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Belgian Army Ruck Sack | Long-Term Review
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 16 ก.พ. 2018
- Long term review of the 100 liter Belgian army ruck sack. A military surplus purchase that is great size and basic construction but due to wear and tear has a few issues. And the belt leaves much to be desired. Approximate price is $90. Side pouches are removable. Check out my other video on it for more details.
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A sewing machine is a must have for surplus enthusiasts.
Being able to add features you want and change what you don't like is a real game changer.
Yes, as long as its a walking foot industrial sewing machine AND you have the patience to learn how to use the machine. With those provisos out of the way, I totally agree with you.
Took the gamble at Varustalika, my bag is quite new, the side pockets are definitely a new version but they appear lower quality.... My straps are all very new and are stiff as hell. It's very difficult to move the straps where needed.... The gamble may be worth it, as a full time college student. The affordable nature of this pack drew me to it, as with most surplus stuff... That's all I can reasonable afford and sometimes it's a flop. But for the post part it's done me well!
I hope you got a good one mate
I’ve been using this exact same pack for over a year and mine has been great! I hate you’re having trouble with yours. I got mine from Varusteleka online.
All those little annoyances that the bag has can be fixed! The belt buckle you can buy it off eBay even the one inch strap you can put metal one inch side release buckles instead!! The zipper is a little tricky since you will have to go to a professional or at least someone who has a lot of experience in the sewing business but don't get only one opinion in regards pricing. The video was awesome!
thanks for the tips
There are some fixes you can do though, varusteleka also sells some pretty good and hardy buckles which you can easily swap out for these old ones. You also could use a bungee cord for the bottom broken zip compartment to keep it secure 👍🏻
Hey that’s a great idea man
Very good review, good job! This is what I want in a review, opinions and observations after quite an amount of use!
Looks like the shoulder straps and kidney belt are replacabe/wearable parts. In my pack the pack itself is quite worn but the straps are quite new and they also lack the emergency opening from the left strap and also the kidney belt buckle is just a normal "female-male" buckle. It seems they've upgraded it at some point and my bag got those as a replacement. Very very good pack.
Hi, I have the same Backpack and do agree with two points. First the issue with the buckles at the shoulder straps. It can be that the fabric is worn out, so change the lower Part of the straps with thicker fabric and it will be easy fix. Second, the hip belt needs.... time to get comfortable with it. The buckle and the hip flaps are not the best choice for my needs too. At last I wanna say at my pack is so far no issue with the zipper from the lower compartment, hopefully it stays like this 😉
All in all its a good choice. Payed 60 Euro from ASMC.DE here in germany.
Best regards Torsten
But the shoulder straps are sewn to the pack at the bottom, removing them and sewing in new straps is a very big job and very hard for most people. I personally would not even attempt it. Even if you could make a professional work of it , it might not improve it. Have you done it?
60 Euro is a actually a very fair much better price . cheaper than I paid by 30 Euro.
At first I did not mind the belt buckle, but over time it has annoyed me, I just hate it more everytime!!!
I had similar problems with straps i wanted to add a few straps on a pack and for me personally it was a easy fix because i have a friend that makes custom car seats so he has heavy duty sewing machines but i didn't pay for anything since i used straps from another pack and he didn't charge me for a 5 minute job.
I imagine you could find somebody that does similar work or that uses heavy duty sewing machines don't think they would charge you much for replacing the zipper or straps.
But you still have to consider if it's really worth to you adding extra money to repair it or just get a brand new one and spare yourself the trouble.
Humble Trekker
I did. Just put on the ladder buckles you already put on the straps and fed a new strap onto that buckle. Im a big guy, so some straps are simply too short for me.
Btw, i would like to hear your opinion on sleeping bags and their temparature rating. Would nice to see a video on that.
kinda little late, but thanks for doing a second review after a good time using it, most channels (and reviews) just do the video once they have it and never mentions it again and you dont get this kind of info that you only have after prolonged use
So thanks for it dude
Cheers
With the webbing slippage that can be a issue if it being make of synthetics. Alot of military packs both used and new have this issue. Seems like they forget sometimes that plastic is slippery. That being said replacing a few buckles is not hard and will likely cost less then $10. The failed zip kind of sucks but it does happen even with the toughest and most heavy duty one eventually. The one on my grandfather's old bomber jacket from the 60s randomly failed the same way and the teeth on the zipper are huge and metal so it is not so much about quality so much as age. I would imagine a local tailor could sort you out with a new zipper. That also should not be very expensive.
I gotta say for $90 even with the issues described its a steal. This pack would be $500+ new on the civilian market.
Thanks for the review. I got my M97 Ruck from The Sportsman’s Guide and looks almost new. Great zips. Straps hold and carries better than pack I own. I agree that the lower zip should have been YKK quality. My mods include an expandable sternum strap (I’m a big guy), waist belt expansion and buckle change to a 2 inch heavy duty buckle, and then sprayed clear flex seal on the bottom to protect and further waterproof the bottom on the pack. May add additional OD carry straps on top of the bottom current straps. I love this ruck
Mark Hager Where or what is the Sportsmens guide? Mark could you give me a hand?
@@howardcrowe6743 If you have not gotten an answer yet, here is a link that should help: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sportsman%27s_Guide
I've had lots of surplus and new stuff, but only pants from Belgian army. I like their camo, especially the new version without white parts. This is probably made to be used over the plate carrier etc. so you can say goodbye to comfort. Fecken bells
Excellent insightful pointers to make one think.Before making a financial commitment.
I also wish to include when one buys used gear is the Real phenomenon of "Memory Effect" where the item is shaped worn into the former wearer's body posture.
Thus Memory Effect is another negative minus side effect.
The best answer is to buy a Non used backpack.
I got mine for $53 on clearance, bought two and sold the lesser one. Also you never mentioned the fact you can store your rifle on the side between the side pocket.
first of all, excellent review of the ruck sack
second i apologise for my spelling ;)
i carried that ruck sack for 8 years, and all the issues are spot on, they all happend to me and others,
to solve the first issue we tied a knot in the strap after fitting it on the back, so it couldnt drop any further, but after a while the plastic band will break, and then we used para-rope to mend that problem
even if its a new ruck sack, if you go above the 35kg, those straps losen anyway, it good for around 30 kg , go higher in weight and its not designed for that, ofcourse no kit is below 30kg..
second issue is fixed the same way you did, just ignore it and nothing small on the buttom
third issue: we used a 2nd person to quickly strap it tight, one hand on the belt to pull, his other hand on your shoulder to counter, but yes it is a bad system
some other issues i had with it was that damn quick release system on the left band, never use it, it wears out after 2 times and then the left band is entirely useless
Thanks for the information
Nice review, ive got the berghaus crusader, verry similar. The waist buckle is berghaus and is designed to be used with winter kit and gloves but they have changed the waist belt webbing to tighten it. I've used it in cairngorms in the winter with no problems.
Thanks for the info!
The things you have pointed out are exactly why I love my 50 year old Alice pack zero plastic nothing wears out it really does not. I have made changes put 2 trays on so I have one sticking out past the back of the pack . Which always me to carry 3 weeks of dehydrated food in a neat basket which ways nothing also extra strapping on both top and bottom of pack. And hell of a time located the same Alice buckles finally just bought another pack for $ 15.00 with out frame and used those buckles great pack . I would not trade it for pack on the market .
Agree but hell I have used this pack out for 2-1/2 week with everything I need and food left over when getting home. I have know idea what more I would need . I20 liter's I know I see them going all the time but I yet to find one that stayed out for more them 3 to 5 days . That is just what I see and I've talk to quiet few and it seems like the big deal among the young is how big it is and how much they paid just a bit strange for me .
That's is 2-1/2 weeks to weeks not 3 to 5 days those are the days the big packs zip it up and go home .
My choice will always be for new or used military surplus, mostly because even if there might be niggles like you experienced, you can usually find a fix, and for the rest the quality and longevity is superior to something made in China and shipped across the earth to a big retailer near you. Clothes are especially so....my winter jacket, used Austrian surplus...my winter boots, used French surplus. Used, supposedly, but if so I can't see any sign of it. My small tool bags are used ammo pouches. Shit just lasts longer....My brand-name 70litre pack has served me well over the past 11 years of heavy use but it is now pretty much close to kaput, thanks to the treatment handed to it by countless airline baggage handlers. It was expensive, made in China and I would bet one of these Belgian jobs will last at least as long for less money.
In Belgium you can still get them new (new surplus) for 120€.
There's one close to me for sale at a store 30 bucks basically I looked at it and I had to decide between it or a US army rucksack I took army rucksack instead of this bag because I just didn't know exactly what it was
I dont understand why the military and civilian companies are still using zippers for the sleeping bar compartment,its just a possible failure point that needs to be addressed,also that strap mod that you made at 2:57 is very helpful
You pays your money, you takes your chances. That life.
thats what made me broke
I got the same pack. Its well used. But I dont have the wear issues that you have. Its comfortable and large. The only complaint I have is that the shoulder strap is too short. I had to extend mine in order to use it effectively. I also had to recolor the bag because its camo didnt work for me.
How did you recolour it, paint, dye?
@@jadeharvey1265 yes I used RIT dye. That worked a charm. The main challenge was trying to find a vessel large enough to fit it into. Especially since you need to keep it at close to boiling temperature for an extended period. I had to disassemble it first obviously and then cram it into the vessel. I did it in sections since not all of it would fit. But in the end it turned out quite nicely. The best part was that all the colours shifted towards the green that I was after. So it retained its camo pattern, but with a sort of olive green overlay.
@sas_za6305 sounds like it worked a treat, I can picture it would look much nicer. Thank you for your reply, appreciated!
Lol at the end thanks for the heads up on the pack.👍👊🤘
Bet that would have been great when it was new ! Nice review as always mate 👍🏽👍🏽
Say Heah Dave, Cheers and long time no see. Latelky I've been using a makeshift Haversack which I use on my Afternoon Delights. Easy Peasy Nice and Easy. it was a camo flapover purse, but looks manly and no one questions it as my haversack, Infact I bought 3-4 on close out for around $3.00 apiece years ago because I didn't think they would hold up. Years later I'm still using the first one and it's still going strong, I usually carryvmy Mora Hatchet and my Bacho Laplander with no problem plus my other 5 C's. But on weekends we go out to our area to do bushcraft. infact I git in to our camp a few hours ago. I brought my Maxpedition Kodiak Gearslibg, I also have a Condor 2 also made by Maxpedition, and I luv both of them. but the Kodiak Gearsling I can spin it around to grab what ever I need without taking it off, nice to see you again, Dilly Dilly.,,.p
hope you are keeping well mate !
Up-cycling something has got to be good so long as it does the job. Looks reasonable. Mark
does the job and I'm using it. big packs are easy to complain about because the are invariably filled up and weighing a ton, they attract ire!
Yeah I liked the old packs. Haven't used one or worn one for a long time. This was neat!
Berghaus Cyclops II 👌🏻👍🏻🇬🇧
surely replacing the worn out components would not be too expensive
beyond most peoples capabilities
your local cobbler can do the stitching, and buying new straps buckles and zips is usually quite cheap
Thanks
Welcome
Just so you know you you bought one of the oldest versions
How do you tell which version you own? I didnt even know there were different versions.
@@chadtastic6587 because i am in the army
That still doesnt tell me how to figure out which version I own..
@@chadtastic6587 because i know the rugs
@@chadtastic6587 if you're has metal structure its is oldes one if you have the one with the polymer structures you got the new one
Dang good review David!
reckon after using the thing for two years you gave it a good shake down mate, i have had similar Ladder lock problems with other military suspension systems...i have not really taken time to solve those issues, but i will some day...perhaps...atb...woods
I complain about it but I'm still using it lol.
we enjoy the bloopers!! :)
.....shoulder straps seem too short, also the hip belt once pulled offsets the belt to one side , not even hip distribution....Grizz
grizz knows
........thanks Dave , if you can get a US Marine Corps FILBE on a frame , that would be a good review.....I have one on an Alice frame , nice setup.......Grizz
Very nice mate!
how do you rate this vs the British PLCE bergen?
both large capacity , heavy duty packs. pretty much the same
cool, thanks.
I’m from belgium
Hey, I'm from America. I know a guy named Juan that's from Portugal, and a guy named Martin from Germany. That death metal band Blood Bath is from Sweden, what's your point?
@@cthulhu6697 hey ! I know another american, his name is Judson from Colorado. Do you know him ?
I have alot of surplus gear David.. great pack and vid and i love the Flecktarn pattern ! ,;,;, Cheers ! ,;,;, Spook
the pattern gets different responses. some like it some hate it lol. Its always behind me so I dont care...
Humble Trekker ive heard the same ! Lol its either they love it or hate it lololol.. Survival Russia has a bunch of it .. and i feel ya if its on your back and its not pink who givss AF lolol... Cheers M8 ! ,;,,;; Spook
i bought one of these exact packs and found this video trying to figure out how to secure the belt buckle. turns out, it's just worn out so i'll probably have to replace that at some point. i only have one other complaint with it and it's that it smells like mildew. no visible mold, but some white vinegar and water in a 50/50-ish mix has helped it. but it's still there. i'm currently airing it out but i think the best course of action is going to be to just get it outside this summer and use it but i'm hoping that i can get rid of the smell. any tips would be appreciated, i've done some looking online but i'm sure i'll get better answers from someone with the same pack.
Get it outside and air it out. Open it up as much as possible and let the uv light from the sun work on it.
Thank you for this second review on this bag.
I plan to buy it but the problems related to wear and tear that you mention now make me hesitate (even though I had taken out the bank card).
So I hesitate with the "dutch lowe alpine sting rucksack". And always under €100.
Are you still satisfied with the bag, despite the problems stated and would you still recommend it as a very good bag, for the long term,
despite its disappointments, with an excellent quality-price ratio?
Thank you for your reply.
Djawed
I would not recommend it for long term, I think it has too many issues, for long term I would save up and get something more modern
@@verysurvival Thanks to you, I haven't lost my money. I took a berghaus crusader, certainly more expensive, but of excellent quality. I wish you good hiking.
Is the pack not worth fixing? change out the friction buckles on the straps...put a normal waist strap buckle, and get a new zipper for that bottom compartment?
I have a British army radio pack (in DPM camo) with 2 side pouches I bought from Varusteleka. It's a nice pack...came in almost new condition. came with an extra harness so you can carry the 2 side pouches (10L each) as a pack on their own...main compartment is about 30L, the radio compartment is about 10L.....so the whole thing with the side pouches comes to about 60L. or take the side pouches off for a 40L pack, or just use the main compartment for a 30L pack. and/or make the other pack with the harness and side pouches for another 20L pack, or don't use the radio part, but use the side pouches for a 50L pack. And when you take off the side pouches (which zip on), you can, if you want, zip the sides closed, and make the main compartment smaller. It has a plastic frame sheet which slides in from the bottom, behind the radio compartment. The only thing I've found wrong with the setup, (besides that it had some mud on it when it came) is one of the snaps holding the plastic frame sheet in, was broken when I got it. but, I think an easy fix. It's such a versatile pack, I love it! Best $62 I ever spend. If you can find one (Varusteleka has been sold out for a while now), I suggest jumping on it, Even at twice the price, in my opinion, it worth it.
this 30L british patrol pack is likely my next purchase.... www.varusteleka.com/en/product/british-patrol-backpack-30-litres-black-surplus/3779
I don’t think it is worth doing repairs
Anyone prefer this or the Dutch 110 Liter military pack? Both are built similar is style but wondering which is better quality. Or the Italian military pack. Thx
Sorry don’t know
20USD= 70lt SADF pattern 83 field pack😎 simple and bulletproof
great!
Good review.
I got one and the assembly is pissing me off I’m pretty sure I’m missing parts
I took mine apart once it is was a massive pain to put it back together
Very Nice Review , Keep going Mate , Webbingbabel
cheers
Cool beans
Thanks. So which (medium) sized rucksack do you like and recommend? Do you know if one can get American made hidden woodsmen in Europe? I’m not great hiker and I worry about straps and irritations.
I am pretty sure Hidden Woodsmen sends to Europe these days, ask Malcolm on his web site or facebook.
facebook.com/profile.php?id=100004085690000
I recommend Karrimor Packs. karrimorsf.com/. I have some reviews on my channel if you look around
Humble Trekker Thank you. Watched your review of the predator. Very good and useful info and I like the design features, apparent robustness and the way you carry it. I will have closer look at karrimor.
But on the upside this pack makes anyone looks like a super Chad pimp so.....win some you loose some. Cool vid
try the zip fix close the puller back down again it may solve yer bottom s bag compartment zip problem get it fully operational again it often works does nothing elses is required
just a pair of pliers close it backup
test it again until the zip coil holds itself again
its just looks like a worn out puller to me!! ok?
I have tried a few fixes, I will give it another go if you reckon I should mate
Humble Trekker yeh just empty that section of pack pull back the fabric to get at the main puller
eye it up
from front sides back
you will see its mouth of puller has slightly opened its mouth on either sides gets prised apart during uses
whenever a zipper does that
its 90% time the jaws of main zipper are prised slightly apart
by the prev user
you just got to reform the jaws back again so as they both look.even as they were to begin with from new dont over close it dont under close the jaws
just evenly
realign them
then test it out
if it has worked yer zip will no longer just pull apart
as the jaws are responsible for the coil tension tight in the zip
so by reclosing the jaw to its original parameters it retensions the zip recloses it again as it should do
this zip pulling apart is just a sign of wear n tear
of the puller
it doesnt mean its a busted zip or does it need or require additional stitching
just a squeeze evenly either sides of the zip pulls jaws evenly so as it retracks again this time under correct tensions!!
:)
Well, now I don't feel that "man, I hate I let them run out" feeling I've had about this ruck when Major Surplus had them for $65 U.S. I was bummed that I didn't buy one when they had them for so cheap. Now that I see the potential pain in the ass this ruck can be, I feel like I dodged a bullet. That's $65 I can put towards the ARWY Dutch military Alpine Saracen 100 + 20 liters ( 100 liter main ruck with 2 10 liter side pouches that can zip together and make an assault pack, much like this ruck, the PLCE Bergen in long back 100 liter main ruck + 2 10 liter side pouches and short back 90 liter main plus the side pouches ( the huge British military Bergen ) that I really want anyway. Coleman's Surplus has the PLCE for $80 U.S., the U.S. GI MOLLE 2 Large Rucksack that comes with tons of MOLLE webbing, a 4000 cubic inch main ruck, and 2 of those huge U.S. GI MOLLE sustainment pouches that can be loaded full of so much gear they look deformed ( 500 cubic inches each, for a total of 5000 cubic inches ) for $80, and a surplus vendor whose name escapes me ATM has the Dutch military Alpine Sting 70 liter ( 50 liter main ruck with 2 10 liter side zip pouches that can make an assault pack ). I'd rather have the Saracen, especially since I stick with surplus gear ( especially for rucks, as mil surplus is generally superior to civilian gear in every way ) and I like rucks that can carry more than I can. If a societal collapse ever happens, you got to have room to carry what you loot, shoot, and kill for.
Anyway, thank you for the informative and honest review. I enjoyed the first part and glad I see what a mere 2 years does to this ruck I thought was so awesome ( I planned on taking it to a seamstress and having her sew a bunch of MOLLE on the ruck and thought it would be a great "carry a ton and MOLLE on another ton" ruck ) I'm glad I watched this video before they came back in stock and I bought one.
bro, you didn't miss out, can do better. maybe for $20 it would be worth a chance.
@@verysurvival You have convinced me, oh English brother. I was looking at some catalogs and saw that Coleman's Surplus has, for $15 more, I can get a U.S. GI MOLLE 2 Large Rucksack, unissued, with frame, straps waist and sternum belts and 2 of those huge sustainment pouches. That's 4000 cubic inches main ruck, another 1000 with the sustainment pouches ( which hold a shit ton of gear and can be overstuffed to where they look kinda deformed, almost like another pouch ) and, for the same price, a ruck I have coveted from your military, the huge, 100 +20 liter PLCE Bergen ( what does PLCE stand for? ). You guys made a winner in designing that bomb-proof ruck. My only gripe with the PLCE Bergen is no MOLLE ( some things you want right there so you don't have to open and contend with the straps of the main ruck. Plus, who wants to root around a huge ruck especially in the dark, to find a piece of kit you really need right now? Here in the Great Smokey Mountains we have cougars, black bear, lots of wildlife that will eat you, so you might want that .454 Casull Magnum handy. Then you have things like extra batteries for a flashlight, or the fleece jacket you brought along since you knew it was going to be chilly that night .)
That's not really a problem because I can go to a junkyard and snip the seat belts on a couple of cars set for the compactor, take the Bergen and seat belts to a seamstress, explain with photos what I'm trying to get, what MOLLE is, where I want MOLLE and how much MOLLE , with the rocket pouches the assault pack is included with the main ruck ( ingenious way of building the assault pack into the main ruck by the way, you just have to adjust the way you pack and fill the rocket pouches with stuff I'd normally carry in the assault pack of my ILBE and I would have a U.S. GI sustainment pouch on each rocket pouch with the MOLLE they would now have. It beats having to buy the assault pack seperately, like I did with my ILBE ( that was an extra $60, plus I had to buy the relatively expensive Source hydration bladder and carrier, as well as the radio pouch. It's all part of that ruck system, so all components should be included for the $180' or something like it, that I paid for the main ruck ). With the U.S. Army large ruck, I would have to buy the assault pack for $90, that's more than the huge main ruck! Unbelievable ). So yeah, I've been leaning towards that huge Bergen. If it will hold a ton of stuff, it will hols a bit, and everything in between, just like my ILBE. I've also been looking for a good, surplus, 3 day military ruck in the 50 to 75 liter range (after some experience with "quality" civilian rucks, which cost way more and are not much better than a high school/college book bag with some MOLLE webbing attached, I will only use surplus rucks ) and the APB03 Assault Pack for my U.S. Marines ILBE, with it's bit of MOLLE almost fills the bill ( and if I found the ILBE Recon Assault Pack that didn't cost a stupid amount of money, it would do the job nicely ( way bigger, more compartments, more MOLLE, I'd be good on rucks ). The U.S. GI MOLLE 2 Medium Rucksack would do but, again, 90 bucks is way to expensive. I've been looking at the Norwegian "Heroes of Telemark" ruck ( $40 in Coleman's ), as I've seen photos of it where it was full to the gills, so it's obviously capable of carrying more than catalogs and websites make it look,. What's your take on it? What surplus rucks would you recommend that aren't crazy expensive, are made of quality materials, plenty of room for 3 to 6 days worth of gear, meds, ammo/mags, food, water, bivy, extra and specialized weapons and explosive, and so on. I don't like the ALICE rucks, so I'm at a loss. I was going to buy the German military Kampfrucksack ( 65 liters and $60 ) but it's soft backed ( not even a frame sheet or aluminum shims ) and watching the video reviews, pretty uncomfortable and German soldiers even say it's a piece of junk ruck. I realize I just wrote you a novel here, but I need a good, mid-size ruck for 3 days afield, yet can be loaded up with 6 days worth of supplies if need be. The Dutch military Alpine Sting is a great 70 liter ( 50 + 20, and it's pouches make the assault pack ) ruck, but they sell out quickly and both Dutch Alpine military rucks generally have some issue like a broken zipper, missing straps, missing buckles, etc....... some I can fix or have fixed inexpensively, some require specialized parts that Varusteleca makes expensive and Swiss Link might straight up screw you over by saying crap like " it would cost more in shipping than it's worth" and other stuff that basically says " we already got your money, so fuck you". Swiss link has done that stuff to people I know. Any suggestions? Thanks and regards ~ Cthulhu
I think you written longest comment ever :-) I'm not sure where to point, surplus gear bought over the internet is always a risk. You might bet one that is smelly and has issues or might get one that hardly used and every thing intact and good working order. it's a bit of a lottery. I have a heroes of telemark pack, and a video on it. You sometimes get bargains from private sales in facebook groups etc look out for a good pack that is hardly used, personally my main Large pack nowadays is Berghaus that I got second hand but hardly used. but there a so many to choose from that I have not even tried. good luck tracking down your ideal set up
@@verysurvival Thank you, sir. I commend you on the good and honest reviews. I even told a guy in a comment section that you aren't paid by companies and/or vendors to review, but spend your hard earned Pounds on this stuff, you don't get free gear, etc......., so a person can always count on your reviews to be honest. I agree that online surplus can be dicey, but that's part of the surplus gear community. Anyway, I thank you my good man ( especially for the warning about the "Belgian Jigsaw" ). Have a good weekend and be careful. I'd love a Berghaus 90 + 20, it's almost like the ARWY Dutch military Alpine Saracen ( would you rate them as good as the military AWRY? ) Your loyal American "Yank" subscriber ~ Cthulhu ;)
Tape up the dangly strap. That's how we fixed the shitty acu rucks they gave us in basic
That’s the way buddy
LOL...
The fucking Bells!!!!
surplus gear is it really worth it?
would you sell it to me?
Where do you live? it would cost alot to post,
belgium :)
You can't get them in Belgium?! ;-) I think you should google for it surely you can find one locally, otherwise: www.varusteleka.com/en/product/belgian-large-rucksack-jigsaw-camo-surplus/19705
I think it would cost about €50 for me send it to belgium so you might as well buy one from the www.varusteleka.com .
This backpack is evil. Had several (15-20) walks of 15-20 km with it, with 15 Kg in. I had wounds After every walks except one, I fitted it perfectly, still don't know how. good for going out of the plane/bus ans drop it 100 meters away.
it's not the most comfortable pack but I've not had that bad experience with it
Humble Trekker try with 15Kg of things in it, you'll change tout mind :D
Anyway they're being replaced by vulcan (in Belgian army)
the time it really rubbed my hips raw was when I did 10K with 35KG
its ugly!! belgian camo duplicates the red soils of belgium it often stands out in uses in any other type of environment the belgian forces dont even like their own camo pattern!
the zipper at the bottom may just be a worn out zipper get a pair of pliers and close back down the metal zipper tramellers that close the zip as whenever a zip pulls apart like this it just a sign that the zip puller isnt closing the spiral lock of the zip so just tighten up the aperture at the metal ends of the zip so as it looks even!
then rezip the zip it should then lock the zip back together fully and also function fully ordinarily once again
many used or worn zippers can be reconditioned put back into services this way!
verastulaken i find very expensive for what is on offer!!
the brit army issue plce or snugpack bergen is a better bet especially if you are forking out 90 on used equipment a brit army plce bergen will cost you only 40 to 45
from derby mills army surplus
uk
igor from.hunchback of notre dame fame should be shouting out & moaning about the bells the bells! not you!!
your a fine upstanding young man!!
without a hump on yer back?
except that ugly bergen!!
i reckon you could be getting as bad as paranoid impatient intolerant of external interferences noise etc as prepared mind 101 !!
i reckon hes got a paranoiacs mental nervousness problem that dude!!
ptsd from one too many tours in iraq!!
calm down the swedish church bells sounded lovely thats whats nice about living in sweden
one day go to church
instead get a close look at them ask the pastor if you can pull them!!
we dont mind seeing your 2 booted feet bouncing up n down!! whilst attached to bell tower ropes
with yer ugly belgian camo pack still on yer back as
as you swear yer head off trying to sabotage them!! as a shocked and disgusted swedish conservative congregation!! looks aghast at your disrespectful angloisms when in rome!!?
you must partake of the culture accept and absorb it
& not throw a wobblers!!
or else heaven forbid
you could ends up like prepared mind 101s host and chanel
he goes apeshit even if he hears a bird!! in the forest or kids playing nearby!!
calm the nerves
all is still good in the garden of eden!!
be grateful you have a local village that still rings it church bells and not an automated recordings!!
:)
yeah I overreacted a bit ;-)
Allow me to clarify some things guys.
The pattern is ugly indeed. Yet no one in the belgian army doubts its effectiveness. And believe me. It's a fairly decent camo.
Then the pattern and its colors have been developed in the 50s as a tropical camouflage. I've actually used it in the congo guys. And i'm absolutely positive on this one, in africa it just blends in perfectly.
I wouldn't want to wear anything else there except maaaybe multicam tropical in thickly vegetated areas. But that stuff gets way too dark when wet.
Then the pack itself... I've used it, abused it, and i hate it! It's heavy, breaks easily and i've gone through a lot of them in the first year i was in. After that we were issued longback bergens in a belgian camo. That was an incredible improvement over these you're reviewing. And somewhat later we were issued berghaus vulcans. And those are just awesome. Since a year or two we're being issued with the berghaus mmps vulcan.
@Florian Ro That's my all time favourite. I even like it over the mmps vulcan for its simplicity, robustness and weight.
We absolutely abuse our vulcans, but at the same time take pride in the way we can fit our shit in it as simple and user friendly as possible. You don't want to be fighting your pack when there's an m2 50cal between your "hump" and your neck :D
The only brand i would consider switching over to if i would have the choice, would maybe be tasmanian tiger. Their stuff is solid, well made and taught out, yet at the same time almost as light as berghaus stuff.
@Florian Ro
Well, it's not that the berghaus mmps crusader is bad. Not by any means. It's just that in my opinion, having all that molle on the front of the pack is completely useless. No one would ever put any pouches there, since it would shift your center of gravity too far back which results in an upgrade in the scale of suckyness during marching, AND gives a tendency to lean all the way forward which is bad for your situational awareness. The only thing you would maybe place there is your insulating foam mat. And you don't need molle to attach that stuff. Then the pack itself is awesome. Simple, strong yet lightweight.
Nice and big sidepouches. Way too many straps all over the place but they're removable so no problem there. The one thing i absolutely love/hate about the mmps stuff is the zippers that close downward. Which makes a lot of sense because sometimes you'd notice back in the day that the sidepouch zippers would get undone for about 5cm (thats about 2 inches for my guys across the atlantic). Not that it ever posed any real problem in my point of view, but it doesn't look good. So they inverted it downward, which means all of the "standard" upward closing zipper sidepouches/medical bags/different carriers we personally purchased, are to be zipped on there inverted. And that's just annoying :D
Glad to help you out. Stick to berghaus, solid choice!
@Florian Ro I've had absolutely ZERO problems carrying my vulcan with loads in excess of 34kg over more than 50km. If you need to cross terrain with a lot of weight over long distances, berghaus is your friend.
All you need now is a decent goretex bivvy to put your sleeping system in and a decent tarp with preattached bungees or thin jungle knots. If you have that stuff, you're basically good to go