# Survival > Survival Kits & Survival Products >  What is your favorite pack and why?

## SARKY

Presently, my favorite pack is a Kifaru, Navigator. I have never owned a more comfortable pack. It is also tough as nails!. The other thing i really like about it is from the get go it was meant to be modular. wether it be the Molle webbing all over this pack or the Kifaru, "Dock & Lock" system. My preferance is for a panel load pack, because of the ease of acess to the interior of the pack. I don't have to dig everything out to get to something at the bottom of my pack. 
My original kit started life in a GI butt pack, I out grew that. I then moved up to a medium ALICE pack sans frame, later added the frame. i then got my hands on a large ALICE pack and did a serious mod to it, by turning it into a tall narrow pack with internal stays. (wide packs get hung up in the pine thickets of Maine). Next it was a CamelBak, MotherLode. I really liked this pack but it wasn't up to heavy loads. and lastly the Kifaru.

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## Pal334

Mine is a medium ALICE pack with frame. Just what I got used to over the years. It does all I want it to and it was a gift from Uncle Sam  :Smile:

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## TomChemEngineer

Yep, I love my ALICE pack, medium. Outside pockets and a gazillion ALICE attachments that can be placed all over the pack until you can't lift it, if you want. Lots of places to hang sleeping bags and tents and pads on the top and bottom, and the pack itself can be removed to use the frame as a pack-out frame. The lower belt is OK, but as I get older I might look around for a belt that better pads the hips from carrying the weight. Mine is 35 years old and has faded out, has had a couple of rips sewn up, but it is like an old friend at this point. I just recently renewed my relationship with my ALICE pack, and I find she has not changed in all these years even though I pack slightly different things therse days.

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## Sarge47

I used to have an Alice Pack...but she took it back!  Then there was Molly....  :Innocent:

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## Sarge47

I have many packs, my favorite being what ever the task is that I need a certain pack for.  Right now, looking at this one:

http://www.llbean.com/webapp/wcs/sto...rom=SR&feat=sr

 :Cool2:

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## Sarge47

> Presently, my favorite pack is a Kifaru, Navigator


Look at the price on that puppy!  https://www.kifaru.net/navigator.html
For that much green it should carry YOU!   :Cool2:

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## crashdive123

I've got an ALICE with a bunch of attachments and like it.  I've got a MOLLE that I really like as well.  My just going backpacking pack that I like is my Kelty Redcloud - very light, very comfortable.  Then there are another dozen or so laying around that just won't leave.  Guess I'll keep em.

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## Rick

I have a modified, large Alice pack with frame and shelf. I upgraded the shoulder straps and belt to the Molle straps. Much wider and a lot more padding. 

I also have a North Face day pack.

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## SARKY

Sarge, until you've put one on your back with enough stuff in it to make your legs buckle and the darn thing still feels good ..... don't knock it! Besides their guarantee covers what most other companies would consider abuse of the product.

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## catfish10101

:drunk: 20 bottle pack of Budweiser .

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## sh4d0wm4573ri7

Love my snugpack 70 litre rocket and its lil bro the sleeka 35 also have a internal frame kelty I have had for years I really like the newer snugpack though its frameless and carries alot comfortably .Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

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## SARKY

Is it totally frameless or does it have some sort of internal frame?

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## Sarge47

> Sarge, until you've put one on your back with enough stuff in it to make your legs buckle and the darn thing still feels good ..... don't knock it! Besides their guarantee covers what most other companies would consider abuse of the product.


I'm sure it's a great pack...just like a Lexus is a fine car.  But I'd NEVER spend $550 Bucks on a pack!  I don't care HOW good it is!  At the end of the day it's only gonna carry about $200 worth of gear!   :Cool2:

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## pocomoonskyeyes

> Sarge, until you've put one on your back with enough stuff in it to make your legs buckle and the darn thing still feels good ..... don't knock it! Besides their guarantee covers what most other companies would consider abuse of the product.


For that much money it should have a LIFETIME replacement guarantee even in the case you douse it in gas and set it on fire!! You can buy any 2 packs for that much money.

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## tacmedic

Depends on what I am doing.  For just a daypack or airplane carry on I have a Blackhawk Tsunami pack that I have used for years and it has gone all over the world with me.  For a weekend or light week I use a Gregory Z55 pack, it is very comfortable and the back ventilation system actually seems to keep my back from sweating even when I carry the pack all day.  For longer/expedition style stuff I have a Jansport Whittaker pack that I use.  My BOB is a Blackhawk  X-1 Raptor.

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## Sourdough

Barney's Sport's Custom Pack & Frame.

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## Rick

Too bad they don't have a web site, huh?

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## Sourdough

> Too bad they don't have a web site, huh?


Not many buyers on this forum for a $550.00 to $850.00 custom Pack. Only professionals and super hard'core Sheep & Moose hunters buy that equipment. But if you need to honk 175 Pounds over 16 miles of wilderness, then that pack is dirt cheap. My neighbor and his wife just got back from breaking in her new Barney's pack on a 60 Mile, 10 day sheep hunt, they packed out two Dall Sheep in relays.

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## WillDeerborn

Former ARMY man here...I gotta go with the ALICE...Full Frame...Probably the best pack I ever used...The damn thing was more comfy than my school bags growin' up. I would have an LBV and pistol belt with it though...Those're a must in my eyes.

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## Sarge47

I have a large ALICE with frame that cost me 60 bucks.  I also have a Jansport "Rockies 100" that cost me the most:  $150!  I have an old Jansport day-pack that I found & use a lot.  Also a day-pack I got from a certain cigarette promotion.  However, right now I'm using some type of military thingie I bought at a yard sale for a buck; I'll post a pic later & see if anybody can identify it.   Watch for my new thread to come soon: "Yard-Sale Survival!"  OOOHHH the Discovery channel should hire me!   :Sneaky2:

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## sh4d0wm4573ri7

Both the Snugpack rocket and Sleeka are totally frame less but have substantial padding against the back. Suppose one could also add a sleeping pad to make it more rigid but I carry about 42lbs on occasion with no discomfort and nothing added for support. The Sleeka35 is a day pack and usually carry about 20lbs in it.

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## tonester

i love my maxpediton condorII. it works good for me cause of all the molle straps it has on the outside, it allows me to be modular. i love the size, its small enough to take out for a little day hike or big enough to take on a 3 day adventure. the condura fabric is super tough! i mean ive gone through bushes, thorns, scraped up against jagged rocks and theres not one stitching that has come undone yet.

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## finallyME

If I was going to throw down some cash for a pack, then I would go for a McHale.
http://www.mchalepacks.com/

Otherwise, I look for packs that are under 3 lbs and can carry up to 40 lbs.  I usually only need to carry 30lbs, so a 40 lb capacity is sufficient.

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## Matt86

Im using a large tobago MOLLE bag from voodoo tactical right now (i gave 60 bucks for it). I have heard alot of people say they have had problems with voodoo tactical but the bag i have is realy well made and its taken ALOT of abuse...its overkill sometimes as far as space goes but it does the job realy well. I might start looking into getting a smaller maxpedition soon. I realy like the condor packs they have.

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## Ken

I still use my Maxpedition Falcon II as my light pack.

Just got a CamelBak BFM large hydration cargo pack as a medium pack.  Haven't even used it yet.

I have so many large packs I can't count 'em.   :Innocent:

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## NCO

I have Savotta Rajapartio(frontier patrol) with built-in frame. Used by our Border guard patrols. I just love it. Cost me about 200e. The pack There is a picture and presentation.

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## lucznik

My favorite packs were made by a company called Bridger Mountain Backpacks.  They were bought out awhile back and the new owner stopped making their packs.  There is no current source for them that I know of.  I have 4 of their packs from a lumbar pack to a couple of medium sized day packs.  I paid $10 each on clearance at a discount sporting goods store in Salt Lake City.  One of the best deals I ever made.

I also have a Kelty Tongass that I like a lot.  It too is a small daypack, but it has some pretty inteligently designed features. 

For hiking trips that are not hunting related and/or where I'm trying to go ultra lightweight I have a older Wenzel backpack that has gone through heck and back and has held up quite well.  It isn't very good if your trying to pack a lot of weight, but for 3+ day hiking trips it is pretty dang nice. 

For more extended trips (4+ days) and/or if I plan on packing out any large quantities of meat I have a Badlands 2800.  It is quite comfortable loaded down and the "batwing" design that lets you keep your gear and your meat all together yet seperated is pretty sweet.

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## rebel

Medium Alice w/o frame.
Gregory day pack.

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## Icemancometh

Large ALICE Pack, favorite because it is what i have.  I did replace the shoulder straps with Spec-Ops straps, because they are longer and more comfortable.  Being a big guy   (6'5", 300 lbs.) I have trouble finding a comfortable pack for my manly frame.

I use a Molle Large Assault Pack for a hunting pack, not a large pack but once again has the longer shoulder straps

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## Silverfx4

I use an old lg alice pack, I like it because it was free.

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## Rick

> My neighbor and his wife just got back from breaking in her new Barney's pack on a 60 Mile, 10 day sheep hunt, they packed out two Dall Sheep in relays.


Hey, Sourdough. I completely forgot to ask you. How do you pack out a sheep in relays? If you are packing some of it say 10 miles and then going back and getting the rest to bring up 10 miles how do you keep both ends of the relay safe from animals eating your kill? Am I understanding the relay correctly?

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## tacticalguy

Tad Gear F.a.s.t pack. Its got a lot of room, a lot of molle straps, and its durable. Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

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## LudwigVan

Planning to get a Maxpedition Vulture-II pack pretty soon.

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## sgtdraino

No question: A French F1 Rucksack.

Tough as nails, super-simple, super-cheap, comfortable to wear, and holds a ton.

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## DukeOf

For medium sized loads my favorite pack is my Camelbak BFM.
For larger load outs it's my Snugpak Bergen.

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## jesse james turner

For me my choise is the Eberlestock G4 "operator" backpack It has plenty of room for my stuff. plus two sleeves built in for hydration systems, and it has a gun bag capable of carrying up to a 60" long gun. Plus it has Boo-ku Molle straps, for carrying extra Magazines of Ammo, for your favorite .223 rifle. It is a beefy bag, at 10 lbs. empty loaded weight should put it at about 70-80 lbs. but who cares when its your butt on the line if you want to survive you don't quibble about weight. You can hit there web-site and but the bag or you can get at many sporting goods stores Including scheels, or buy it from uscav.com. starting at 399.00 it is not a bad bag at all. best of all It's made in AMERICA. Boise Idaho to be exact.

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## Rick

70 pounds loaded huh? I'd hoss that anchor about as far as the truck.

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## Sarge47

> For me my choise is the Eberlestock G4 "operator" backpack It has plenty of room for my stuff. plus two sleeves built in for hydration systems, and it has a gun bag capable of carrying up to a 60" long gun. Plus it has Boo-ku Molle straps, for carrying extra Magazines of Ammo, for your favorite .223 rifle. It is a beefy bag, at 10 lbs. empty loaded weight should put it at about 70-80 lbs. but who cares when its your butt on the line if you want to survive you don't quibble about weight. You can hit there web-site and but the bag or you can get at many sporting goods stores Including scheels, or buy it from uscav.com. starting at 399.00 it is not a bad bag at all. best of all It's made in AMERICA. Boise Idaho to be exact.


To big of a price tag & who hauls 70 lbs. of gear?  Who do you think you are?  Colin Fletcher?   :Cool2:

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## jesse james turner

> To big of a price tag & who hauls 70 lbs. of gear?  Who do you think you are?  Colin Fletcher?


All I carry it to is my Polaris Ranger 6 by 6. I'll let it carry it the rest of the way.

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## LostOutrider

My ALICE.   Medium-sized, cause I don't like 'em too big or too small.    She's cheap, sturdy, and dependable.  I can do things to her that my friends would never dream of doing to their high-dollar trophy pieces, and she looks just as good or better when I'm done.  She may be a little scuffed on the corners and frayed on the edges, but I wouldn't trade her for the latest lightweight model if you paid me.

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## 2dumb2kwit

> My ALICE.   Medium-sized, cause I don't like 'em too big or too small.    She's cheap, sturdy, and dependable.  I can do things to her that my friends would never dream of doing to their high-dollar trophy pieces, and she looks just as good or better when I'm done.  She may be a little scuffed on the corners and frayed on the edges, but I wouldn't trade her for the latest lightweight model if you paid me.


 Hey....that's how I feel about my other half!

Oop's...did I actually type that? :Blushing:

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## Rick

And yet another vacancy looms on the horizon.

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## el-amigo

It's great to read about your experience and knowledge about these rucksacks. I own a cheap, simple (and I think it is unknown at the overseas) Quechua rucksack for my day trips. It's just 30l and I can carry what I need. Safety is the highest priority of course. She has a built-in rain cover and I have an old UK military poncho in it for my safety. Certainly I am just a beginner thus I feel this gear is totally enough for me at the moment.

What is your opinion about the backpacks of the Macpac and the Osprey brand. As far as I know there is an ex soldier who uses the Macpac Cascade 90FL for his adventures. (Ed Stafford ex British army captain.)

The following page will be Hungarian but there are two pictures about theoretically military packs. Do you know something about these rucksacks? Are they really military stuff? Here is the link. I am just curious. I would like to order one. Any comments?

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## wetzel

What's the weight of a medium alice pack unloaded?  I certainly like the price, and the fact that so many have put it through the paces and found it functional.

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## Rick

I don't have an empty one to weigh for you so all I can do is give you a SWAG. Someone chime in if you think I'm off. 

I'd guess the medium pack at about 3 pounds. With Frame closer to 6. It will also depend on which version you get. The old cotton canvas were pretty heavy, around 5 pounds or so. The nylon ones that came out in the early 60's dropped a couple of pounds.

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## wetzel

Are the Alice packs pretty comfortable to wear without the frame?  Say for a hunting/hiking daypack.  Is there a spot in there to put a bladder?

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## Winter

Med ALICE is 5.8 lbs and 2350 cubic inches.

Durable, proven, cheap, and I'm used to the system.

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## Winter

> Are the Alice packs pretty comfortable to wear without the frame?  Say for a hunting/hiking daypack.  Is there a spot in there to put a bladder?


Not with any real weight. The radio pouch can carry a bladder.

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## sh4d0wm4573ri7

It does have the aluminum brace for a frame yes its very comfy even with a 40-50 lb load.

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## el-amigo

Hello,

Any response for my questions? I'd like to buy the military backpack in December.

Cheers,
Tom

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## Rick

Winter - Is that with the frame? 

Tom - The packs you listed are not U.S. military packs. Whether they are use by a European country is not something I would know. We have plenty of commercial packs like that here in the States. It depends on the brand name as to whether you are getting a quality pack. 

The Alice pack is prolific throughout the world since so many of them were made and so many used by other countries. You should be able to pick one up in Europe at a decent price. I don't think you'll be disappointed with it.

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## el-amigo

> Tom - The packs you listed are not U.S. military packs. Whether they are use by a European country is not something I would know. We have plenty of commercial packs like that here in the States. It depends on the brand name as to whether you are getting a quality pack. 
> 
> The Alice pack is prolific throughout the world since so many of them were made and so many used by other countries. You should be able to pick one up in Europe at a decent price. I don't think you'll be disappointed with it.


Sir, yes, sir!
I will check the Alice packs in Europe!

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## el-amigo

> Sir, yes, sir!
> I will check the Alice packs in Europe!


I've checked the ALICE and MOLLE packs at my area after reading the sticky backpack topic. Unfortunately the ALICE packs are quite expensive here but I found great MOLLE rucksacks. I'll check them at the military store. Aaaand thank you for the comments.

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## wetzel

Midwayusa.com has army surplus alice packs for what seem like a pretty good deal.  34.99 for a medium and 39.99 for a large.  They come with the frame.  Are these good ones?

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## Rick

The large is on sale for $29.99 but they are currently out of stock. They look like the real deal to me but the large one isn't a very good picture.

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## Sticky

I also vote for a medium ALICE. I've been using one since 1970, so I know exactly where all my gear will go. I find it fits me well with the frame. I use it for canoeing, backpacking, etc...

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## el-amigo

The medium ALICE pack (without the frame) is $75.59 here.
The MOLLE 30l pack is $35.57.

According to the information from the store they are not waterproof.

It's a funny part of the world.

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## Rick

A quick check of Google indicates you may be looking at the same pack you posted. Not a true Molle pack. Here's a pic of the true Molle Rucksack. You aren't going to pick it up for $35.00. 

Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

You probably want to stay away from the Molle 3-Day assault pack since the should straps a pretty thin. 

Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

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## el-amigo

You are definitely right, Rick.
Sorry for the confusion, I'm a beginner but I would like to fit into the community quickly.
Now I see what I have found is a fake military backpack.

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## Rick

I have one very similar to the one you posted and it's a good day pack. I could probably get by with it for a few days but I have more comfortable packs that I prefer.

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## Beans

> The following page will be Hungarian but there are two pictures about theoretically military packs. Do you know something about these rucksacks? Are they really military stuff? Here is the link. I am just curious. I would like to order one. Any comments?


Translation For more information:
Tactical Backpack 
Color: Green 
Capacity: approx. 30 l Material: pearl screen size: 22x45x30 cm. backrest padded backrest behind the camel bag (ivózsák) pocket (2-liter fit in), padded shoulder straps with adjustable waist strap accessories be fixed outside of a piece. large aperture, size: 45x22x10 cm 1pc. large aperture, size 40x20x5 cm. 1. middle compartment size: 16x25x5 cm. 1 small compartment size: 17x13x5 cm

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## el-amigo

> Translation For more information:
> Tactical Backpack 
> Color: Green 
> Capacity: approx. 30 l Material: pearl screen size: 22x45x30 cm. backrest padded backrest behind the camel bag (ivózsák) pocket (2-liter fit in), padded shoulder straps with adjustable waist strap accessories be fixed outside of a piece. large aperture, size: 45x22x10 cm 1pc. large aperture, size 40x20x5 cm. 1. middle compartment size: 16x25x5 cm. 1 small compartment size: 17x13x5 cm


Good translation, Beans, thank you!
I use a simple one-day hiking pack in my daily life. It seems to be a children's toy compared with the military backpacks but it is better in the office.  :Smile:

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