British Army NI Patrol Pack, any good ?

[IMOM]

NI pack = awful.

We did this one in another thread and it was pretty much 50/50 for and against. Personally, I can't stand them - barely functional as daysacks. Much better packs out there for bushcraft use.

Im intrigued? How can you say its barley functional as a daysack ?

 

[Jericho]

zoot suit (top and bottoms)

Google's let me down, Zoot Suit?

 

[IMOM]

Google's let me down, Zoot Suit?

Snug pack jacket and trousers im thinking ,compress very small into seperate stuff sacks

 

[Jericho]

Snug pack jacket and trousers im thinking ,compress very small into seperate stuff sacks

Ahh, i've seen them, how do they compare with the chinese fighting suit?
I imagine they're much better.

 

[TinkyPete]

zoot suit is a very warm but small top and bottom normally made from parachute nylon, very light takes almost no room up. Top and bottoms together take up about a 1/3 of a waterbottle pouch.

the closest items to it are the Arktis stowaway shirt or Karrimor did a complete suit which has loads of access zips (I have one of those too ) or the montane featherlite is similar too, many companies copy the design cause its simple but very effective.

The karrimor can sometimes be found at Soldier of Fortune...link is http://www.sofmilitary.co.uk/military/index.asp they sometimes have the arktis stuff too. the zoot suit is normal in the special offers section now, or you could try RVOps as well...link is http://www.rvops.co.uk/

 

[Jericho]

zoot suit is a very warm but small top and bottom normally made....

Cheers TP, i'm going to look in to that

 

[IMOM]

Ahh, i've seen them, how do they compare with the chinese fighting suit?
I imagine they're much better.

loads better than the chinese fighting suit ,however the trousers could do with a zipped or velcro fly ,look very odd when you have them on very baggy as sizing is ........er optamistic ! but very warm ,but not very hard waring ,but i dont suppose you would be running around in the woods in it snagging it on trees and bushes ,ideal to sleep in as an extra season to a lightweight doss bag or around the camp fire

 

[Harley]

I'm chuckling at what I've just read:

1. a zoot-suit is 'warm kit'

2. synthetic nylon suits are great for relaxing near an open fire

You guys!

 

[the laird]

I use mine lots mainly for work. Had mine about 6 years now and has still going strong and gets a lot of abuse. it currently has in it:

All kept in a waterproof bergen liner
Softie 3
Issue waterproof Jacket (you never know on salisbury plain)
new issue gaiters
1 Rat pack
1 litre water bottle (58 pattern)
metal mug/flask
FA Kit
2 FFD (1st field dressings)
Insulated Jacket
zoot suit (top and bottoms)
spare socks
shemagh
balaclava
gloves
headover
Jetboil
long necked spoon
lighter
spare bootlaces
Survival kit
leatherman wave
gerber recon torch
Madjak Torch (hi power)
sewing kit
boot polish and brushes
hi vis vest
notebook and notebook holder (pens and pencils etc included)
Black Nasty (fixing tape)
insulating tape
comms cord (30m)
claymore bag
para cord (15m)
red, green and blue cylumes (2 of each minimum)
Bowman radio and spare batteries
Range safety kit (red smoke and mini flares)
and still have room for some other stuff

So I would say it holds enough kit for me and still can add other kit to if necessary

I'll stand next to you in the queue for armegeddon

 

[TinkyPete]

Thanks for the vote of confidence
The contents holds everything I need for work no matter the weather or situation it's not too heavy for me, but others think it a heavy load, but it works (mainly due to the radio and the extras) but they sometimes go out on the plain without water or waterproofs and I think they're mad.

in addition I forgot to add:

Compass Silva type (Mils and degrees) I have to work with Air, Artillery and everyone else
3 large Black bags (thick rubbish type, know as Winnies)
light weight poncho (recently been added after a night on the plain watching recce callsigns for a day and a half)
mini telescope x25 mag
mini ear defenders
mini wash kit with micro towel
sleeping mask ( for sleeping during daylight hours on the plain, when i get chance too)
1 pint pilots flask (which normally gets moved to my jacket pocket once i start running around the plain)

The contents would suit me for a long time as well as just on night, the extra I would need to add for longer trips out on the plain is water and rations for a longer stay but anyway I have used 1 rat pack for 4 1/2 days but thats another story

 

[Mikey P]

Im intrigued? How can you say its barley functional as a daysack ?

"barley" functional?

Sorry - my review was a bit 'negative' really. But, I really can't stand them and if others wish to say that they love them, I'd like to say that I really don't love them. They are uncomfortable, poorly designed for use without webbing (they sit too high), I don't like the straps, and I don't like the fit. Most people overload them when using as a daysack and they just aren't designed to be comfortable next to the back with any weight in them.

They're not too bad over body armour as you already have the back support/plates to isolate you from the load but they do move around quite a bit. I just think that there are far better options out there. Most of the ones I've seen over the past couple of years were being used in an office environment to carry your lunch and sports kit. Previous to that, they tended to be used because they were issue/dirt cheap.

Clearly, this is my experience of having to hump stuff around in them for a job and, if they work for other people, great.

 

[IMOM]

All fair points ,They are much better however than that horrid black issue day sack ,they wont even hold your death pack for long without falling apart.

They do not fit to well with osprey ,but im not supprised they are used because they are free/cheap and dont fall apart easily .so win win for guys who dont like to buy kit.

f