Old American ALICE pack frame modification

[Moondog55]

Got this from the same recycle centre as the skis (for free as the frame weld was broken) and as the pack was a ( bad word here) to carry due to being short and the belt being a kidney killer.
So I have taken the bottom bar off and added a section of tubing to the bottom of the frame

[Moondog55]

Using stainless screws rather than pop rivets and epoxy will be used instead of welding

[Moondog55]

Got a bit more work done on this, despite the cat helping
Just the epoxy fixing to go in the next few days and then some stitching work on the bag. Not really my style but it may well do for summer or hunting perhaps.

[Strider]

This thing looks like an instrument of torture!

[Franco]

I was thinking of Elton John's song "all the girls love Alice" this can't be it...

[Strider]

Does anyone else see the resemblance?

[Moondog55]

It will be better when the proper hipbelt is fitted, and this is much better than the original, designed for airflow not balance or comfort I imagine.
http://olive-drab.com/od_soldiers_gear_alice.php

Imagine carry 22 kilos in this plus your fighting load, but it was much better [at the time] than our gear.

[hunsta]

Up until 2 years ago(contract gone to China). I (I should say we as in the company I work for. But I made them) made Alice frames for the Australian Military. Came in 3 sizes. 43cm, 46cm and 49cm in length. We made between 3-5 thousand a year.

[Moondog55]

Up until 2 years ago(contract gone to China). I (I should say we as in the company I work for. But I made them) made Alice frames for the Australian Military. Came in 3 sizes. 43cm, 46cm and 49cm in length. We made between 3-5 thousand a year.

And what harness did they use?
Troops must have broken a heck of a lot then as we don't have that many people in uniform.

[mtrain]

I think the military are re-assessing their pack set up as they are wearing out too many backs. Wonder why, my brother has many recent stories of carrying 60+ kilos with no hip loading. Surprise surprise compacted discs are relatively common.

[Moondog55]

I know the yanks are, but I haven't seen the frames of the newer Australian army rucksacks. The trouble is until everybody in the armed forces wears a load-bearing vest a hip loading rucksack is incompatible with belt order
When properly set up the old ALICE pack sat on top of the bum bag and directed some of the weight onto the hip girdle.
Destroyed backs are why the US is looking at mechanical mules and other forms of cross country load carrying, although real mules are cheaper [ it's OK to kill people but not horses I guess]
This modification to lengthen the frame makes it long enough to bear on the hip girdle, just saving the money for a replacement MOLLE hipbelt and shoulder harness from the US

[Spartan]

Hi, Moondog.

I'm hearing you, but 'ALICE' frames are not only incredibly 'old school'; they were also the culprit behind a number of serious back injuries experienced by Aussie soldiers. It's very rare to see them being jury-rigged to the issue AUSTPACK any more. If you're after an external pack frame, then you might want to consider the 1606T frame from the US. They're about $80.00 from either SORD or Platatac; it came as standard on my SORD Large Field Pack, and it works a treat.

Here's a picture:

All the best.

[Moondog55]

Thew whole [ and probably only] point was to see if a little time and effort could make a better pack using brains and stuff I already had.
I already own a state of the art external frame- the "Art" hasn't really improved since 1990 and that is how old my Macpac is.
I have owned Mountain Mule; Flinders Ranges [MM knock-off from SA] ;Kelty; Camp Trails; Karrimor and they all carried reasonably well except for the MM. I even owned a genuine Bergan at one stage as a Scout.
Anything that doesn't take the weight on the hips and pelvic girdle is a sure back killer I agree

[Moondog55]

Hi, Moondog.

I'm hearing you, but 'ALICE' frames are not only incredibly 'old school'; they were also the culprit behind a number of serious back injuries experienced by Aussie soldiers. It's very rare to see them being jury-rigged to the issue AUSTPACK any more. If you're after an external pack frame, then you might want to consider the 1606T frame from the US. They're about $80.00 from either SORD or Platatac; it came as standard on my SORD Large Field Pack, and it works a treat.

Here's a picture:

All the best.

Yep the old Coleman plastic frame with a much better fiber reinforced polymer, Colemans patent must have run out

[Moondog55]

No point in adding photos at this stage but the new Molle2 hipbelt works extremely well with the modified frame.
not so the Molle2 shoulder straps

[Moondog55]

Now that it's finished and I've used it once it reminds me and carries very much the same; as an old Karrimor frame pack I used to own way back in the 70s
The medium ALICE is of course a very small pack about 40 liters I think but room underneath for a big stuff sack

[icefest]

I'm not one for huge external frames, but that's almost convinced me to try one. Looking Good!

[Moondog55]

It will look a bit better when it gets a coat or two of paint. All aluminium is difficult to glue due to the rapid oxide build-up, this alloy is one of the worst. In the end cheap superglue worked better than epoxy except in the vertical sleeving where I use epoxy putty which expands slightly on setting.
There is a cheap ALICE pack and frame on sale here in the forum if you wanted to play around, even with postage the hip belts are cheap enough, the digital camo ones even more so.
If I was doing another one I'd make the extension a little shorter; only just to the top of my shoulders, but this was an experimental make.
Really only cost me time and the hipbelt and considering that the non-slip buckles retail for $26- USD and I will be using it on my big pack even that could be considered free.

[Moondog55]

You are welcome to borrow it and try it out Icefest