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Posted: 12/3/2013 6:13:59 AM EDT
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In the market for a good internal frame pack.
My largest pack is the 5.11 72 hour pack and its great, but I need bigger for longer term use. I looked for a used kelty, mountain hardware, north face, etc on eBay and the damn MARPAT surplus packs keep popping up, and CHEAP! compared to the others. I just don't want a camo pack, esp not Marpat, I want something more civilian looking. Has anyone tried RIT dyeing one of these packs? And further more, are the packs decent? |
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As noted above, the packs are a bit heavier than similar civilian counterparts, but very durable as a consequence.
You'd have to have a BIG tub, and LOTS of hot water to dye the completely dis-assembled pack. If you wanted to try it, and knowing that it is possible to dye darker, not lighter, I'd select Rit Dark Green, and plenty of it. Go to ritdye.com, and read the 'Tips for Success" section, after clicking the "Dyeing Techniques" button. Read the whole section, and remember you're dyeing nylon. You'll also need about a half cup of vinegar. Read the whole section. The hotter the water, the greater the concentration of the dye, and the longer the duration immersed, the darker the result. I expect that the coyote straps will become darker, and greener, but will still contrast with the likewise darker, greener body of the pack. That's just a guess. If you want a great external frame pack for a very reasonable price, go to oldgrouch.com and snag one of their Hellcat ALICE-based packs. Excellent pack, and one of the best deals out there. |
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I love my ILBE pack for 4-5 day trips. I've even attached the assault pack to the back of the ILBE and then used it independently on short trips after hitting base camp. But I wish it were a solid color also.
If you take on this project, I am very interested in seeing the results. |
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Quoted:
I was thinking of going more of a dark brown. If I can win one cheap enough on eBay I'll try it and let everyone know how it went. Everyone that I know of who used Rit Dark Brown was dismayed at the very reddish results, so maybe better to not use that color. I have seen good results with Rit Taupe dye, but that is probably too light a shade for you.. |
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Quoted:
Would mixing dies be retarded? Maybe taupe and brown? I don't know. Might work, depending on the color(s) of the original fabric(s), and the dye(s) used. It would take some experimenting, using fabrics identical to those used on the intend object, in this case an ILBE pack. I'm not saying can't be done, but If I were you, I'd look elsewhere for a pack, or reconsider how you feel about marpat. |
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Don't know if it's the same pack you are looking at or not, but Palmetto State has surplus USMC MARPAT main packs marked down to $49.99 on their site today. I don't know enough about surplus packs to know if that's a good deal or not.
PSA marpat packs |
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Quoted:
Don't know if it's the same pack you are looking at or not, but Palmetto State has surplus USMC MARPAT main packs marked down to $49.99 on their site today. I don't know enough about surplus packs to know if that's a good deal or not. PSA marpat packs I don't see the essential waist belt attached to the pack. Fortunately, such are widely available. |
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