Hi team, I'm considering getting a MOLLE Medium rucksack to do some hike in camping trips, it also looks like a good general pack for all my apocalypse though experiments.

General info on our use, kids and I have been camping every other weekend and I'm looking for a new pack for next year when the weather starts warming up.  Right now we flip between a MOLLE 2 large and large ALICE, hellcat thing with a sleep system carrier underneath.  This isn't ultralight, 1.5 to 2 miles one way, so four miles tops the whole trip, but...my kids are little and I've got to-erm...get to, carry literally everything other than their coats and they can carry two sleeping bags between the three of them, I carry two sleeping bags myself.  Got to carry water in as well, gallon and a half for us all for one night, in one and two quart canteens.  I'd also like a smaller, or different, pack for when just me and the little man go as a duo.  Is there a good way to carry a two man pup tent and sleeping bags on the medium?  Is that asking too much of it?

I'm thinking, when it warms up, ditching the tent, and going with a tarpaulin and netting, poncho liners and no sleeping bags.

I'm not seeing a ton of info on the medium ruck, most that I've seen sums it up as a different ALICE pack type ruck.  Assuming I already really like the large MOLLE and ALICE hellcat , does it make sense to get a medium MOLLE?  Am I just looking for a reason to spend money?  Stick with the ALICE even in the warmer months?  Good addition to the ALICE even if its about the same?

Picture of the camping savages.

I’ll second that, avoid military packs like the plague. They flat out suck. They push your CG to the rear because of their design, you’ll find yourself leaning forward at the waist to keep the load over your hips. Then there’s the weight difference, the mil pack will weigh at least twice as much as any similarly-sized civilian pack. That's 2 or 3 quarts of water.

Size-wise I think a large ALICE is about 65-70l, and MOLLE looks quite a bit bigger, maybe 85-90l. Modern internal-frame packs aren’t really meant for strapping a lot of stuff to the outside, so something like an old external-frame Kelty would probably be a good idea if you have to strap stuff on. Or if the terrain allows get one of those baby strollers with the big tires and pack it full. If you have a dog it can carry a lot of your gear, and a small day pack for each kid with a 1l water bottle or 1.5l reservoir shouldn’t be too heavy. It’ll cut back on the “daddy, I need some water!” as well.

I was issued a NSW version of that ruck in the Navy.

Ours had side compression straps where as all the army ones I’ve seen do not. Maybe they do and the small sampling I saw just didn’t.

They work and are a good size as long as you are not carrying the kitchen sink.

I find it lacks in lashing and compression points unless you get creative.

You can cram a bivy sack and summer weight sleeping bag inside but it will eat up room even when compressed in a dry bag. You won’t have much room for anything else that is large like a coat.

They are kinda meant for troop and combat sustainment. Think rations, comms, ammo, munitions, etc. Remember the military had a logistics train and system for most elements.

For summer or temperate climates a weekend trip… would probably serve you ok. Winter or extended trips get a bigger pack.

I'd stay away from the MOLLE stuff.  Those packs are heavier, in of themselves; their suspension tends to be for donning/doffing instead of long haul comfort; and all those MOLLE straps are just added weight that has you putting even more weight where it shouldn't be.

I was roadtripping with an Arfcommer who'd never done any backcountry hiking.  He started off with an Eberlestock.  That lasted 3 days.  For the next 35+ days, he was using my spare 65L Gregory pack when he hit the trail.  Tetons, Wind River Range north, WRR south, RMNP, he knocked out a lot of miles with that spare pack.  When he got home, he ended up buying a 65L Gregory Baltoro.

Unfortunately, the places we have got granite hills so strollers or buggies aren't going to cut it, and our dog is only 15 pounds and dumb as hell, that'd be something if you could pack mule a dog.  I already got the MOLLE and ALICE large and like them plenty enough for our short hikes, as heavy as they are, I just don't think any thing else I can buy is going to carry the amount of stuff we need for all of us, all of the other packs I've seen in person, from my brothers, barely cover what they need.



Thanks for the input good buddy.  Sounds like I might wait and see what all we end up needing to bring in the summer, or something to wait for until the kids can start haul their own weight in a couple years.  I don't have any issues adding lashing points, I'll weave shock cord or use webbing with buckles, but I guess it'll be pushing it trying to add 10 pounds of tent and sleeping bag on there.  You're right, doesn't seem like a pack for hauling your place to sleep around.


Totally agree that they're heavy, but like I said, we only got a couple miles, but with enough stuff for an adult and three kids in a single pack and it works there.  I'll keep that other pack in mind if I can get one of these kids t get excited about something further.



Thanks for the input team.

I'll be the outlier - I kind of like mine.

I have an ALICE that I put onto a new MOLLE frame (medium), as well as a MOLLE 2.  They're both about the same comfort for me, but I'm 5'7".  The Alice pack sits a little lower so my head doesn't hit, but the MOLLE back has a better (IMO) suspension, since it has the risers on the top of the shoulder straps.  

I don't do "much," I have them both loaded with 50 lbs and do 3 mile ruck marches either in the neighborhood or treadmill (weather dependent) about 1-2 times a week as a change of pace from running.  Relatively flat terrain.  The Molle is thinner (medial/laterally) but sticks out more so does seem to pull backwards a bit more. The ALICE is wider in a medial/lateral direction, doesn't seem to pull back quite as much, but I think that might be how I've got it loaded, with weight a bit lower down.

That being said, if I'm doing anything more than an overnighter, I'm taking a specific camping/hiking backpack.

I’ve got a like new USMC Gen 2 Marpat Propper ILBE pack I’d sell if anyone’s interested.

PM me.

Thanks for the info.  I'm 6'3", so I don't even let the lifter straps out at all.  I think the "thinner" pack is what is appealing to me about the medium MOLLE.

Molle can haul a lot but they shape sucks for recreational hiking. Military use it is fine, the top sets low so a soldier can go prone and still deliver aimed fire with the pack on. Civilian packs extend higher up, going prone and returning fire is rare on the Appalachian trail. Alice is the same. So since they are restricted in height they have to put the volume/weight somewhere and that mean bulging out to the rear. This is not good for balance.
If carrying capacity is number one then look into Molle and Alice, If comfort and convenience is then look elsewhere.
I did covert one of my Alice frames to carry a climbing tree stand. Added a shelf at the bottom then a couple straps to hold it tight. Why? Because the shoulder straps that came with the stand kinda suck and Alice allows me to add a waist belt. Of course I added a Molle waist belt since it is far better than the Alice belt.
YMMV

If you want to sort of split the difference, Down East Inc (which makes the polymer frame for the MOLLE) has a couple of unique pack designs that fit their U-shaped frame. That's going to cost a lot more than any surplus MOLLE ruck, and for the price you could probably get a nice Osprey or Gregory pack.

I might also suggest a surplus USMC FILBE (copy of the Arc Teryx Echo and Charlie from years back, the Echo being based on a Bora, IIRC), some of which may still be on e-bay. But be warned, they were notorious for blown out zippers and straps (whoever license-produced them must have tried to cut some corners), so unless you know someone who can do repairs, only buy a surplus like-new or NIW.

Of course, if you aren't humping a mortar base plate, maybe you won't encounter those problems because you simply aren't inflicting that kind of abuse.

Anyway, mil packs are heavy for what they offer, and I would suggest that you're going to be a lot happier (and less prone to injury) if you laser focus on cutting weight. It doesn't mean everything you own has to be titanium and aerogel, but do try to find a way to offload some snacks and water onto the boys and off your back.

Oh, see? This could be a good option for your use.

camofire.com has some Mystery Ranch packs today.

All of those look pretty good, but a little out of my price range for "might use" pack.  Thanks for the heads up though.  To be honest the FILBE kind of doesn't look like I could just haul the massive amounts of stuff I need to for a big pack, I like being able to carry our tent under the lid straps, and it looks too big for a smaller pack.

Clarification: there is FILBE, and there is the older ILBE.

The FILBE is basically a USMC version of the MOLLE large, in coyote brown.

The ILBE was the one based on an Arc Teryx pack.

Bro, either one of those is massive (ILBE is 75L). If you don't think either of them is large enough, you're carrying too much shit in the first place.

2x sleeping bags
1x two man tent, fits grown me and my three boys
1x tarpaulin
2x poncho liner, kids like them for camp blanket
2x camp stools
14x pounds of water
2x days of food, snakz, and marshmallows for, let's call it, three people
single burner stove, bowls, cups, utensils
coats, hats, fresh undies for three
diapers change supplies
little first aid kit, pooping kit, and tablet for movies, only time my kids get to use a portable screen, so they make sure I don't forget that
four sets of flash lights and head lamps

That's been our standard kit, two of the kids can carry their own sleeping bags.  I might be retarding out on translating the tall pack's capacity from what I already know.

The original MOLLE medium pack question goes back to when I don't need to carry sleeping bags and can down size the pack.

Kind of a late reply, but if you're that tall, you should probably get to a dedicated outdoor store and have yourself fitted.   I don't know what size the .mil bases their frames on, but it's not going to fit you and me (8" difference).

Then go to Sierratradingpost .com or someplace, and buy a discount pack that you know fits.

Also, just IMO, those bigger ones can carry it. weight. My first backpacking trip on my 6th birthday was 3 miles uphill (SoCal foothills near AltaDena), carried water and a change of clothes. Maybe 5-10lbs?  Sure we stopped a lot, but I did it.

I have one of those and I really like it, I can carry all the gear I need for a week and have a bit of space left but not much.

You're on the tall side,, and you say that you're only going a couple of miles in, but you also say that's over broken terrain and not some type of trail. How often have you actually carried the load you're looking at carrying? For any amount of distance?
There's a reason people switch to car camping when the kids are little; it resolves some of the issues you're trying to contend with.

Here's a thought, and maybe it seems odd, and maybe its outside your budget, but the natives dragged gear around the continent for centuries before the horse came along. Maybe something like a modern day travois is more of something you could use, even with the terrain you say you're covering. Something like this:
https://www.arrowhead-equipment.com/store/c6/RollerPack  or a similar concept item.....