Gotta love those ALICE packs

[steve-in-kville]

Just took delivery of my third, a large pack & frame from Rothco. My first large. I have a medium that I use for rucking, a frame with the snap-on shelf and now a large that I intend to set up for woods bumming.

Who else believes in the ALICE system?

 

[gruntmedik]

I have aches and pains just thinking about humping with my ALICE pack.

 

[kvaughn]

My memories of them from 50 years ago are not pleasant. Even as a hard a$$ 18 year old they were uncomfortable, to be polite. I have an old medium I use without a frame as a day pack.

 

[Sidehill Gouger]

Some of us don't remember "sleeping with Alice" all that fondly.

 

[MTB]

I never served, so that's probably why I have fond memories of the ALICE pack. I have had a couple through the years and loved them. Nearly all of my teen years I used a medium ALICE pack on my woods adventures. I used a large ALICE on my first camping trip on the Appalachian Trail. I would upgrade the shoulder straps with a sternum strap. Spec Ops Brand makes a modern version of the ALICE that I also love. I think its close to the medium size. It is often my go to bag when I need a day ruck. Not that I find the packs to be too uncomfortable by themselves, but a Down East 1606 frame does wonders for comfort.

 

[Mikel_24]

No external frame packs for me, please.

All I carry are alpinism-oriented packs (light for their capacity) because they suit my purpose perfectly. I don't use trekking packs either, they are usually too heavy for my taste, too many pockets, etc.

But again, I don't have to haul quartered game out of anywhere because I don't hunt. I don't need it to be super-rugged because I don't usually go through thick bush/forrest at all. And I don't need the material to be spark/fire resistant because I don't make open fires (at the very most, I use a stove (liquid fuel or butane canister) and I take the outmost care not to get any of my gear on fire.

Do you need any of the aforementioned features? Maybe you could rethink your strategy... a ligther pack makes for a happier camper.

Mikel

 

[upnorth]

Just took delivery of my third, a large pack & frame from Rothco. My first large. I have a medium that I use for rucking, a frame with the snap-on shelf and now a large that I intend to set up for woods bumming.

Who else believes in the ALICE system?

I have a Medium without frame for day tripping. From what I've read I'm not missing much without the frame, for my needs. I want to start using it for lighter load remote location metal detecting.

 

[Mossyhorn]

Spec-ops Recon Ruck is a quality A.L.I.C.E. pack that's made in the U.S.A. Good stuff.