"The stuff the army issues is useless" and "no non-issue kit over seas!"

[Scoobie Newbie]

I don't think a lot of these items would make it back from KAF international Airport

 

[Dissident]

I don't think a lot of these items would make it back from KAF international Airport

Mail them home. Knives are not illegal unless carried as a weapon.

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

Pretty sure gravity knives and blades like switch blades are illegal.

 

[Jarnhamar]

My wife tried to mail a knife to me in Afghanistan but Canada post wouldn't send it.

Canada post however didn't have a problem with a .45 pistol being sent to me through the mail and left on my front step all day on the most notorious street in my home town  :facepalm:



With the improvements to body armor and PPE along with it becoming more easily accessible to bad guys it's only a matter of time before we need to start issuing shortswords  ;D

 

[J.J]

Pretty sure gravity knives and blades are like switch blades are illegal.

Very true, illegal under the Criminal Code and the Customs Act.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Back on topic, I had an amusing exchange with one of the base Loggies regarding the Rucksack, Huge, Unusable.

I told her that, despite being fitted 'properly', it seemed about 2 or 3 inches too long for me and I wanted to try on some others to see if I could get a better fit.

She then told me she could help me out if I really wanted, but it might be best not to bother as it was being replaced soon. She also told me some horror stories about how it's been grinding holes in people's hips and lower backs.

 

[Jarnhamar]

Back on topic, I had an amusing exchange with one of the base Loggies regarding the Rucksack, Huge, Unusable.

I told her that, despite being fitted 'properly', it seemed about 2 or 3 inches too long for me and I wanted to try on some others to see if I could get a better fit.

She then told me she could help me out if I really wanted, but it might be best not to bother as it was being replaced soon. She also told me some horror stories about how it's been grinding holes in people's hips and lower backs.

The magic formula tells me I take a large size bag. I've recently swapped it out for a medium but might even drop it down to small.

I still get a kick out of this;
BFT kitlist.
http://www.cg.cfpsa.ca/cg-pc/London/SiteCollectionDocuments/ENGLISH/Fitness/Specialty%20Tests/BFT%20KIT%20LIST.pdf

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

The ruck itself weighs around 25 lbs doesn't it?

 

[daftandbarmy]

The ruck itself weighs around 25 lbs doesn't it?

I weighed it in at 12 lbs, empty, dry i.e., not in a state that would be normal for infantry.

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

Was that with all the bells and whistles such as compression sack, metal bars etc?

 

[daftandbarmy]

Was that with all the bells and whistles such as compression sack, metal bars etc?

Just the ruck.

About the same weight as a liner of 7.62mm link

 

[acen]

The magic formula says I should also have a large frame, and I was sized by the CTS staff. It didn't seem right as I have Gregory and Arcteryx packs, all in small. My 5'6" 145lb well proportioned frame also led me to believe that the sizing was off. Of course, I couldn't change the sizing right then and there so I had to wait for a 3 years to receive my ruck (not exaggerating). Upon putting it on, the waistbelt was more of a "junk belt" and the hip pad was midway down my backside.

I went to clothing stores and got the runaround because they did not have any staff that were qualified to measure me so they could not give me another ruck, but luckily, after a bit of talking, they let me exchange it for a small so long as I would get the pieces from the racks.

The waistbelt is still junk (changed it to an MEC Ibex waistbelt as it uses the same fastening mechanisms) and this doesn't result in the chafing that plagues many others. I have a feeling many people have been sized inappropriately as well, which leads to the lower hip chafing.

I haven't found a source to confirm this yet, but someone in procurement told me the CF signed an 80 million dollar contract with Mystery Ranch to provide rucks for everyone. I'm hoping to speak to Dana Gleason (the owner of Mystery Ranch) if he is at CANSEC to confirm this. This seems a little too good to be true as it stands and there is still tons of time for it to be screwed up by procurement, but it seems that we may be going the way of the Aussies and just buying excellent COTS kit. With that amount of money, my basic math would indicate that this is enough for a ruck and day pack for every member of the CF, or ruck and day pack for all who are currently issued rucks and replacements/stores for years to come. Again, I still do not have a hard copy source to confirm this though.

Here's hoping!

 

[MikeL]

For the people who have switched to a smaller bag,  was there a noticeable difference in the height and carrying capacity?  I was sized for a XL bag,  but after awhile I trade it for a large but didn't notice any difference.  I'm considering getting a medium pack instead of the large when I am able too.

The waistbelt is still junk (changed it to an MEC Ibex waistbelt as it uses the same fastening mechanisms) and this doesn't result in the chafing that plagues many others. I have a feeling many people have been sized inappropriately as well, which leads to the lower hip chafing.

I'll be looking into that belt,  the issue one isn't too bad for me compared to others,  but it could be a lot better.

I haven't found a source to confirm this yet, but someone in procurement told me the CF signed an 80 million dollar contract with Mystery Ranch to provide rucks for everyone.

I heard MR was making packs to carry the C16 system.  This procurement you are talking about,  was it specifically for the Regular CF or perhaps CANSOF?

I'm hoping to speak to Dana Gleason (the owner of Mystery Ranch) if he is at CANSEC to confirm this.

If you can get confirmation and post here that would be great.

 

[Bzzliteyr]

I do my BFT with the small pack. 

I don't even know why anyone bothers with the rucksack?  Anytime I have seen anyone using it, they've managed to pack it so full of shit that it's way over the limit.

 

[acen]

Skeletor - everything as best as I know, minus the quotations (don't know how to use those yet).

There is definitely a capacity difference. I have a small, and it pales in comparison to the large and XL rucks. I call it the "mini-ruck" but in reality its just shorter than the others. To give you a comparison, others can load a packed up small pack into the main compartment of their rucks standing up, whereas I cannot. It simply doesn't fit. I would rate the capacity as about the same as the 82 pattern.

You might have a tough time to find the Ibex waistbelts now, as it has been phased out I think. The Arcteryx Bora waist belt uses the same mechanism as well (velcro, but not nearly as much) but the Ibex was green, cheap (23$ on clearance) and I didn't want to ruin the preformed goodness of my Bora belt. I think the key is to have it sized right first and also to have it turned the proper way (yes, I have had to correct people on this).

Mystery Ranch provided consulting on the harness system for the C16 pack, but the actual construction was done by Fellfab. It is a system that is similar to the NICE frame, with a big foam slab attached to it for the sighting systems in a cadpat wrap. I handled one a few years ago and it was alright, but not up to true MR quality. Also, that was done years ago, whereas this is a new contract as of the last two months. My info came from someone on the CANSOFCOM procurement side that said that the contract for rucks was done for the entire green army. CANSOFCOM has been using their gear for years.

I'll post as soon as I find out. I'm working on a range for the canadian importer of MR (who brought Dana down for CANSEC a couple years ago) for the CANSEC show, so I will ask him if Dana isn't down this year.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Skeletor - everything as best as I know, minus the quotations (don't know how to use those yet).

There is definitely a capacity difference. I have a small, and it pales in comparison to the large and XL rucks. I call it the "mini-ruck" but in reality its just shorter than the others. To give you a comparison, others can load a packed up small pack into the main compartment of their rucks standing up, whereas I cannot. It simply doesn't fit. I would rate the capacity as about the same as the 82 pattern.

You might have a tough time to find the Ibex waistbelts now, as it has been phased out I think. The Arcteryx Bora waist belt uses the same mechanism as well (velcro, but not nearly as much) but the Ibex was green, cheap (23$ on clearance) and I didn't want to ruin the preformed goodness of my Bora belt. I think the key is to have it sized right first and also to have it turned the proper way (yes, I have had to correct people on this).

Mystery Ranch provided consulting on the harness system for the C16 pack, but the actual construction was done by Fellfab. It is a system that is similar to the NICE frame, with a big foam slab attached to it for the sighting systems in a cadpat wrap. I handled one a few years ago and it was alright, but not up to true MR quality. Also, that was done years ago, whereas this is a new contract as of the last two months. My info came from someone on the CANSOFCOM procurement side that said that the contract for rucks was done for the entire green army. CANSOFCOM has been using their gear for years.

I'll post as soon as I find out. I'm working on a range for the canadian importer of MR (who brought Dana down for CANSEC a couple years ago) for the CANSEC show, so I will ask him if Dana isn't down this year.

I've abandoned the issue ruck and gone back to my PLCE Bergen... which is smaller and more sensible! If we get MR stuff I might have to wear a helmet so I don't get injured jumping for joy

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

How do you get to decide what ruck you can use?

 

[Jarnhamar]

Mystery Ranch provided consulting on the harness system for the C16 pack, but the actual construction was done by Fellfab. It is a system that is similar to the NICE frame, with a big foam slab attached to it for the sighting systems in a cadpat wrap. I handled one a few years ago and it was alright, but not up to true MR quality. Also, that was done years ago, whereas this is a new contract as of the last two months. My info came from someone on the CANSOFCOM procurement side that said that the contract for rucks was done for the entire green army. CANSOFCOM has been using their gear for years.

The current 3-person harness system I've seen  for the C16 is made by Mystery Ranch.  It doesn't come across as very well made, pretty shoddy quality. The harness lets you carry the C16 but it's not practical at all.




I love my Low alpine Saracen and can pack alot of weight in there. The eberstock rucksack that the humint source handlers had issued seemed really good too, if a bit small. 

 

[daftandbarmy]

How do you get to decide what ruck you can use?

It's camouflaged  ;D

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

But doesn't the leadership frown on that when your not the same as everyone else?