Did this hurt anyone else’s head?  Sheesh. Lol.

We get it bro. And we are usually pretty good at spotting and calling out shills.

Wow that was quite a rant.  And now I can't get "judas goat" out of my head.

There were some pretty good points in there, trying desperately to get out.  Maybe if he puts down the pipe.  Full auto clears it up with his comment about shills.  Yeah that is a concern.  Not everyone is a true Pilgrim searching for the truth, as it were.  Some are just trying to market their wares, disguised as legit reviews.  Some just want attention.  Some shouldn't be left un-supervised around sharp objects.

My main problem has been separating the image from the function.  Too many times we see style as driving force behind gear selection, rather than pure functionality in the field.  This is aggravated by serious end-users who, for their own reasons, will reinforce this behavior by sporting all manner of Gucci gear.  For instance, let's say you're looking for a really good field pack.  You see the Mystery Ranch rucks that the dudes from SOCOM rock.  So naturally you think, man, that's what I want.  But is it really what you need?  Or more to the point, is it really what THEY need?

(Disclaimer:  Since this IS the internet, let me state for the record that I have nothing personal against Mystery Ranch.  I think they are awesome folks and make awesome kit.  Probably some of the best high-end rucks on the planet.  I wish them nothing but the best success in the future.  Dana did not piss me off by making fun of my assault pack because it wasn't dirty enough, and there-by accuse me of basically being a poser.  Well, he did, but I'm not trying to "get even" with him by talking shit about his products.)

The best pure mil-spec rucksacks I have found are the issue Brit "shortback" Bergens.  They are relatively cheap and available.  They are very durable.  And they just WORK, period.  Many folks, including myself, have attempted to copy the basic design, with our own little twists.  I can think of a few others:  LBT, First Spear, TT, and of course, MR.  Pure function in the issue Bergen, versus some nice refinement in the follow-on rucks.

Now, the 64-dollar question is, do you really need all the extra refinement, as nice as it is, or, do all you really need is a great big bloody rucksack?  To me, that's the fundamental question here.  The fact that real pipehittters are picking the Gucci styles really muddies the waters, because oftentimes, I suspect, their reasons for doing so are more aligned with ours (as in human nature), rather than a pure functional outlook.  This is something that I struggle with.  Americans not only want to be good at what they do, they also want to look good while doing it.  So, OK, sure, if you can have both, why not.  But there is a cost.  A top-end SOCOM ruck is 6-700 bucks.  A nice surplus Bergen is around 150 bucks.  So, how much bling do you want?

In conclusion, I just want to say...

JUDAS GOAT!

I’m so guilt of this. When I was a noob(well, technically I still am lol) I looked at all the shit SEALS had and other high speed guys and copied them almost exactly.

It was heavy. Then some smart guys gave me some advice (here) and I chewed on it.

They were right.

What was MY mission?  I’m not kicking doors in Afghanistan. If the shtf it probably will be for weeks. Not months or years.

So I shed almost everything. I’m not marching 20 mikes to a hot spot to engage a fortified enemy. I’m watching my house. My supplies will be close.

I set my guns up for close to medium range engagements. That’s due to my neighborhood. Someone else, who lives in a remote area, might need to magnification.

I’ll tell you right now I’m a lot happier when I’m wearing my PC now than I was before.

My focus now is learning about personal security detail. Why?  Because that’s who I am. Personal security for my family.

How do I protect them around the house?  How do I protect them while we are loading the vehicle up if we have to move?

Stuff like that.