Good 72 hour pack?

Mitchell Knives

Mitchell Knives

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I'm in the process of putting together a more substantial BOB; basically a 3 day pack. I already have a jumbo Versipack for vehicle/EDC use.

Anyone have a good suggestion for a large pack? Price range of around $200 or so. The Maxpedition bags look good, but it's hard to get a feel for their size based on manufacturer photos alone.

Thanks!
 
This is just personal opinion, but I think the Maxpedition bags are more of the med/small type. Which sucks because they do make nice stuff and it would be useful to have a manufacturer of their quality making a little big larger bags at the prices they can afford to sell at.
But that doesn't mean you can't use a Vulture or a Condor as a BOB... pack smart :)

You might try to look around for a used Kifaru or tactical tailor bag, since that's kind of the style I assume you're looking for. Good luck!

JW
 
Eberlestock Halftrack. Great pack, very comfortable and right in the 3 day pack size. If you attach the really bulky stuff to the outside then it will serve for a longer period of time. The new Terminator is a bit larger and would also serve very well for a more extensive BOB.
 
I would lean towards one of the mid-size Gregory internal frame packs. They are sensibly priced, lightweight, hold a reasonable amount, ride superbly, and tough enough to hold up. I have a Gregory G-pack which would be perfect for what you describe, except it is no longer made. Might find a used one. In the current catalog, the Z40 or Z55 might fit the bill for you,
 
The list of possible packs to suit your needs is nearly endless. You may find it easier if you narrowed down your desires.

How many CI or liters. For 72 hrs my packs run between 1,000-3,000 CI.

Do you wish to have a frame, and if so, internal or ex.

Do you want it to have a waistbelt, or not?

Ripstop nylon or Cordura?

Top, side, or clamshell opening?

Do you wish to have Molle on the outside?

These are but a few things to think about. I have packs by Lowe, Kifaru, Eberlestock, Blackhawk, and TNF that would all fit the bill. You may also wish to check Source, Mystery ranch, and TAD as other sources. Buy the very best that you can afford. I have a closet full of junkers from when I bought cheap. Top quality packs can last you a lifetime. If you are really on a tight budget an ALICE medium or the slightly difficult to find small is actually a good pack. I used an ALICE medium for the majority of the 26 years I was in the Army and still keep two around. You can remove the bag and use the frame for a wide variety of tasks. I have a pack from Cabelas which is external frame with a fold down platform. Removing the bag enables you to haul damn near anything from wood to 5 gallon fuel cans.
 
I'm looking for around 2,500 - 3,000 cubic inches of available space. Molle is a must. Other options are more flexible.

I'm considering the 5.11 Rush 72 pack at the moment. It seems to be of adequate size, and made well.

Anyone have this pack?
 
What about gathering the gear first, then getting the pack ? I have spent alot of time in the woods backpacking and learned early on that I tended to fill up whatever pack I had.
 
Angus McGunnigl said:
What about gathering the gear first, then getting the pack ? I have spent alot of time in the woods backpacking and learned early on that I tended to fill up whatever pack I had.
Click to expand...
That made me laugh. :) This is also true for anything you buy. houses, luggage, etc.
I'm following this thread also in the hopes of gleaning a bit more information, and what you said makes sense.
Also, I think we might want to base our packs on how much weight we feel we can comfortably carry for a distance, then go from there. ;)
-Bruce
 
Get a used Kifaru Pointman. I got a used first generation one for $300 on their forum. Not your price point, I know.

I don't look at other bags anymore because it's the only one I use/need. It's hard to describe how high quality they are until you handle one in person. They are bomb proof.

My other big brand bag started to wear down after two years. Stitching started fraying, bottom of bag started to tear... It cost $179 plus tax. I was not going to make that mistake again.

I use my mine for backpacking/camping/and as an emergency bag. All the gear I use for backpacking/camping serve as emergency gear. Little stove & fuel, water filter, cookset, knife, tarp, rope, folding saw, lighweight sleeping bag, 3/4 size sleeping pad, and first aid kit.

There are definitely cheaper ones out there. But I like the idea of spending for quality once and enjoy it for a lifetime.
 
Maxpedition Vulture II is 2810 cu. I have had mine for about 3 years. It carries more than I want. If you need to carry more I suggest getting something with a suspension. You could use the rest of the money on pouches to attach to it.
 
Check out the Medium Alice packs with frames. If you lash your sleeping bag and pad to the top and bottom, there is plenty of room in the main compartment and the 3 external pockets for the rest of your gear. If you have one of those ultra-lite down bags, it will fit inside. I plan on using my Alice pack a lot this summer. :)
 
Mitchell Knives said:
I'm looking for around 2,500 - 3,000 cubic inches of available space. Molle is a must. Other options are more flexible.

I'm considering the 5.11 Rush 72 pack at the moment. It seems to be of adequate size, and made well.

Anyone have this pack?
Click to expand...

I have one, and like it a lot. It is fairly well built, and has a bunch of organizational pockets inside and out. The design also allows for strapping bulky items into pack. For what your price range is, and having a "must have molle" restriction, it would be a good choice for a bob imho. All that being said, I own a Kifaru Navigator, and a Scout along with various and sundry accessory pouches, and they are the way to go for this type of pack. They are, unfortunately, outside your stated price range. All of this should be taken with a grain of salt as it is just my opinion. I wish you luck in your search.
 
I carry the Marine Corps ILBE pack. It's a very tough pack with MOLLE. Not much in the way of pockets (other than two on the outside) but one of the features to compensate for this are the zippers that run up the length of the pack so you can get to your gear at the bottom, without having to unpack everything. The pack is fairly light and you can customize the rods to fit the profile of your back.

I picked a used one up off of ebay for $200. An "ILBE" search will give you options for brand new/used. The bag is very tough!! I'm a contractor in Iraq so this bag has been thrown in/out of helo's and has survived multiple international flights. It replaced a $500 North Face that got completely demolished after just one flight over here. Excellent bag that I highly recommend!!!
 
I went for Eagle Industries A-III Airborne pack.

opplanet-eagle-carrying-bags-a-iii-p-ab-l-3.jpg
 
I don't have a 5.11 RUSH pack but if I was getting a new BOB I think it might be the one. Also I have seen a very good price on the Becker Patrol pack. I don't want to get dinged for deal spotting. You can PM if you want.
 
Ive been looking at this thread and i see a couple of good suggestions the 5.11 bag is a great choice for travel just not for a BOB the absolute best option within our price range is the Eberlestock Half-Track. Its an amazing bag that rivals Kifaru and mystery ranch at a cheaper price point, they dont get nearly as much press as the other 2 but they are really popular among alot of sniper units i the military because of the models with integrated holsters and they are just bombproof packs with unbelievably good suspensions. its has the cargo room you need and a realy nice easy to manage profile that can be adapted to users preference. In case your wondering why im such a big fan, I got one from a buddy and carried it throughout my tour in afghanistan rode jus t as good as my buddies kifaru and mystery ranch packs. I slammed it on the ground and used it asa shooting rest for mweapon during patrols drudged through mud wind rain snow, had it strapped to the outside of vehicles while driving ETC long story short aside from some VERY minor staining the bag is like new and to reiterate i would put stuf in it and then stomp on the top to close it and hurl it into a truck, i saw other name brand packs like camelbak and tactical tailor break buckles rip zippers and get sheared through by the tip of ammo but just like the kifaru and mystery ranch packs the two eberlestock packs that we carried just kept tickin and never quite. I cant recomend them highly enough. I liked the pack so much i bought the full dragonfly system while in theatre for my own civilian uses ive slowly gotten rid of all my other full size packs and im down to just kifaru and eberlestock and one north face pack. If you try one i dont see any way you could be dissapointed. Ive been meaning to do a review of their amazing dragonfly pack.

On the website they are listed as 229 but if you shop around they can be had for under 2 bills. but if you decide to to pony up the extra 30 bucks glen is a great guy and realy wonderful to us vets. He expedited my buddies order to get it to him in time to deploy cant spak highly enough of eberlestock products

http://www.eberlestock.com/Halftrack Backpack.htm
 
Go with the Eagle AIII Molle. It's as small as a day pack, or as big as a 3 day depending on how tight you strap it down. While not their REALLY cheap sale, Natchez Shooters Supply currently has them in stock and on sale for $69, and quality wise, they blow the 5.11 (which I've had as well) out of the water. The 5.11 is WAY better with organization though.

Believe me, especially at $69 (for a $200 pack) you won't regret it. And yes, it is the real deal Eagle Industries AIII
 
check out the gregory baltoro 70. not molle but awesome.
 
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