Canvas Berghaus Crusader
- Thread starter Twodogs
- Start date
Cheers mate 
I've been yacking to Cliff via pm and spinning the odd Dit etc...
Anyhow... Cliffs new Crusader is first class. By way of comparison here are a few detail shots of the VC
A bit like Cliff my VC was in ebay parlance BNWT... How and why someone would cough up a heap of cash and then not use it who knows....
One thing is for sure this is a BIG Bergen...
Unlike the Crusader that has the enduring facet of simplicity the VC has a lot of whistles and bells... TBH taking photos of them all is a PITA but here are a few of the salient ones...
1. Removeable waist belt...
The waist belt is retained by two pins made from alloy bar these are held in place by a coule of poppers popping the poppers and pulling the pins releases the waist belt...
2. Climbing / Abseil Harness
Once removed ( or in place) the waist belt has a couple of pouches which while proving useful for a small camera and GPS also house a harness the leg loops feature a couple of roll pin buckles and there are two loops that join for a tie in point..
Argueably the VC's stand out feature.....
3. Floating lid
These days floating lids are all the rage but back in the 80's they were unsusual the VC has a row of ladder lock buckles that allow the lid to float upwards.
so if you're that way inclined you can fit a 3/4 full camelback motherlode under the lid
4. Side pockets
Rather than run with what is now the military standard Crusader type zip on pocket the VC uses 4 pockets 2 at the top and 2 larger ones at the bottom.. These have a envelope style closure..
The top ones suck up a 58 patt water bottle with no problems..
behind the pockets is a tunnel which would fit skis or poles or antenna sections or in this case the excellent G3 snow shovel ( accept no substitutes)
On opening the lid there are a couple of compression straps that hep to compress the load or secure say a climbing rope etc..
The lid itself has a huge pocket in the top ( with the zip on the right side) this sucks up a huge ammount of kit it must be 10 ltrs
On the inside there is a zipped pocket...
Finally there is the back system.. Again a contrast to the Crusader the VC uses Lowe Alpines Paralux back system
Finally no doubting what you have...
here is some period material detailing the features:
Big mahoosive... Droopy Moostache required..
Cheers
John
Anyhow... Cliffs new Crusader is first class. By way of comparison here are a few detail shots of the VC
A bit like Cliff my VC was in ebay parlance BNWT... How and why someone would cough up a heap of cash and then not use it who knows....
One thing is for sure this is a BIG Bergen...
Unlike the Crusader that has the enduring facet of simplicity the VC has a lot of whistles and bells... TBH taking photos of them all is a PITA but here are a few of the salient ones...
1. Removeable waist belt...
The waist belt is retained by two pins made from alloy bar these are held in place by a coule of poppers popping the poppers and pulling the pins releases the waist belt...
2. Climbing / Abseil Harness
Once removed ( or in place) the waist belt has a couple of pouches which while proving useful for a small camera and GPS also house a harness the leg loops feature a couple of roll pin buckles and there are two loops that join for a tie in point..
Argueably the VC's stand out feature.....
3. Floating lid
These days floating lids are all the rage but back in the 80's they were unsusual the VC has a row of ladder lock buckles that allow the lid to float upwards.
so if you're that way inclined you can fit a 3/4 full camelback motherlode under the lid
4. Side pockets
Rather than run with what is now the military standard Crusader type zip on pocket the VC uses 4 pockets 2 at the top and 2 larger ones at the bottom.. These have a envelope style closure..
The top ones suck up a 58 patt water bottle with no problems..
behind the pockets is a tunnel which would fit skis or poles or antenna sections or in this case the excellent G3 snow shovel ( accept no substitutes)
On opening the lid there are a couple of compression straps that hep to compress the load or secure say a climbing rope etc..
The lid itself has a huge pocket in the top ( with the zip on the right side) this sucks up a huge ammount of kit it must be 10 ltrs
On the inside there is a zipped pocket...
Finally there is the back system.. Again a contrast to the Crusader the VC uses Lowe Alpines Paralux back system
Finally no doubting what you have...
here is some period material detailing the features:
Big mahoosive... Droopy Moostache required..
Cheers
John
Mate I love that bergen I remember lusting after them in the day only ever seen pictures in magazines and at £300 in the mid 1980s soooooooo expensive ,
But looking at it yours I can see why with all the features that are the norm now excluding the absail harness
on top of the range SF bergans well ahead of its time .
Never seen one in the flesh .
Nice one
We must start looking at some more lowe alpine
Twodogs
But looking at it yours I can see why with all the features that are the norm now excluding the absail harness
on top of the range SF bergans well ahead of its time .Never seen one in the flesh .
Nice one
We must start looking at some more lowe alpine
Twodogs
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Yep More LA / Vector would be good as would some Vintage Karrimor.... Someone on here must have a Norrona....
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Berghaus have confirmed....
The Sidepouches on the new crusader, Spartan and Centurion will not fit or accept the Vulcan / PLCE sidepouches....
Bizzare.....
The Sidepouches on the new crusader, Spartan and Centurion will not fit or accept the Vulcan / PLCE sidepouches....
Bizzare.....
Or the "Lowe Alpine Samson" seems to be the same pack but without the absail belt .
Twodogs
Twodogs
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Speaking of "snake eaters", here is the "real deal". CSM (ret) Charles McClung, then an SFC and my ROTC Senior Enlisted Military Instructor. He retired as an SF CSM. I owe a tremendous debt to him for my initial development as an Army Officer.
Gordy
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I have asked the same question I have three havily used DPM packs two Berghaus one Arktis , On the three packs all have had loads of use the colours are still bright as the day thay were made ,
However all the PLCE kit thats half its age with less usage the colour seems washed out . I think its just cheaper fabric
Twodogs
However all the PLCE kit thats half its age with less usage the colour seems washed out . I think its just cheaper fabric
Twodogs
My eldest has just joined the Mob, went to training barracks to have a look around last weekend, his DPM (not multicam) clothing is all brand spanking new but his bergen! The only way that would be camo is if he needs to hide against a background consisting of brown curtains that have faded in the sun! Hope he gets a decent kit when he arrives at his final unit!
It may well be to do with the fabric dyes having to meet a MOD requirement to be Infra Red Resistant IRR... The older Berghaus, LA, Arktis stuff probably isnt IRR or doesnt meet the MOD's current IRR spec.
For us as users in the civillian world this makes not one iota of difference...
The faded kit is ok it gives you that 'Old Sweat status' tape up all of the straps with black nasty or 'sniper' tape and you're home and dry....
HTH
John
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