PDA

View Full Version : Assault Pack Concept/Recommendations



lamarbrog
30 January 2013, 00:11
I am looking for a product that I am not sure exists. I have seen a popular trend of buckling a chest rig to a plate carrier lately. A friend of mine who just got back from Afghanistan really liked that set up as a cannon crew member since he could easily remove his magazines while operating the artillery, and clip it back on if he needed to use his rifle. I also see some folks clipping their rifle onto their plate carrier as a sort of single-point sling.

I don't use a cannon too often, so being able to quickly remove all of my magazines isn't as appealing for what I do. What does pique my interest, however, is doing that same thing except with an assault pack. Is there a pack made that easy adapts to being attached to the rear of a plate carrier with buckles in such a way that it can be quickly taken on and off, but doesn't add a bunch of extra straps like a regular pack?

I have attached both a Sustainment Pouch and a ATS Large GP Pouch to the back of my plate carrier at different times, trying to make myself a small assault pack type device. They hold stuff fine, and ride comfortably, but there is a real downside to having to remove my armor to access things in the pack.

Any recommendations, or do I have to make my own? I've tried searching... but I don't even know what key words to use.

Thanks!

Koshinn
30 January 2013, 00:35
Tactical Tailor removable operator pack. Works great on iotv.

You molle in some clips to the iotv, tuck in the shoulder straps, and clip it on. To remove, just unclip and pull out straps to use as a backpack. It however doesn't hold a whole lot of gear, it's definitely not a 3 day pack. I shoved, iirc, 2 MREs (stripped down), 4 mags, chem lights, a few water bottles, and some small misc crap in it. I'll check tomorrow what actually fits in it.

I believe SKDtac also has a small vest mounted backpack that's similar under their PIG line, but I have no experience with their pack.

The one thing you should note is you can't really access the backpack while you're wearing the iotv unless you're ridiculously dextrous, but you might be able to unclip it. Reattaching it while wearing iotv is probably next to impossible, or at least timely and requiring 2 hands and a table or wall. You'd have to have a friend dig through your pack to get you stuff or get it yourself by removing the iotv, which may not be a good idea for obvious reasons.

So I don't know if that helps. I got the TT removable operator pack but ended up just using it as a regular backpack so I could remove it when I needed to get stuff without bothering anyone. Worked well for short trips otw in Afghanistan and at the range back conus.

PIG gRUNT pack: http://www.skdtac.com/PIG-gRUNT-Modular-Pack-p/pig.516.htm

TT Removable Operator Pack: http://www.skdtac.com/Tactical-Tailor-Removable-Operator-Pack-p/ttr.128.htm

I'm USAF so I don't have iotv anymore, but if you want pictures of the ttrop that you can't find online, let me know. What exactly do you want to put in it? I might have some of the stuff laying around my house to test it out for you.

The way I found them, btw, was by checking reputable gear manufacturers and just looking at their product line. It just so happens that skdtac.com has both.

lamarbrog
30 January 2013, 08:24
I mainly want to have the ability to carry some stripped MREs, a poncho, a pair of socks, a warm cap, etc. Not a lot of stuff, but just some basic items to keep me nourished and protected from inclement weather. I have managed to fit them all into a sustainment pouch with careful packing, but there is no way to access it without removing the armor.

Koshinn
30 January 2013, 10:38
I mainly want to have the ability to carry some stripped MREs, a poncho, a pair of socks, a warm cap, etc. Not a lot of stuff, but just some basic items to keep me nourished and protected from inclement weather. I have managed to fit them all into a sustainment pouch with careful packing, but there is no way to access it without removing the armor.

What kind of poncho? I don't think I have a good one.

Right now, it's an extremely tight fit, but I managed in the main compartment:
2 UNOPENED MREs
3 water bottles
1 polartec watchcap
1 pair of cold weather thick combat socks (not sure of brand)
1 massif elements softshell jacket (really really tightly squeezed)

In the front compartment I fit 4 pmags.

Koshinn
30 January 2013, 12:20
I tried to fit everything in this picture aside from the table legs into the Tactical Tailor Removable Operator Pack (Fight Light version) shown in the bottom left. This is 2 MREs, 3 water bottles, a Massif Elements softshell jacket, 4 pmags, a Rite in the Rain book, a pair of winter socks, and a watch cap. Also a cat.
http://i.imgur.com/6bQWL7C.jpg

Here are the MREs and water bottles:
http://i.imgur.com/4a6oZ3K.jpg

Added socks and watch cap to the top:
http://i.imgur.com/9YOrr84.jpg

Folded in half, then rolled up the jacket and shoved it in:
http://i.imgur.com/FA6J0uu.jpg

All zipped up with pmag for size comparison:
http://i.imgur.com/nl305bv.jpg

Front compartment holds 4 pmags and the book:
http://i.imgur.com/FMtLnG5.jpg

Much to my cat's dismay, she would not fit in the pack with the rest of the gear... it was quite stuffed:
http://i.imgur.com/eYYhoyk.jpg

Might be able to fit a 1-2L bladder in the back as well, but I didn't have one on hand:
http://i.imgur.com/Gb5Li3S.jpg

lamarbrog
30 January 2013, 23:35
That's pretty much exactly what I had in mind. Thanks for going to all the trouble of taking those pictures. A picture's worth a thousand words, especially when it comes to this stuff.

You're saying, though, that it is difficult to reattach? ...would sitting down and leaning back towards the pack make it easier? Possibly some extensions on the top attachment points to bring the disconnects further to the front of the plate carrier? I don't need to be Speedy Gonzales with it, but obviously easier is better.

What are your thoughts regarding the Fight Light edition? Obviously, it is lighter, but I have a tendency to be especially hard on tailored products. Does it still seem sturdy and rugged to you?

Koshinn
31 January 2013, 00:11
That's pretty much exactly what I had in mind. Thanks for going to all the trouble of taking those pictures. A picture's worth a thousand words, especially when it comes to this stuff.

You're saying, though, that it is difficult to reattach? ...would sitting down and leaning back towards the pack make it easier? Possibly some extensions on the top attachment points to bring the disconnects further to the front of the plate carrier? I don't need to be Speedy Gonzales with it, but obviously easier is better.

What are your thoughts regarding the Fight Light edition? Obviously, it is lighter, but I have a tendency to be especially hard on tailored products. Does it still seem sturdy and rugged to you?

The pack has 4 clip mounts, 2 on top and 1 on each side. You get the connecting clips attached to small molle strips and you basically molle them in so you can clip the bag to your armor quickly, but doing so behind you might be difficult unless you push back against a wall or something to hold it up as you clip it in. Or as you say, lean back against it. Might work, never even bothered trying. Actually it's probably very doable, but I mean you're never going out alone anyway so yeah. Getting it off is easy, it's just reattaching that may take a little time.

Another idea is just unclipping the left side and swinging it around your right... Might work pretty well actually.

I have no problems with the fight light version in terms of durability... I've taken it all over the place. I used it otw in and out of vehicles all over RC-East and South as a supplement to my ruck. I used it in a Costa carbine course as a shooting rest and dragged it over gravel and grass loaded with about 10 full mags, 4 being aluminum. I use it when I'm off duty as a day pack all the time now. It looks brand new as you can see!

However, it doesn't come with the external cordage to attach extra crap that the regular version does, so if I had to do it again, I'd take the couple extra oz and get the regular version. I mean they both have molle on the outside, but that thicker grade of cordura or whatever it's made out of and the extras might be worth it in a pack this small where you don't actually save a whole lot of weight. But when oz matter, the fight light won't fail you. It's very sturdy, the zippers are frankly amazing. I've never used zippers in any product be it clothes or luggage or bags that have inspired as much confidence as the ones on this bag.

It's the details that make TT products great. SKDtac I believe has a satisfaction guarantee, so it might be worth buying one and trying it out. If it doesn't work out, get the PIG one. But I honestly think the TT pack is the better deal.

I'll take a picture of it next to my personal plate carrier and an ar for more size comparisons tomorrow. I haven't gotten around to emptying it yet lol. I'm on convalescent leave right now so I have nothing to do at home but recover from surgery, so I should be thanking you for giving me something to do!

I can't be the only person on this forum that has a TT ROP or PIG gRUNT... I wonder if anyone else has differing experiences? Maybe Stickman?