Badlands Fieldcraft: Junk On The Bunk: Medium ALICE “Hellcat” Pack System, Part 1

Originally published on Badlands Fieldcraft. He’s got an excellent course coming up as well– training is how we win. -NCS
I’ve been asked quite a few times about what my “go to” pack is and I think the answer I give is oftentimes a surprise. I still run the hell out of a medium ALICE, although a highly modified one compared to the original 1974 version. In the past I’ve written about other packs as I’ve tried them out but I always come back to ALICE.

When it comes to selecting a pack, or any other gear for that matter, I’ve learned to really be honest with myself about my intended use. Tactics and gear are mission dependent after all. I’ve also learned to not just run and buy another piece of gear every time I think I need to. In other words, can I improvise and make what I already have work? Can I do something different or better to satisfy that need or fix that problem?
For me I need a pack that I can live out of for three days without resupply. That’s really not that hard to do assuming the weather is above freezing and you’ve packed the right equipment and have the skills to back it up. Come to a class and I’d be happy to show you all that and more. It needs to be comfortable to carry and work with my load bearing equipment. It needs to be durable as well. I also prefer simple designs. I don’t need zippers and pockets and buckles so that I can do ten different things. That’s just extra weight when I’m not doing those things. Keep it simple; your pack shouldn’t be more complicated than your rifle. You should be able to find the gear you need in your ruck in the dark by feel. You won’t get that level of familiarity by reconfiguring your pack every time you go out.
When it comes to selecting a pack, things can get sticky in a hurry. Even if we only count military packs that have been awarded an NSN number, there are a lot of packs out there. I don’t have the budget or time to test a $500+ pack to find out I don’t really like it that much. When it comes to field packs I don’t really look at anything that isn’t military approved. They are typically “overbuilt” for the usual trails that civilian packs are built for, but this blog ain’t about trail hiking. For serious field use you can’t go wrong looking at a military approved pack. And with so many designs to choose from you have just as many design options as civilian packs.
In the world of packs you can start to sort them according to a few characteristics. External or internal frame? Top or side loading? Carrying capacity? Intended use?
Even if I had an unlimited budget I’d still pick a pack with similar characteristics to the one I already have, although there is still room for improvement.
I like true top loading packs. I don’t like the book bag style packs with a big zipper running around the edge of the pack. I don’t really want any zippers at all in fact; it’s something to fail. With a true top loading pack you can squeeze every cubic inch out of your pack. You can literally stuff everything in. There’s a reason they are also referred to as a bucket design.
Another reason it is nice to stuff your pack is that you can densely pack your items. This is important for stability. The more stable your pack is the less it will tire you as you’re hiking with it. If you’re carrying a sack on your back with a bunch of stuff rolling around it’s going to wear you out pretty quick.
The next feature I like is an external frame. While I have used some very comfortable internal frame packs (ILBE and Kelty Redwing), they aren’t as useful. Think of an external frame like a flat bed trailer. Anything you can fit on it you can carry as long as you strap it down. With the ALICE frame it’s the same way. The shoulder straps and hip belt mount to the frame so you can completely remove the pack portion and strap anything to the frame. I’ve done this in the past with a 5 gallon bucket and a 30 liter dry bag and it’s actually made a pretty nice system.

Bucket pack made with a MOLLE frame. Doing a water resupply on an early spring day.

Another reason I like the external frame is that there is a gap between my back and the pack which is great for air flow and also can be used to store items, cordage or my Camelbak.

One interesting fact about the ALICE system is that it is a lot like Glocks and AR’s; there are a ton of accessories and different pack designs out there that are all interchangeable with each other. My own pack is an example. It has an ALICE frame and pack but MOLLE II shoulder straps and hip belt. And I’m looking at upgrading the hip belt to the Tactical Tailor Super Belt. You can literally build an entire pack system to your liking by mixing and matching components (hence this article series). The USMC current issue pack, the FILBE is another example of this. It’s completely ALICE compatible without being an ALICE pack. You can take a 1974 issued ALICE pack and put it on a FILBE frame and vice versa.

The Carolina Tick, the large ALICE pack.
The USMC FILBE

When it comes to capacity there are a few different sets of terminology I’ve seen to describe a packs size. Some use cubic liters, others cubic inches, and some just state how many days you can expect to use it for. I tend to prefer to use liters for my packs and cubic inches for my V-Twins.

106 cubic inches and torque for days. It doesn’t make a carbon footprint, it makes a carbon skull stomp.

The capacity you need may change as your requirements and weather change. A particular “3 day” pack might seem plenty large enough in the summer yet be too small to pack enough winter gear 6 months later. Of course you could just buy the biggest pack you can find and then you’re covered, right? Not exactly. If you’re only planning on being out for three days and you have a giant ruck sack you’re either A) going to pack only what you need (good for you) and have a very sloppy and unstable pack or B) fill your pack up with way more stuff because you have all that extra room. (Ask me how I know…)
This is why I like a modular pack system. Something I can add to or subtract from as I need to. The idea is to only bring what’s necessary while still recognizing that sometimes you need more things than at other times.
My Pack
My pack is a woodland camo medium ALICE with custom Krylon spray paint finish. I purchased my pack from a gentleman online who was stationed at Ft. Bragg and had it modified while he was there. He had a modification done to install fastex buckles on the lid and pouches to make it easier to get into. This is a very worthwhile modification and can actually be done at home easily with this kit.

In addition to that I’ve added a few easy modifications as well. Using a foot of 550 cord looped through the frame and 5” of 3/8” rubber hose tied off with a blood knot and two security knots I made a grab handle at the top. There are also kits to do this as well. This is a stupid simple mod that is very handy.

The next modification I did was to add a molle admin pouch on the rear of the pack for some additional storage. I mostly keep this as a grab and go bag should I need to ditch my pack with survival gear in it and a larger radio antenna.
The next modification I’ve done is to add a side compression strap. The rear pouches on the back are great to store gear that you want to get to regularly but they can sway and make noise at times. Also if the internal portion of the pack has items that are loose adding a compression strap will tighten everything up. I just route the webbing through the loops on the pockets and attach it to the frame with triglides. I also use a fastex buckle to release it quickly if need be.

The next modification is I’ve installed Grimloks on the lid to help tie things on and also underneath the shoulder straps to hang my Camelbak with. This allows me to use it while hiking without having it stuffed in my pack. Later it’s simple to remove it to wear with my chest rig if need be.

As far as the frame is concerned it is a standard ALICE metal frame. I don’t have a dog in the fight when it comes to metal or polymer frames, I’ve used both and they both work.
The suspension as I’ve said before is Molle II shoulder straps and waist belt. I like the back pad the MOLLE II has built into the shoulder straps. The waist belt does the job well but I think I will enjoy trying a thicker one. The thought of 1.5” foam on the Tactical Tailor belt sounds pretty luxurious to me.
That’s it. As I said – simple. It doesn’t turn into a transformer or have 20 different pockets for pens and laptops. It’s a field ruck designed for field use.
My Wish List
The following are some improvements I would like to make yet to my pack:

  • Zippered Claymore pouch on the lid. That’s the one thing I miss about every other pack I’ve had is that utility pouch on top.
  • MOLLE webbing on the sides and bottom
  • A drawstring storm flap for the main pack compartment
  • Drawstring storm flaps for the outside pockets
  • An elastic skirt on the lid to help keep debris and water out better
  • A pack mule to carry it for me

Stay tuned for part 2 of this exciting series where I show how to pack even more stuff onto a medium ALICE pack!

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About the Author: NC Scout

NC Scout is the nom de guerre of a former Infantry Scout and Sergeant in one of the Army’s best Reconnaissance Units. He has combat tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan. He teaches a series of courses focusing on small unit skills rarely if ever taught anywhere else in the prepping and survival field, including his RTO Course which focuses on small unit communications. In his free time he is an avid hunter, bushcrafter, writer, long range shooter, prepper, amateur radio operator and Libertarian activist. He can be contacted at [email protected] or via his blog at brushbeater.wordpress.com .

7 Comments

  1. Anonymous March 4, 2021 at 06:23

    5

  2. Paraclete March 4, 2021 at 07:59

    It’s so refreshing to find “like minded” folks…
    Case in point, upgrading good designs.
    Alice packs are winners which should be
    the base platform to build upon.
    Even the good old CFP-90 has it’s place.
    I invested in gear from that era as it was
    plentiful and very affordable…and it works well.
    (Now I’m hearing it’s been elevated to “collectable”.)
    Sure, others have improved upon it, somewhat…
    but why keep purchasing…just improve what you’ve
    already got. There’s always a way to beat the system.
    Make your wheel better, don’t keep buying it.

    • Badlands Rifleman March 4, 2021 at 09:25

      Collectible eh? That explains the major increase in price for some of this stuff. When I was buying it ten years ago it was dirt cheap. I guess ALICE has gone the way of the Nagant rifle. I mean the ALICE system is by no means perfect, that’s why there’s been so many updates to it. But like you said, that’s guys just improving as there’s more miles put in. I never understood why every time .mil wants a new pack they completely change from what they’ve been using. Had they just stuck with the ALICE to begin with and created ALICE II and III we might have some very interesting surplus options available. One interesting thing to me is the rise of pack frames. There seems to be a lot of high end and ridiculously expensive ones now. I wouldn’t be surprised to start seeing pack frames with beaver tails and a pair of 40L dry bags being issued. That’s essentially what I did with that MOLLE II frame and 5 gallon bucket up in the article. I did add a PVC shelf underneath to support everything too. It worked good enough but I’d like to see something designed to fit the frame made. I bet I could get a MOLLE panel with a beaver tail made for an ALICE frame, throw on the Tactical Tailor suspension and two 30L dry bags and have a better system then what the government will spend years and major money to try and figure out. I’m sure someone has already done this.

      • Paraclete March 4, 2021 at 14:12

        A number of years ago I noticed the prices
        increasing as well as availability dropping.
        Then one of my suppliers mentioned that
        supplies were beginning to dry up…since
        then a lot of Vietnam era gear has been
        listed at stupid prices.
        The fellow at Moore militaria said that gear
        was becoming collectable.
        https://www.mooremilitaria.com/
        http://vietnamgear.com/equipment.aspx?cat=8

    • American Yeoman March 4, 2021 at 09:42

      Thanks for this article! I’ve been running a Hell Cat for about 10 years now, first saw it over on Western Rifle Shooters or maybe the Arfcom gear forum. I actually printed out an article the guy who came up with it did complete with pictures as to how to assemble it ….He was making them for a troop of Boy Scouts as I recall- cheap and very durable, easy to mod etc….There are some great mods in your article I will steal for mine! For about a year and half I scoured thrift shops and gunshows for cheap Alice packs and was able to find several really good ones for $20 or less. I changed mine all, like yours, over to fastex type with the “slit buckles”. Good stuff.
      Here is that article I was talking about, surprised it’s still around!
      http://libertytreeblogs.blogspot.com/2011/04/building-hellcat-hybrid-ruck-from-us.html

      • Badlands Rifleman March 4, 2021 at 10:05

        I’m pretty sure I’ve read that same article a time or two as well. I think a pack like this really fits a niche for the prepared citizen. It’s scalable to their load bearing needs. Is it the latest and greatest designed for SF use? No, but are the regular guys needing a pack that can be used with any parachute rig? For around the same price as a quality “book bag” style patrol pack you can have something that can do that plus a whole lot more. That leaves a lot of room in the budget that would have gone to a more expensive pack or multiple packs for all the other things like ammo and training.

  3. Anonymous March 4, 2021 at 19:53

    4.5

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