A couple of guys were chatting Military Rucks on the Death Chat, so I thought I'd take a couple quick photos of one of mine and do a quick little 'review.'



I used this Ruck when I was in the Army (yeah, I managed to 'keep' it <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> ) - its the "large" variety, with one big main compartment, a small pouch that cinches up against the back, has 3 larger external pockets, and 3 small external pockets. The top flap is also a pocket with a velcro closure. There are several external ALICE attachment points for Etools, knives, whatever. You can attach a sleeping mat or sleeping back to the outside of the pack using the two main cinch straps that run vertically between the outside pockets. The pack is made of a ripstop nylon.





There are several varieties of shoulder straps for the Alice pack - but they're all similar. The bottom of the strap loops through the base of the frame, goes up through a quick disconnect, over the foam cushions, and attaches to the top of the frame. The older straps had the top piece of webbing attached permanently to the cushion - the newer variety have a separate top piece of webbing that feeds through a loop on the shoulder cushion that is also made of webbing (picture below).



I don't like this attachment, because the full weight of the pack is pulling up on the stitching that holds the web loop to the shoulder pad. I'm going to have this strap converted to the old style "permanently attached" webbing by a cobbler sometime soon.

A good % of the weight of the pack is supported by the kidney pad / frame resting on your hips. This can be adjusted by the tension of your straps, of course.



I don't have the waist strap on in the pix - sorry about that. I generally don't even use it. It is there, though!

The straps do contour very comfortably to your chest and shoulders:



Here's a quick look at the frame and straps, as well as the kidney pad:



The frame does a great job of keeping the pack off of your back, allowing some circulation back there.

I've found the ripstop material to be very durable. You can see that my pack has taken some pretty good scrapes without having any structural issues:



This is a great old pack. The design is definitely "outdated," but with exception of the newer style straps, it is totally solid. These can often be found at low prices online or at Army/Navy stores. Millions of US soldiers have used this pack for several decades - tried and true. Hope this helped those of you that were considering purchasing one. -Dan

nice pics
my alice is alittle diff
I use better more comfortable packs now and have converted my alice into a very large duffle bag

Yeah, I've got a Blackhawk 3 Day Assault pack on order - but this is what I'm accustomed to using in the "field" and on ruck marches. Its not a bad way to go, for the money.

Thanks Dice! Looks like a decent pack.

Time to start checking out the surplus places! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

I think that $45-50 with the frame would be a pretty good deal.

Or not! Looks like they're going for every bit of $75 online!

You can probably find a used one for about $50 though, at Army Navy...

The classic All-Purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment (or A.L.I.C.E.) I always wanted one but never got one now I have my eye on other packs, I have never been a part of any armed forces and I don't wanna come across as a mall ninja so I don't know if I can "get away with" a military style pack, but if I did I would go for a non-molle one in black so it dose not scream "this is a military pack" and the blackhawk 3-day is about what I would get or the eagle A-III.

JB - I suppose, since there are plenty of Jerks in any group of people, that someone might try talking "smack" to you about having military gear - but I don't think it'd be likely. I personally don't feel entitled to use an Army "backpack" any more than the average guy. My brother use all kinds of military and forest service packs and gear, and he's just your average dude.

I'm pretty stoked about getting that Blackhawk pack, though. It'll be more comfortable for sure, and I don't need something as large as that Alice pack most of the time.

I have 2-3 of the medium ALICE packs. I have always liked them. One has a frame, the others do not. I used them from everything from hiking ti daypacks to camping.
Now, I pretty much use my EAGLE pack.

Yeah - the Alice pack is a bit much for me - I'm also wanting something that I can take out in public without looking like I'm in the Militia <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

My blackhawk pack is (going to be) the new ACU pattern, but its small enough that it doesn't look like I'm headed off to war.

I too have a large ALICE, and a small black one I got at Goodwill for $5 (with the black canteen and cover attached, and a small carbon steel pocketknife in the chem tablet pocket!)

i like the old alice packs. i have the large variety in OD that holds my misc camping/outdoor/leftover military stuff. also have the med version in woodland camo.

they may not be fancy, but they get the job done.