Packs and sacks. Long and winded.


grassnsky

grassnsky

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Joined
Dec 29, 2011
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Location
Flint Hills of Kansas
Here are a few of my packs I really enjoy, and they think alot of me too...

Swiss Army Salt n' Peppa canvas sack. 1964. Rides like a bag of potatoes and the shoulder straps threaten to dismember limbs under heavy loads. Still, it is my favorite (my girlfriends fav too). Put some mink oil on the leather, and yodel down the mountain:

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Kelty Redwing 2650. 2650 cubes of pure comftorable Keltyness. Innovative flow-thru pockets is a BIG plus. Nice internal orginization too. Feels like a warm pillow under heavy loads. My favorite pack:


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German Army Rucksack. Canvas and buckles. Rubber bottom and rubber under the hood flap, makes a very good canoe pack when I am on the river. Probably my all around favortie pack. My pack, mein kampf:

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Kelty Vintage External. Got it used and I restored it a bit. Mainly applied waterproof tent sealer on the inside and reinforced the stiching seams (not that it needed it, really). Love everything about it. Too me it harkens back to a time when people really started to get outside and hike America. John Denver, cut off jean shorts, hitch-hiking and giant red Kelty backpacks. Not that I was old enough to really remember, but thats how it makes me feel. Creaks and moans like Grandpa is on your back..and I like that. This is my favorite by far.

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5.11 Tactical Rush 12. Good "EDC'er"..I guess. Stout, strong, durable, Cordura. Great everyday items storage. Kind of heavy, but I am packing pistols and gernades. No I'm not. More like pens and books. Got the bottle holder attached. Coyote brown because I found a dead one in a tree once. Put there by panda bear.

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Camelbak M.U.L.E. Got this at a pawn shop for $20. My nine year old son loves it. It's what he wears on his covert missions.

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REI Super Nova. For my six year old son. It is what it is. Plus it has an orange saftey whistle on the sternum strap, so every single god fearing animal knows we are coming...:7:

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Thank you for your patience!
 
I am a pack-a-holic too! I've got quite a few but not as many as you....some of mine are loaned out like a Kelty Super Tioga external frame pack...like you said...it creaks and moans from start to finish! Kelty 5200 Big Bend internal frame...I keep it loaded and in the truck at all times. Trace (The Survivor Dude) Williams...my 9 yr old has an old issue 3 day assault pack that he carries every where...book bag for school, suit case for over night travels, toy bag for road trips, mission pack while he's in "Micro-Marine Sniper" mode, and he uses it when we go camping...imagine that!!! We've got numerous Eastpack and Jansport day packs, I've got an insulated cooler back pack that I picked up used at a garage sale for .50 cents! Then there's the Flambeau tackle pack that has a lot of good fishing features but is not designed for the long haul...Oh yeah...then there's the grand ole...."Marlboro" back pack that I got about 20 years ago using "Marlboro Miles" I salvaged from the bar I was once employed at...LOL
 
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alex30808 said:
I am a pack-a-holic too! I've got quite a few but not as many as you....some of mine are loaned out like a Kelty Super Tioga external frame pack...like you said...it creaks and moans from start to finish! Kelty 5600 RedCloud internal frame...I keep it loaded and in the truck at all times. Trace (The Survivor Dude) Williams...my 9 yr old has an old issue 3 day assault pack that he carries every where...book bag for school, suit case for over night travels, toy bag for road trips, mission pack while he's in "Micro-Marine Sniper" mode, and he uses it when we go camping...imagine that!!! We've got numerous Eastpack and Jansport day packs, I've got an insulated cooler back pack that I picked up used at a garage sale for .50 cents! Then there's the Flambeau tackle pack that has a lot of good fishing features but is not designed for the long haul...Oh yeah...then there's the grand ole...."Marlboro" back pack that I got about 20 years ago using "Marlboro Miles" I salvaged from the bar I was once employed at...LOL
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Ha, ha, I hear ya man. My youngest will put in his; sticks, rocks, toys, freakin acorns and nuts..everything until it gets too heavy to carry. Then I end up double decking it. I dont even know when I became a bag-aholic....or why. But I am. This is me admitting it.
 
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grassnsky said:
Ha, ha, I hear ya man. My youngest will put in his; sticks, rocks, toys, freakin acorns and nuts..everything until it gets too heavy to carry. Then I end up double decking it. I dont even know when I became a bag-aholic....or why. But I am. This is me admitting it.
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We can be looking through things at Academy Sports and I'll be looking at a backpack...ONLY LOOKING...and the wife will walk up and simply say "No." Nothing else...just "No." Then I am like a scolded child...head down, lip poked out and scuffing my shoes on the floor the rest of the time!!! LOL...now I look at packs while she is over in the tennis shoe dept at Academy...that way when she says "No."....so can I!!!

I still don't have an alice pack...and I really "think" I want one...Seems that every time I find a deal...I've not got the cash and they don't take cards!!!!:17:
 
alex30808 said:
We can be looking through things at Academy Sports and I'll be looking at a backpack...ONLY LOOKING...and the wife will walk up and simply say "No." Nothing else...just "No." Then I am like a scolded child...head down, lip poked out and scuffing my shoes on the floor the rest of the time!!! LOL...now I look at packs while she is over in the tennis shoe dept at Academy...that way when she says "No."....so can I!!!

I still don't have an alice pack...and I really "think" I want one...Seems that every time I find a deal...I've not got the cash and they don't take cards!!!!:17:
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Zippers....buckles...drawstings....feel good material.....pockets....PADDED BUCKSKIN SHOULDER STRAPS!!! ARE YOU %$@#ing KIDDING ME?!!??....It's real bad man.

I have an army surplus store a few miles from me. Only been in there once. Specifically to check out Alice packs. Thank god they were all janky, or else I would have bought one for no reason what-so-ever..other than they are as cool as all get out.
 
Here's what sucks...I went to a new place that is actually a pawn shop/tobacco outlet hole in the wall. I stopped because there was a VERY nice Honda Generator outside...I go in and they've got a little surplus there....I ask the guy about the alice pack with frame...he says..."It's $30.00." I asked if that was with the frame and he said yep....I should have got it right then...I should have run down the street to the bank and got the cash...but I did not...I figured I would be back by there within the next two days (I do Pest Control and that shop is in my route area). I go by there two days later and a different guy (owner I suppose as he was much older than the first guy) tells me the same pack is $65.00! He said the frame was $35.00 and the pack was $30.00. Talk about kickin yourself!!!! I'll get me one some day...
 
Yep, even though there is an army base around here (Fort Riley), you cant expect to find any decent prices on used gear for whatever reason. At least I havent had much luck in it. $80-$100 bucks is about average for the used packs that I've seen. I dont have a whole lot of knowledge about Alice packs, but that seems kind of high on the used end of it.
 
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I have the German army rucksack. It has lasted me 4 years of heavy use and is still strong. It is an all around great bag!
 
grassnsky said:
Yep, even though there is an army base around here (Fort Riley), you cant expect to find any decent prices on used gear for whatever reason. At least I havent had much luck in it. $80-$100 bucks is about average for the used packs that I've seen. I dont have a whole lot of knowledge about Alice packs, but that seems kind of high on the used end of it.
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I might could go $80.00 on one of the newer packs that I've seen...but I just can't see paying that much for an Alice pack...Besides that...I'm in the same boat you're in...I have Ft. Gordon in Augusta, Ga...and we've only got one decent surplus.
 
The Kelty frame pack sure is a classic!

I can't help but think that the value of the Kelty company went up about like 300% when Colin Fletcher's classic 'The Complete Walker' was released in the '60s. Fletcher was the godfather of the the lightweight backpacking craze in the US and sang the praises of the Kelty frame pack. For a time they were hard to find around where I was living, Kelty had such a hard time keeping up with production.
 
bharen said:
The Kelty frame pack sure is a classic!

I can't help but think that the value of the Kelty company went up about like 300% when Colin Fletcher's classic 'The Complete Walker' was released in the '60s. Fletcher was the godfather of the the lightweight backpacking craze in the US and sang the praises of the Kelty frame pack. For a time they were hard to find around where I was living, Kelty had such a hard time keeping up with production.
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A classic pack indeed! There are certain pieces of equipment that seem to "morph" into whatever landscape they are put into. You would think that a giant red bathtub with aluminum bars and shoulder straps would be visually offensive in any setting involving nature. That pack looks great in the woods. It has an infamous look. It is a rambling outdoorsman.

There was a thread sometime back, about things that couldnt really be improved upon over time. The axe, the arrow, the pencil, etc. I think the external frame backpack is on that list, and meanie Kelty and his packs had more to do with that than anyone I can think of at the moment.

Thanks for the tip on the book. I will def. look into reading that!

Here is a pic and link to Monte Dodges website. Some good vintage gear pictures. Amazing looking at their "lightweight" cooking supplies. They even brought beer with them!:53:

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Take a look around his website. A plethra of vintage stoves, tents, packs and sleeping bags. Hope it's ok to post his pictures and links. I read the message forum rules to see if it mentioned anything. I will remove them if need be.

http://www.pbase.com/mad_monte1/pct_1977_retro_thruhike&page=1
 
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I also have the german rucksack and it is a great pack. Rides a little high but comfortable.
 
alex30808 said:
I might could go $80.00 on one of the newer packs that I've seen...but I just can't see paying that much for an Alice pack...Besides that...I'm in the same boat you're in...I have Ft. Gordon in Augusta, Ga...and we've only got one decent surplus.
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I've gotten 2 Alice packs from tonystactical.com. One was used and one was new. Both were immaculate. In case someone asks... I got the new one for a gift to my nephew... It was a hit!

Used complete medium is 20.00 plus shipping - my shipping was 13.00.

A descent deal if you ask me. For those who are still looking.

No affiliation - just a satisfied customer. There are threads from other boards on his service. That's why I bit the first time.
 
clc79092 said:
I also have the german rucksack and it is a great pack. Rides a little high but comfortable.
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Yeah it does! I cut the cover off of a 8.5" x 11" plastic book binder, and just keep it in the internal back pocket of the pack. Just a piece of plastic. It fits pretty good and it also gives it a good bit of form in the back. Doesnt interfere at all. A friend of mine has one that is covered in sew-on patches. Looks mighty fine. Real fine
 
grassnsky said:
A classic pack indeed! There are certain pieces of equipment that seem to "morph" into whatever landscape they are put into. You would think that a giant red bathtub with aluminum bars and shoulder straps would be visually offensive in any setting involving nature. That pack looks great in the woods. It has an infamous look. It is a rambling outdoorsman.

There was a thread sometime back, about things that couldnt really be improved upon over time. The axe, the arrow, the pencil, etc. I think the external frame backpack is on that list, and meanie Kelty and his packs had more to do with that than anyone I can think of at the moment.

Thanks for the tip on the book. I will def. look into reading that!

Here is a pic and link to Monte Dodges website. Some good vintage gear pictures. Amazing looking at their "lightweight" cooking supplies. They even brought beer with them!:53:

105829025_KHmbohdr.jpg


105829026_MZ2ewKor.jpg



Take a look around his website. A plethra of vintage stoves, tents, packs and sleeping bags. Hope it's ok to post his pictures and links. I read the message forum rules to see if it mentioned anything. I will remove them if need be.

http://www.pbase.com/mad_monte1/pct_1977_retro_thruhike&page=1
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what a great link....I loved checking out all the old school pics and gear. Lots of sierra cups....Thanks.
 
That retro Kelty is the same model I used on the Pacific Crest Trail in the 70s.

Lots of memories there!

Great bags!
 
grassnsky said:
They even brought beer with them!:53:


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Olympia Beer and Budweiser Tall Boys!!! that's showing our age!!! My guess is the were the pull ring tops...I've got two 8oz Olympia Beers on our antique shelf in the kitchen!!!!

Here's my current Kelty
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And here's my Kelty Super Tioga
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J said:
damn.....Id love to go hang out in that guys basement and check out all that cool gear. Hes a bit of a stove and lantern corrupt politician. haha

Its cool to see being a gear corrupt politician trancends time. hahaha

Those pics are just awesome.
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I was thinking the same thing....I looked at all his photos and the basement photo showing all the stoves, lanterns, packs, and such was awesome!!!!
 
alex30808 said:
Olympia Beer and Budweiser Tall Boys!!! that's showing our age!!! My guess is the were the pull ring tops...I've got two 8oz Olympia Beers on our antique shelf in the kitchen!!!!

Here's my current Kelty
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And here's my Kelty Super Tioga
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Love your Super Tioga. I almost pulled the trigger on one here locally. Seller was only asking $40 o.b.o. Practically a steal, but I had just gotten my red super 70's. Those Tioga's are rare man, rare. They kind of quit makin them in 2009/2010-ish. Some of the later ones were getting snatched up pretty quick on Ebay for close to $200, used. I've seen a prototype 2011 Tioga, but only in pictures. Never in person nor listed for sale. Damn I love Kelty's.
 
CarbonEvergreens said:
For some reason I was looking at the cool old stool the packs were sitting on. Is it an antique?
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It is! I picked it up at a thrift store for $10. I call it my French Garden Chair. Twisted iron and a wooden, weathered seat. Here are a couple views. Not really of the chair, but you can see parts of it.

Kind of see the seat part.

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The backside. I guess my dog Neko's, backside too.

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