Does anyone still use the medium Alice pack? Thoughts on it.
Just picked up another LK35 but was wondering about the Alice as an alternative.
Just picked up another LK35 but was wondering about the Alice as an alternative.
Budget packs
- Thread starter Johnnyboy1971
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If you don't use it for actually carrying stuff for more than a few km : enjoy. I'd never use it if i had any choice though 
. Newer packs will generally be higher quality and carry the load a lot better. A pack is one of those things where you don't skimp on in my opinion.
. Newer packs will generally be higher quality and carry the load a lot better. A pack is one of those things where you don't skimp on in my opinion.
I can't help chuckling to myself - my best mate is a living advert' for the ALICE pack!
He SWEARS by it. For YEARS, I've been trying to get him to adopt a different rucksack - FAIL!
He bought it in the late 1980s, used it during mil service as a daysack (until we were issued PLCE), used it during our lightscale cycling, bushcraft and climbing trips and STILL uses it today. It was (literally) a lifesaver when he was homeless and he'd sometimes used it as a toolbag for work.
It's served him very well through thick and thin and I can see why he won't rely on any other rucksack (including the ones we were issued as soldiers) when reliability and variability is paramount. Over these years, he's jacked up his ALICE carried kit to near perfection for him.
To me, it's reassuring to see but I am also almost sick of the sight of the thing!
We've never used them with the frame. Suits him no problem, was a problem for me when it had a little weight in it: I'm 5'8" but it's too short for me, really puts a strain on the back.
Aside from the obvious toughnest and build quality, I think it's the loops for ALICE pouches (inspiring the PALS of today), the three large pouches and the gap behind each pouch that make it so successful. He carries a small forest axe in the pouch gap, I was able to connect my '44 Golok sheath to the "PALS" loop and feed the sheath into the gap - both very neat and safe methods of carry.
The ALICE loops will take most PALS compatible pouches, MOLLE and Osprey are no problem. As well as the hanger items from the British '44 webbing. I sewed similar straps onto my PLCE rucksack (for PLCE W/B pouches, inadvertedly partially compatible to PALS) but it's not so "right".
I looked up the LK35 pack - simple and so very likely reliable - but it doesn't have the options and functionality of the ALICE pack. If you can get 1" webbing strips sewn on to make PALS loops, you could open up the options by fitting MOLLE or Osprey compatible pouches.
On hikes, after bashering up in the rain, I shake out my shelter sheet or poncho then hang it off the back of my rucksack - I always avoid packing wet kit if there's a chance of drying it. If kit has to be packed wet, I always prefer it in an external pouch.
I've yet to find the perfect medium size pack - I'm sure at least half the members here must share this problem! PLCE Patrol Pack strains my back when it has a tad of weight in it: I always have to use my PLCE rucksack or bomb-proof SAS/PARA bergen even for medium loads. The latter is heavy empty but unsurpassable when carrying the heaviest loads.
At some stage, I hope to try out my ALICE large rucksack - but I'll need to get/make a frame so that's a defered project. I like that they fitted three beer can pouches to the top of that rucksack, the designers thought of everything...
Just found this excellent resource, thought I'd share:
http://www.gear-illustration.com/2016/01/13/alice-rucksacks-medium-and-large/
