I posted this in "all other gear" so this is a copy and paste.
USMC ILBE by Arc'teryx
Alright, fellow bargain hunters--listen up. If you've always wanted a nice, solid internal frame pack with all the heavy duty fixins' but don't want to shell out $400-800+, read on.
In recent years a slew of used military backpacks have been hitting the surplus stores and internet. You may have seen one of these. They were manufactured for the U.S. Marine Corps and most are in used condition. About 250,000 were made if I understand correct. Internal capacity is stated to 4,500cu with an addable "assault pack" that can add up to 1,500cu of capacity. More importantly, the backpack is designed to carry a mind boggling 120 pounds. For more versatility: molle webbing abounds on this pack, allowing attachments in which ever way you might want to access your gear in a hurry.
Shoulder straps and back padding are thick and robust. I carried 50 pound bags and blocks of salt up to 1/2 mile on my last scouting trip several times and the backpack definitely seemed to do the trick well. On the inside, a shelf can be formed to keep the weight up higher. It did not budge under the blocks and bags of salt. Zippers run along the outside of the pack which allow access to the main compartment, either above or below the shelf whether or not it is deployed.
The waist strap is somewhat basic but gets the job done well. Basic means not a lot of hocus pocus velcro straps for micro adjustments, it does not mean flimsy. This belt is SOLID. I'm guessing this is standard for all internal frame backpacks but if not--it attaches directly to the two internal frame poles and is further secured by a heavy patch of velcro.
Rounding out the bottom of the pack, there is a mesh area. I'm not sure the purpose behind this design but if you're packing out meat it should allow for increased ventilation. Disappointingly, the bottom of the backpack isn't any further reinforced than the rest of the material. Don't get me wrong, the fabric all over the pack is solid but I would have liked to see some additional layers of cordura or rubber for my spastic hands to drop this pack onto rocks.
Moving to the outside of the pack, there is an external marsupial type pouch to add up to a 100oz water bladder. I am not used to this so I found the whole setup awkward. I have not attempted to use it in the field. Also my particular backpack did not have a little clip thingy to attach your hydration hose to the shoulder straps, but I'm guessing that can be added if they all don't come with one.
Moving to the side of the pack, you'll find the ability to add a scoped rifle on either or both sides. In addition, there are nice handles with a comfortable, heavy duty rubber grip.
To top it all off, there is a lid that attaches by clasp and therefore can be completely removed if desired a drawstring enclosure below the lid allows for the main compartment to be tightened up. The lid is where we find the only smaller enclosure on the pack, which runs the entire size of the lid and is enclosed by a heavy duty zipper and again made easy to grasp with a gloved hand with that no nonsense rubber grip.
Buying guide & Recommendations: if you're on the fence about shelling out the bigger bucks for a new pack, I would definitely start with this one first. If you don't like it, you can always resell it. Since you're buying used to begin with you don't stand to loose too much money. FWIW, AFAIK, the Marines paid $600/ea for these. The biggest risk with this backpack is not whether it is up to the task or even whether you'll like it, its the wide variety of condition you might find the pack in. They range from gently used like the one I fortunately got my hands on, to some being heavily beaten and signs of wear from the fabric to the clasps. I would try to avoid such heavily used ones even at the cost of paying for the higher end ones out there. Expect to pay $100-200 for this bargain pack on [anti-gun] eBay. I would try to either get some sort of condition guarantee or return period when buying on eBay. if you can find it surplus then even better as you can go in and finger it yourself.
Read the full "about"
http://ilbepack.com/about/ Links to the actual manual are here:
http://ilbepack.com/category/manual/
