day sacks/patrol packs

[thescentlessapprentice]

ive receintly been trying to find a new patrol pack, and im finding it very hard indeed.
looking for a pack that holds about 50lbs, does not push your helmet forward in the prone position, good support, wide shoulder straps, and does not break the bank too much. preferably in french, irish or american woodland colour

anybody a guru on this??




to be honest a lot of those bags are pretty crap. looked at the blackhawlk bags, and they are pretty much what im looking for. the best one however is over two hundred dollars. anybody know of any other companies that sell patrol packs like that

 

[KevinB]

Lightfighter RAID pack

Everyone needs one...

 

[mudgunner49]

I second the vote for the RAID from Lightfighter.  My wife liked mine so much that I had to buy her one of her own (in "Oh so stylish" Coyote Brown) so that I'd get a chance to use mine.

Blake

 

[paracowboy]

IPE bunnybag. Been workin' for 10 years for me, and the Queen gave it to me. Cost me nuthin' but a bad back.

 

[Matt_Fisher]

Oh wow, choices choices...

The patrol pack market is literally saturated with good choices out there.  I've heard alot of good things about the Lightfighter RAID www.lightfighter.com, as well as the

Tactical Tailor 3-Day pack www.tacticaltailor.com.

Kifaru www.kifaru.com makes a couple great day packs:  The Marauder, which is very similar to the Lightfighter RAID, but with a nicer suspension system, the Pointman and the Zulu.  However they may be a little pricey for what you're looking to spend.

I'd probably recommend the Tactical Tailor pack for the money and it does come in US woodland camo.

 

[kyleg]

For a cheaper alternative MEC (Mountain Equipment Co-op) has a few decent day packs for sale. I've got the Adventurer DayPack

http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=676033&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=12083&bmUID=1115080963871

and it's not too shabby for carrying moderately heavy loads. Many of MEC's bags are available in somewhat tactical colours.

Cheers,
Pinky

 

[Matt_Fisher]

Wow!  The price on that MEC Adventurer pack is awesome at $39 and it comes in OD.  If I was the CO of a cadet corps, I'd buy a mess of those things.

In regard to the CP Gear Alamar, that's pretty crappy.  Even though Wheeler's warranty the item, what good is the warranty if that were to have happened to you while you were in Afghanistan or another op and needed to use the pack on a daily basis? 

 

[NATO Boy]

Maxpedition's CONDOR

Holds 32 Litres of kit, comes in OD, Woodlawn, AR

and Seals Action Gear sells it for $149

 

[condor888000]

I own that MEC pack, its a great bag, plently of room, attachment points on the bottom, a couple of them besides the carry handle on the top........I can fit more kit in there than I can in a 82 pattern ruck. I love it! Only complaint is that the way the front pocket atttaches wasn't well thought out, it only attacts at each of the four corners, if the main body of the bag isn't full it tends tp drop a fair bit in the middle.....

 

[purple peguin]

wow it seems that the mec pack gets around, i also own one and i think it is awesome for the money, i was thinking of sewing 1 inch webbing to the out side to make it pouch compatible etc. GREAT PACK FOR THE VALUE!

 

[mudgunner49]

I have an Adventurer that I picked up in 1989 (probably about the time some of the members on this board were born) and it is still going strong.  It was originally navy blue, but has faded to a sort of funky purple.  The thing that makes me sit up and notice is the price - mine was $50 when I bought it 16 years ago - it was not, however, made in Vietnam!!  Still a great deal and comes in olive - I may have to pick up another...


Blake

 

[Jarnhamar]

I used to use the Canadian Peacekeeper patrol pack ($209) which i feel is garbage for carrying any type of heavy load. I'm skeptical about putting money into any of their higher end patrol packs until i hear some rave reviews about them. 
The nuke bags the canadian army sometimes issues seem to be garbage, i saw tones of them break on my last excersise. I was using an american alice pack which worked hairly good, it still seemed a little uncomfortable.  I think the next pack I get will have to have some type of firm support for the back. My nuke bag was heavier that my ruck.

The shitty thing about bringing them on ex is that other troops who can't affored the 100/200 $ to pick one up see that you have one and buzz around you to add this and that. Not to mention the section or det's raingear, extra ammo (2 or 3 belts of C6 ammo really adds up), peak stove, cleaning kit. Whatever you get make sure it can hold a lot of weight comfortablly.

 

[chrisf]

I've got a tactical tailor 3 day assault pack, and while it's an excellent pack, very well constructed, if I were to go back in time, I'd definitly buy a different pack... it's a bit too large, and the shoulder straps are too heavily padded.

 

[COBRA-6]

It definitely time to retire the nuke bag... it's a grocery sack with shoulder straps... the price on the mec bag is great, I'll take a look next time I'm there... though I'll still lust after a kifaru or raid pack...  ;D

 

[chriscalow]

Does anyone have any expirence with the Blackhawk "Raptor" pack?  A buddy of mine in the QOR got one and loves it to death, but he only just got it and hasn't really gone anywhere with it yet.

 

[Infanteer]

General perception is that Blackhawk is poor quality.

I have a Tactical Tailor 3-Day Assault Pack as well.  I've loaded it up and it feels very comfortable.  It fits nice with my Load Bearing Equipment as well.

 

[chrisf]

Do the straps on the tactical tailor pack ever "break in" or can I expect them to be forever bulky?

 

[Phillman]

I buddy of mine has this.
http://www.camelbak.com/mil/cb_prod.cfm?Product_ID=236&CATID=6



He thinks its great. The best part is the built in Camelbak.


I'm thinking f getting something similar soon.

 

[Infanteer]

Do the straps on the tactical tailor pack ever "break in" or can I expect them to be forever bulky?

There will be some "break in" due to a softening of all the materials, but the "bulkiness" is the desirable part; it is more padding on the shoulders meaning less strain and "digging in".

Perhaps it is just an issue with preference - everbody is going to have their own tastes.  I like the TT straps, I've also put them (along with a TT waistbelt) on my 64 pattern Ruck.

 

[chrisf]

There will be some "break in" due to a softening of all the materials, but the "bulkiness" is the desirable part; it is more padding on the shoulders meaning less strain and "digging in".

Perhaps it is just an issue with preference - everbody is going to have their own tastes.   I like the TT straps, I've also put them (along with a TT waistbelt) on my 64 pattern Ruck.

Honestly, I'm guessing it's by far over kill for what I use it for, but nonetheless, great pack.