Skills2Survive it’s a nice pack. I have a bag and some clothes through them and am pleased. The bushcraft line offers a lot at a reasonable price. I hope to see more of their gear offered in the US. I find a lot is available on amazon
Very similar to the specops recon ruck. I’m looking at both for a medium size ruck. A huge downside on this one is I can’t attach to a frame for heavier loads.
Would be sweet to be able to add an Alice frame. I love my Bundeswehr flecktarn ruck (been humping it for a few years) and it is awesome with the framesheet/sleeping pad but you really can't beat a frame on a ruck.
You have a choice. You can get the Matilda ( i have one in alternative green ) its great. I've had it for several years and its held up great. OR you can run your old alice with a 1606MC or 1606AC frame, molle 2 straps and waistbelt with fastex buckles which I also have. If you can get a tailer to remove the webbing and add PAL webbing instead its really great. 👌
Great review! I hadn't seen the Matlida before so that's cool. It looks like all the best parts of an ALICE pack wedded to a modern suspension system. It looks really good. I would like to see a tad more PALS webbing and as you say, a better belt. But you could ditch the included belt and replace it with something like a Hill People Gear Prairie belt.
I agree... I'm going to replace the belt with the Condor one I have, however the Hill People Gear would be a great option as well. Thanks for watching.👍👍😁
Long time fan of the ALICE here myself...how are you doing with this pack so far?..The original AP being made from 420 denier nylon with a double layer on both the bottom of the main bag and pockets is very strong. The steel ladder lock buckles while a bit fidgity are still very reliable and far from being crappy....LOL...imho that is. My only concerns with the matilda (while loosely based on a great design) would be its relatively thin 210 Denier construction...realizing of course that they use a 500 Denier Cordura nylon on the bottom and back of the ruck...but still, i can't but wonder about the abrasion and puncture resistance of the main bag itself...another concern would be the elastic along the edges of the lid...in my experience, these tend to lose their elasticity over time....of course the original AP was far from perfect, But, with mods to the suspension system, such as the hell cat mod...and if a feller insisted...replacing the Steel ladder lock with quick release Fastex style buckles...with it's aluminum frame, which i consider gets way to much hate from gear junkies...The ALICE (bar none) is one of the most loved and copied packs in history. Of course, all that being said, if after using the Matilda for some time, you continue to stand by your opinions of this bag i will certainly give it a try...I see the price has come down a bit and for a hundred bucks...why not!...great review amigo...blessings!...woods
Love my Alice and the "Hellcat" mods. I wish this pack could accept the Alice frame. I agree with the elastic. I'm wondering over time how it will do. That being said, I haven't had any problems with abrasion resistance or anything thus far, only more time will tell. 😁. It's been a great pack so far. As with all of my gear, I will continue to use it and later on I will do a follow-up if any changes. I noticed the price has come down a little as well. Thanks for watching 👍 👍😁
+Skills2Survive Are the pouches on the front removable, so you can use any MOLLE compatible pouches you want? It seems I remember seeing that on an ad for this ruck, as well as there being room ( a few extra loops per side ) to add more pouches beside them. Am I right or am I thinking of another ruck? If you can, I think a couple of the large ( foot wide and 11 inches tall ) sustainment pouches like on the U.S.G.I. MOLLE 2 large ruck would be great additions ( you can really stuff a lot of stuff in those). Do you know the dimensions of and cubic inches of storage space for the main compartment, and is there any internal organization in addition to the frame sheet access and hydration pocket? Looks pretty cool for a medium/weekend ruck, and I much prefer MOLLE to ALICE. In addition, The Helikon-Tex Urban Admin pouches are the perfect size to fit nicely into the large cargo pockets of your camo/BDU pants and make great med bags and general purpose pouches
No, unfortunately you cannot remove the 3 pouches on the front. However there is a bit of mille in each side you can add a small pouch. These pouches are pretty big though. 😁
It’s water resistant like many packs, but not waterproof. If you are going out in the rain for extended periods, then I would suggest a liner as with any pack. 👍👍
Great review. I'm considering a Kifaru waist belt for this pack, which I just ordered tonight from an outfitter in the UK. What's the max width waist belt that this pack can accommodate?
Really a Great Presentation and Review. Realize this Vid is two years old yet, I did a search and you was there. Thank You ! I placed an order for this pack. Pumped to get it. One question you might be able to answer: Is there a way to determine is a metal water container is a single or double wall that will make possible to place directly on a fire. Again Thanks, and keep 'em coming. randall- US Army Vet.
A lot of them are single walled. The ones that a double walled are like the Yeti, Rtic and other thermos type cups and mugs. Those you cannot put into a fire. Thanks for watching and your service 🇺🇸
The best "updated" ALICE pack, in my opinion would be the Spec-Ops Recon Ruck. It is setup basically the same way and will accept the ALICE frame or a FILBE frame. Only issue I have with it is no pass through rear pockets like the ALICE pack.
No. The Alice pack has a sleeve at the top that slides over the frame, this pack does not. It would be awesome if you could attach it to an Alice frame.