Level III Assault Day Pack: A Review

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Recently purchased the Level III Assault Day Pack in OD Green from CTD.

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/product/PACK-125

I was drawn by the Molle webbing and number of compartments. Upon receiving the bag, I have to say it was a little smaller than I had expected. Granted, the dimensions are on the website, but I've never been good at visualizing that sort of thing. That being said, I was able to fit my bug-out kit in it, and the large number if compartments, all of which have smaller subcompartments, are great for organization. There's even a document pouch which appears to be fairy waterproof. The Molle webbing and many rings and loops are also a plus. I have some rope carabinered to one of the loops, and my Fasthawk hung from the belt. The bag wears comfortably. All in all, I like the bag a lot, but need it to be bigger. My bug- out kit is not complete, and what I have so far put this bag at capacity. Due to its size, I will likely buy a bigger bag in the future and then use this one for my wife's BOB. She likes the bag as well. For $30 I really can't complain.
 
Recently purchased the Level III Assault Day Pack in OD Green from CTD.

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/product/PACK-125

I was drawn by the Molle webbing and number of compartments. Upon receiving the bag, I have to say it was a little smaller than I had expected. Granted, the dimensions are on the website, but I've never been good at visualizing that sort of thing. That being said, I was able to fit my bug-out kit in it, and the large number if compartments, all of which have smaller subcompartments, are great for organization. There's even a document pouch which appears to be fairy waterproof. The Molle webbing and many rings and loops are also a plus. I have some rope carabinered to one of the loops, and my Fasthawk hung from the belt. The bag wears comfortably. All in all, I like the bag a lot, but need it to be bigger. My bug- out kit is not complete, and what I have so far put this bag at capacity. Due to its size, I will likely buy a bigger bag in the future and then use this one for my wife's BOB. She likes the bag as well. For $30 I really can't complain.


I saw your thread, here is my thought, Marines...have the new Generation 2 MARPAT Bag, its like King Kong on steroids as backpacks are concerned. Don't get the daypack version, they have one, so make sure the one your looking at it the one with larger shoulder straps and belly band padded belt. The one here is used, but you can find some pretty good ones on Ebay that new or buy one from those that deal with the manufacturer. I like the MARPAT because the Marines finally decided about 15 years ago to quit buying the Army stuff, hence why all the services converted to the uniforms you see today. Just to let you know, I am not a former Marine, but served with them on deployments and did a float out of Okinawa as part of a service to service exchange in early 90's, part of a test program that failed, not because of me, but because the services are just simply different and require their own support systems. Anyway, the Army has those nice ACU Rucksacks Large, that you can find on Ebay, I have about 5 of them, but began replacing them with the more sturdy MARPATs, I've got 3 now and placed a bid for a new one on Ebay. Daughter has one of the MARPATs in her SUV, serves as her BOB and survival bag complete with Modular Sleep System. I placed even a commercial 2 person BIVY in there, just in case, she is riding back from Texas Tech, drive from WF to Lubbock is about 3 hours on the 82.

By the way, you fill that MARPAT with everything and it is completely full, I will be amazed, I still have room for more stuff and that's including a good amount of ammo.

http://www.amazon.com/ILBE-Main-Pac...id=1396225286&sr=8-4&keywords=marpat+backpack

Those bags, you mentioned are great for the Gethome bag.

Hope this helps you out..
 
Very helpful indeed, thanks very much!


Not a problem, glad I could help. Also note, they can carry a combat load, and have quick release straps. We have our teams go from patrol mode (traveling mode if your bugging out of foot) into formation changes, drop packs and move into diamond formation in seconds, when we are practicing small unit tactics. We believe that the MARPAT size with a Level III plate can be used as a barrier. Mind you that you are exposing your valuable gear, but if by accident caught in a open field, might be the difference maker. We ran a scenario in an open field, where we took a old commercial backpack, filled it with a damaged plate and filled the rest of the pack with non-essential garbage, then placed an old SEAR manikin, manikin only took a graze because the shoulder was exposed and one of my guys had a scope...went outside the target parameters, but the vitals of the manikin were not hit. So all of our members will have a plate, I know extra weight, but well worth it if we ran into contact.
 
Now that's a good idea, using the bags as mobile cover. Yet another thanks. Those are pricy but look like they're worth it.
 
This is my exact bug out pack and I still have room... Maybe your carrying tooooo much? Just a suggestion not meant to be an ###.. Text doesn't convey tone...
 
Definitely a possibility, Ronin. I'll post the list here in a little bit under a new thread, always open for suggestion. It is a comfortable pack to be sure, and like I said I really like all the webbing and straps and compartments so if I can slim down and make it work I'm game. Let me take some pictures and post a new thread.
 
Also those molle sections mean add ons!! There's several med style pack attachments that you can use for things other than meds.
 
Now that's a good idea, using the bags as mobile cover. Yet another thanks. Those are pricy but look like they're worth it.

I'd agree with the price, but remember, what the military takes in; they must live off it and that includes everything for combat operations. Its the same when discussing cheap gas masks, especially those cheap Czech ones that go for about $30. The model reminds me of the old M-17, if you used them, you know that it take a real pro and some serious training on filter removal. In a true NBC environment do you want to depend on a $30 dollar model in exchange for your life. I know some preppers will counter my thought, their opinion, I can respect it, but we shall see. My family does not practice donning and doffing like we did when we lived in Turkey, Germany or Japan, but I can assure you, the first time, that the new MCU-2P's and M-40's were on the market, I grabbed them right up to replace the industrial masks that I bought for them. So thats why I opted for the same on the pack.

The first SOF Extended Pack was similar to what you are seeing, it was issued to Army SF, Ranger and some Airborne units back in the mid 90's. Lesson learned from the First Gulf War. The Marine Expeditionary Unit Special Operations Capable (MEUSOC) and Air Force Special Ops units were issued the improved one. I think my unit was one of the fist AF units to get it. So the good and the bad with the first pack was this, butt/fanny pad was woven into the pack, this eventually wears and rips off bag. Also, the frame was built into the pack, the frame was two long (about 2 1/2 feet long metal strips) held in by material and a sliding restrain sytstem that was to take the weight off the shoulders and place it back along the back. We normally carried up to 70-120 pounds of material, depedning on ops, that included ammo (remember the weight here) and everything to sustain a warfighter for extended ops, I also normally placed my PRC inside the pack.

What you see with the ACU Large Pack version; the Army is using a little better version, thier is a plastic frame that fits the contour of the back, the shoulder straps and belly belt are then strapped into the plastic frame with the pack riding on frame.

With the MARPAT, everything is one one system, but has interchangeable parts that makes repairs pretty easy, it resembles the ACU, but its better for extended ops, not that you have to fill it all in, but if your doing extended ops or need to carry cold weather gear, a major plus. I recommended converting to the MARPAT because of the versatilty. Now I want to say, its not mandatory that our team convert, but I allow those that are skeptics to try one out during training and when we get back, they normally want to keep mine, so they are normally hunting on EBay or ordering directly for a new one.

About the only other pack that I really love is the new improved Bergen that the British Military use. You can find these on EBay, but just make sure that when you do the cost is not in English Pounds. I am sure the Canadian forces use them, so if you have a friend up North, mabe you can find a cheaper one. I've seen where some of the GI store, Amazon.Com or Ebay sell them, but not sure about the condition...again a big worry with me, a simple shoulder strap not being able to keep up with the ops...can make my day in a real ops. Training, not an issue, the support vehicle is there, we change out a ruck and presto, were back in the game, but get some serious ribbing from team mates.

So I am sure their are others that have a better slant, but late Spring, we did a 50 mile hike from our BOL. My former Marine teammate and I brought our MARPAT, two brought the Army ACU pack, one brought an old Alice with frame, and another brought a commercial frame packs. Each member was required to carry a simulated combat load or the real Mccoy as far as weapons and ammo. That week we had constant rain, we waterproofed all our gear because we had to cross a river and a few active creeks. After the second day of ops, the MARPAT stuff was pretty dry (note we had waterproofed them again), one ACU held up okay, the other the strap broke (under weight that he carried) and the old ACU pack fielded as a veteran would, but the guy didn't bring his TOE and was missing some mission essential gear (had to borrow from support vehicle) and the commercial pack, didn't hold up well under the river crossing. So, I guess it comes down to how you use your BOB. Not everyone is using the BOB the same way, but in our case, it was high mountaineering stuff and we carried climbing gear, extra set of boots, and a sleep system. Oh yes, just to mention, the one guy, who brought the old Alice, no longer on the team, he decided it was not for him, good guy, he wasn't up for the mountain stuff. We trained on this mission as the role of the blocking force had to traverse a circular route and had to go over some exruciatingly painful ridges before we hit our planned position.

This will be my last post of the issue, hope it helps you. Take care
 

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