UPDATE: folks, check out my friend dominic wentzel's very indepth video on the three packs. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-hWQ6Qf5L4jc.html
I believe what you have is an early first run pack , part of the original design test sets. The main packs had the crappy plastic frames, colouration was slightly different until Specialty Defence narrowed it down to the one you have with the 3 day assault with the more pronounced Tanish brown. Very early fore runner
So I have one from 1997 and I realized that the pattern was different from my other woodland gear. I also noticed that it said Molle not Molle II on the tag. Also the pattern does match my Gen 1 Woodland parka from 1995
Cough cough. I’m not sure what that pack is. At first I thought it might be the extra daypack from the Air Force vector packs but as I got a better look it is not.
In all my travels and from all the bar stools to church pews the one career I’ve never bumped into is “ohh I’m the guy who writes military tags on gear”
quick guide: if it has 1" handle webbing, no antenna ports and two PALS on the side of front pouch is Molle (later known as Molle1) . 2" handle webbing, antenna ports and three pals is Molle 2. However USMC recon/force recon got an assault pack for their FSBE1 kits that had 2" handle webbing, antenna ports but still 2 pals.
LOL I remember that pack from 20 years ago :D The first MOLLE system, then at trial with the USMC. When not used as a parasite pack, clicked to the main ruck, it was supposed to extend that strap down to the single pals webbing just above the claymore pocket and tuck the 2 male Fastex buckles under it. Then if you needed to keep the lid open, on the outside pocket, you could then click those 2 female buckles on them ;D Now, what to do with the 2 male Fastex buckles with no female to click with you may ask? Well, there are 2 loose girls at the bottom of the pack without much to do!
Semper Gumby, made me laugh. That term was all but worn out when I left the service, it was good to see it again after all these years. Semper Fidelis Marine!
I’ve been watching your pack/surplus videos for awhile now and of course have enjoyed them and have been jealous of some of the gear you got your hands on. Never knew the area you were located until watching this video. I’m stationed down here in the panhandle myself and will definitely be looking more closely in the thrift stores! Cheers man and thanks for the vids!
Chinese knockoff crap uses that light green version of woodland a lot. I have a few knockoff bags in that color. That was my guess until getting into the video and, well, the tag concluded it.
My thinking is that the Mystery pack was originally made to be apart of the MOLLE Riflemans Ruck system, I have the ruck just not the woodland patrol pack. Although both the Assault Pack and the Patrol pack will dock down to the riflemans ruck, the Riflemans ruck has a main bag and that sleep system carrier underneath is, two seperate bags. Just my thinking thats all.
then you remember eglin and the yellow river well. when i was a boy growing up on the bay my daddy and i would see you guys doing your thing from our boat as we fished.
Good call. The 'assault pack' for the CFP-90 (circa 1990) was originally mounted on top of the ruck pack then later on the back of it. However, the CFP-90 era assault pack is distinctly different than the MOLLE packs. Always lots of mods before gear becomes 'General Issue' to the troops. This pack seemed to have slipped through the net.
The LBV-88 was modified after initial issue to the 'enhanced' model (major changes) and the NSN was never changed. It's not surprising that after modification (likely from SF field testing) to the 'original MOLLE' design by Natick Army Lab - (then designated MOLLE II after modification) that the NSN wasn't changed. The tag was a great find but they do 'copy' those too. I think your pack is an original 'pre-issue' prototype that may have been issued to an SF group for testing. Finally we know where you're getting all this great and rare gear - on a Spec Ops base store! Thanks for sharing your great finds - Semper Fi brother!
@@renaissancemarinetv3536 I'm a new subscriber in AZ. I don't live near a base and acquire almost all of my 'goods' from reputable mil-surplus retailers with an on-line presence. Although I diligently look for authentic USA military equipment - I'm more of a 'user' than a collector. Surplus stores that are not on-line have a lot less traffic and are a gold mine for rare gear finds. We used to have a few here locally and after I left the Corps I really enjoyed the atmosphere of gun shows and surplus stores. Thank God we still have gun shows! Again - thanks for sharing!
Mystery Pack Nexus Buckles were made in 3/2000; your Patrol Pack looks like buckles were made in 2003 going by the mold marks. I have two M81 Woodland Camo Butt Packs in the TLBS/LBV-88 configuration, one in 1000d Cordura is labelled as a MOLLE BUTT PACK 1997 contract. The other is 500d Cordura.
From your deductive reasoning, you're correct to say it is a MOLLE patrol pack. It's not experimental, but just an older generation of equipment. The coloration difference between the MOLLE and the MOLLE II was that prior to 2000, the colors were that more greenish woodland. This type of woodland, or I call "Old Woodland" had variations between prints. If you look at the MOLLE patrol pack you can see in some place that the green has a border on it, while other spots do not. 2000 and after, the browner colored woodland, or "New Woodland" became standard, with no variations that I am aware of. If you are wonder about the attachment of the MOLLE patrol pack, there were two straps with the female end of the slide release buckle on the top of the "Gen 1" frame. You just attach it to those two buckles and then use the two closure straps of the main pack. In MOLLE II they changed it to the wrap around the frame way. One final note, the padding inside the MOLLE patrol pack is not standard. That was added in by the person who previously had the pack. The original one would be the same as the MOLLE II foam padding. These early gen one did not contain the plastic stiffener.
got a pack,patrol,combat. made in 04,same type of grab handle as yours and only female nextus buckles,made by sds. mine is a square shape with cords down the outside back by the shoulder straps which are same as yours,woodland color 2 pockets ..never saw a pack like this before,maybe a in between alice and molle pack. anyway stay frosty brother semper fi
nice find odds are that pack went to the original molle ruck with one that had the weird ratcheting hip belt system. That pack didn't last long before they made the frame belt combo we know of today. Then they made the assault pack with the wide shoulder straps and tan hardware that is a copy of the ucp and dcu camo assault packs then gen 2 stuff as well as designing the woodland main ruck as a 1 piece system like the ucp with no external sleep system carrier. The dcu camo also got the same treatment. The ratcheting belt system can be seen here 2.bp.blogspot.com/-K9AYYOLu3KI/WM6dwXi-tAI/AAAAAAAAp50/dN0dfSJaXlMWjMkE-CIsrUI4-r6UTTt6gCLcB/s1600/molle%2B1st%2Bgen.-1.jpg
