It was the advent of the ALICE pack that made the U.S. military the authority on all-purpose backpacks.  The ALICE pack has followed soldiers around wherever their missions have taken them for over 25 years.  It is not the standard equipment carrying system anymore, but some soldiers still get use out of their models.

The ALICE Pack system (All-purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment) replaced the Load-Carrying Equipment (LCE) system from the 1950s, and the Modernized Load-Carrying Equipment (MLCE) system from the 60s.  The main advantage the ALICE pack had over its predecessor was its light weight, as the name suggests.  The ALICE pack is really just a modification of the LCE and MLCE.

The full ALICE system contains six components in addition to the field pack: a belt, suspenders, a canteen compartment, and two other compartments.  The field pack is made in three sizes for different load amounts.  The dimensions of the large pack are 22 x 20 x 19 inches.  The ALICE pack is made with nylon to withstand the rough conditions of the battlefield.

The ALICE pack system served soldiers well throughout the last quarter of the 20th century, but it began to be replaced by the new MOdular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment (MOLLE) system after the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq began with the turn of the century.  The MOLLE is similar to the ALICE, but the MOLLE is much more customizable.  Even the MOLLE was supposed to be replaced with an even newer system, but that system has had problems.

The ALICE pack is not only good to use in the battlefield, but it’s also great military surplus that can be used by civilians.  It makes a good camping and hiking backpack; the three sizes allow you to choose how much stuff you want to bring.  Some people also use the ALICE pack for air travel.  If you don’t want the hassle of bringing nice luggage when you travel on an airline, you can pack all your belongings in an easy-to-carry ALICE pack.

Written by Craig Kent, member of the Best Military Surplus team.