I haven't used it, and you may be right but I think it is worth a try...I could always go back to my Medium ALICE.

What I like about the LW rucksack is that it is not too big and you still have 1/2 the frame you could use for carrying either your sleeping bag or any other kind of gear. The frame is tall though and it might be too close to your neck.

Fixed it for ya. I like the lightness of the frame, and some apparently were cut down, but cutting one now would be stupid - they are worth too much now. I sold my last frame with hardware, no pack for $110 IIRC. The M1941 and M1952 packs are heavier, but I like the ergonomics a lot better - especially with the addition of padding and a sternum strap mounted low.

bump

Tag for later photo posting

More photo's less talk.

Winter set up. ALICE fits over my cold weather gear the best.  Im just missing M9 pistol mag pouches

where would you suggest selling a LW rucksack?

They are up periodically on ebay. I sold mine a few years ago for $182.50 plus shipping IIRC. They are going for around $200 or so I think now. Highly overrated and overpriced, but I wish I had mine back. I loved the pack itself - it would make the perfect buttpack w/o the frame - was smaller than the ALICE pack IIRC and the pockets were 'tailored'. (Top cover was 'squared away' hard to describe w/o pics) The problem with the pack for me was the frame - looked like a good design, but was damn uncomfortable - I never spent enough time with it to figure out why - it just wasn't designed for the human body. Probabaly work great on a horse, LOL. Anyway, the 'Tropical' pack is very similiar, about the same size and had an X-Frame nearly identical to the French FFL pack. I haven't carried it in the woods yet - pretty beat up and has some strap issues, but I will sort it out eventually and try it. I have carried the French pack - have a nice example and love it - but run it without the frame - a lot of SOG guys did the same thing. This, as I always understood it, is the basic difference between a 'Rucksack' and a 'Backpack' but the terms have become pretty much interchangeable.

What's ironic is the Americans, ARVN, NVA, Viet Cong, the Chinese and Thai troops all used variations of the same packs. The weirdest thing for me is that the Americans basically copied the French two pocket pack - the pockets are in slightly different places (known as the ARVN pack but lots of our folks used these) with the X-frame, then put a modified version of the ltwt jungle pack on an x-frame and created the 'Tropical pack.' It's my belief (I have nothing but logic to back this up) that the enemy captured some of these packs (or bought them from ARVN) and copied them, albeit w/o the frame, thus creating the 'NVA pack.' In the weirdest twist of all, this ltwt, frameless ruck was captured and used by MACV SOG who sometimes used NVA /VC gear and uniforms BTW, and they liked it so much, they sent it out and had some made in Japan. Not sure when Thailand got into the act, but they also used a copy of this. I have two variations of Chinese 'CIDG' packs, and a later one used or surplussed by the gov't (the GSA version) They are nearly the perfect rucksack for 3 days, ride in the small of your back, are very comfortable as long as you pack them right, and are the simplest design I've ever seen.

To me, the CIDG pack is everything the ltwt jungle pack is not, but if you put the two side by side, stuffed, you will see what I'm talking about. The only thing that could make a CIDG type pack better is some PALS webbing and a sternum strap. I'm not a particular fan of fastex buckles - they break, and make it easier, not harder, for other people to access your shit. If you are going to need it in a hurry it shouldn't be in the damn pack anyway. Sorry for going OT - I have about 50 packs and it's a disease. Oh - one more thing - I believe the inspiration for the 3-pocket design actually came from the Korean era 'Medics' 3 pocket pack. I have one and will be measuring it and comparing it to my Jungle pack when I get a chance. The French pack was a copy of a German WWII design as well, so this just goes on and on. The simple strap design on the CIDG pack is genius though - I just wish it adjusted normally, and not on the bottom - only thing I dislike about them.

I'd never use ALICE again even if this time she came with a vagina.

There is way better gear to use.

If this has already been covered, I apologize…
In my Medium ALICE packs, there are three sets of paracord ties in the bottom…

…

Why?
What were they installed for?

I have two of the French TTA Mle. 50 packs, and, in my opinion, they're probably the best backpack of that period. Actually, one of mine has an external frame like that of the US M1942 Mountain Ruck, but the bags and the way they carry are very similar. Both "Bergams" are made in France in the early '50's, making them correct for Indochina and Algeria.

As to the thread topic, I have a MOLLE belt setup, but I kept my ALICE rig as it is just in case or I need to loan it out. It has an LC2 pistol belt, decent Chinese-made flap holster with external mag pouch, and two canteen pouches. I need to add an M56 pistol mag pouch to replace the one that went to my MOLLE set up.

hey Ceddie..in the earlyer issues of the med ALICE you will find those 3ea. 550' cord ties and 3ea.D-rings on the other side of the 550' ties...these were put in early issues of the med.ALICE to shorten the the bag for very light loads (kind of like a early compression strap) so you would'nt have those few items flopping around in the big bag...later issues of med ALICE do not have those ties/D-rings...remember ALICE never came with a buttpack as issued so the med pack came with a way to carry those very light loads...vince g. 11B INFANTRY....

btt

Don't want to see this thread get archived, so...

My Hellcat w/Large rucksack.  

Not ALICE but it's my favorite belt-n-suspenders rig. OD British PLCE webbing I found in a big box of Brit surplus that I bought years ago. It's much more comfortable than ALICE webbing to me.









For grins, my other mag carrier, a Chinese Type 63 chest pouch. Perfect for carrying 5 FAL mags.





Not ALICE, either.... sorry...

That's okay - you get points for posting that pic of the Izzy-my favorite FAL version. FWIW the Canadian web gear is pretty much identical, but camo and easier to find.

Man you ain't kidding Morg....I used to reenact Vietnam and I mounted my functional PRC-25 above the pack on the frame and it was MURDER.

Couple of my old school ALICE gear medical kits.
You can see all my med stuff on the Official Medical Gear Thread
Thanks for looking.

btt

Tag
 

Just reviewing the thread and hit the page that talks about the radio cases.  They have them at Uncle Sam's Retail Outlet for 35.99.

U.S.G.I Electronic Communications Backpack



As always, shipping is wonky, but it is there.

And looks like I own Page 24 - first time that's happened.

Didn't know they did this. Might send one to them.

Yeah I don't know if I would spend the money on that many mods for a standard ALICE.   The complete packs they make are of the more modern material but of course you pay for it.

I did this by hand just to see if it would come in handy.   I have lots of spare time.
Oddly enough I'm just going to put a MOLLE e-tool carrier there and get it out of the pocket.   I already have an ALICE carrier but they flop around too much.

Where did you get the heavy thread and needle for doing that? I've wanted to modify a pack like that but not sure about the materials other than the webbing. Looks really good to me! I want to be able to add a couple 2-qt canteens or sustainment pouches to my big pack. I was going to buy one of those spindle/punch type sewing awls with the spool but have never used one - is that what you used?

Are the OD shotgun pouches(with the lift dot snaps) still issued or do they have a MOLLE item that replaced them? I want to put together some rigs and one will be a dedicated shotgun setup. Thanks.

The thread is just heavy duty thread from the local fabric shop.   Needles are regular sewing needles because the material is not hard to penetrate at all.   It just takes time and patience.   I didn't feel the need to tuck the ends so they are just melted with a lighter and the stitch is about 1/8" away from the end.  
If you just want to mount a hydro carrier you only really need to put the MOLLE where you need at and it wouldn't take long to do.   I'm not sure what I am going to do with it yet so I made it universal.

The following is a article I posted on my blog yesterday. I have been remiss and not posted these simple mods to the Bobcat so it would be more kid friendly. All 3 of my sons used the Bobcat during cub scouts and then graduated to the Hellcat once they became large enough. After multiple requests over the last year I got off my duff and put this together. I also apologize in advance for the size of the pics; I do not have to resize to post on my blog and these pics are linked to my Liberty Tree Blog. I hope you find it useful.

Although I have posted my Hellcat and Bobcat mods here on this forum; this thread is so large I am providing a link to my blog where you can see the post's in one location. Liberty Tree Blog

Bobcat: Kid friendly modifications

By Rod Teague

So now you have your Bobcat all set up on your medium ALICE pack; and you're wondering, how can this work for one of my kids? The following pics are of my Bobcat conversion on a USMC radio pack which is nothing more than a slightly enhanced ALICE medium pack











Because children have narrower shoulders, the following mods will make the pack very usable and easy to carry for pre-adolecents and smaller children. The Bobcat then becomes an excellent low cost, bullet proof pack for for both cub scouts and girl scouts.

First thing to do is read my Bobcat modifications in my earlier post. Frameless ALICE Modification: "Bobcat"  Use all modifications, except substitute the LC2 shoulder straps with LC1; and add a small sternum strap that can be purchased at stores such as REI and Campmor etc.

The next pic is a set of LC2 straps so you can see the difference between the LC1.





So, we start with a set of LC1 straps and a sternum strap; I purchased the sternum strap at REI. Notice the shape and position of the straps. The slight angular shape and the padded portion oriented to the top. This is the correct position of the LC1 straps and is how they should be attached to the ALICE pack.





Undo the quick release on one of the straps and separate the upper and lower portions. Do the same for both straps.






Next, slip one end of the sternum strap over the web portion of the shoulder strap.






Reassemble the quick release, sliding the top of the lower strap portion under the loop of the sternum strap. Look at the pic closely if this seems confusing.






Snap the outer tab down; and then repeat the assembly for the other side.









Now you have a kid friendly Bobcat that will hopefully provide many years of enjoyable hiking and camping for your entire family; pack or troop.

The following pics are of my three sons about three years ago. My youngest was eight at the time and the pic shows he is easily utilizing the Bobcat with the addition of a MSS attached to the bottom. My older boys were eleven and thirteen and had graduated to Hellcats. The kid friendly mods help younger children pack much heavier loads than the standard day packs will accommodate.








For any one who wants to outfit their family on a budget; the Bobcat and Hellcat are hard to beat; you can start young and let the system take them into adulthood. Happy trails.

excellent find

Can somebody tell me what kind of knife sheath is the one shown on the bobcat? Looks somewhat like the Rothko enhanced knife sheath but it is different.

Yeah, that caught my eye as well! Do LIKE!

I believe i found it. Spec-Ops Combat Master knife sheath.....about $50, but no longer made in OD green.

Thats it; Sorry been away coaching youth football. It totally consumes my time in the fall.

Your way is alot cleaner than my solution to poor snaps on the QR; If they came loose on my boys packs I used a zip tie to hold them together. I figure a QR is pretty much useless/ hazard with 20+ cubbies walking single file. LOL

Rod

btt

Med ALICE, DEI 1606, MOLLE II straps and kidney belt

AITES assault pack on Alice frame with eagle industries shoulder pads/belt