Looking for a good Rucksack + Assault Pack

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  • spectre327

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    Aug 19, 2011
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    Seymour, Indiana
    Hi guys, been a while. I just finished Army BCT and am now in AIT. I have been thinking about this for a while and figured I'd ask the gurus here.

    I am looking for an affordable, comfortable, versatile Rucksack and Assault pack that I can use for outdoor adventures as well as emergency purposes. I am absolutely sick of the Army Issue TA-50 ruck sack, the the associated assault pack barely holds anything. I was thinking of the ILBE but I want to see some consolidated reviews and suggestions here first.

    Typical loadout must-packs include:
    clothes, wet-weather top, tent/hammock, poncho, and hydration source.

    The rest of the little stuff can be packed as needed or separated under the 3 levels of equipment carry (on person, in 3 day bag, in ruck).

    Thank you.
     

    indyjohn

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    Dec 26, 2010
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    I sell the Army and Marine Corp standard issue Rucks and Assault packs. I have learned pack selection is different from person to person. Some like the old school ALICE pack, some the Army MOLLE II Ruck, some the USMC ILBE system. And I can show you three others that hate them.

    I think part of it has to do with your height and torso shape, part of it has to do with how much time you want to spend adjusting the pack. Each has a wide adjustment range for how it hangs off your back. Part of it has to do with how much net weight you carry or plan to carry in it. Neither pack should exceed 120lbs but I've been told by more than one soldier they did.

    There are a lot of INGO people that have bought packs from me. Maybe some will weigh in here on their experiences. Also, ask Trigger Time, he has a lot of knowledge that I'm sure he'd be glad to share.

    Good luck,
    John
     

    Justus

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    Jun 21, 2008
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    I went with the ILBE after many years with an ALICE.
    I always wanted an Arcteryx and the surplus ILBE was an affordable way to get one.
    It is one of the few packs I tried that fits and feels comfortable and the build quality seems better than the civilian packs that were in my price range.

    I will be doing the Bloodroot trail this year with it and Knobstone next year if everything goes as planned
     

    Sgtusmc

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    Jan 10, 2013
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    Spent lots of time humping an ALICE. Bought the ILBE system from Indyjohn. So much more comfort and weight distribution than anything I ever carried for as cheap as I bought it through indyjohn. I carried 120+ in an ALICE system during the Gulf War, I know the ILBE will do just as well. Humping a pack has a lot to do with good weight distribution and comfort (using the term loosely). It's still going to be heavy but your center of axial motion will be tighter so that the weight is working more with you than against you.
     

    Trigger Time

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    Aug 26, 2011
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    Get with IndyJohn and try out the ILBE !! I know he's be glad to duly explain Ian's fit you up to one so you could see what you thought. 1,000 times better than what your using now!! And you cant beat his prices and friendly attitude!
     

    redwingshooter

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    Mar 24, 2011
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    Definitely talk to IndyJohn. He's a great guy, super friendly and will set you up right. For my experience I'm partial to the large ALICE pack. Tough as nails and you can pack a lot of goodies in there. The solid metal frame really helps distribute the weight of your load and you can't beat the price. I don't have a whole lot of experience with the newer pack systems so I'll defer to John's expertise in that area. Bottom line, talk to Indyjohn, he will get you set up with what you need and what will fit you best.
     

    Trigger Time

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    warriorbob

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    I used a camelback motherlode while I was in and loved it. However they are pricey but are comfortable and well built.
     

    spectre327

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    Aug 19, 2011
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    thank you. I will do so and get ahold of indyjohn.

    Our rucks loaded up with associated gear on person weighed in at 75 pounds. I don't intend on getting that high but the capacity to do so is nice. Adjustments? I don't care at all to adjust my pack to proper fit and comfort. In fact I prefer it that way. i'd rather not risk another hyperextended tendon(s) from rucking with a crappy ruck that could not really be adjusted aside from how high on the frame the ruck was mounted. Weight distribution was key, otherwise I'd have been in sick call almost all the time.
     

    ChalupaCabras

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    Jan 30, 2009
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    There are LOTS of surplus rucksacks from other nations armed forces that are litterally availible new unissued, and for change. $30 will net you an entire swagle of options to choose from.

    I have several that I use for many different options. The East German assault packs are comfortable and very inexpensive, but dont hold a ton. The Czech packs are larger and made of a nice rubberized material. Check out surplus sites like Sportsmans Guide and KeepShooting.com

    I keep my riot uniforms in an E.German assault pack, and have a Swiss double kidney pack attached to my Camelbak for frequently accessed items. Both were < $20 and durrable military grade items.
     

    Txlur

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    Aug 17, 2011
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    Hellcat mod Alice ruck. Best of both worlds. Superior pack, frame, and suspension. I like Tonys tactical for straight up purchases.
     

    Blackhawk2001

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    Jun 20, 2010
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    I've tried literally dozens of packs over the years, although I freely admit that my needs as a helicopter pilot were different from those of a grunt. I like the ILBE over ANY of the Army packs I've tried, but the Marine assault pack has less volume than the Army assault pack. If you're looking for a relatively inexpensive pack system to meet your needs, I agree that the ILBE is probably the way to go for you. Personally for myself I'm using a CamelBak BFM as an emergency pack and currently I'm using a rolling deployment bag with padded shoulder straps for the stuff you plan to carry in a large pack. Of course, I'm not planning to hump the deployment bag any great distance.
     

    Txlur

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    I've tried literally dozens of packs over the years, although I freely admit that my needs as a helicopter pilot were different from those of a grunt. I like the ILBE over ANY of the Army packs I've tried, but the Marine assault pack has less volume than the Army assault pack. If you're looking for a relatively inexpensive pack system to meet your needs, I agree that the ILBE is probably the way to go for you. Personally for myself I'm using a CamelBak BFM as an emergency pack and currently I'm using a rolling deployment bag with padded shoulder straps for the stuff you plan to carry in a large pack. Of course, I'm not planning to hump the deployment bag any great distance.

    The ILBE is not adjustable for your personal back measurements. It's nicely made, but one may wish to visit a backpacking site or 3 to note measurements and adjustability options for real use. Lots of places (ULA) have videos on how to take the back measurement. The ILBE is HEAVY.
     

    SmileDocHill

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    The ILBE is not adjustable for your personal back measurements. It's nicely made, but one may wish to visit a backpacking site or 3 to note measurements and adjustability options for real use. Lots of places (ULA) have videos on how to take the back measurement. The ILBE is HEAVY.


    HUH? I'm genuinely curious, not trying to call you out but as the host of the ILBE group buy I've got a little experience with them. I literally mean a little, because I'm not former military but I've hiked with mine several times and thoroughly inspected, reassembled, and studied about 500 of these. They seemed to be designed to accommodate MANY back and anatomy variations.

    I've since deleted all the saved links to "how to fit and size" the main pack but it can be Googled easily. Off the top of my head the two big "fitting"/non field adjustments are the shoulder strap height position can be adjusted by repositioning the plastic plate in the velcro, the two metal internal frame supports can be contoured to fit your spinal curves...then there are the myriad of webbing adjustments that can be made while you are wearing it. I've only owned one commercial pack that was more customizable to fit the anatomy of the user, and it was a VERY expensive commercial version of the ILBE's that is not as good as my ILBE's.
     

    Blackhawk2001

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    Like SmileDocHill, I don't have a great deal of experience wearing ILBE packs, but as a guy who was involved in repairing the packs for both him and IndyJohn, I think I have a fair amount of insight as to how they work.

    The ILBE is widely adjustable for torso size. The shoulder strap [STRIKE]yolk[/STRIKE] yoke is held in place by a long strip of 6" velco that extends at least 3/4 of the way down the center of the back of the pack and the tensioning straps on the shoulders are used to adjust the shoulder straps for user comfort. In addition, the two metal struts which form the internal frame can be carefully bent to match the contours of just about any back. This isn't a particularly new design; the Special Forces CFP-90 used a similar system for torso adjustability, although that pack used a plastic track and a clamp for torso length adjustment.
     
    Last edited:

    indyjohn

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    The ILBE is not adjustable for your personal back measurements. It's nicely made, but one may wish to visit a backpacking site or 3 to note measurements and adjustability options for real use. Lots of places (ULA) have videos on how to take the back measurement. The ILBE is HEAVY.

    Double HUH? Sounds like somebody is in love with Tony...
     
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