Posted: 4/30/2012 5:54:55 PM EDT
| what do you guys think of the ILBE pack for 3 day hiking and shtf bag |
| For a 3 day pack it's a little heavy but it will work just fine. If you're not humping with armor then it's a moot point. I've always liked mine well enough, just wish it was slightly lighter. It's built hell for stout, that's for sure. Right now it's one of the best bang for your buck internal frame packs out there. |
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Make sure you check it over good before you buy, or ask the seller plenty of questions if you're buying online. The marines don't let too many of them go with all of their parts and pieces intact. Most have the straps cut for the top/lid and the top is missing.
I looked into buying one but the high price for an incomplete pack kept me away. |
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Make sure you check it over good before you buy, or ask the seller plenty of questions if you're buying online. The marines don't let too many of them go with all of their parts and pieces intact. Most have the straps cut for the top/lid and the top is missing. I looked into buying one but the high price for an incomplete pack kept me away. I think Sportsman's Guide has (or had) some ILBE main packs being sold without top lids and waistbelts. A user could fairly easily fabricate a simple top lid to keep the water out, but fabricating a load-bearing waistbelt might be pretty difficult. OTOH, perhaps a similar waistbelt could be bought from Arc'teryx, the designers of the ILBE and manufacturers in their own right, and that might work out. IIRC, the Arc'Teryx civilian pack upon which the ILBE is based is called the "Bora" pack. The ILBE is a good pack, but not a world-class unit, so IMHO it would not take too many missing parts or too much damage to be a deal-killer for me. unless the price per pack was so stupid low that I could buy a couple, use parts from one to repair the other, pay to have some heavy-duty stitching done, if need be, and still not have spent too much money compared to buying a similar pack new, or slightly used.. |
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Make sure you check it over good before you buy, or ask the seller plenty of questions if you're buying online. The marines don't let too many of them go with all of their parts and pieces intact. Most have the straps cut for the top/lid and the top is missing. I looked into buying one but the high price for an incomplete pack kept me away. I think Sportsman's Guide has (or had) some ILBE main packs being sold without top lids and waistbelts. A user could fairly easily fabricate a simple top lid to keep the water out, but fabricating a load-bearing waistbelt might be pretty difficult. OTOH, perhaps a similar waistbelt could be bought from Arc'teryx, the designers of the ILBE and manufacturers in their own right, and that might work out. IIRC, the Arc'Teryx civilian pack upon which the ILBE is based is called the "Bora" pack. The ILBE is a good pack, but not a world-class unit, so IMHO it would not take too many missing parts or too much damage to be a deal-killer for me. unless the price per pack was so stupid low that I could buy a couple, use parts from one to repair the other, pay to have some heavy-duty stitching done, if need be, and still not have spent too much money compared to buying a similar pack new, or slightly used.. I believe the ILBE is based on the Bora 80. I bought a Bora 80 about three years ago and never looked back. It's been a great pack for me. |
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Make sure you check it over good before you buy, or ask the seller plenty of questions if you're buying online. The marines don't let too many of them go with all of their parts and pieces intact. Most have the straps cut for the top/lid and the top is missing. I looked into buying one but the high price for an incomplete pack kept me away. I think Sportsman's Guide has (or had) some ILBE main packs being sold without top lids and waistbelts. A user could fairly easily fabricate a simple top lid to keep the water out, but fabricating a load-bearing waistbelt might be pretty difficult. OTOH, perhaps a similar waistbelt could be bought from Arc'teryx, the designers of the ILBE and manufacturers in their own right, and that might work out. IIRC, the Arc'Teryx civilian pack upon which the ILBE is based is called the "Bora" pack. The ILBE is a good pack, but not a world-class unit, so IMHO it would not take too many missing parts or too much damage to be a deal-killer for me. unless the price per pack was so stupid low that I could buy a couple, use parts from one to repair the other, pay to have some heavy-duty stitching done, if need be, and still not have spent too much money compared to buying a similar pack new, or slightly used.. I believe the ILBE is based on the Bora 80. I bought a Bora 80 about three years ago and never looked back. It's been a great pack for me. I think it was based off the 95. Never the less you're correct in that it's a militarized and beefed up Bora. |
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Make sure you check it over good before you buy, or ask the seller plenty of questions if you're buying online. The marines don't let too many of them go with all of their parts and pieces intact. Most have the straps cut for the top/lid and the top is missing. I looked into buying one but the high price for an incomplete pack kept me away. I think Sportsman's Guide has (or had) some ILBE main packs being sold without top lids and waistbelts. A user could fairly easily fabricate a simple top lid to keep the water out, but fabricating a load-bearing waistbelt might be pretty difficult. OTOH, perhaps a similar waistbelt could be bought from Arc'teryx, the designers of the ILBE and manufacturers in their own right, and that might work out. IIRC, the Arc'Teryx civilian pack upon which the ILBE is based is called the "Bora" pack. The ILBE is a good pack, but not a world-class unit, so IMHO it would not take too many missing parts or too much damage to be a deal-killer for me. unless the price per pack was so stupid low that I could buy a couple, use parts from one to repair the other, pay to have some heavy-duty stitching done, if need be, and still not have spent too much money compared to buying a similar pack new, or slightly used.. I believe the ILBE is based on the Bora 80. I bought a Bora 80 about three years ago and never looked back. It's been a great pack for me. I think it was based off the 95. Never the less you're correct in that it's a militarized and beefed up Bora. I think you're right. I saw a pic somewhere of a guy who had his girlfriend or some other girl in the pack, while it was on his back. The 95 would be just about right to hold another person. |
| Dont get an ILBE pack. I used it for the past 4 years in the Marines, its garbage. Everyone either buys acquires or steals an ALICE pack for deployment since they dont issue them anymore. Of course I was wearing a Flak with my horrible experiences with it so YMMV on without body armor. I bought 2 ALICE packs. |
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^^+1^^
I packed my gear in it and never ever use it on missions. I use my personal snugpak and my alice ruck for long missions. I look at it like this, mainstream Marines use it caus eits issued to them and its big (they dont know any better) at selection for MARSOC all you use is the alice pack and a lot of sf guys use it still as a ruck for missions. you can get into a large framed alice ruck for $50 and if your after the modular style like an ilbe just have molle sewed onto it by a seamstress. I am taking my alice in to have the pockets taken off and molle attached so my pouches and what not can go wherever i want. a lot of pack selection is what fits you and what you are trying to carry around. get measured and try a few different packs out. worst case you just resell what your do not like or use. |
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There's also a lot of choice for modern, high quality ALICE packs, still using the old school metal frame. Tactical Tailor's MALICE pack, Ares Armor's Atlas and Satellite rucks, the Eberlestock Warhammer/Jackhammer, and the Tactical Assault Gear (TAG) Jumpable Recon Ruck Pack or Mountain Ruck Pack. They are a lot more expensive than the issue ALICE rucks that you can find at most surplus stores, but they have a lot more features, too. Much nicer padding and shoulder/waist straps to boot. |
