Posted: 4/23/2008 12:33:54 PM EDT
| Looking to buy a medium ALICE pack, options are with or without frame. What do some of you guys prefer? Thanks. |
Sorry, 3-4 time a year I go hiking and camping/fishing. I may also want to put together a kit for easy bugging out and just looking for something inexpensive. I already have a medium size back pack with no frame from REI. Just looking for a pack that I don't mind tossing around in the back of the truck. Thanks. |
Having had an ALICE pack w/frame and a late '80s vintage Lowe internal frame pack with bendable metal stays which I still use, I'd go on Craigslist and buy somebody's used IF pack before I'd go hiking with the ALICE system. |
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The large ALICE was intended to be frame-always. The medium ALICE is frame optional, although in cold weather a frame is strongly suggested, due to possible issues of sweat accumulating on your back and backside clothing. The frame reduces this. Of course, in extremely hot environments, the same principle would apply. In short, in very cold or very hot climates, use a frame. Otherwise, leave it at home, but have one especially with the oft-overlooked accessories. If you use the medium without a frame, cut up a junk GI sleeping pad and insert a properly-sized sheet into the pack to protect your back against protruding objects within the pack. Also makes it a touch more buoyant if crossing a stream. That and a good, aftermarket set of shoulder pads will serve you very well. The frame, by itself, can carry objects such as a 5-gal can and stacked ammo cans (and many other things) as long as you have the (issued) snap-on shelf and a couple of (issued) straps. The shelf and straps are easy to find, and are very useful accessories. Again, the better the shoulder straps, the easier the load. The originally-issued shoulder straps are sad junk compared to later GI-issue and especially aftermarket units. The kidney pad can be augmented with an aftermarket pad, which many find useful. Many users find an add-on sternum strap useful, also. You can find lots of Alice frames, and some of them can be had very cheaply if the pop rivets are damaged. Simply size up the original hole, and drill it out for the next-size-up , correct-length aluminum pop rivet. I emphasize aluminum only, as the frame is made of that material, and inserting a steel pop rivet can cause corrosion between the two different metals. I kid you not. One last little tip is to invert the frame and fill the bottom ends of the interiors of the hollow tubes with some black silicone goop. Keeps out dirt and moisture, and that's always a good thing. |