Backpacks :: Best Military Surplus

The Medic Bag – More Helpful Than You Think

by craigkent

January 18th, 2011

The only thing worse than getting injured on the battlefield is being attended to by a medic without his medic bag. The handy bag worn by medics has served our country well over the past century and has aided in saving many soldiers’ lives.

Blackhawk medical backpack

If you’re a male medic, you might be hesitant at using this military surplus item initially, as it looks curiously similar to a purse. But one battle without the medic bag will change your mind. Besides, if Jack Bauer uses a messenger bag, so can you. A medic does not always have the time to perform all the necessary tasks on a wounded soldier when bullets are flying, so he can carry around only so much gear. The medic bag allows him to carry around just what he needs to pacify any injury a soldier may have.

The medics bags used in World War I and II were pretty basic. They often were not very big and were worn like a sling around the medic’s shoulder. The replica medic bag pictured above features one large compartment with a flap that can be secured with leather straps.

The medic bag has come a long way since its World War I and II days. The bag is now made in a variety of designs which are more sophisticated than the older medic bags. Blackhawk has its Special Ops medical backpack which features several compartments to hold anything a medic might need. The pack even includes a place to hold a hydration system. But the best part of about this new medic bag is that it comes in digital camo.

The medic bag is not limited to the styles we mention here — there are lots of other styles and sizes around.

The vintage medic bag has become a real fashion statement in recent years. People use them to carry books, as purses, or even to carry random items while camping. The one thing that’s the same in all these cases is the users want to be like the heroes who save the lives of our soldiers fighting for our freedom. Don’t you too? Check out Amazon’s selection to get your favorite design.

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

Categories Backpacks, Clothing Accessories
Comments (1)

Pack in Style with an Army Duffel Bag

by craigkent

November 2nd, 2010

One of my favorite military surplus items is the original Army duffel bag. It’s a classic item that’s been around for many years. Even when new bag and backpack updates are made, this bag remains a hit among military surplus enthusiasts.

The Army duffel bag (sometimes “duffle”) gets its name from the town in Belgium called Duffel, which is where the material used to make these bags originally came from. An Army duffel bag is usually made with canvas, which is usually just tightly-woven cotton. The Army duffel bag is also known as a Seabag, or a “dirty” bag. Soldiers use this bag to carry around all of their personal belongings in.

There’s all kinds of sizes and colors of the Army duffel bag available, so you’re sure to find one right for you. Usually the duffel bag is in the shape of a tube, as if a sleeping bag would fit inside. Amazon.com has a wide selection of the Army duffel bag. One Army duffel bag from Amazon comes in three different sizes. Another style
of duffel bag has two straps which allow you to carry the bag on your back. And one of the newest duffel bags is the camouflage duffel bag, which comes in the new Army digital camo.

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

Categories Backpacks
Comments (0)

ALICE Pack – Lightweight for Mobility

by craigkent

July 1st, 2010

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.

Categories Backpacks, Camping
Comments (1)

MOLLE Pack – Carry Anything You Want

by craigkent

February 4th, 2010

The MOLLE pack is part of a group of bags and other equipment used by soldiers to carry items. MOLLE stands for MOdular Lightweight Load-bearing Equipment. The MOLLE pack is probably the most common method of carrying a given type of gear for a soldier on the battlefield today.

The MOLLE (pronounced “Molly,” as in the female name) first came into existence in 1997, but it didn’t see widespread uses until after the September 11th terrorist attacks. Prior to the MOLLE’s inception, the ALICE (All-purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment) system was the standard issue for purposes of carrying gear. Components of the ALICE system are still used in the U.S. Army, although the MOLLE has since become very popular among soldiers for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Marines now use the MOLLE instead of the ALICE in the field.

There are three basic components of any MOLLE pack: (1) the Fighting Load Carrier, which is a vest that carries much of the load; (2) a plastic 72 oz. hydration bladder for a convenient form of hydration; and (3) a customizable number of modular pouches.

The vest features a waist belt which transfers some of the pack’s weight to the hips so there is not too much strain on the shoulders and back. The vest is worn at all times and makes use of PALS (Pouch Attachment Ladder System) webbing for attaching and detaching components of the pack. The vest also has small compartments that can store just about anything, including gun magazines. The actual rucksack includes a pocket to hold a claymore. There is an internal bandolier which can house several magazines, and a pocket built for a radio.

The problems with the pack (that have now been fixed) were that the zippers would come open if the pack was full, and that the straps weren’t long enough to cover over body armor. In the Marines, the MOLLE was supposed to be replaced by the Improved Load-Bearing Equipment (ILBE) system, but that system has had problems with use in conjunction with the Modular Tactical Vest.

The MOLLE backpack serves our soldiers overseas well, but it also is great for civilian use. Its versatility is its biggest strength, which means it can be used to carry just about anything that will fit in it. Its camouflage design makes it great for hunting. The variety of customizable compartments can be used for extra ammo, snacks, or small pieces of extra clothing for warmth. The pack is also great for camping and hiking, since it’s a combination of a backpack and hydration pack. But don’t let our ideas limit your use of the MOLLE pack — you can use it to carry anything.

The MOLLE pack is especially great for non-military use for those who need to carry a lot, but don’t want a pack quite as big as something like the Eberlestock Skycrane. Even the full MOLLE pack with all the attached compartments is somewhat big, but you can make the pack smaller by removing some of the compartments.

There are all kinds of MOLLE packs you can get for yourself. Choose from this great selection.

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

Categories Backpacks
Comments (1)

Navy Special Forces Gear: Hydration Pack

by craigkent

January 6th, 2010

Being on the mission field for extended periods of time causes dehydration to occur frequently, so Navy SEALs use a hydration pack to combat this problem. Some of the best brands that make hydration packs are Blackhawk (search “hydration pack” in top right corner) and CamelBak.

A hydration pack allow its user to stay hydrated with minimal use of the hands. It features a tube strapped to one of the packs traps, which leads to the bladder that holds water. Many models require the user to bite on the end of the tube for water to dispense, which prevents water from being released unintentionally.

Many of the hydration packs by Blackhawk, such as the one pictured on the left, have all the room a soldier could want in addition to room for the bladder. Most packs are insulated to keep water cold during warm weather, or from freezing during cold weather.

CamelBak appears to be the most popular hydration pack producer on the market, although Blackhawk boasts a high-quality product as well.

Click here to find the hydration pack right for you.

Check out other special forces military surplus here.

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

Categories Backpacks, Special Forces, Special Forces Gear
Comments (1)

The Middle East Backpack – Eberlestock J79 Skycrane II

December 25th, 2009

When looking for the best multipurpose backpack the military uses, one should consider the Eberlestock J79 Skycrane II. The pack is the biggest and offers the most utility among Eberlestock’s line of backpacks. The packs have been issued to soldiers in the Middle East for use in the Iraq war and have become a favorite for carrying military surplus.

The pack has three main components to it: the basic pack, the pull out G1 “Little Brother,” and the removable courier pack. The backpack also includes a backscabbard that can be converted to a drag bag.

Military personnel find the best part about the pack is that it gives them the ability to carry more than one firearm.

There is another tactical advantage that the pack gives the wearer on the battlefield: if all members of a military unit are using Eberlestock backpacks, the enemy will not be able to distinguish snipers or other special personnel from everyone else since all the packs look very similar.

The pack also includes a shooting mat, which is part of the ESS Mobile Sniper Station the backpack can be turned into (pictured below).

The layout of the Sniper Station looks simple, but it makes for one less thing that needs to be carried across the desert. One soldier also mentioned the warmth the shooting mat gives its user, as the ground gets cold at night where he is stationed.

Although it may look big, this Eberlestock pack does not hinder its wearer’s ability to move. To prevent the pack from “bouncing” on the wearer’s back, the lower portion has a waist strap to ensure a secure fit around the wearer’s body. Since “bouncing” can slow down the wearer, the waist straps may be the difference from getting caught and escaping enemy pursuers.

The fully-assembled Eberlestock backpack is not needed on every occasion, and can be “slimmed down” to a more lean size for even greater mobility by the wearer. Easy modification to the pack allows a number of different layouts. But whatever layout is chosen, all compartments close completely, providing its contents full protection from the elements.
Choose the right Eberlestock backpack for you at Amazon.com.

Written by Craig Kent, part of the Best Military Surplus team

Categories Backpacks
Comments (0)