don't have the smaller Kifaru bags, but I do have some of their larger packs...top quality. I've handled Mystery Ranch and it's also first rate. Arc'Teryx has some good offerings but Camelbak, Tactical Tailor, Eagle, London Bridge, SpecOps, ATS (I have an Eagle and ATS RAID pack) are all very well built packs that will fit the bill.

I've had my RAID pack overloaded at times and was thankful for the full-frame sheet to add more support and stability. Molle is nice for attachment points other than pouches, but you can go overboard with pouches and really exceed the weight limits of the pack and make it unbalanced. Before zeroing in on a design, figure out how much weight you plan to pack and what are the critical items that you want easy/quick access to (so you can minimize the number of external pouches as well as balance their placement).

Camelbak's Trizip is quite appealing to me...

ROCK6
 
remmmm said:
I also have a 3100 Redwing that I used to use and last year I upgraded to a Gregory Z55 that I love. Trust me, you have no idea how back your treating yourself with that Redwing as compared to the newer packs. I bought the Z-55 for three reasons after MUCH research.

1) Fit - if you are carrying over 20lbs for any amount of time, having a pack that rides on your body right makes all the difference. The Redwing really isn't even in the same conversation as Gregory and Osprey when it comes to comfort and fit.

2) The huge air channel on the back. This makes such a huge difference in keeping your back from getting soaked with sweat and feeling miserable. Osprey also has this.

3) Weight. IMO - a lot of the packs listed so far are over built for trail use. I imagine these are great for actual military or other rough use situations, but for backpacking, it just means extra weight. It also goes the other way, some of the ultra-light packs put weight savings to far above comfort for me. I mean, why not just take a Hefty back and tie a kite string on it???

I went with the Gregory over an Osprey because the Gregory fit my wide shoulders and big neck better. Gregory and Osprey definitely are not hard use packs, but like all things it's about trade offs and they are tough enough for trail use and definitely well made.
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Thats interesting, I haven't looked into Gregory too much but suffer from the same deformities of big neck, back and chest :D
 
Toucan Oasis said:
OK
Let me repeat myself, since those mall ninjas bleateth.
K.E.L T.Y.
Buy from a good outfit and send it back for a refund ifNyou don't like it
Click to expand...

Take it easy sport, I asked for tactical/mili bags and I have learned alot on this thread (Kelty makes a nice pack one has been mine for awhile) don't let it denegrate to purist hikers vs mall ninja elitists. I posted this in WSS for a reason, people here by and large have the experience to back up laying out serious cash on a backpack. I want to discuss backpacks, not argue for cookies, save that for W&C that's where the 300 pound Cornfed heavy hitters of wasting time play.

Backpacks man, backpacks, freakin Catalina wine mixer.

Those Tactical Tailor bags are really impressing me more and more, is anyone that uses them bigger in the chest, back, neck areas? That was a good point that was brought up earlier, during the spring and summer I tend to get beefy when its warm. ;)

Semper Fi
 
The Chef said:
Take it easy sport, I asked for tactical/mili bags and I have learned alot on this thread (Kelty makes a nice pack one has been mine for awhile) don't let it denegrate to purist hikers vs mall ninja elitists. I posted this in WSS for a reason, people here by and large have the experience to back up laying out serious cash on a backpack. I want to discuss backpacks, not argue for cookies, save that for W&C that's where the 300 pound Cornfed heavy hitters of wasting time play.

Backpacks man, backpacks, freakin Catalina wine mixer.

Those Tactical Tailor bags are really impressing me more and more, is anyone that uses them bigger in the chest, back, neck areas? That was a good point that was brought up earlier, during the spring and summer I tend to get beefy when its warm. ;)

Semper Fi
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Great post man....:D:D

Heres a pic of my Snugpak....Has the intregal rain cover. Its sweet.

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The Chef said:
........save that for W&C that's where the 300 pound Cornfed heavy hitters of wasting time play.

Backpacks man, backpacks, freakin Catalina wine mixer.
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Thats sig worthy.:D:thumbup:
 
I know I mentioned Eberlestock but they are pricey, but I agree with some of the other opinions above. There are lots of great packs out there. Probably my four top favorites are listed below. They vary in price but you should be able to find a good one with any of these.

Maxpedition Vulture II
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Eagle A-III Medical Molle
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Eberlestock Gunslinger II
g2me%20full%20sm.jpg


Kifaru Marauder
maraudG2_75.jpg
 
Thing I hate about my Max condor II is once you load it to around 25-30 lbs is that you feel it, it bluges into your back and tugs on your shoulders. I however have been using one for 2-3 years as a GHB. Worked great, cheap (more so if you get it from two wolves). But the few times I have carried the load as a mock get home it wore you down. I just purchased a Kifaru molle express (a little outside your your price range) but after I get it I will try it out a few times and let you know, right now it has a Mar 14th delivery date. But after owning 2 other Kifarus I am sure that it will be a great bag. MRs also look great and I have heard great things about them, just never used one.
 
spoolup said:
Thing I hate about my Max condor II is once you load it to around 25-30 lbs is that you feel it, it bluges into your back and tugs on your shoulders.
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i have read on pack reviews that the maxped stuff doesn't have aluminum stays or a pack frame to it like a sheet so it doesn't haul heavy loads very well. that would be enough of a reason for me to avoid their pack systems for a 3 day pack
 
On the Molle thing:

I find that when I am carrying a pack that has a lot of things hanging off of it it is harder for me to carry than say a long tall pack where everything is in one compartment.

I have packs with the Molle thingies but just mainly use them for dayhikes.

Do you guys not have that problem?
 
The Chef said:
Those Tactical Tailor bags are really impressing me more and more, is anyone that uses them bigger in the chest, back, neck areas? That was a good point that was brought up earlier, during the spring and summer I tend to get beefy when its warm. ;)

Semper Fi
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I have a 42" chest and 34" waist and my TT pack carries well, as does my Raid. I'd stay away from the various medic packs as they most tend to be very mission specific and dont carry as well as a decent assault pack. You misght want to visit the ATC Tactical website and see what they have and the prices. Besides their own stuff they also carry most quality brands of tactical packs. They have a customer service # and their guys are really helpfull and can give some good informed advice.
 
Karrimor SF Sabre 45, made in the UK and supposedly issued to British special forces and used by Ray Mears.

IMGP0918.jpg


Extra PLCE side pockets can be added which takes the pack to a 60 litre capacity.

I use mine for fishing and for EDC.
IMGP0967.jpg
 
hollowdweller said:
On the Molle thing:

I find that when I am carrying a pack that has a lot of things hanging off of it it is harder for me to carry than say a long tall pack where everything is in one compartment.

I have packs with the Molle thingies but just mainly use them for dayhikes.

Do you guys not have that problem?
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well my experience with kifaru packs no. the dock n lock system fits rather snugly for the bigger pouches and some smaller pouches on the side with malice clips i have not had a problem. i guess it depends on how much weight you are putting in the add ons. get too much in them away from the main pack body and i could see the problem.

on another note with the molle/malice clip stuff i found i had been putting it on wrong too. i found a tutorial online that showed how to weave it back and forth between the pouch and pack and now they are a very solid fit. as always ymmv
 
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