Rucksack Suggestions

The 45L infantry pack should be about £50 or so (bit more with the side pouches). I might even have a spare slide pouch yoke floating around somewhere.

This is the description/NSN for the 45L.

If you want something more gucci or with more compartments and admin bits then look at the 5.11 Rush 24 or the Camelbak Motherlode.

A slightly cheaper option is the Helikon Ratel.

Yeah, that’s the one I run as well.
Good bit of kit.
I can get gym kit, wash kit, two sets of overalls and my laptop and peripherals in it.

Managed to get a weeks kit for rehab in it with the addition of jet sacks. Absolutely rate it.

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Love mine :innocent:

I can get my kit for a 2-3 day FTX in it, possibly more with the side pouches. Or everything for a range day including plce webbing, waterproofs & admin.

I do pack a cheap waterproof cover and bag everything in dry bags as unlike some of the civvie kit it’s not waterproof or designed to be.

I tried the new Virtus ones and the basic pack is ok but is smaller (40L?), and the commander’s version is terrible unless you actually have and need the radio it’s designed to carry.

If you really want the PRI style, get the KarrimorSF version (Predator?)
Same bag, with a belt.

Your budget may make the choice for you though…

Personally, I find the 45 too big for a daysack, and I have the ECM Bergen as a big pack.

For my daysack, I prefer the Predator 30

https://karrimorsf.com/product/predator-30/

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I told a lie earlier, I don’t have the ECM 45 litre backpack, I have the Bowman pack.

This is the ECM:
New British Army ECM Karrimor SF MTP Bergen Daysack Multicam Molle 45L PLCE | eBay

The real benefit of the ECM bergen, was the side pouches. Which look like these:

These are the Rolls Royce of MTP side pouches, none of those rubbish zips that break for a past time. A real floating lid with compression straps. I have a set, and they usually go for more than the bergen!

The real benefit of the ECM is that it has proper pouch pockets on the side built in, and has a waist belt, which instantly makes it better than the standard issue PRI 45. It also has a zip pocket behind the back ideal for a hydration bladder. This is a better system than the pocket inside the backpack, as anyone who has ever removed a bladder from a full rucksack, refilled it and tried to get it back in will attest…

The Bowman bergen is a bit niche, the whole main bag can be removed, leaving in essence a frame carrier for the bowman. I would have preferred the ECM, but when the ECMS were still rare as hen’s teeth, a friendly supply officer friend of mine would order whatever NSNs you could get hold of, I thought the Bowman NSN was the ECM, and the Bowman arrived. It’s a good weekend bag because it has more storage space than the standard 45, a fully floating lid, and 2 separate main compartments.

Genuine British Army Manpack Bowman PRI radio carrier Bergen Day Sack MTP | eBay

It still makes me shudder when you mention the ECM bergen. I had an early version in DPM. I say DPM… it was very well ventilated so was largely made of mesh rather than DPM fabric! It was not bombproof (unless they were radio detonated :wink: ) and was ridiculously heavy. On the plus side, it didn’t retain water!!!

My Rolls Royce of side pouches was the long forgotten Medic side pouch. Fold open, lots of stash bags to help keep your life organised and far more waterproof than the original side pouches…

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I saw some MTP ones for sale a while back, stupidly didn’t get them. IIRC there is a full sized and half sized one.

We have an original OG one in stores!

The side pouches for the newer Virtus type day sack sell for huge sums which is another reason to avoid the Virtus bags.

I just looked at those, I don’t see the attraction over the ECM ones?

Nor me.

Also Virtus and PLCE pouches are not interchangeable which is annoying.

Depending on your budget / how well do you know the local Stn Supply SNCO the new issue virtus daysacks are on eBay. I’ve had one a few years and it’s served me well on many deployments. It’s almost like someone took feedback and designed it for what people want / need

Is that the regular one rather than the commanders’ version?

Ah, so it’s purely down to scarcity?

I think so yes. The kit hasn’t been issued for long enough for squaddies to build up a stock in their lofts

Of course, if you want hyper ally…

Nah, that’s just Ally, for Hyper, you want Olive Green.

A DPM Munro with the original 1980’s-early 90’s fittingsjust ally?

Oh no my friend, that is proper ally - while I’m a fan of the green Munro, and consider it vastly more ally than a multican one, it’s widespread availability puts it far behind the DPM one.

I’m not sure the DPM one was produced for the commercial market, I think they were all specials by Berghaus for specific customers, and only for a pretty short period of time. I’ve never seen one with the post 93 or so QR fittings…

It suffers with the degrading of DPM. DPM isn’t as ally as it once was, it looks dated now, and doesn’t work with modern equipment, which is a shame, as so much good kit can only be easily obtained in DPM, like Arctic and classic windproof smocks.

That’s why OG, is well, The OG!

Has anyone used Access Kits rucksacks for DofE groups? Their stuff seems really popular with schools at the moment.

I haven’t personally, but I’ve certainly seen very good things about all of their stuff online. Lots of good stories on the DofE Facebook groups etc.