Presenting: The New USMC Pack

Rick Marchand said:
I absolutely love the Med ALICE pack and frame. For me, you can't find a better more versitile woods ruck.

Rick
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If I had a buck for every hour I had a Medium ALICE on my back, I'd be able to buy a mid-range Kifaru. What makes me more of a masochist is, I chose to have that thing! :D

I really used a Medium a lot when I was a teenager and up through my early 20s. I hated the ALICE frames, though. I always used a Medium without the frame. Never had the Large but they're both boulders when filled to capacity. Hahaha...
 
Don Rearic said:
The USGI surplus that I find very valuable is the rugged stuff that I have used for years. Lensatic Compasses - I have one from 1959 and it's still going strong, "bombproof" really does come to mind.
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Don,

Now that you mention it, I still use one of those too (I don't think many of those made it back to the supply clerks...;)) ... OK, so I admit it there are few milsurp pieces of kit that I use ... :eek:
 
I know procurement can be sticky process and often the lowest bidder does cut corners and makes a much less quality product. The best initiative was the "Rapid Fielding Initiative" or RFI. These were the specific equipment issues for the combat theaters and they went through some different version.

Some of the better items, but there were several versions issued:

Desert/Mountain boots
Polartec long underwear
Polartec fleece jackets and watch cap
Elbow/Knee pads
Improved FAK/Blow-Out Kit
Oakley sunglasses
ESS goggles
Gerber belt cutters
The Softshell clothing system for Afghanistan
Combat gloves (One version was Hatch, can't remember the other)

A good example of how it stated out good but went to procurement bidding and ended up crappy is the fleece. We started out with an Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) purchase of Polartec fleece jackets (same as in Cabelas). The new issued Fleece is much less dense, crappy sewing and just not as durable overall. Same thing with the Camelbacks first issued. Those were excellent yet the new standard issue is crappy and mine leaks around the threads of the fill cap.

So, depending on the situation most of my RFI issued equipment is often used for recreational backpacking and even something I would consider buying for recreational use. Most of the standard "entry-issue" stuff is your typical crappy stuff. The goodness about the gool'ol Alice pack is that it's a bombproof, enduring design. It's not comfortable, but well-built and can handle bushwhacking abuse...and for the surplus price, it's hard to beat.

The standard Poncho and poncho liner are pieces of kit that have been around the world with me and I wouldn't be disappointed to carry them now (actually I still pack my poncho liner on some trips or allow my son to pack it). The USGI poncho is not perfect, but a very good poncho, improvised shelter or will ever serve as a raft and and other imaginative projects.

ROCK6
 
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Don Rearic said:
If I had a buck for every hour I had a Medium ALICE on my back, I'd be able to buy a mid-range Kifaru. What makes me more of a masochist is, I chose to have that thing! :D

I really used a Medium a lot when I was a teenager and up through my early 20s. I hated the ALICE frames, though. I always used a Medium without the frame. Never had the Large but they're both boulders when filled to capacity. Hahaha...
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I also dislike the frame. I know it's supposed to be better with the frame, but it's so uncomfortable for me just to wear the pack and frame around the house for 10 minutes...I KNOW I won't want it on the trail. LOL I bought a frame with my pack, tried it for a month, returned it (traded it for another ALICE pack actually).

I think the frame was designed for smaller framed people...I am pretty thick through the shoulders, the frame was always rubbing or poking at my shoulderblades. Plus, that frame is NOISY! always creaking/popping...plus it does weigh a bit, which is that much more gear weight I can carry now.

Another complaint...I am really long waisted...that ''kidney'' belt on the frame was so NOT where it was supposed to be on me, it was more like a upper belly belt LOL
 
Maybe it's just my body type (LEGO-man) but the ALICE(slightly modified) is the most comfortable pack I have. I use the Lightweight Jungle Frame in the Winter and the Original in the warmer months. The hip rig keeps space between the pack and your back which I like. It really came into play for me about 15yrs ago when I tried one out on a two week solo canoe trip. The external frame made portaging a breeze. It also came in handy for hauling wood, rocks, debris. I wrap most of the frame in paracord which is always a useful thing to have on hand. I could talk about ol'Alice for hours...

Rick
 
I was looking at your avatar pic Rick...and you appear rather stocky too (like me) so I dont know why the frame didn't fit me and you love yours. *confused* LOL


I do love the IDEA of the frame, sounds awesome for carrying heavy bulky loads and animal quarters...I just wasn;t comfortable in it. I do have 2 ALICE packs now...maybe I'll give the frame 1 last shot on one of them, *sigh* who knows, it may be the bees knees, but if it dont fit me comfortably I can't make the pros outweigh the cons.


I really really like the ALICE pack though...just have to be careful not to overpack it...I would hate to see how heavy I could make the Large ALICE! :)
 
thrillbilly said:
I would hate to see how heavy I could make the Large ALICE! :)
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HSGI offers an "Ali" frame cover for the Alice and the modifications Gene did on my large Alice, I've carried just over 110 pounds...granted it wasn't the most comfortable but was stable for an external frame pack. What was really uncomfortable was when we patrolled with pack and LBE which rode under the pack and lowered to get the buttpack under the pack...plus we didn't use the hip belt to allow the used/access of the LBE ammo pouches/canteens and when ambushed, you could drop your pack faster to engage. I've done many a "10K ruck runs" with a 35 pound medium Alice pack/frame...comfort was very low on the priority list unfortunately:D

ROCK6
 
Wow,I got out of the Marines in 84,that pack is alot bigger than the one I toted around.
 
Thats because the switch from C-Rats to MREs allowed GIs to carry more - HaHa!
 
Looks pretty intresting, thats as far as it goes for me.

Mil Spec = built for the masses = fits most ok, nobody perfect

I would rather save my cash for a purpose built pack
 
The pack in the OP is over the top huge. As someone else pointed out, however, it seems the military specs their packs by having the Battalion Sergeant Major take everything he can think of that a soldier is issued, takes 3 hours to pack it as tight as he can and then calculate the volume it takes to pack all of it, and then specify a pack 10% smaller.

Rick Marchand said:
Maybe it's just my body type (LEGO-man) but the ALICE(slightly modified) is the most comfortable pack I have. I use the Lightweight Jungle Frame in the Winter and the Original in the warmer months. The hip rig keeps space between the pack and your back which I like. It really came into play for me about 15yrs ago when I tried one out on a two week solo canoe trip. The external frame made portaging a breeze. It also came in handy for hauling wood, rocks, debris. I wrap most of the frame in paracord which is always a useful thing to have on hand. I could talk about ol'Alice for hours...

Rick
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Same here. I'm one of the few people that the ALICE frame fits perfectly. Also a Lego man -- long torso, very thick through the shoulders, etc.


The Large is easy to pack to an unholy weight, but the medium is about perfect, IMO. I think it's self limiting enough that it's hard to put enough in it to make it too heavy to carry well. Keep in mind that I'm not carrying dense stuff like Claymores, extra ammo for the pig, radio batteries, extra mortar round, etc.
 
Cpl Punishment said:
The Large is easy to pack to an unholy weight, but the medium is about perfect, IMO.
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I love the Medium but you can get it to the point where it feels like a boulder sitting on your back. :D

I think it's self limiting enough that it's hard to put enough in it to make it too heavy to carry well. Keep in mind that I'm not carrying dense stuff like Claymores, extra ammo for the pig, radio batteries, extra mortar round, etc.
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Don't and never had to. But the guys that did...man, the stuff they carried, incredible.
 
I like the look of that new packs Shoulder straps and Kidney belt.

Sometimes I have a hard time finding packs that fit me because I'm 6'5" tall and Slender weighting around 175 to 180. The Frame off my Blackhawk S.O.F. Ruck pack Kit works with my Medium Alice pack and fits me comfortably. My Medium Alice pack with the Blackhawk stuff has gone on 3 hikes up Spring City canyon this Spring and I rather like it.
 
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