Good job! As an arctic trained soldier for seven years, we wore wool socks, 3ea, 1 pair on, one pair in your cargo pocket, one in your Alice pack. Socks were changed frequently because they soaked up sweat in vb boots, or got wet crossing water. The wet socks were rung out and swapped out with the cargo pair. Net to your body they got partially dry. At night they went into your sleeping bag to dry and the dry alice pocket pair on your feet to sleep. They were always in rotation. Good teaching!
I love my ALICE pack!! Was an arctic paratrooper in the 80’s and the Alice large was our standard issue ruck. 40 years later when i ruck for fitness or go camping my ALICE pack is still my go to pack.
It's actually really inspiring that someone who spends their life rucking and camping is still so enthusiastic about doing it in their spare time too :)
I picked up a large Alice pack with frame in a yard sale from a mans son. His father was a Vietnam veteran. It was in perfect condition. It was way too cheap could not pass it up. Have it ready to go as a bug out bag if needed. My weight is 20 lbs minus my sleeping gear ( which is a MMSS. New surplus’s purchase) I am 70 years old and that is about all I want to carry and I certainly hope I never have to hike far and especially not fast. It is a great system.
Love my ALICE, large, 1 ea. The only thing I changed was the shoulder straps. I put on the MOLLE shoulder straps and hip pad on mine. I retired in 05 and I have had my ruck since the 90s. Love it.
Wore out/broke my Leatherman supertool (Collectors Items today). Sent to Leatherman HQ Portland. Said they don't make replacement parts for the 1st editions. They sent me a new Wingman (free of course). The Wingman has a pocket clip, and is much more handy than the pouch/belt loop. Highly recommend the Wingman, very tough. I use it EDC for mechanic work, no issues for 2 years.
As an experienced winter hiker/camper in my younger days I completely agree with your assessment and recommendations! I would only add that you should mention that you should take your boots into the sleeping bag too- otherwise they will be two ice cold bricks in the morning! Ask me how I know! LOL
I have that same miltec hatchet! Love it! Got it at a surplus store while I was in Norway for 3.5 years! I had to do a field repair on it once, the rubber handle came off and I used pine tar pitch to 'glue' it back on. That field fix has held up ever since LOL
Worked NYC EMS for 7 years and fought wildfires a few seasons- I still remember the misery of being spiked out on an active fire for 2 weeks in the same clothes, no baby wipes and no sleep equipment. We did, however, get MREs dropped to us by helicopter. My daughter asked me the other day why I was always ready for emergencies. You know the look I gave her. Thanks for the vid- just dug out my old Alice last night and am transferring my SHTF gear into it because, well, my old fire pack is nothing but a glorified butt pack
I prefer to use the medium alice rucksack for both summer and winter adventures. If you want go lighter, you can replace the wet weather bag with a white 3 mil contractor trash bag. It's easier to find stuff in the dark with a red light when you have a white rather black bag. Also, in that radio pouch on the inside of the rucksack is where I keep my ditty bag, headlamp, and first aid kit. Great video
Baby wipes without a doubt...so important! I dont hit the trail for even a day hike without a package of One Wipe Charlie's! Dollar Shave Club sells them if you aren't familiar. About the only mens shave supplier you can trust anymore.😋 Great video and thanks for your service buddy!!!
@Hello Newman Hahaha! A puzzle piece closer to the eternal mystery of items woman stow in their bags! For reference sake, in the south of England this is called a ''Cat lick'' or ''Travelling Gentleman's wash'' Pahahaha.
Thanks for your service and thanks for showing what you carry in your Alice pack. I have the large and medium Alice packs. Trying to figure out the best set up for backpacking or a bugout bag. I like these packs since they have pockets to organize your gear and are built to last.
My boyfriend has a setup for both backpacking and if need be a seven day survival bag in his large pack and the items change with the seasons and in Oklahoma which is summer and winter lol, but its generally sleeping system, water and water purification tablets, the fire making sources besides a zippo he carries daily, three changes of clothes, baby wipes as mentioned in this video, a pistol with extra mags and about 400 extra rounds, a rifle that fires the same ammo as his pistol, shovel, axes, water bladder, a large tarp, maps, compass, food and diapers for our son also all his clothes as well I carry clothes a pistol and ammo and mostly food and water and medical stuff, one tip if you're making a bug out bag is to keep a small backpack or bag between you and the alice frame with some medical stuff ammo and clothes also water and food for the scenario of if your camp is discovered you have a ready bag to grab and run with me if worst case you have to leave the main bag behind until you can either get back after the threat has left or you can scavenge some more, but thats just what my boyfriend does its definitely heavy but practice carrying it and keep in mind that thats your lifeline and you could carry anything lol hope this helps you stay safe and vigilant Jeff and have fun hiking
Same as the Marine Corp's. I finally bit the bullet so to speak and went back to the ALICE pack muself. Medium woodland camo type. But I fell in love with the 1606 MC frame, great video and welcome home. Former 0311 1st Btl 3rd Marines.
I just bought a Marpat ALICE. I'm in love with it. It's basically brand spanking new, smells fresh and everything. Supposedly, the Albanian Army ordered a bunch of them but never took 'em. I'm UK but know a bunch about these things, the price of the pack here is basically cheaper than British service Bergen's which absolutely fucking suck. They hurt so gdamn much. The ALICE, while still wieldy, is much more modular in terms of padding and space, I had to get it. I tested some Molle packs that were just awful before, I just had to get the ALICE after hearing so many ex-service in the US who had both say that it was just better, even if it was a little uncomfortable. Sorry for the long rant but I love these kinds of videos
Great video and learned a lot. Used the medium ALICE pack with frame in the couple of scout trips I did. And I used it in SAR callouts as well. For SAR, we used the pockets to hold first aid, survival and mission gear like radio , gps and signalling. I used the main bag to hold gear like my M-3 medic bag, rescue gear and so on. I would attach my sleeping bag and rolled up stretcher to the bottom of the bag. Over the entire bag, I would have a neon yellow vest I cut up to be a hi vis panel for visibility. I would also carry a chest rig with search gear, ifak and so on.
Very close to my ALICE set up and I wasn’t infantry. I was aviation. I added the ALICE saw pouches to the sides to hold baby wipes and shit tickets in one, and fire starting Kit in the other. That’s really the only difference.
Here in Germany a lot of people call "Mil-Tec" "Müll-Tec", "Müll" is the german word for "trash". Mil-Tec is cheap, but sometimes the quality isn´t good. But they also have some good stuff. I own a few Mil-Tec products and they work very well.
Yeah, Decathlon is fantastic, I have a rain coat over 10 years old, it's covered in scratches from thorn bushes, wire ect. never got an actual rip. It's just starting to give up the ghost, won't rewaterproof. Got another for half the price of a good name brand coat, there's another 10 years sorted. Fantastic cheaper base layers you can just throw away when they start to stink without breaking the bank. Between them and surplus you can't go too far wrong in Europe.
Living in the Canadian boreal harsh winter here, I agree with synthetic , I got a lot of wool cloths,, but I prefer to wear my synthetics, very comfy , warm, and dry very fast.. But I mostly wear wool socks .. I will check out the ECW CS gen7 waffle.. Looks comfy.. My gear is typically mixed with US & Canadian army. I just discovered your awesome channel, nice stuff.. Thanks Grunt Proof!!
I know you said that the Ka-Bar had sentimental value, and it does to me too. Yours looks like an aftermarket version, unless they've improved since my days, but you wouldn't believe how many broken Ka-Bars I've seen in my time in the Marine Corps. Granted we we pretty rough on our stuff but there is so much better out there for not much more money. Usually broken tips but plenty of them broke right at the guard/handle. When you said splitting firewood (batoning with a rock) I kind of laughed and said that knife ain't long for this world.
In the event of stomach problems from bad water etc. Imodium is one of the very few treatments that can get you going and holding down food and liquids. Wall fart has generic for about $1.00 per doz. I throw them in first aid kit and with chlorine/iodine, sawyer filter kits.
This was a great review of what you carry. I know on sleeping bags people like to have the comfort of sleeping like they are at home, but bags are rated as far as comfort level with your clothes actually on. So those that don't like sleeping with clothes on need to remember that fact. Looked up those French Mittens and found them but I don't speak or read it, but I think they were 13 Francs.
Wow amazing, i love that rucksack, so much stuff to carry, and those gloves are great, i love gloves. I can see why you must do so much fitness to prepare you to carry everything, ive heard with rucksack, weapons etc. You can carry 100 pounds or more, which is unreal, very informative.
European here, first time I hear an American talk about Dechatlon and Solognac: all true, their stuff is good an affordable (I even have the same camping stove shown in the video) and it's the go to sporting goods store in many European countries.
Perhaps it is a good option to change the camel bag, for the scrubba wash bag black, because it is used to wash clothes, as a dry bag, a wet bag and a shower, whatever, I would like to hear your opinion.
Great Vid Brother.I subscribed. One tip though. Store that battery Seperate from ur Steelwool..i burnt the whole left side of my medium ALICE out a few years back...
I have a large ALICE that’s around 40 years old. First half of its life it was used very often. But it’s only been used rarely over the past 20 years, however everything is in working order and it’s still ready to go after all these years.
I have my KBar and it takes care of most of my needs. I only have my Leatherman of tool needs. I HAD an M9. That thing was a POS. Luckily some idiot bought it for more than I paid for it. To me the KBar is TOPS. Buy it, use it, LOVE it.
New subscriber. From the late 70's- I had a 1stSgt that slept with his boots on and tied his sleeping bag to his pack. He spent time with SOG and his punches hurt.
+ Absolute Veteran You earned a subscriber when you mentioned lots of ammo. So many people don't realize how much ammo you can burn even breaking contact with a superior force. What I like to do is use a kitchen/food vacuum sealer and the rolls of Mylar for it to make bags the sizes I want, pack them with various amounts of what I carry ( usually .45 ACP and 7.62x39[I'm a total AKM guy] and use masking tape and Sharpie to label each bag as to how many rounds of what caliber, type, etc....... of ammo to reload all of my rifle and pistol mags at least once ). Personally, I prefer MOLLE to ALICE, but it's preference I guess. I like to pack a military solar shower ( rolls up to almost nothing ) and use a Dollar store shower curtain liner for a ground/sleeping bag cover. Cool video, but I have to ask, why does not a single ALICE ruck guy mention the flap pocket ( I've seen pictures of them packed so full of stuff they look deformed ) and the ability to use the pouch backs as sleeves and frame to carry more gear? This is coming from an ILBE guy, so I guess I don't understand peoples' attraction to the ALICE ruck. Good video tho, and glad to see that someone mentions the need for lots of ammo ( plus lots of meds in my case. When you have nasty, chronic pain and panic disorder, you don't screw around when it comes to meds :) ). Enjoyed the vid, bro
Thanks man! I carried a ton in Ramadi and it would go frighteningly fast. I am planning a more in-depth ALICEA video, as this was more of a gear dump. Then I'll address what other guys are missing. Thanks for the input and support!
I got a basically free Medium Alice pack from a FB marketplace purchase of a bunch of gear I bought. Free meaning i got $400 worth of issued OCP gear + medium ruck for $70 from a guy who just wanted his stuff gone. I'm starting to like it more than my Molle Medium ruck becasue I put the Molle large ruck shoulder straps on it and the Molle medium ruck waist pad on it. and its absolutely solid compared to the LC-2 straps and kidney pad. Crazy how these packs just work even though the design is from the 70s.
One of THE best peice of equipment I have is a German snipers sleeping bag , it comes with pop out armes and it has a heady duty zipper that allows you to kick your feet out and dedemow at a moment's notice, very nice piece of eq if you in a hide for awhile but might have to ski dadle asap .
I own a ton of US Military gear, including everything you showed. However, I would love to own one of those ECWCS set,. That I don’t have. The Southern part of my country (Brazil) can be pretty cold in the winter time. Loved your video. Thank you.
Lots of truth in here. Will be packing my ALICE Medium a bit sparser but very similar. Thanks for the tip on the gloves, I'm still using my black leather work gloves and roughouts from Illinois Company. Subbed.
First americanIi see talking about Decathlon ! It's french indeed and Solognac (which you pronounced well the second time) is one of their underbrand. Most french servicemen and servicewomen get all of their cheap practical gear from Decathlon :) Super cool video !
Ha ! that's great to see how the professionals do it. I'm trying to get all my camping gear including my hammock and tarp set up and Canadian military down bag (for civilian camping) into my Canadian Military rucksack and valise combo. It's similar in looks and size as your med Alice pack. It's a bit of a challenge. Ruck on Mr. GP
K-Bar is a good knife. I have one that is about 35 years old. Holds an edge. Plus a USN Mk 3 Mod 0 knife and several others. You know, 2 is 1 and 1 is none. GI for the most part is constructed hold under rigorous conditions. I have a couple of 30+ year old ALICE rucks. Still in good condition.
15 years? Oh you whipper snapper lol . I got out in 85, went and bought one at a local army Navy store, used, but in good shape. Lc1 . With frame. Think I paid 20 bucks. Still have it. Just found out about how to re rubberize the inside of the cover with flex seal and od paint. Like practically new. Well, kind of lol. But still good enough to use. Thanks for this video. I'm use mine for camping too.
you pack the softer items first and then the metal or plastic ones. it makes it a lot nicer not to have hard metal objects sticking you in the back. that is how you pack any backpack. it just takes common sense, not a degree in mechanical engineering. if you have to let someone show you how to do it you should never leave your domicile. ( that is the place you in.)
Alice is hard to get in Czech Republic. The frame is actually all I wanted. I'd paylike $200 with the shipping. I chose to carry a car battery, even two of them for two miles for 3 days to a car and back and it was a pain to carry on one shoulder. It sucked in a military style, a nice exercise but undignified when you know there's a frame you can carry a man on 😀
I hated my issued pancake shaped arctic canteen and replaced it with old army ww2 metal canteen. The arctic canteen always froze and you couldn't stand it up on the stove to thaw. I put the plug and stopper from it on the old army canteen and worked great.
as a Marine 03 from the 80's including Recon, then Army Light Infantry, I have WAY too much time with my large Alice (which I still have). A trick to the smell on the WP bag is to turn it inside out......
Just got mine it’s a medium and for what I need it for camping and the fire department and working hurricanes. I think this bag is gonna be great. I only paid 25 bucks for it and a couple of guys that served in the military looked at it and said this bag is in mint condition.
As European is refreshing seeing an American man have decatlon stuff, like he said decatlon is a very big thing in Europe for basically all type of sports and outdoor activities
@@GruntProof btw I just bought a large alice and I can say fire sure it is the best surplus backpack for basically alla outdoor activity . Big , sturdy , cool and cheap as fuck
Thanks looks to like you have it wired. This is 2022 so a little time as gone by. I am trying to build a system that will do both the outdoor stuff and military thing. So thanks again for the ideas .
@@idiosamaal-fajita3768 I'm only asking because I watch a lot of these kind of channels and it seems like they always mention having the Motrin on hand. I guess I thought too much about it and too far into it. I thought maybe it could be crushed up and MacGyvered into something for survival like a fire starter or for a chemical reaction. Last thing I thought about was for it's intended use. Guess we're old and need it after a ruck. Lol
It Reminds me of my days in the Corps(kor)back in the day. 82-88. When I joined the navy reserves as a seabee we were issued a different pack and the new sleep system.
Yeah I know Motrin 800. The USMC decided I needed dumbed down at boot and a Navy dentist removed my wisdom teeth. She fucked em up too, had to have the work redone 20 years later. Anyway they gave me Motrin 800's for pain. At the time they were a prescription med.
Thanks for the Idee with bungee on the Rucksack. This is brilliant. I got my Alice Packpack a coupel a Day a go. Be impressed what I can do with that stuff. And even the weight are quite decent balanced. I was my self in the German Army in a Signal Bat. Is was funny times. Greetings form Heidelberg Germany 🍻
I have the same wet weather bag and it's over 30 years old. It does stink like the small bags for the Alice pack. The lining black rubber also biodegrades and black flakes are now all that's left of the lining even though it still looks almost new on the outside. I know, what do you expect after 30 years.
I'm just glad I found a guy who appreciates serrations in a knife as much as I do! Just curious, what do you bring with you for a knife sharpener? Good video man. Thanks 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
@@scottlin7876 Have been using them for years around the Kitchen and rest of the house. Carried a few on the Company Truck also, when I was working Construction.
Get the MSS sleep system carrier bag/pouch attach it to the bottom of the ALICE pack with large zip ties or the compression bag from the MSS attach it to the top maybe just feed the ALICE straps through the compression bag either work better than having a sleeping bag inside your ALICE pack.
Hey Grunt Proof i really enjoy your videos and i have gotten interested in rucking and particularly getting a legit alice pack not only fitness but camping. Where is the best place to buy legit surplus packs with frames ik Sportsman guide sells the packs but no frames
Thanks man! Well my usual camping weight is around 52 lbs. So I just decide what weight I'm gonna ruck with and take out stuff. I don't ruck with anything over 45 lbs. And I also remove everything off the outside, so nothing is bouncing around while I'm moving.
@@jonmnelson yea they have a great program! I never understood the point in buying a ruck just for the sport though. Especially when an ALICE costs 50-60 bucks and will last forever.
How do you prefer to do your shelter? Poncho shelter seems to be the most popular amongst mil guys cause carrying a tent just doesn't seem practical considering all the other gear needs.
Educational! So, is there a better one between ALICA and Molle? Better, do you prefer one over the other? I should think the Molle might be better in stealth sine the frame is plastic, not metal? Valid, or is there something else to make you choose one over the better?
Good vid. Do you think the large ALICE pack is good for long-term survival? There are some UA-cam channels who say the ALICE pack sucks for long rucks. I've been looking at British Bergens/rucksacks (120L) with internal frames. Thanks for your service.
Thanks. If you want it made in France where they're from and not china or something then I suggest using decathlon.de or decathlon.fr and just putting it in english. There's no import fees to the US
Bought my pack at the stock yard in Wallace for 15 bucks. I love this pack wish I had one when I was in scouts 😂 she’s a little fun faded but every button snaps and no tears!
@@GruntProof Well, you gotta know how to hunt and prepare game, fish, forage, collect/filter/purify water, and have the equipment/gear to do it. Even with an ILBE with the assault pack attached ( or some other huge ruck ), and stuff MOLLE'd all on it, there isn't a way to carry enough food and water to keep you strong and combat/survival/land navigation effective for an extended survival foray, especially considering all the tons of drugs/meds, weapons, ammo/mags, trauma kit ( a real, full one, not those people that pack a "booboo" kit and say " here's my IFAK, it's got bandaids, gauze pads, ibuprofen and chapstick". You've seen them ), and gear you need in the field which is too numerous to list here, especially when you don't have the military making supply drops and you have what you bring plus your skills. I'm guessing you've been there and done that :)
for your fire starting try cotton balls with vasilean mixed together. put it in a zip lock baggie. and get a lighter or matches. your good to go. light weight and compact. have you done a boot review? ar-670-1 compliant please.
Here is my updated loadout:
ua-cam.com/video/I1KirxSNMW0/v-deo.html
Good job! As an arctic trained soldier for seven years, we wore wool socks, 3ea, 1 pair on, one pair in your cargo pocket, one in your Alice pack. Socks were changed frequently because they soaked up sweat in vb boots, or got wet crossing water. The wet socks were rung out and swapped out with the cargo pair. Net to your body they got partially dry. At night they went into your sleeping bag to dry and the dry alice pocket pair on your feet to sleep. They were always in rotation. Good teaching!
Great info! Thanks
I love my ALICE pack!! Was an arctic paratrooper in the 80’s and the Alice large was our standard issue ruck. 40 years later when i ruck for fitness or go camping my ALICE pack is still my go to pack.
THIS is one of the best equipment channels out there. Real life usage and real life reviews. Awesome. Thank you.
Thanks!
It's actually really inspiring that someone who spends their life rucking and camping is still so enthusiastic about doing it in their spare time too :)
Always!
I picked up a large Alice pack with frame in a yard sale from a mans son. His father was a Vietnam veteran. It was in perfect condition. It was way too cheap could not pass it up. Have it ready to go as a bug out bag if needed. My weight is 20 lbs minus my sleeping gear ( which is a MMSS. New surplus’s purchase) I am 70 years old and that is about all I want to carry and I certainly hope I never have to hike far and especially not fast. It is a great system.
Love my ALICE, large, 1 ea. The only thing I changed was the shoulder straps. I put on the MOLLE shoulder straps and hip pad on mine. I retired in 05 and I have had my ruck since the 90s. Love it.
Wore out/broke my Leatherman supertool (Collectors Items today). Sent to Leatherman HQ Portland. Said they don't make replacement parts for the 1st editions. They sent me a new Wingman (free of course). The Wingman has a pocket clip, and is much more handy than the pouch/belt loop. Highly recommend the Wingman, very tough. I use it EDC for mechanic work, no issues for 2 years.
As an experienced winter hiker/camper in my younger days I completely agree with your assessment and recommendations! I would only add that you should mention that you should take your boots into the sleeping bag too- otherwise they will be two ice cold bricks in the morning! Ask me how I know! LOL
I have that same miltec hatchet! Love it! Got it at a surplus store while I was in Norway for 3.5 years! I had to do a field repair on it once, the rubber handle came off and I used pine tar pitch to 'glue' it back on. That field fix has held up ever since LOL
Worked NYC EMS for 7 years and fought wildfires a few seasons- I still remember the misery of being spiked out on an active fire for 2 weeks in the same clothes, no baby wipes and no sleep equipment. We did, however, get MREs dropped to us by helicopter. My daughter asked me the other day why I was always ready for emergencies. You know the look I gave her. Thanks for the vid- just dug out my old Alice last night and am transferring my SHTF gear into it because, well, my old fire pack is nothing but a glorified butt pack
Wow man thanks for sharing, and thanks for serving!
Just a thought. I might wrap the 9V battery in electrical tape to stop it from accidently igniting your steel wool scrub pad.
I prefer to use the medium alice rucksack for both summer and winter adventures. If you want go lighter, you can replace the wet weather bag with a white 3 mil contractor trash bag. It's easier to find stuff in the dark with a red light when you have a white rather black bag. Also, in that radio pouch on the inside of the rucksack is where I keep my ditty bag, headlamp, and first aid kit. Great video
Cool! Thanks for sharing
I love baby wipes! How about communication devices, maps for navigation and thought on how to resupply all necessary items.
Wow, so much information! Thanks for another great video man!
Thanks man!
Baby wipes without a doubt...so important! I dont hit the trail for even a day hike without a package of One Wipe Charlie's! Dollar Shave Club sells them if you aren't familiar. About the only mens shave supplier you can trust anymore.😋
Great video and thanks for your service buddy!!!
Cool thanks for the tip!
@Hello Newman Hahaha! A puzzle piece closer to the eternal mystery of items woman stow in their bags! For reference sake, in the south of England this is called a ''Cat lick'' or ''Travelling Gentleman's wash'' Pahahaha.
@@7VSF-SR72-OA-X33 cat licks.... I love that! You made me grin. Thanks.
This is great, showing newbies that not dying outside doesn't have to cost dozens of hundreds of money.
Thanks for your service and thanks for showing what you carry in your Alice pack. I have the large and medium Alice packs. Trying to figure out the best set up for backpacking or a bugout bag. I like these packs since they have pockets to organize your gear and are built to last.
My boyfriend has a setup for both backpacking and if need be a seven day survival bag in his large pack and the items change with the seasons and in Oklahoma which is summer and winter lol, but its generally sleeping system, water and water purification tablets, the fire making sources besides a zippo he carries daily, three changes of clothes, baby wipes as mentioned in this video, a pistol with extra mags and about 400 extra rounds, a rifle that fires the same ammo as his pistol, shovel, axes, water bladder, a large tarp, maps, compass, food and diapers for our son also all his clothes as well I carry clothes a pistol and ammo and mostly food and water and medical stuff, one tip if you're making a bug out bag is to keep a small backpack or bag between you and the alice frame with some medical stuff ammo and clothes also water and food for the scenario of if your camp is discovered you have a ready bag to grab and run with me if worst case you have to leave the main bag behind until you can either get back after the threat has left or you can scavenge some more, but thats just what my boyfriend does its definitely heavy but practice carrying it and keep in mind that thats your lifeline and you could carry anything lol hope this helps you stay safe and vigilant Jeff and have fun hiking
@@nicholecrouch311 Thanks for the tips Nichole
Same as the Marine Corp's. I finally bit the bullet so to speak and went back to the ALICE pack muself. Medium woodland camo type. But I fell in love with the 1606 MC frame, great video and welcome home. Former 0311 1st Btl 3rd Marines.
I just bought a Marpat ALICE. I'm in love with it. It's basically brand spanking new, smells fresh and everything. Supposedly, the Albanian Army ordered a bunch of them but never took 'em. I'm UK but know a bunch about these things, the price of the pack here is basically cheaper than British service Bergen's which absolutely fucking suck. They hurt so gdamn much. The ALICE, while still wieldy, is much more modular in terms of padding and space, I had to get it. I tested some Molle packs that were just awful before, I just had to get the ALICE after hearing so many ex-service in the US who had both say that it was just better, even if it was a little uncomfortable. Sorry for the long rant but I love these kinds of videos
Thank you for your service and the information!
Great video and learned a lot. Used the medium ALICE pack with frame in the couple of scout trips I did. And I used it in SAR callouts as well. For SAR, we used the pockets to hold first aid, survival and mission gear like radio , gps and signalling. I used the main bag to hold gear like my M-3 medic bag, rescue gear and so on. I would attach my sleeping bag and rolled up stretcher to the bottom of the bag. Over the entire bag, I would have a neon yellow vest I cut up to be a hi vis panel for visibility. I would also carry a chest rig with search gear, ifak and so on.
Very close to my ALICE set up and I wasn’t infantry. I was aviation. I added the ALICE saw pouches to the sides to hold baby wipes and shit tickets in one, and fire starting Kit in the other. That’s really the only difference.
Here in Germany a lot of people call "Mil-Tec" "Müll-Tec", "Müll" is the german word for "trash".
Mil-Tec is cheap, but sometimes the quality isn´t good. But they also have some good stuff. I own a few Mil-Tec products and they work very well.
Ja ich verstehe! I dropped that hatchet the next winter: too heavy, crappy balance, and un-machinable
Thanks. Retired USMC/USN since 1995. Can always learn something new better.
Yeah, Decathlon is fantastic, I have a rain coat over 10 years old, it's covered in scratches from thorn bushes, wire ect. never got an actual rip. It's just starting to give up the ghost, won't rewaterproof. Got another for half the price of a good name brand coat, there's another 10 years sorted. Fantastic cheaper base layers you can just throw away when they start to stink without breaking the bank. Between them and surplus you can't go too far wrong in Europe.
Living in the Canadian boreal harsh winter here, I agree with synthetic , I got a lot of wool cloths,, but I prefer to wear my synthetics, very comfy , warm, and dry very fast.. But I mostly wear wool socks .. I will check out the ECW CS gen7 waffle.. Looks comfy.. My gear is typically mixed with US & Canadian army. I just discovered your awesome channel, nice stuff.. Thanks Grunt Proof!!
I agree about the Kbar. The story of the company is interesting too. Thx.
.
I know you said that the Ka-Bar had sentimental value, and it does to me too. Yours looks like an aftermarket version, unless they've improved since my days, but you wouldn't believe how many broken Ka-Bars I've seen in my time in the Marine Corps. Granted we we pretty rough on our stuff but there is so much better out there for not much more money. Usually broken tips but plenty of them broke right at the guard/handle. When you said splitting firewood (batoning with a rock) I kind of laughed and said that knife ain't long for this world.
This is post USMC issue
@@GruntProof Alright Army Dog!!!
Great info! Practical, efficient, and sufficient! Keep up the great work!
Appreciate your service and sharing your experience behind the gear and actually using it!!! KISS.
Thanks man!
Love that you have a woobie as a sofa throw 😂
Sniper scarf, can be used as a sweat rag, arm sling, large bandage wrap, neck warmer, blindfold, camo cover the alice.(Water Board).
Thank you for your service
In the event of stomach problems from bad water etc. Imodium is one of the very few treatments that can get you going and holding down food and liquids. Wall fart has generic for about $1.00 per doz. I throw them in first aid kit and with chlorine/iodine, sawyer filter kits.
This was a great review of what you carry. I know on sleeping bags people like to have the comfort of sleeping like they are at home, but bags are rated as far as comfort level with your clothes actually on. So those that don't like sleeping with clothes on need to remember that fact. Looked up those French Mittens and found them but I don't speak or read it, but I think they were 13 Francs.
Really great video man! And so true. Duct tape is so much more effective than 100mph tape.
Thanks!
Ordnance tape, used to tape the safety wires to bomb fuses so they won't arm till dropped, jets fly faster than 100mph.
Wow amazing, i love that rucksack, so much stuff to carry, and those gloves are great, i love gloves. I can see why you must do so much fitness to prepare you to carry everything, ive heard with rucksack, weapons etc. You can carry 100 pounds or more, which is unreal, very informative.
European here, first time I hear an American talk about Dechatlon and Solognac: all true, their stuff is good an affordable (I even have the same camping stove shown in the video) and it's the go to sporting goods store in many European countries.
Perhaps it is a good option to change the camel bag, for the scrubba wash bag black, because it is used to wash clothes, as a dry bag, a wet bag and a shower, whatever, I would like to hear your opinion.
Great Vid Brother.I subscribed.
One tip though.
Store that battery Seperate from ur Steelwool..i burnt the whole left side of my medium ALICE out a few years back...
Ha ha, thanks man! The batt is covered with duct tape to prevent that
@@GruntProof yeah.
If only i had remembered to do that.😂
@@MWoodslore I usually learn the hard way but the command center must have been online that day
@@GruntProof Do more Vids on A.L.I.C.E. gear..The currant selection on the Tube is Stail as Hell.With most guys packing the whole damn House in A Ruck
Yea I've been meaning to break out the ole pistol belt. I still use my issue canteen, cup, and ALICE pouch for it
I discovered that a tarp fits extremely well between the external frame and rucksack. Were you have the bunjy cord.
That's where I keep my poncho .
I have a large ALICE that’s around 40 years old. First half of its life it was used very often. But it’s only been used rarely over the past 20 years, however everything is in working order and it’s still ready to go after all these years.
Those gloves are badass!!!!
Great info!!! Going through all my camping gear trying to cut down on the unnecessary farkles and only pack what I actually need!!! This helps!!
I dont mind being "that guy" when it comes to knives, i say the more the better
I’ve got like 4-5 blades on me most of the time.
3 in civvies. ~dozen in full kit, but some are tools. Remember, even screwdrivers are just specialized "blades."
I have my KBar and it takes care of most of my needs. I only have my Leatherman of tool needs. I HAD an M9. That thing was a POS. Luckily some idiot bought it for more than I paid for it. To me the KBar is TOPS. Buy it, use it, LOVE it.
I'm "that guy" when it comes to knives. I'm like the Dark knight joker when it comes to knives. EDC, camping, tactical , etc, and whatever where ever.
I like the idea of using tealights for starting a fire. Great idea!!
New subscriber. From the late 70's- I had a 1stSgt that slept with his boots on and tied his sleeping bag to his pack. He spent time with SOG and his punches hurt.
Alice pack. The ultimate rucksack ever!!! I have the large and medium. Still brand new!!
+ Absolute Veteran You earned a subscriber when you mentioned lots of ammo. So many people don't realize how much ammo you can burn even breaking contact with a superior force. What I like to do is use a kitchen/food vacuum sealer and the rolls of Mylar for it to make bags the sizes I want, pack them with various amounts of what I carry ( usually .45 ACP and 7.62x39[I'm a total AKM guy] and use masking tape and Sharpie to label each bag as to how many rounds of what caliber, type, etc....... of ammo to reload all of my rifle and pistol mags at least once ). Personally, I prefer MOLLE to ALICE, but it's preference I guess. I like to pack a military solar shower ( rolls up to almost nothing ) and use a Dollar store shower curtain liner for a ground/sleeping bag cover. Cool video, but I have to ask, why does not a single ALICE ruck guy mention the flap pocket ( I've seen pictures of them packed so full of stuff they look deformed ) and the ability to use the pouch backs as sleeves and frame to carry more gear? This is coming from an ILBE guy, so I guess I don't understand peoples' attraction to the ALICE ruck. Good video tho, and glad to see that someone mentions the need for lots of ammo ( plus lots of meds in my case. When you have nasty, chronic pain and panic disorder, you don't screw around when it comes to meds :) ). Enjoyed the vid, bro
Thanks man! I carried a ton in Ramadi and it would go frighteningly fast. I am planning a more in-depth ALICEA video, as this was more of a gear dump. Then I'll address what other guys are missing. Thanks for the input and support!
I got a basically free Medium Alice pack from a FB marketplace purchase of a bunch of gear I bought. Free meaning i got $400 worth of issued OCP gear + medium ruck for $70 from a guy who just wanted his stuff gone. I'm starting to like it more than my Molle Medium ruck becasue I put the Molle large ruck shoulder straps on it and the Molle medium ruck waist pad on it. and its absolutely solid compared to the LC-2 straps and kidney pad. Crazy how these packs just work even though the design is from the 70s.
Your videos are outstanding! To the point, informative and funny. Please keep it up
Thanks a lot!
One of THE best peice of equipment I have is a German snipers sleeping bag , it comes with pop out armes and it has a heady duty zipper that allows you to kick your feet out and dedemow at a moment's notice, very nice piece of eq if you in a hide for awhile but might have to ski dadle asap .
GP, Great video. Thanks for sharing. Keep up the great work. :)
I own a ton of US Military gear, including everything you showed. However, I would love to own one of those ECWCS set,. That I don’t have. The Southern part of my country (Brazil) can be pretty cold in the winter time. Loved your video. Thank you.
Thank you! Shame, I just gave away some base layers. Keep an eye out for my military surplus giveaways. You might see something you need.
@@GruntProof Sure thing bud, Thanks for your service by the way.
Luv your pack, and thank you for your service 👍🏻🇺🇸
Thanks for the support!
Lots of truth in here. Will be packing my ALICE Medium a bit sparser but very similar. Thanks for the tip on the gloves, I'm still using my black leather work gloves and roughouts from Illinois Company. Subbed.
Cool thanks!
First americanIi see talking about Decathlon !
It's french indeed and Solognac (which you pronounced well the second time) is one of their underbrand. Most french servicemen and servicewomen get all of their cheap practical gear from Decathlon :)
Super cool video !
I love them!
Ha ! that's great to see how the professionals do it. I'm trying to get all my camping gear including my hammock and tarp set up and Canadian military down bag (for civilian camping) into my Canadian Military rucksack and valise combo. It's similar in looks and size as your med Alice pack. It's a bit of a challenge. Ruck on Mr. GP
K-Bar is a good knife. I have one that is about 35 years old. Holds an edge. Plus a USN Mk 3 Mod 0 knife and several others. You know, 2 is 1 and 1 is none. GI for the most part is constructed hold under rigorous conditions. I have a couple of 30+ year old ALICE rucks. Still in good condition.
15 years? Oh you whipper snapper lol . I got out in 85, went and bought one at a local army Navy store, used, but in good shape. Lc1 . With frame. Think I paid 20 bucks. Still have it. Just found out about how to re rubberize the inside of the cover with flex seal and od paint. Like practically new. Well, kind of lol. But still good enough to use. Thanks for this video. I'm use mine for camping too.
you pack the softer items first and then the metal or plastic ones. it makes it a lot nicer not to have hard metal objects sticking you in the back. that is how you pack any backpack. it just takes common sense, not a degree in mechanical engineering. if you have to let someone show you how to do it you should never leave your domicile. ( that is the place you in.)
Really like the way you say it how it is...outstanding channel mate..keep it up 👍
Alice is hard to get in Czech Republic. The frame is actually all I wanted. I'd paylike $200 with the shipping. I chose to carry a car battery, even two of them for two miles for 3 days to a car and back and it was a pain to carry on one shoulder. It sucked in a military style, a nice exercise but undignified when you know there's a frame you can carry a man on 😀
I'm glad to finally hear the rating for the Bivi+PatrolBag!!
I hated my issued pancake shaped arctic canteen and replaced it with old army ww2 metal canteen. The arctic canteen always froze and you couldn't stand it up on the stove to thaw. I put the plug and stopper from it on the old army canteen and worked great.
Interesting
as a Marine 03 from the 80's including Recon, then Army Light Infantry, I have WAY too much time with my large Alice (which I still have). A trick to the smell on the WP bag is to turn it inside out......
Just got mine it’s a medium and for what I need it for camping and the fire department and working hurricanes. I think this bag is gonna be great. I only paid 25 bucks for it and a couple of guys that served in the military looked at it and said this bag is in mint condition.
As European is refreshing seeing an American man have decatlon stuff, like he said decatlon is a very big thing in Europe for basically all type of sports and outdoor activities
They're stuff is great!
@@GruntProof btw I just bought a large alice and I can say fire sure it is the best surplus backpack for basically alla outdoor activity .
Big , sturdy , cool and cheap as fuck
Nice video, the one thing that I always tried to get was the Artic sleeping bag ( before Gortex) when I was stationed in West Germany . Army 78-92.
Thanks looks to like you have it wired. This is 2022 so a little time as gone by. I am trying to build a system that will do both the outdoor stuff and military thing. So thanks again for the ideas .
I'll have a new one out soon
I know it might sound like s stupid question but what's the ibuprofen for?
@@idiosamaal-fajita3768 I'm only asking because I watch a lot of these kind of channels and it seems like they always mention having the Motrin on hand. I guess I thought too much about it and too far into it. I thought maybe it could be crushed up and MacGyvered into something for survival like a fire starter or for a chemical reaction. Last thing I thought about was for it's intended use. Guess we're old and need it after a ruck. Lol
It Reminds me of my days in the Corps(kor)back in the day. 82-88. When I joined the navy reserves as a seabee we were issued a different pack and the new sleep system.
Awesome
Yeah I know Motrin 800. The USMC decided I needed dumbed down at boot and a Navy dentist removed my wisdom teeth. She fucked em up too, had to have the work redone 20 years later. Anyway they gave me Motrin 800's for pain. At the time they were a prescription med.
Thanks for your videos & congrats on your retirement. What size bungee cords do you find best for setting up camp, ie. 18 in 24in 36in 48in etc?
Thanks for the Idee with bungee on the Rucksack. This is brilliant.
I got my Alice Packpack a coupel a Day a go.
Be impressed what I can do with that stuff.
And even the weight are quite decent balanced.
I was my self in the German Army in a Signal Bat.
Is was funny times.
Greetings form Heidelberg Germany 🍻
Cool man, thanks! I've had mine for 18 years now and it's been through some serious abuse. It's still my favorite ruck. Vielen Dank!
I have the same wet weather bag and it's over 30 years old. It does stink like the small bags for the Alice pack. The lining black rubber also biodegrades and black flakes are now all that's left of the lining even though it still looks almost new on the outside. I know, what do you expect after 30 years.
I'm just glad I found a guy who appreciates serrations in a knife as much as I do!
Just curious, what do you bring with you for a knife sharpener? Good video man. Thanks
🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Hell yeah! I got a ceramic Stone and one of those little files for the serrations
Thank you sir👍
Why do guys lean towards not having the serrations? Is it due to sharpening?
I love serrated knives!
@Anoneemus Noename both have their place
Mate. Look into the uk army green nasty tape. It’s made by scapa. I’ve repaired a shit load of stuff (including clothing and myself) with it.
Cool thanks!
Thats a class idea to use bulldog clips on the molle like that! Awesome, I might put a few on my pack. They would make good clothes pegs to 👍
and to seal pretzel-chip bags
@@scottlin7876 Have been using them for years around the Kitchen and rest of the house. Carried a few on the Company Truck also, when I was working Construction.
What about your weapon system? Cleaning gear, tripod and ammo?
Get the MSS sleep system carrier bag/pouch attach it to the bottom of the ALICE pack with large zip ties or the compression bag from the MSS attach it to the top maybe just feed the ALICE straps through the compression bag either work better than having a sleeping bag inside your ALICE pack.
Thanks. I like to have it inside though. Besides, what the hell would even go into my ruck then? 😁
@@GruntProof food and more change of clothing...
Hey Grunt Proof i really enjoy your videos and i have gotten interested in rucking and particularly getting a legit alice pack not only fitness but camping. Where is the best place to buy legit surplus packs with frames ik Sportsman guide sells the packs but no frames
Thanks! You're better off searching for the specific bag you want on surplus sites
What do you pack if you’re going out to ruck for exercise and just need to add some weight? Great channel, btw.
Thanks man! Well my usual camping weight is around 52 lbs. So I just decide what weight I'm gonna ruck with and take out stuff. I don't ruck with anything over 45 lbs. And I also remove everything off the outside, so nothing is bouncing around while I'm moving.
Absolute Veteran That makes sense. I’ve been looking at the GoRuck stuff. Looks really nice, but the cost ... Thanks again!
@@jonmnelson yea they have a great program! I never understood the point in buying a ruck just for the sport though. Especially when an ALICE costs 50-60 bucks and will last forever.
I don’t go camping without wet wipes cause a bird bath with a bottle of water is no fun.
yup! That's so common I didn't bother mentioning them.
How do you prefer to do your shelter? Poncho shelter seems to be the most popular amongst mil guys cause carrying a tent just doesn't seem practical considering all the other gear needs.
I like tarping. Simple and fast
Great info. Thanks
Educational! So, is there a better one between ALICA and Molle? Better, do you prefer one over the other? I should think the Molle might be better in stealth sine the frame is plastic, not metal? Valid, or is there something else to make you choose one over the better?
Replace your strap fasteners and buttons with buckles. There's kits out there that are quick and easy to install.
What bivvi bag are you using at winter? Have you tested the Snugpak Special Forces Bivvi?
I use my old woodland mss. The Snugpak is on my list
Tip: Empty eye drop bottle filled with Chlorox (LABEL THE BOTTLE). Can be used to treat turbid water.
Good vid. Do you think the large ALICE pack is good for long-term survival? There are some UA-cam channels who say the ALICE pack sucks for long rucks. I've been looking at British Bergens/rucksacks (120L) with internal frames. Thanks for your service.
Thanks man! If you can get over the weight, the ALICE is the best. It's tough as hell and can be found very cheap
Great advice all around, thanks!
Have you been able to find a U.S. retailer for Solognac?
Thanks. If you want it made in France where they're from and not china or something then I suggest using decathlon.de or decathlon.fr and just putting it in english. There's no import fees to the US
Will do, thanks.
Happy New Year soldier!
Love the old alice packs, you should get yourself a British PLCE Bergen their excellent and bombproof too 🤟🏻
Tips…Wear sox on hands for sleeping warmth and wear headlamp on wrist at night so you can always find it.
I wanna hear how you use that emergency blanket you mentioned at the beginning.
Bought my pack at the stock yard in Wallace for 15 bucks. I love this pack wish I had one when I was in scouts 😂 she’s a little fun faded but every button snaps and no tears!
I like the Solognac boxing gloves lol. Thanks for sharing.
you could do that too
What about actual meals? Are you hunting\fishing? You didn't mention MREs or a mess kit to cook with or anything so I'm curious.
Yea I totally forgot about that! I usually take a small burner and camping meal pouches
@@GruntProof Well, you gotta know how to hunt and prepare game, fish, forage, collect/filter/purify water, and have the equipment/gear to do it. Even with an ILBE with the assault pack attached ( or some other huge ruck ), and stuff MOLLE'd all on it, there isn't a way to carry enough food and water to keep you strong and combat/survival/land navigation effective for an extended survival foray, especially considering all the tons of drugs/meds, weapons, ammo/mags, trauma kit ( a real, full one, not those people that pack a "booboo" kit and say " here's my IFAK, it's got bandaids, gauze pads, ibuprofen and chapstick". You've seen them ), and gear you need in the field which is too numerous to list here, especially when you don't have the military making supply drops and you have what you bring plus your skills. I'm guessing you've been there and done that :)
Got it!
Rangers don’t need to eat lol.
for your fire starting try cotton balls with vasilean mixed together. put it in a zip lock baggie. and get a lighter or matches. your good to go. light weight and compact. have you done a boot review? ar-670-1 compliant please.
Digging the Marathon wristwatch.