Posted: 10/12/2015 10:00:41 PM EDT
I came across a discussion of this on the Bushcraft USA forums. The Cratos Panel attaches to an ordinary Alice pack frame and give you the ability to put any assortment of Molle gear or pouches on it.
Tactical Medical Solutions is clearing them out at $14.96. I believe they sold for much more once upon a time. I did find another vendor selling them for $50. I bought one to play with. The shipping was reasonable at $5.75 for Priority Mail. For a little over twenty bucks total, what did I have to lose? Here is the website for TMS: https://www.tacmedsolutions.com/product/cratos-panel/ |
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I came across a discussion of this on the Bushcraft USA forums. The Cratos Panel attaches to an ordinary Alice pack frame and give you the ability to put any assortment of Molle gear or pouches on it. https://www.tacmedsolutions.com/media/images/productimage-picture-cratos-panel-733.png Tactical Medical Solutions is clearing them out at $14.96. I believe they sold for much more once upon a time. I did find another vendor selling them for $50. I bought one to play with. The shipping was reasonable at $5.75 for Priority Mail. For a little over twenty bucks total, what did I have to lose? Here is the website for TMS: https://www.tacmedsolutions.com/product/cratos-panel/ Looks potentially useful, depending on the pouches available. Still might be possible to use the MOLLE shoulder straps, MOLLE waist belt should not be an issue. Available in Tan and UCP, the tan can probably be dyed Coyote brown the UCP either greenish or brownish, depending on user preference. Doesn't appear that this device would interfere with using bottom shelf, nor the Spec-Ops HUMP. |
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Looks potentially useful, depending on the pouches available. Still might be possible to use the MOLLE shoulder straps, MOLLE waist belt should not be an issue. Available in Tan and UCP, the tan can probably be dyed Coyote brown the UCP either greenish or brownish, depending on user preference. Doesn't appear that this device would interfere with using bottom shelf, nor the Spec-Ops HUMP. Quoted:
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I came across a discussion of this on the Bushcraft USA forums. The Cratos Panel attaches to an ordinary Alice pack frame and give you the ability to put any assortment of Molle gear or pouches on it. https://www.tacmedsolutions.com/media/images/productimage-picture-cratos-panel-733.png Tactical Medical Solutions is clearing them out at $14.96. I believe they sold for much more once upon a time. I did find another vendor selling them for $50. I bought one to play with. The shipping was reasonable at $5.75 for Priority Mail. For a little over twenty bucks total, what did I have to lose? Here is the website for TMS: https://www.tacmedsolutions.com/product/cratos-panel/ Looks potentially useful, depending on the pouches available. Still might be possible to use the MOLLE shoulder straps, MOLLE waist belt should not be an issue. Available in Tan and UCP, the tan can probably be dyed Coyote brown the UCP either greenish or brownish, depending on user preference. Doesn't appear that this device would interfere with using bottom shelf, nor the Spec-Ops HUMP. It arrived in the mail today. What they call "tan" is actually coyote. I think you could set it up just about anyway you want and it looks like it won't interfere with a shelf. One thought I had was side-by-side sustainment pouches. |
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I think the most useful purpose to which this thing is suited is for a large number of small- to medium-sized pouches. They would be set up for instant access to their contents, and the pouches would serve to organize the contents. IOW, no wasting time rummaging inside a large bag for the relatively small items. That's probably its' originally intended role, given the mfr/vendor, a medical outfitter.
Another purpose would be a number of 100-rd MOLLE pouches each of which contained bandoliers of ammo, or similar pouches for magazines. The ALICE frame, with MOLLE shoulder straps and waistband ought to be able to comfortably tote a considerable amount of ammo. Sort of an ammo-bearer's rig for a squad. The possible drawback to such a rig is that the wearer has to doff the rig to access the contents. No problem for his buddies, of course. I'm sure someone will think of a clever use for the item, though. |
| The High Ground Gear modular panels are nicer than these, but these are great at this sale price. It's honestly what they should have been priced at all along. I picked up two of them. I have a couple of unused ruck frames with really nice brand new pad sets that I'll throw them on. |
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Got one in coyote...very thin ...going to use it to help secure 5 gal water container..on alice frame. Someone mentioned the shelf and a cargo strap. However it fits in the radio pocket in my large Alice perfectly and nothing else is needed. Just cinch the internal straps on the radio pocket and tighten down the outside and you're good to go |
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Someone mentioned the shelf and a cargo strap. However it fits in the radio pocket in my large Alice perfectly and nothing else is needed. Just cinch the internal straps on the radio pocket and tighten down the outside and you're good to go Quoted:
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Got one in coyote...very thin ...going to use it to help secure 5 gal water container..on alice frame. Someone mentioned the shelf and a cargo strap. However it fits in the radio pocket in my large Alice perfectly and nothing else is needed. Just cinch the internal straps on the radio pocket and tighten down the outside and you're good to go He is talking about 5 gallons, not a 5 quart soft carrier if that is what you are referring to. You can fit a 5 gallon can in an ALICE pack main compartment but definitely not in the radio pouch. |
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Anyone know if this will fit on a mystery ranch NICE frame? I finally got a chance to play with mine this weekend and there's no way this is going on a NICE frame without modifying it first. It's stitched to fit the contour of the alice frame, both up top at the rounded edges and as the frame curves for your back. The NICE frame doesn't have those curves. As a result, the NICE frame doesn't fit well inside the sleeve of the panel, the panel doesn't seat all the way down over the NICE frame, and the strap at the bottom to cinch the panel to the frame isn't long enough to wrap around the NICE frame completely. That said, it fits extremely well on an alice frame though. |
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I finally got a chance to play with mine this weekend and there's no way this is going on a NICE frame without modifying it first. It's stitched to fit the contour of the alice frame, both up top at the rounded edges and as the frame curves for your back. The NICE frame doesn't have those curves. As a result, the NICE frame doesn't fit well inside the sleeve of the panel, the panel doesn't seat all the way down over the NICE frame, and the strap at the bottom to cinch the panel to the frame isn't long enough to wrap around the NICE frame completely. That said, it fits extremely well on an alice frame though. Quoted:
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Anyone know if this will fit on a mystery ranch NICE frame? I finally got a chance to play with mine this weekend and there's no way this is going on a NICE frame without modifying it first. It's stitched to fit the contour of the alice frame, both up top at the rounded edges and as the frame curves for your back. The NICE frame doesn't have those curves. As a result, the NICE frame doesn't fit well inside the sleeve of the panel, the panel doesn't seat all the way down over the NICE frame, and the strap at the bottom to cinch the panel to the frame isn't long enough to wrap around the NICE frame completely. That said, it fits extremely well on an alice frame though. I think a load sling is a better option anyways. Thanks for the update. |