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Originally Posted by Para
I find this interesting. There are 3 rucksacks issued:
ALICE, been around since Jesus
SPEARS
http://www.gregorypacks.com/images/p...backpack_l.jpg
I along with everyone else on this board have years under the ALICE ruck. I have tried to pack 10 pounds of shit into a 5 pound bag and have experienced the "if you haven't broken this frame, you haven't carried enough weight" aluminum frame. Yet, this seems to continue to be the preferred ruck amongst those able to make a choice. Benefit: Light, large opening Disadvantage: If you want something at the bottom, you have to empty it. Aluminum external frame
What I find interesting is that most seem to prefer using the ALICE and a few go with the MOLLE, but I have yet to see anyone using the SPEAR's version. What is your ruck preference? Why?
Side note: I have been looking at this one designed by Kelty. |
i liked the old mountain rucks, somewhat like the Brits' Bergen...it had a lot of the favorable attributes of the ALICE, in my opinion, the weight of the ruck was better distributed and the frame hardly ever bent or deformed...for awhile, i used the frame for an ALICE but some AH with nothing better to worry about than uniformity put the brakes on that endeavor...when i was in BT, we tried the Lowe's system, with detachable pockets, zip-on, zip off stuff, an internal frame, somewhat akin to the SPEARS in appearance....stuff dropped off when going through the woods, it was hard to rig for airborne operations and the zippers rarely worked in cold, icy weather...we gravitated back to the ALICE because, while it didn't hold enough stuff, it was reliable...yeah, i bent my share of frames over the years, but compared to having a pocket with your dry socks in it drop off in the Isar River, it was worth the trade off...
when i was a company commander in Alaska, Natick came up to do a study on soldiers' load...our average ruck, moving about in the Arctic, was around100 pounds...basically, a troop carried his MOPP stuff, two sleeping bags, ammo, socks, food, dry clothes, ponchos, etc...the ALICE packs were filled to the bursting point and they were looking for a solution...it seems, 16 years later, they are still looking...