Best military pack?

[Paul_B]

A colleague's son is in the army and has asked for a camelback rucksack as that's what he was issued apparently and he wants a smaller version. I thought it strange British Army got camelback sacks.

Does anyone know what the army gets? What is the best military suitable rucksack in the smaller sizes they might use? I did hear that Aiguille Alpine sometimes make custom sacks and bags for soldiers at one time.

It's just a curiosity.

 

[Corso]

motherload at 37lt

sparta at 30lt

Hawg 20lt

All seem to be out there and in MTP

over priced in the civillian market though

 

[Paul_B]

Is it any good? If you were in the army now and could, would you replace it with something else? Could you replace it?

 

[TeeDee]

Is it any good? If you were in the army now and could, would you replace it with something else? Could you replace it?

Do you mean would the Unit/Regiment you are in or assigned to ALLOW you to have and use it as part of your kit?
Or that due to over zealous regulations only issued kit is allowed to be used?

 

[Danqrl]

Is it any good? If you were in the army now and could, would you replace it with something else? Could you replace it?

I cant speak for current times, I left the army in 2004 but back then as long as the kit was olive green or dpm they didnt have a problem with you using it. It was so common for soldiers to "upgrade" their kit with stuff they purchased themselves.

 

[Paul_B]

I heard it wasn't fixed across regiments. I got told that some had a fixed list of approved replacement suppliers and products but how right that info was I had no idea. The guy was full of stories from his para days, not all would be true I reckon but fair play if it was. Funny guy too.

 

[The Lord Poncho]

I think some camelbacks were issues as an 'Urgent Operational Requirement' during afghanistan. Not sure if that is still the case though. Same was true for Karrimor SF/PRI branded daysacks.

These days, except for some specialist roles, I suspect that the Virtus stuff is generally on issue (with mixed reports).

The camelback daysacks when i was in were well regarded, as was karrimor SF, 5.11, and the venerable berghaus munroe. The karrimor offerings (sometimes with the pocket on the topflap cut off) and berghaus were the most common choices in situations where the daysack would need to be carried most of the time under the lid of your main bergan to be used as a grab sack.

 

[Paul_B]

I think the guy I was talking about was training for artillery but was also going on for further training to be embedded into another unit. A front line company. I suppose that's why he's got a bit different from standard, young squaddie kit. He's buying one as his issued is a bit too big for n his needs apparently.

I thought berghaus and karrimor SF military kit was standard not camelback. Which is better? I did hear Aiguille Alpine has made custom stuff for soldiers too occasionally. Extra large to carry ridiculous loads Meer civilian mortals couldn't carry far. Is that even likely or allowed? Iirc it was all black cordura. My custom pack from them had that on high high wear areas.

 

[C_Claycomb]

I don't see anyone has mentioned this, but one thing I remember reading that explained some of the reluctance to allow non-issue kit was that military issue kit is meant to be NIR compliant (near infra red - how it shows up on night vision systems), whereas gear sold to the civilian market may not be.

 

[Duggie Bravo]

Back in my day, pulling up my sand bag, it was either buy a Berghaus Crusader, Para/SAS Bergan or use the ‘58 pattern large pack.
The AMF(L) guys had crusaders issued.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Erbswurst]

We surely know all rucksacks that are made according to military specifications.
But as usual we can't recommend anything if we don't know the size that the interested person is looking for, and in this case also the colour or camouflage pattern(s).

Can he use everything that has a NATO stock number? Can he use rucksacks that are offered to but perhaps not bought by the military?

There are surely hundred or more real military rucksacks on the current civil market available. We surely aren't expected to list here all that is smaller than 120 litres, isn't it?

 

[MrEd]

They were definitely issued, I got a mate in the household cav and he has a couple of issue ones and a couple of issue squadbaks to

 

[Tonyuk]

The motherload will be a fine daysack.

He'll be issued with virtus kit soon which includes a daysack.

Don't bother about needing IRR coatings etc... they wear away and are only useful against an opponent with TI capability