PLCE bergan worth it?

[jonnie drake]

My 65 litre pack has had better days and is about 10-20 litres too small for year round use. I need something on the cheap and have seen some good prices in surplus stores for these, are they any good? I notice theres a lot of chatter about the PLCE gear, looks sturdy stuff.

Will it be money spent wisely?

 

[Matt.S]

It's quite sturdy and inexpensive, but I find that the enormous capacity is rather tempting to fill, and that's not what I like doing. Mine hasn't been out from under the bed in about 9 months. It's a little short for most people since it's designed to fit over webbing. Not many fancy gubbins either.

 

[Retired Member southey]

Yup i use a very good condition long back issue bergan, and i really get on with it,it is a heavy pack by it self, but if your to worried about kit weight, it will last you for ages.

 

[Radix lecti]

No connection to seller,i had one off them in Grade 1 condition , i cant fault the pack.

http://www.britishmilitarysurplus.co.uk/ishop/1069/shopscr87.html

 

[jonnie drake]

cheers for the replies guys. Are they comfy to trek about with? Decent frame on em?

radix, cheers for the link that seems a pretty decent offer. Any idea what they charged you for postage? and what are the going rates for the side pouches, cant find any on the site.

cheers

 

[bilmo-p5]

Just as an aside to this thread, I have a plce long back bergan, which I'm well pleased with, and I want a pair of side pouches for it. I've been offered a pair from a sabre 45/mod, will they fit?

 

[Radix lecti]

Hi jonnie they charged me about seven quid for postage and it came in the biggest box you have ever seen in your life. As for the pouches you can pick them up on flea bay quite cheap.

 

[FGYT]

i would urge caution on a PLCE bergan they are good solid bits of Kit but where never designed to be worn alone by non military ( ie pretty fit strong people) they have short backs to fit above your belt webbing and so have no built in hip support for the load with out the webbing to rest on they are massive so being short the extra capacity is made up for in the depth so can espesially if badly loaded pull your CofG far away from your back all this stress and load is then on your shoulders only (you dont have a rifle in your arms to help counter balance )
if you ahve carried one and are happy and used to it fine or if you want a car bergan to carry a lot od stuff a short distance they are good

i believe there are some long back versions but have never seen one

personnaly i find a 55ltr Lowe alpine sting with a PLCE side pouch and a PLCE medic pouch plenty with reasonable hip support

ATB

Duncan

 

[johnboy]

Just as an aside to this thread, I have a plce long back bergan, which I'm well pleased with, and I want a pair of side pouches for it. I've been offered a pair from a sabre 45/mod, will they fit?

Hi Ian

Yep... Sabre side pockets should fit the PLCE issue Bergen with no problems...

 

[Retired Member southey]

I agree and disagree with you there FGYT, they are massive but you just have to use the side compression straps to manage the c o g, i find them very comfy over long distance, i have a long back and i suggest that as with all pack you should try a get to a shop to try it, just because you can get them reletivly cheaply dosent mean you shouldn't put the same concidaration into the purchase, take some kit with you to load up the ruck to get a feel for how it sits, if you want know the difference, a short back will sit squarly across your shoulders and will give you a very bad carry posture, where as the long back will sit like most other pack, neither have any sort of air gap between you or the pack, so sweaty backs are all ways a concideration, the internal frame is made up of four ally bars with one across the top and three hanging verticaly, and with a bit of pressure can be moulded to your shape.I hope tis is making sense. cheers Southey.

 

[johnboy]

I believe there are some long back versions but have never seen one

CQC down in Barnstaple make 90 pattern kit...

Here is the official blurb on the Bergan on their website...

Long and short backs do exist as they did on the Berghaus Crusader the PLCE bergen's estranged parent ... But the long back is a PITA to wear with webbing hence a desire for shortback bergens...

http://www.cqc.co.uk/rucksack90patterninfantry.asp

 

[trekkingnut]

im ex forces, they are MASSIVE, especially if you use the modified air assault ones... anyway, the shoulder straps are pretty rubbish to be honest. I would hate to use them over long distances if the bergan wasnt resting on my webbing to take some of the weight. The padding on the waist strap is only a couple of inches long and then just goes to straight cordua so it can cut into you pretty easily. thats really the problem with the shoulder straps as well.... they are very thin foam padded and over long distances, with masses of weight they will cut into you....

that all said... if you can work it so this doesnt happen, i.e you can actually buy clip on shoulder padding etc.... its bomb proof. you can use the thing for the rest of your life and itll still have no holes in it... also, if you bought the yoke as well, you can unzip the side pockets and clip them onto the yoke and have either a ten or twenty lrt day pack... thats extremely handy!

its all made out of bomb proof material and you wont ever have it fail.... big bonus... down side is comfort..... without webbing for it to rest on, with big loads... its not pleasant.... with a bit of sewing im sure you could sort this out though!!!

 

[trekkingnut]

just an afterthought... there are loads of people from "gods country" on here... one of them must have a bergan! ask if you can try it for a weekend..... id lend you mind if you lived in whiltshire...

 

[Radix lecti]

Many years ago i was issued with the GS bergen of which i never really got on with ,i just put up with it. However i find that the long back PLCE bergan more comfortable for my tall frame i wish they had them years ago .

 

[Ph34r]

I still have my original issue bergan. It has survived where I have failed. They are great bits of kit, just make sure that you get an official one rather than a copy, cost most of the copies are absolutely sh**e

 

[FGYT]

I agree and disagree with you there FGYT, they are massive but you just have to use the side compression straps to manage the c o g, i find them very comfy over long distance, i have a long back and i suggest that as with all pack you should try a get to a shop to try it, just because you can get them reletivly cheaply dosent mean you shouldn't put the same concidaration into the purchase, take some kit with you to load up the ruck to get a feel for how it sits, if you want know the difference, a short back will sit squarly across your shoulders and will give you a very bad carry posture, where as the long back will sit like most other pack, neither have any sort of air gap between you or the pack, so sweaty backs are all ways a concideration, the internal frame is made up of four ally bars with one across the top and three hanging verticaly, and with a bit of pressure can be moulded to your shape.I hope tis is making sense. cheers Southey.

yes you can usethe compression straps but that would defeat teh point ot the OP buying one he has a 65ltr and wants a bigger one if you strap it in you lose the extra capacity he was after so he will end up with a 65ltr bergan with no hip strap etc unfortulatly people dont normally havethe disapline ot Not fill a bergan to the max


if you want the Best large capacity load carry bergan made then get a Berghaus Cyclops Vulcan supurb comfry carry even when over loaded very good hip support and spine etc
Mine did many years with me we where vehicle mopunted so has Chest rigs no Belt kit in the way. my mate also did several tours of Norway with it with what was AMF (now Disbanded i beleive)

ATB

Duncan

 

[ProjeKtWEREWOLF]

+1 on the Berghaus Vulcan. The Issue Bergen is great with webbing. Not so great alone. My Vulcan has put up with loads of abuse and still looks new! Loads/too much space sometimes but it's a great no frills long trip bergen. It swallows gear and is comfy on the hips under load. My choice anyday.

 

[LennyMac]

I agree about the durability of the issue bergan and its capacity to carry stuff. I have worn it with webbing and without (mine is the longback) and have found it to be quite comfortable- the internal frame eventually moulded to my hiking posture. It is the best pack I have owned.
I have never tried the Vulcan but it seems to get a lot of praise in these fora.

 

[Fizzy]

Just found myself a Berghaus Vulcan after also hearing a lot of praise for it. Haven't had chance to use it yet but it certainly seems to be bombproof, apart from the buckle at the front where the hip belt is no longer secures properly so can't keep tension.

 

[lostplanet]

I have long back and short back bergen that I don't use so much as a LA sting holds everything I take out, question tho: has anyone tried to fit a PLCE hip pad or Hippo pad(for webbing) to their bergen hip/waist strap with any success?