Posted: 2/5/2012 10:37:24 PM EDT
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Sorry if this is in the wrong place. Im wondering for those of you who keep rucks ready to rock or use them for camping/hiking/ whatever you use it for how you load them? Is there a specific order you put things in? Shove it all in?
Just got an ILBE ruck as my summer pack and I use a CFP 90 as my winter ruck and Im trying to figure out the best way. Thanks, S |
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I've always packed heavier items towards the top, sleeping bag down in the bottom. Any essentials that I need quick access too...ie rain gear or anything you can think of I will store in the very top or in the lid.
This is also a good explanation why you want to try to pack heavier items towards the top here. |
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Actually I"m quite anal about that. I think it comes from a lifetime of work and seeing moving anything twice a waste. I prefer things compartmental and baring that the things I have the least chance of using on bottom to the things I use most on top in that order.
Its taken me a very long time to get my back to where I like it. Its an external frame compartmentalized. Tent, bag, and pad on the outside, setting up camp is set them up, lean the pack against something, then use it like a pantry with water, lights, towels, TP, on the outside pockets, food and food preparation in its own compartment, with the grab stuff on the easy access top major compartment. Tj |
| How do you like the CFP? I am looking at getting one for my son for a winter pack. I am also concidering the Kelty Falcon 4000, but. I am concerned it maybe to small for multi day winter packing. They can both be had for about $100 shipped. Does anyone have any opinions on a good cheap winter pack? |
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Quoted:
How do you like the CFP? I am looking at getting one for my son for a winter pack. I am also concidering the Kelty Falcon 4000, but. I am concerned it maybe to small for multi day winter packing. They can both be had for about $100 shipped. Does anyone have any opinions on a good cheap winter pack? The CFP suspension system was prone to breakage. It's been out of production for quite a while and finding parts for the pack can be a bear. Kelty packs are middle of the road as far as quality is concerned. If you're looking for a decent bomb proof pack, consider picking up a surplus ILBE pack from ebay. If you shop around, you can buy the pack with straps for about 85 dollars. As time or funds allow you can add the waist belt and lid. It's alot of pack for the money. |
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The latest generation of MOLLE II packs & frames (Gen 4 IIRC) seem to be very durable, and I'm using ALICE as the standard which is very tough to beat. MOLLE seems to be more comfortable, I haven't had mine loaded up the way I've had ALICE loaded so it's hard to say for sure. If you're not dead set on ACU or Multicam you can get MOLLE pretty inexpensively on eBay - I got a 3-color DCU Gen 4 MOLLE ruck (with integral sleep system pouch) for $30, the Gen 4 (tan) frame with shoulder straps and hip belt was also around $30, and I got the assault pack at a local warehouse that gives away a BUNCH of surplus goods to vets & active duty. (NIW DCU Gore-tex parka & pants, old-style OD green intermediate cold sleeping bag, and some other stuff I can't remember at the moment all came from there.)
One of the forums has a sticky of Enforcer's mods, it looks like a very sturdy and functional modular pack made of MOLLE II and ALICE gear and he puts them together for about $50 each. The "large ruck for heavy loads" (or something like that) has a lot of info & links for mods as well. |
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Quoted: The part of the CFP-90 that was prone to breaking was the black plastic thing that was the interface between the straps and the pack body. Just make a copy out of 3/16" aluminum, and you are GTG forever.Quoted: How do you like the CFP? I am looking at getting one for my son for a winter pack. I am also concidering the Kelty Falcon 4000, but. I am concerned it maybe to small for multi day winter packing. They can both be had for about $100 shipped. Does anyone have any opinions on a good cheap winter pack? The CFP suspension system was prone to breakage. It's been out of production for quite a while and finding parts for the pack can be a bear. Kelty packs are middle of the road as far as quality is concerned. If you're looking for a decent bomb proof pack, consider picking up a surplus ILBE pack from ebay. If you shop around, you can buy the pack with straps for about 85 dollars. As time or funds allow you can add the waist belt and lid. It's alot of pack for the money. If your straps are sewn to your current "duck's foot", as I call it, attach a length of seat-belt webbing to shoulder straps, and mill-in a couple of slots on the duck's foot into which you will thread the shoulder strap webbing. Round all edges to prevent abrasion of pack/straps, etc.. The other problem that many CFP-90s had was the seams blowing out. Mostly this was caused by the un-finished edges of pack body fabric suffering wear, and un-ravelling. The cure for this is to remove the belt, stays (mark stays as to exact position while withdrawing them), and shoulder straps. Turn pack inside-out, and sear/melt all edges of fabric with a couple of Bic lighters, rotating them as the lighters become warm. To really do the job right, sew some grosgrain ribbon over the edges of the fabric, and wear and tear of that portion of the pack will be a memory. |
| I like it. Took it winter camping this year and it swallowed everything I stuffed into it. You just have to be careful to remember not to pick it up by the shoulder straps and dont fling it over your shoulder with one strap and youll be fine. I may be selling my depending on how I like the ILBE when it gets here |