After reading the thread about wearing a pack with body armor I have been inspired to revisit the idea of the ALICE pack.

I am looking at getting a TT frame as it is built to go over the rear rifle plate.

My question is what pack currently available is the best for use on the alice frame system.

I am looking for a pack that can carry 3-5 days of full sustainment equipment.

The biggest things I am looking for is light weight and durability.

I’m kinda on the same search. Take a look at the TT PNW series of packs.

TT is always a solid offering. I also have a LBT ruck that fits an ALICE frame perfectly, would recommend it if you can find one second-hand.

The TT is a very solid option, as is their Adjustable Super Straps and Ergo Super Belt. I got one set with my Nisqually and quickly ordered a second frame/strap set with a RR2600 after spending 10 days with the Nisqually on my back.

With a minimal effort they will work with an LBT-2657 and make it a whole lot more comfortable.

I have always liked the air gap that an ALICE Type frame produced, more surface area to cool you off or prevent sweat from wetting your insulation in cold weather. The added stiffness of the TT frame is noticeable over other ALICE descendants and a very nice improvement.

The TT frame/straps caused me to dump several other rucks, it just works that well, even with stupid heavy loads. Granted with the bigger rucks you would most likely not be wearing armor at the outset. But with the 2600TT Frame/straps, it rides nicely over my armor.

Yeah my buddy swears by the TT "Regimental" ruck.  I think commercially they are still called the "Malice" pack line.  They are a bit pricey but right up there in quality with LBT and MR.  You will pay more for the latest camo and additional pockets already in place with these vendors, but then you're ready to roll.

The newer, welded aluminum frame is superior to the old ALICE.  It will also fit around BA.

This would be my top pick for a bag.  Although any good compatible ALICE type bag would work, especially if you have the new TT frame.

Not to say the tried and true ALICE frame wouldn't work.  Might want to try it out with your BA and see what's what.

My bud is now prepping for deployment, and does regular, weekly rucks, with his team, with TT pack and frame, Brit style belt kit, and a custom chest rig.  He really likes how well that system works.  Typically he is carrying a bit over 55lbs for 8-10 mile humps.  At 14 min/mile pace!  (And yes, they tape up their waist belts out of the way.)

On the other end, any good large ALICE bag, can be modified by your local sew shop into a nice 8-10 pocket ruck.  Any town next to a large base will have sewing/alteration shops that can handle the work.  In the Carolinas, we go to Fayetteville for any work like this.  So depending on your budget, and possibly what camo pattern you want, you can go mild to wild.

TT has the MALICE line as well as the new PNW series. Then there are LBT 8 and 10 pocket rucks as mentioned, and a few smaller brands that fit ALICE frames, like downeast, the guys that make the molle pack frame.

I use a molle panel on the TT lightweight frame with a small molle pack on top and some specialized pouches for equipment I need on the bottom.

I'm a shorter guy, 5'6", and I found the TT frame dug into the base of my neck a bit. I went back to the original frame but with all the other TT upgrades on the ruck itself.

Terry Baldwin wrote a pretty serious article on ALICE frames...

http://soldiersystems.net/2015/10/14/the-baldwin-articles-alice-pack-trilogy-part-3-of-3/

Does anyone know how a TT RR2600 would stack up against something like the MR Blackjack 50? Obviously the Blackjack is a little bigger, but they're similar in MSRP and TT always has a few nice sales during the year. The HGG 3 Day is another one I'm considering. I've got a Norwegian Foot March (18.6 miles in 4.5 hours) coming up, and I'd like an upgrade over my current issued medium ruck.

I got a GoRuck pack to train for one of their events and it sucked for my body frame especially with 30 lbs of plate in it.  I sold it and bought a SpecOps brand Recon Ruck and added it to an ALICE frame.  The Recon Ruck is basically an updated Medium ALICE pack. I love it.  The weight feels like it weighs half as much as it did in the GoRuck pack and my arms don’t go numb in five minutes either.

I tried to grab a link to their website, but I can’t find it.  I wonder if they discontinued it?

I just picked up a nice used surplus LBT 2657 "8-pocket" ruck on ebay at a pretty decent price, especially compared to new retail on MR and TT.  What I wanted was basically an updated large ALICE in OCP.  So it's a nice middle ground price-wise between surplus ALICE, and the newer modified packs.  If cost is a factor, then you can save a lot going this route, or be able to buy a couple for the price of one other ruck.

On the medium, if the specops is no longer around, you can still take it in to one of the shops and get the same mods done on it as the large rucks.   There's still some room on it for a few extra pouches.

I just picked up another Down East frame with their "mountain" style suspension.  This would be a good upgrade on any ALICE compatible bag.  It gives you a suspension very much like the "Futura" style on the MR rucks.  The suspension harness is an adjustable "Y" that runs down your back, with top load stabilizer straps where the shoulder straps normally attach.  You might find this more comfortable on a long 4 1/2 hour ruck like that.  I like this style a lot, because the weight pulls from your mid back, and completely over your shoulders, instead of just pulling from the mid-point, or top of your shoulders.  The ALICE style attach points places all the weight and pressure on the top-front part of your shoulders.  The other way is more evenly load, as long as the top stab straps hold the ruck in close to your back.  Obviously, without them the ruck swings way out from the back, negating any balance to the system.

Back to the OP, my opinion is a large ALICE style bag would be the best all-around pack for an ALICE style frame.  The mediums aren't much larger than the 3-day assault packs, with hardly any room for a cold weather sleep system.  Of these, TT, MR, and LBT are the main contenders, with surplus LBT being the best bargain right now.

TT frame, pack, and straps. I don't believe in the use of hip pads so I just have some isomat and duCT tape for the  back support.

I tried using it on a down east frame but I decided I don't like that combination... nor do I like the frame.

I would buy a TT frame but I just save the standard alice frames from APOBS and replace when they bend.

Well, that's one way to do it, as long as you have a steady supply!

After it's all said and done, I agree with the LTC there (from the link); the tried and true ALICE system is still arguably the best MILITARY load bearing system around.  You can tweak/update the bag design; you can switch to a polymer frame (if you're not on an extreme sked like jump ops, etc.), or go hardcore with a welded alum frame like the TT for you hard men out there; and you can certainly upgrade/modernize the suspension system.  But it still remains the best load bearing solution, for combat troops, we've ever fielded.

If you have some kind of "belt kit" as the Brits say, you have a problem getting a ruck to integrate with it.  This has been the eternal problem.  If you take a Brit-style belt kit, with the tops of all the pouches flush with the top of the belt, and combine it with our modified or updated large ALICE design, I think you are as close to solving this riddle as we've ever been.  Even the Brits are experimenting with ALICE style external frame rucks (with DE 1606 frames) for jungle ops.  After all the new/improved rucks we've been through, we are coming around full circle to the basic Large ALICE design.

Again, to the OP, the pack bag has always been the best feature of the Large ALICE.  Anyone of them will do, if you will do.  Mild to wild.  If money was no object, I'd pick MR, TT, then LBT.  That's for a modern bag, in OCP.

Pics always help. My SpecOps Recon Ruck. I used an old battle belt for a waist belt.

A lot of info here

Specops makes good stuff and I have the Recon Ruck, but mine is green, not that cool MC.  It's pretty good, but they missed a few opportunities, like the claymore pouch in the cover and a sleeve behind the outer pockets.

I have a pack acquisition disorder and I also have a Goruck pack.  I feel your pain and I may try something else with my ruck plate.  I have several options.  I don't see that Goruck makes any better packs than Specops or TT, but they nailed the marketing.

Ha, I too am afflicted by PAD, in fact, I'm ate up with it.

I just did what I swore I wouldn't.  Just took the LBT ruck completely apart and am re-doing it.  I really like how Jay Jays did their jungle ruck, and am following suit.  Three bottom pouches stay, but everything else is gone.  Gonna put a nice "basha" pouch right above the three remaining, with two long pouches sewn in on the sides (all that mole is now gone).  Also re-did the top flap, MR style.  And shortened the frame pocket, and added "yib-yab" tabs on the sides for the 1606 frame.  Coming along nicely.  Also removed "radio" pocket and will add hangers for water bladders.  Really tempted to sew bottom shut like a classic Bergen.

Next project: a Brit short back Bergen conversion with a frame pocket and tabs for a 1606 frame.  Then a large molle with the same mods.  Will ruck all three and see what's what.