What's Wrong with Alice
(What’s Wrong with the ALICE Pack?)
Updated 2 February 2004
Well not much really. The Large or Medium ALICE Pack Bag is quite well designed and very strong. It has plenty of pockets and lots of places to hang equipment and allows easy access to your gear.
The frame is well designed and built. It can easily carry in excess of 100 pound loads and should give several years of service.
The ALICE Pack is an excellent choice for military operations, hunting and fishing, backpacking or as a survival pack, provided the proper modifications are performed.
The issue suspension system is the real weak point of the ALICE Pack. The shoulder straps are not properly contoured for comfort and stability. They have many sewn through areas which produce “hot spots” and discomfort on longer Ruck marches and runs and there is too much hardware which adds weight and is prone to failure.
The belt likewise has the same sewn through construction and produces the same “hot spots” and is nearly worthless. It does not allow the user to carry heavy loads on the hips with any great degree of comfort. A high quality hip belt is needed which allows the user to carry 60 - 80% or more of the Rucksack weight on the hips.
Many soldiers mistakenly believe the weight of the ruck should rest on the shoulders. This is wrong except when running or climbing. Carrying the full weight of the ruck on the shoulders only causes the vertebrae in the wearer's back to become compressed, leading to fatigue, backache or worse. Ideally, the shoulder straps and waist belt need the ability to quickly and easily adjust the weight of the rucksack between the wearers shoulders and waist for different activities such as long marches, running, climbing and other vigorous activities.
The answer to this problem is the Packmasters ALICE Pack Suspension System.
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