Is ALICE Equipment still useful?

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  • paperwork351

    no error code for stupid
    Mar 7, 2008
    867
    Gaithersburg
    I forgot to mention that the short malice work on the alice belt. Zip ties or paracord to keep the alice clips from opening. Zip ties are easier for me. A molle waist pad works great on an alice ruck since the weight is on your hips. You won't be able to wear a LCxx belt though. Google Hellcat upgrade.

    paperwork351
     

    randomuser

    Ultimate Member
    Nov 12, 2018
    5,775
    Baltimore County
    I had a large Alice.
    Had to do a ten mile ruck run with 80# sandbag on Fridays often in sand for portions. Jungle boots were harsh for me imo. I found Bates lites were perfect. Just like running shoes.

    For the pack, I always clipped the hipstrap/ waist belt around the back. I cut a green ground mat for camping into a rectangle that shoved up under the top part of the Alice pack that wraps over the frame. Cushioned the back from the metal cross when it bulged toward your back under a heavy load. Then I cut another piece of the mat the size of the hip belt and used duct tape to wrap the entire thing to the original waist strap. I'd also duct tape the quick release straps so they would not get inadvertently pulled. I'm not talking about the quick release that loosens and tightens I'm talking about the quick release part that unattaches.

    You can also tape off all your riveted areas and reinforce the pack frame like making a cross type wrap using half pieces of duct tape.

    I have several packs to this day and the Alice is one of the best for what it is used for. The others are a Blackhawk 3 and a gr2. A great pack will last a long time.


    Alice is toughest pack I have ever seen.
     

    aht2131

    Active Member
    Aug 5, 2011
    134
    I like ALICE stuff as they tend to be pretty durable. For running around in the woods/hiking they are pretty nice. The pack can be kind of heavy with the frame relative to a commercial pack, but its also going to last a lot longer than anything you can get at the store for the same price. I experienced the whole transition from ALICE, then MOLLE, then ILBE. I didn't really find any generation of gear particularly more comfy/miserable than the other in any significant way.
     

    cap6888

    Ultimate Member
    Oct 2, 2011
    2,556
    Howard County
    Alice just plain works. Molle was a good upgrade, but Velcro does suck. Most Alice pouches will accept malice clips through the slots for the Alice clips. The Alice clips were the one weak spot of the system. Adding Molle ruck straps to an Alice pack is a great modification too.
     

    huesmann

    n00b
    Mar 23, 2012
    1,927
    Silver Spring, MD
    To my understanding the Velcro failure is due to the repetition that something like a mag pouches would see and the dirt and debris found in the field.
    Additionally, repeated open/close cycles will wear out the "loop" side of the fastener such that the fibers become loose and no longer hold tight to the "hooks" on the other side.
     

    Rambler

    Doing the best with the worst.
    Oct 22, 2011
    2,162
    I put an ALICE pack onto a MOLLE 2 frame. The frame is lightweight and has many slots for placement of the straps and belt.
     

    Rambler

    Doing the best with the worst.
    Oct 22, 2011
    2,162
    Field problem. Clogs up with dirt & fine debris, loses it's 'sticky'.

    Several years back I was working on testing prototypes of new packs for the military. We looked at them new and after they had undergone field testing. I took them apart down to piece parts including a pile of thread and a pile of dirt. It was amazing how much dirt and sweat added to the weight. And yes, velcro is rendered nearly useless by fine dirt/sand.
     

    Sigfan77

    My dog loves his Sig, too
    Feb 8, 2017
    62
    Fredneck, PRM
    I've had a large ALICE pack and frame for 30-something years. I've used it for everything "outdoors." Never used it in a class, though. The only problem with a large ALICE is that it has too much space and too many pockets, leading to some ijjit (yes, that would be me) wanting to take EVERYTHING. So, it can get heavy. If not filled 'enough,' it can get a bit 'floppy.' So, if I had the choice to do it all again, I would go back to the medium ALICE. Just my .02
     

    MattTheGunslinger

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 26, 2010
    1,373
    Baltimore county
    No doubt the ALICE pack is king of rucks. At least in my little world it is. My main focus though from the original post was the other bits of gear. The pistol belt, suspenders, M16/pistol mag pouches, medical kit, and the M12 holster. I’m not really surprised that nobody has used it in a modern class, but I am kind of disappointed. I would love to see somebody rock a class with old school gear.

    All this talk about the ALICE pack though has got me wanting another one. lol
     

    E.Shell

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 5, 2007
    10,244
    Mid-Merlind
    IMO, the main issue with the old school gear vs modern day classes is that there are far better retention holsters than the M12 that allow one to draw with one hand and a minimum of motion.

    I have a couple M-12s and have never really been satisfied with fit (1911 & M9). Either it is closed and the gun is secure or it is open and the gun can fall out. While the handgun CAN be presented with one hand from secure carry...eventually, a good thumb-activated Kydex retention holster is light-years better and faster.

    Same with the magazine pouches. TACOs, and similar are so much better for everything except weather protection - multiple mags, tight friction/tension fit, supplementary shock-cord retention, one hand extraction.

    Hard to justify TA-50/ALICE style gear for that sort of use, unless just going 'retro' for fun.
     

    paperwork351

    no error code for stupid
    Mar 7, 2008
    867
    Gaithersburg
    IMO, the main issue with the old school gear vs modern day classes is that there are far better retention holsters than the M12 that allow one to draw with one hand and a minimum of motion.

    I have a couple M-12s and have never really been satisfied with fit (1911 & M9). Either it is closed and the gun is secure or it is open and the gun can fall out. While the handgun CAN be presented with one hand from secure carry...eventually, a good thumb-activated Kydex retention holster is light-years better and faster.


    Does the M-12 thumb break system M1415 have a loose fit?
     

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