I started BSA in the 60s and military on the 70s. Used every kind of pack but kept comin back to ALICE over the decades. Before my surgery in 2021 I used one medium ALICE with weights for rucking 3 times a week and one set up for back woods camping. So long as I rocked a military belt and suspenders and web gear I didn’t need the hip belt. When MOLLE became available I added the MOLLE hip belt to it. And then a sustainment pouch to each side. And last buckles. I never added a top pouch. But would put either my poncho or waist pack under it. So with 5 external pockets, room to place sleeping bag or foam pad on the bottom, and gear on top of or underneath the top flap, I had room to organize and carry bulky items securely. In my opinion and others in the military that have studied the soldiers sustainment and fighting load combat effectiveness goes down after 50-60 lbs and injury goes up. They would rather spend money on the exoskeleton rather than maximizing supply and delivery methods. M117 s Gavinnj and motorized M274 worked well in Vietnam. A frame pack is hands down the most comfortable pack that will carry loads greater than 28 lbs.

Just bought a new unissued medium size Alice with frame and straps for 49 bucks at my local surplus store today. I'm not retiring the one I got over 20 years ago while in A school in Pensacola just needed a new one. I'm stoked i found the perfect pack for that price!!

I'm Still Rocking My Medium ALICE i got at a Yard sale back in 86. Lot of upgrades since then, waist belt, Straps.(Molle 2)..That bag just doesn't Quit

I’m a old school gear freak. I guess it’s my remembrance of my time 88-92 USMC. Keep the content coming. SF

This was a great video! It’s not something I ever gave thought to but it is a good idea to get in contact with area fire/police/sheriff agencies when moving to a new area to find out about trouble spots and letting them know you’re in the area, where and how long. They are there to help you when needed. I was in the USMC in late 90s so this gear is near and dear to me. I own a medium ALICE pack and looking at ways to improve it.

Glad you came down South wait a while for the Fall to kick in stunning vista's. Watch the roads for tourists traffic by day & jumping bucks at night. Look into A.S.A.T. camo for hunting., try panning for gold in the water ways while fishing. It is God's country, thanks

I am definitely looking to expand my tribe! I am kind of it in my area. I do not know anyone who is into the outdoor kinds of things, and beyond. I know a lot of talkers, but no doers. My 10 year old daughter is my sidekick, and already at her age she does a 6 day a week body workout, she boxes, and we ruck together 3 times a week. Her goal is to be the first female Green Beret, and she is in love with hiking, camping, hunting, and all things outdoors. We had her in girl scouts, and it was pathetic. They were not allowed to do anything outside. My wife was a leader, and every request she made that was of any use or benefit got shot down. So, she finished out the year, cause she is not allowed to start something, and quit, but she will never go through that again. It was sad, man. You would have had to have seen it to believe just how ridiculous it was.

Airborne grunt here. Myself and a few other folks opt to use the ALICE and MALICE packs over the MOLLE 4k. The newer rucks are heavier, the frames are fragile, and many guys suffer hip and back issues because of them. I'm convinced the ALICE pack is the 1911 of the rucksack world. It's a real gem and it just won't die.

ALICE is my favorite girl. She gets all the love I got to give. 😘

@mitchforster5349

11 ай бұрын

Amen

@stevejackson9952

7 ай бұрын

Alice!? Who the hell is Alice!!???

Alice, just like our country, has always been great. I have a large alice pack in the "wildcat" mod with a Down East 1606 pack frame. I think it's got straps and waist belt from the MOLLE ruck but I'm not sure. It's been a while since I've used it or did much work on rucking. I need to get back into it. It's one of my favorite packs. My only wish is that the main straps had better buckles.

‘Riggs’ is awesome man. Really enjoy watching that fellow!

I have a medium ALICE with MOLLE II furniture. Of all the pack styles I've humped, it's by far the most comfortable. What you didn't mention is the space between your back and the pack itself afforded by the frame. In NC, heat and humidity are crippling at times. That space allows air to circulate and cool.

@carlcox7332

18 күн бұрын

I second that. Best set up I've found so far. I've spent thousands on bags and packs and the Alice with molle pads is the best I've found so far.

That backpack frame is crying out for some 550 cord fancywork. Needs to be decked out like the admiral's passageway! OD paracord on the exposed tubing would look great.

I love my Large Alice pack, still have my mine from 79'. The large is what they issued us. Not the most comfortable, but it will show up and hold up for you IMHO. I like the modifications you made to make it more usable and adaptable. Think I might make a project with mine. At 62 years of age I am no longer "Mil-Spec". Welcome to the South, I live in DFW Texas former LRRP, C Co, 3rd Bn reconnaissance company. Cancer survivor with one kidney left. Never quite brother. Tribe 4 eva.

@STOKERMATIC

11 ай бұрын

You’ve been through some hell - glad to hear it hasn’t stopped ya!

The new Molle 4K kinda brings this back. I upgraded my hardware to TT frame and straps/belt. Something about ALICE though is just hard to beat and I wish I had kept mine. I'm finding I'm trying to re invent the gear with my kit being LBE style and ALICE 'like'. Problem is my command is anti anything non 'current' issue.

+1 for ALICE. $ well spent. Adds capability, distance, and survivability to any small group. Should be among the first gear considered.

I love my ALICE! Been using it for years

Working with and giving some positivity to our youth is critical. Weather it is scouting program or simply big brothers or a local YMCA. I hear so often from youngsters the phrase,"No one ever showed me or taught me that." If you have something to offer, it can and will benefit someone. In turn they may have something to offer you that you never knew you wanted or needed. Carry on.

I always loved my ALICE pack very versatile

I love my medium ALICE pack. I got her in a new prom dress too. Alice gear is time tested and proven.

I have 1 medium, 1 radio version, and 1 large Alice. I am currently rucking the medium on a 70s World Famous Killamanjaro aluminium frame. I have an ACU belt pouch attached to the bottom. All versions are great.

I use my lbe and alice ruck. All the way! and it is proven.

@carlcox7332

18 күн бұрын

I just can't get my ilbe to fit my body correctly. I've spent hours adjusting and bending support bars trying to get a proper fit and nothing I do makes it comfortable. Those super thick waist pads pinch the hell out of my kidney every time and I have a pretty big curve in my spine that I just can't get the bars to match up to. They just don't fit skinny guys well at all. I'm actually going to sell it. It's still in perfect shape with all the straps and even the radio pouch.

After military service I needed to 'do something' so I bought my first group of firearms and started recreational shooting which turned into amateur competitions at gun clubs. I met a whole new world of 'like minded friends' doing that and in California believe it or not! That was 30 years ago. Another thought is our counties here in the SW have ''County Preparedness Teams' that are run by retired military and LE for the most part. It's about disaster preparedness and emergency response for the community at large. They have meetings where they offer training in basic medical, food preps, HAM radio and communication and beginner firearms training. They also have special guest speakers like LE and local/federal political representatives. Just a couple suggestions - sounds like you're already getting some 'recon' done! I would think where you're at with certain natural disasters showing up now and then the counties would have something like that. Good Luck Stoker!

Congratulations on your retirement, hope you make some good contacts and friends in your new area. I personally found your content on KZread on the subject of navigating and orienteering with map and compass to be of great value and service. With the wealth of knowledge and experience you've acquired in the many years of service to your country, i'm sure any community would be fortunate to have you and your skills, and would find you to be quite an asset. I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors in Georgia.

Nice Ruck! In the process of modifying my medium ALICE and ordered a TacTailor frame a few days ago. I can still feel the pucker effect in my wallet (I must be on the right track👍). You presented some great ideas, and some things to ponder. Good luck settling in to your new A.O. and finding tribe. Thanks for taking the time to make this video.

The LC2 frames are worth it! Definitely the thing I hated about the ALICE Packs was the crap padding and straps, on point with those improvements brother, looks waaay comfier. Cheers!

I'll never get rid of my ALICE pack.

I put the molle 2 shoulder and waist straps on my large Alice and it's the most comfortable pack I own now. Ive got the molle 2 the filbe and the ilbe by arcteryx which was suppose to be the most comfortable surplus pack ever made. I've never been able to get that thing to fit me correctly. Definitely not made for skinny guys. Plus the large Alice is about half of the weight of all the other ones.

Hey Top- Good to see your transitioning well and looks like you have your near term planning in order. We, a prior senior NCO's must teach the younger generation and share knowledge with those who will listen. Its always rewarding to have someone accomplish things they thought they never could. Your ALICE set up speaks experience. Ive got about 3 of them here in the garage that are set up very similar. Right now, Im working on a MOLLE 2 main pack on the plastic USMC frame. As far as I can tell so far, the frame and waist belt are much more comfortable than the old Alice frame, but its good to roll into the woods old school with the good stuff from time to time. You be good in your travels and keep the videos going when you can. Stay Hydrated- Carry On-

Sitting in the Desert of Southern California, I’ll probably never get the honor of participating in your courses. I must say it’s been a pleasure getting to see your films. Thank you for all the knowledge you have shared with us. Look forward to seeing this happen for you.

I have a large Alice pack that I had modified by Tactical Taylor years ago. The thing is absolutely bomb proof. It's the same pack I had when I was recon with the 82nd, but better. It's heavy for sure, but I take it backpacking all the time. After carrying it for 30 years I'm just used to it, and I known it won't fail me.

You don't have to tell me brother. ALICE stuff is some of the best for camping and bushcrafting. I have several videos on the system...

This brings new life to my aging ALICE pack! Awesome! Now let me see... where do I get storage pouches for balls and sticks?

Super video 📹! Waist belt, Waist belt, Waist belt!! Keep up the great work 👍

My modifications are as follows: I used Molle II straps and waist belt. For the flap closure straps I obtained some high quality side clip buckles an used a hacksaw to convert the female side to “repair buckles.” I turned down the metal buckles to get them outa the way and installed the female buckles on the pack. I threaded the male halves of the buckles on the long straps. The sides of the pack are occupied by a Molle II sustainment pouch on each side. I use an Alice Chem Suit bag to carry a lightweight sleeping bag. I threaded Molle Nalgene bottle carriers onto the waist belt to carry water. The setup generally gets the job done. I’m probably gonna have to setup a Molle II rucksack for hunting, though. Alice just isn’t deep enough for hindquarters and shoulders.

Been hump my medium and large Alice since I first joined the Army in 1988. Love it.

My Norwegian Telemark pack is like an older relative of the Alice and about the same size, it's under renovation at present, some parts from old packs that have worn out and some new components (some unexpected ones too like the replacement metal buttons from jeans). My German Alpine pack is like a smaller relative to the Alice, that has been tweaked and renovated close to 30 years, I would be more upset if I lost that pack than an expensive one, it's comfortable and useful and took a long time to get where I was totally happy with it. I understand how you view your Alice pack.

Hi Bill. Hey, your face is getting fuzzy. Looks good on you. Looks like great country!! I was stationed at the south end of Georgia (Albany) and loved it. ALICE medium (one of my favorite ladies) will hold 40 pounds of tomatoes, onions and jalapenos. (Farmers Market shopping for salsa. ) A Speedy Stitcher will do emergency repairs when something blows out. Stitched on a boot sole that came off mid Grand Canyon with one. A Sailor's Palm is a thimble on steroids. Look for Palmer's needles to use with the palm The Pfaff 130-6 sewing machine was made for sail repair so it'll make things for your loadout. The place to get them nowadays is ebay. Just finished rebuilding mine.

Fantastic setup, picked up a few ideas for mine. Thank you

Lake Allatoona, Cartersville and Blueridge used to be my stomping ground but Im farther south now......but you are a lot closer now

Thanks for the advice on the ALICE mods. I'm working on my large Alice that I forgot to turn back in back in the 80s. As for your tribe, are there any of your former soldiers that live in the area?

I love the Alice pack design. I own one from Eagle Industries and have embarked on some adventurous hikes with it in the past. It's fascinating how search and rescue operations can vary depending on the location, location is everything. You mentioned there are about 60 per year in your area? In British Columbia, last year we have over 1500 and that is down from previous year of 2100. That's why I always push my friends and family to be prepared in the woods, so many people here are not properly geared up to go into the backcountry. Cheers, Dave.

Absolutely

Love your set up !

I'm loving all of the ALICE content from so many pages recently! I really want to try hand at an improved version of the ALICE. Something like 500D Cordura, 50ish liters, extended frame, etc.

i really wonder what Vietnam Vietnam vets would think of this. Wee managed without Alice (doesn't live here any more) in more than a than silly, civilian way. Why use a mil-spec pack if ur not willing to find out what mil-folks did to make them work?

@STOKERMATIC

11 ай бұрын

I was issued an ALICE in the 90s - everything can be improved.

Looks interesting about alice packs, we did not have these in uk. But other things, bervens and plce type kit. Dont want to cary to much these days. Use a belt with puches az the royal marines callit. Has most tbings for a day. Belt is french puches uk and usa so is a miss match i guess but works. Nice dog you have,

Great film. Honest, realistic and straightforward.

Fireforce makes some really nice sholder & hip belts & Alice packs too. All made in the USA.

I like an Alice pack. It just feels really comfortable on me.

C.E.R.T., join it. If your community does not have one, create one. You’ll quickly be introduced to your surrounding emergency response systems/communications/operations from County/ City’s emergency management. Then create off-shoot mutual aide group through recruitment from your CERT. Create a neighborhood watch. Sounds dorky, but it works. During LA riots, our neighborhoods outside of the city saw an uptick to property crimes. I recruited a few neighbors, assigned shifts & created routes, and taught them how to patrol and things to look for along with how to report to local law enforcement for quickest response time. Local officers started asking us what we were doing because they started seeing an uptick in property crimes in THEIR neighborhoods and found themselves rerouting their patrols in order to keep their neighborhood safe. The criminals didn’t stop being criminals, they just shifted their shenanigans to other neighborhoods as a result of us hardening ours. Never underestimate strength in numbers uniting under a common cause. ❤️ 🇺🇸

Thanks,Stoker!!

“Riggs really wants to play stick” as Riggs walks by with half a tree in his mouth.

I loved my Alice pack.

#alice4lyfe Great setup Stoke! Very similar except I got lucky with all woodland setup. Lost my GSD earlier this summer, so it's been hard to watch the channel. However, it's damn good to see Riggs up to his playful exploratory self. Never change puppers and live forever.

@STOKERMATIC

11 ай бұрын

Hate to hear about your pup passing.

Love my 😘 ALICE, your online tribe is wishing you all the best in your new adventure.

Ended up picking up a London bridge 2657 pack from one thief surplus for a great pack. All the things that the lc1 should have evolved into . Yes a bit more expensive but we’ll worth it !

Great Video. I'm running a Med. ALICE Pack. Love it

Good to see you out in your new area. Iddly, it doesn't look too different from the last area, just leafier, haha. Enjoy the new times.

@STOKERMATIC

11 ай бұрын

More bugs here 😂

Awesome setup👍🏻

ALICE... She tight. She fit just right. She can fight. She go all night.

Man wish i was down in Georgia about now! would be awesome to see ya

Have been rocking my semi stock Alice LC1 large pack for about a year now. Had to tape my standard alice pack backpack straps because they fall off the buckle sometimes and my bag falls off. I upgraded the waiste hip belt with the us molle 2 and its super comfy. Looking to upgrade the straps to molle 2 as well. Maybe upgrade the buckles

@Blackrosemafiatv

4 ай бұрын

Rucking about 7-10 miles every other day with about 35-45lbs

Reminds me of the Ozarks. Looks like Riggs was having fun exploring too.

I make my living under Large Alice Ruck/ Retired U.S. Army Infantry/ Grunts can survive.

👋🏻👀👍🏻 from the wingnut radio in Florida

Rock on Stokermatic!

I have and love my large Alice pack please let me know how you put on a sternum strap

Ohhhhh, my back hurts just thinking about those packs……and that was in the 70s.

@STOKERMATIC

11 ай бұрын

🤣

Thank you for the info.

igot my alice pack i ordered a water proof cover for it then when i got it it was a bright silver i thought i got the green one but maybe i messed it up when ordering it idk im in the pnw so it rains alot not so much this year but that could change

I think it would be an honor to meet you. I live a little bit far from there. I'm about 8 hours south of Atlanta but if I have the money when the time comes I would love to come up there. I'm no stranger to the mountains since I grew up in west virginia . I don't have a lot of specialized training but I've always been wanting to learn more and I mey be 62 but I still got some get up and go. Dwayne

Well your alots closer than you was, I'm over here in NW Alabama, Muscle Shoals.

Good video. The Alice pack is a great pack. God bless. From Glenn CATT. In Massachusetts.

Beautiful German shepherd. I have all kind of Alice packs OG green woodland camouflage medium-large packsi upgrade my shoulder straps were$ 60 bucks three times as thick as the originals and a very thick kidney belt that was about 30 bucks but much better than the one they gave you and I sternum strap. I also put the shelf under The pack.I extended it with bolts and made it twice as wide. Which keeps the pack from sagging with a 3in shelf versus a 6in. It's very hard to get a MAG or tribe together because people are lazy they know it's coming but they don't want to do anything they want to wait to see how it all pans out by then it'll be too late. If anyone is not prepping all the time you're not prepping right better something than nothing.🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🪖🪖🪖☢️☢️☢️☠️☠️☠️☣️☣️☣️☣️🌎

I would love to head over that way for a meet ups but being disabled I can’t walk far. I hope you record some of it to share with us.

ALICE or German Web gear. Both are still better than the modern stuff imo. Use both for my hunting day trips.

I'll be interested to know what your approach to forming a group would be. For example, Expectations, especially while not in an emergency situation. What rules would be best for everyone to agree on? How far does the "looking out for each other" go? Would there be a let everyone handle there own lives policy until we're all in an emergency situation? Where do you think the line should be drawn, if any?. Not disrespecting the group idea, just curious what your approach would be.

@STOKERMATIC

11 ай бұрын

Great conversation piece for sure. Certainly more than a single reply can make happen. Once I get settled in (couple weeks) I’ll do a live chat on this. 👊

I'd be interested in finding out more information on tribal skill training.

The ALICE pack never stopped being great. It stopped being fashionable Hard to find a durable newly made pack that doesn't have 2 dozen or more pockets

@mattjack3983

11 ай бұрын

LOL that's not even close to being true. The US Army issued PALS/MOLLE rucksacks don't have "2 dozen or more pockets". And they have definitely proved to be an upgrade from the ALICE system in every way. They have the same durability, but they are lighter..ALOT more comfortable to wear..and more versatile and customizable. They are an upgrade from the ALICE system in every way.

I wish I had more like minded individuals near my location, South Texas🤠

I've been trying to get something going in W.N.C area

Alice worked well.

@georgepeters9381

10 ай бұрын

Would like to train with you, will you run classes?

@STOKERMATIC

10 ай бұрын

Coming soon!

thanks

Would you combine this pack with an LBE Alice harness (H or Y) including pistol belt and butt pack, and if so, what would that look like? How would the Alice pack shoulder straps interact with the LBE harness, etc?

@STOKERMATIC

10 ай бұрын

Search channel for To Hell Or HIGHWATER - or Operation Apache. Yes I do use both & No issues

Good vid. Best bag ever.

Did you move away from the PNW ? Now you are close if you are North GA.

@STOKERMATIC

11 ай бұрын

🥃

I’ve got over 500 mile backpacking self-sub stained, in my home state of Texas, New Mexico and Canada. I’ve got through 3 backpacks for one reason or the other. My packs range between 40 and 55 pounds depending on where i was hiking. Never hiked with an Alice pack. Can anyone point me to a link that they trust? Much appreciated

@STOKERMATIC

11 ай бұрын

Description for links or check surplus.

@jamesswain100

11 ай бұрын

@@STOKERMATIC thanks brother I’m sorry I didn’t scroll down and see the links. Thanks again for your videos. I look forward to seeing them pop up. Have a blessed day

@jamesswain100

11 ай бұрын

@@STOKERMATIC Sorry man but one more question; do you have a preferred “fanny pack” that can work with the Alice pack/frame to allow for concealed carry? I’m training for the AT but based on the crime sats I’m not hiking without the ability to defend myself and my wife regardless of the rules

@tomcatt998

11 ай бұрын

Fireforce > USA made

@jamesswain100

11 ай бұрын

@@tomcatt998 thanks man!

Should have modified mine back when I had it, now it’s too late 😂.

@STOKERMATIC

11 ай бұрын

🤣

beautiful country, looks like my backyard

I love this, thanks for sharing

0:37 - 0:40

Love it!

Just watch out for them country kittens with the white stripes.

Good video, thanks for sharing, God bless !

Stoked

When wasn't an alice pack great?

When I first enlisted we were issued ALICE rucksacks and gear. I thought that they were great. But I have to admit...the PALS/MOLLE came out and it is just infinitely better in every way. And while I still think that ALICE rucksacks are decent and good choice, they just don't even come close to being able to match the versatility and customization of the PALS/MOLLE system rucksacks, or the comfort while wearing it during a long ruck. I'm not trying to be a contrarian here or anything, but it is what it is. There's nothing wrong with the ALICE system, but the PALS/MOLLE system is an upgrade in every way.

Must have been in Union

"Different environment might operate a little different, but here? Come on, it's green and brown." Take notes, Brent! 😉