Bloke at work has both large and small/medium size US issue Alice packs.Ive never seen one but he reckons they are good tough gear.He says i can have em cheap,there in good shape and Olive Green.Are they any good and are they worth having off him.
Alice Packs,US army issue rucksacks.
- Thread starter CLEM
- Start date
-
Hey Guest, Early bird pricing on the Summer Moot (29th July - 10th August) available until April 6th, we'd love you to come. PLEASE CLICK HERE to early bird price and get more information.
Whats he asking for them?
Large size Alice is a good sized sack and sits fairly low on the back, medium sized one rides to high for my liking though.
Large size Alice is a good sized sack and sits fairly low on the back, medium sized one rides to high for my liking though.
Hes not really said a concrete price,mumbled about twenty five quid each or forty five if i have both.If there a good hardwhereing/lasting sack and in good shape like he says i thought that i may offer him forty for them both.What you think Gary?
Here is a link to one on sale with frame for £60
http://www.surplusandadventure.com/ishop/800/shopscr175.html
James
http://www.surplusandadventure.com/ishop/800/shopscr175.html
James
They are pretty good. I used to have a full Alice rig but found that as mine was second hand (got it from a buddy in the US army), when heavily loaded the shoulder straps had a tendency to come off.
If the straps are secure, they are a great peice of kit. The three external pockets on the small pack take a lot of kit and you can fold a kipmat into the pouch in the main compartment so protecting your back from anything hard or sharp.
I could fit EVERYTHING I needed for a weekend in there, with a few things crabbed to the sides, and was really gutted when mine finally gave up on me. I'd had it for ages and it had taken a LOT of abuse! And I do mean a LOT.
If the straps are secure, they are a great peice of kit. The three external pockets on the small pack take a lot of kit and you can fold a kipmat into the pouch in the main compartment so protecting your back from anything hard or sharp.
I could fit EVERYTHING I needed for a weekend in there, with a few things crabbed to the sides, and was really gutted when mine finally gave up on me. I'd had it for ages and it had taken a LOT of abuse! And I do mean a LOT.
Sounds a fair price.
Check the frame especially the base as this is usually the first place to go also check they are real US army packs - they should have US printed in black on the flap (not always there) and the usual US label on the back.
If memory serves me correctly and I believe it does the large size alice should have a extra row of pockets and a waist belt too.
Check the frame especially the base as this is usually the first place to go also check they are real US army packs - they should have US printed in black on the flap (not always there) and the usual US label on the back.
If memory serves me correctly and I believe it does the large size alice should have a extra row of pockets and a waist belt too.
Thanks for the advise gents,i shall have to have a look at them i guess.Just had a look at the link James posted,and saw the Alice packs.How comfy are they with that big external frame ect.
I found my pack to be pretty comfy. Until it finally died, I never really had any trouble with it. Even heavily loaded the wide shoulder straps were ok. Never had any problems with the frame digging in anywhere.
Was a great piece of kit. Sadly missed.
Was a great piece of kit. Sadly missed.
i reccomend them!
both packs use the same frame!
it should consist of at least:
an aluminium frameit bends towards you at the shoulders
two padded shoulder straps, with quick release clips, and straps attatching at waist level.
a lumber(lower back pad)
a waist belt (fitted either to the frame or lumber pad)
the two sacks are interchangeable.
the frame can be used without the sacks as a packboard.
the medium sack is good as a patrol or day sack, based on the designs of the vietnam issue pack, and can be worn without the frame.
it's about 45 liters(same as the PlCE patrol sack)
the large sack around 60 liters, is designed as an arctic pack, it must be worn with the frame. it is wider and has 3 extra poppered pockets.
both have an internal lacing system that can reduce the overall size of the pack. both have radio pouches just inside the main pouch.
both packs have rows of weebing so you can add loads of US webbing pouches, waterbottles ect, which is great but be cautious, it's easy to get carried away and look like a christmas tree! also kit can fall off easily!
the pack is not waterproof, you will need to use a waterproof liner, it's worth you while getting a cover also!.
things to check:
wobbly rivets on the frame, they can be replaced, but it's a nussiance(i had to on mine).
check under the top flap of the sacks, you should find a rubbery coating on the underside(it's a map pocket), if not it's quite old.
check points of contact were fabric meets frame, there will be wear, but is it bad?
check all the metal fasteners, they are steel so could rust.
check the belt and quick release harness, look for cracks in the plastic.
check for any repairs/taped areas, they could hide something nasty!
lastly, put some weight in it, a realistic amount 50 lb or so, what does it feel like, some people say it has a strange unbalancing feel!!!!
£45 for both seems a good price to me.
if you do buy them try to get hold of a US army Field manual book called:
FM 21-15 Care and use of individual equipment
it is the "operating manual" for the bag and other US ARMY ALICE equipment, it'll tell you how to put it together, clean it, what it does ect.
both packs use the same frame!
it should consist of at least:
an aluminium frameit bends towards you at the shoulders
two padded shoulder straps, with quick release clips, and straps attatching at waist level.
a lumber(lower back pad)
a waist belt (fitted either to the frame or lumber pad)
the two sacks are interchangeable.
the frame can be used without the sacks as a packboard.
the medium sack is good as a patrol or day sack, based on the designs of the vietnam issue pack, and can be worn without the frame.
it's about 45 liters(same as the PlCE patrol sack)
the large sack around 60 liters, is designed as an arctic pack, it must be worn with the frame. it is wider and has 3 extra poppered pockets.
both have an internal lacing system that can reduce the overall size of the pack. both have radio pouches just inside the main pouch.
both packs have rows of weebing so you can add loads of US webbing pouches, waterbottles ect, which is great but be cautious, it's easy to get carried away and look like a christmas tree! also kit can fall off easily!
the pack is not waterproof, you will need to use a waterproof liner, it's worth you while getting a cover also!.
things to check:
wobbly rivets on the frame, they can be replaced, but it's a nussiance(i had to on mine).
check under the top flap of the sacks, you should find a rubbery coating on the underside(it's a map pocket), if not it's quite old.
check points of contact were fabric meets frame, there will be wear, but is it bad?
check all the metal fasteners, they are steel so could rust.
check the belt and quick release harness, look for cracks in the plastic.
check for any repairs/taped areas, they could hide something nasty!
lastly, put some weight in it, a realistic amount 50 lb or so, what does it feel like, some people say it has a strange unbalancing feel!!!!
£45 for both seems a good price to me.
if you do buy them try to get hold of a US army Field manual book called:
FM 21-15 Care and use of individual equipment
it is the "operating manual" for the bag and other US ARMY ALICE equipment, it'll tell you how to put it together, clean it, what it does ect.
You might at some point after getting them, consider letting Tactical Tailor make some modifications.
They are pretty sturdy rucksacks, but there are pretty good reasons why it is known as "the tick" or "the leach" to guys who have to cary them for work related reasons. There are also reasons why lots of them get private purchase after market packs instead.
They are pretty sturdy rucksacks, but there are pretty good reasons why it is known as "the tick" or "the leach" to guys who have to cary them for work related reasons. There are also reasons why lots of them get private purchase after market packs instead.
Similar threads
