For all you guys looking to build your BOB setup with inexpensive and almost bulletproof gear, these products are for YOU....... Military Surplus ALICE Pistol Belt Nylon Olive Drab Military Surplus ALICE Field Bandage/Compass Pouch Military Surplus Medium ALICE Pack Complete Frame Assembly Nylon Military Surplus ALICE 3 Mag Pouch Military Surplus ALICE Suspenders Military Surplus Poncho Liner Military Surplus Canteen Kit Grade 2 Olive Drab Amazon.com : Rothco Canteen Cup Stove/Stand Fits S/S Cup : Us Canteen Cup Stove : Sports & Outdoors Military Surplus Canteen ALICE Carrier Military Surplus Field Medic Bag Grade 1 Olive Drab http://www.militaryclothing.com/Woo...lid=CMuYvdeG0NICFVi4wAodgmMLgQ&ad=75080675429 http://www.militaryclothing.com/Genuine-OD-G-I-Nylon-Butt-Pack.aspx http://www.militaryclothing.com/Vintage-Boonie-Hat-WOODLAND-CAMO.aspx
missing is the ALICE butt bag / fanny pack ET cover and bayonet frog.... the bed roll carrier - (spider) sets off the ensemble.... as worn by Australian troops for many years....
I'm old, I have old web gear and it will still work just fine. It isn't particularly light or high speed, low drag, but then I'm not either. If I need to start wearing web gear I have a lot more problems than whether my web gear is high tech.
ALICE be like Barbie dolls for men. Take an LC-2 frame, with shelf, add two of the ALICE butt packs and a couple of Sustainment pouches and you have...this. Frankenruck. I put this together for a Vet that runs the local surplus store (907 Surplus) in an effort to try and ramp up sales.
Man....I'd carry that on my back to the Sydney Gay& Lesbian Mardi Gras..... The purple would be just so right!
ALICE just works. I have been using the same LBE since the early 1990's. Obviously, there are mission dependant rigs which have priority, but for general field ops, the old LBE is the best! The butt pack is a great bit of gear. I still have a rubber lined canvas one. The angle neck flashlight is a POS though. Still run a mini Maglight with extra AA batteries. They are lighter, more durable and easier to use.
After 20 or 30 miles, it's a damned torture device, not a backpack. Granted, the A.L.I.C.E. packs had their time and I've lived long enough to have been forced to use them, but in this millennium, there's much more available to you that won't break your body as well as your spirit. I can live with a broken wallet. I do like the LBE for hikes and general use. However, they become obsolete with modern chest rigs and plate carrier systems.
Good ole ALICE...she's just like a wife - I may flirt, or even have a short fling with some of the younger beauties that catch my eye, but I seem to keep coming back to her.
I used a growed up ALICE pack for 5 years in S&R abut 70 lbs worth . It's my secondary bug out bag now . If it were not for a fire ,it would be perfect , such is life. Few bags I've owned, have stood the test of time, and real time use. My EDC bag is a Swiss army computer back pack , and it is seriously tough as well . I cary roughly 40 lbs every day. Sorry for the bad picture .
Yup. MALICE clips work, too. Amazon.com : Tactical Tailor Malice Clip, Black, Long (pack of 4) : Sports & Outdoors
I have long used Alice gear, as it was issue during my service days. Still have a full Alice rig. Lately, I have been building MOLLE rigs for specific purposes, in different camo patterns. I have been adapting Alice and civilian pouches and carriers to fit the MOLLE gear. I like the Plug&Play concept.
The pack, not so great (using a 'medium' pack without a frame can be done but can cause serious nerve damage in the arms), but the belt and suspenders are superior to a vest, IMHO, if you're not in a vehicle. And I keep a fanny pack with a utility strap, a 1 qt canteen, an IFAK, and a few loaded magazines near my immediate-action carbine: If I need more than that at home, I'm probably screwed anyway.
We have a couple of different rigs, the Alice rigs are still hanging around While it's probably not the best long term, I really like the AF survival vest. That with the Alice suspenders ain't a bad way to go either IMO.
Keeping ALICE under 30 lbs makes for Happy Humps-Allot's. Installing a tactical messenger bag in the Old Radio Compartment adds another level of versatility. Unlike many of today's systems, ALICE was designed to be shed in stages as situations arose. Going from humping everything you owned, down to fleeing with only Combat Essentials, required only instantaneous minimal movements. Today's plastic frames aren't bad choices for lighter weight packs. I'd recommend the large ALICE pack for most adults as it allows for better access of the more versatile external compartments than the medium ALICE pack. The Old Belt & Suspenders ALICE system is probably more practical than the Load Bearing Vest, if aren't in need of extreme amounts of ammunition.
The one i have is now over 40 years old and fine.I do wonder as my "waterproof" pouches still SMELL horrible,if the new one have that to.
Most of my newer gear has no smell. The older Alice gear can smell musty. I did buy one carry bag, older style heavy canvas, that absolutely REEKS! Ordered by mail, so no way to check before ordering. One day I will soak it in a cleaning solution and try to destinkify it.