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Seasoned Vet
 
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Last Login: 10/2/2005 10:13 PM
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The Lightfighter.com messageboard talks about this a lot more.
http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/lookupstoryref/200313093337
Submitted by: Marine Corps Systems Command
Story Identification Number: 200313093337
Story by Capt. Chad Walton
MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va.(June 30, 2003) -- Marines from infantry units across the Marine Corps will soon be going to the field with a new pack to see if it will measure up to their expectations.
The effort that began last summer with the online load bearing survey has culminated with two pack designs for further evaluation in the first half of 2003.
One pack was designed by Gregory Mountain Products and the other by Arc'teryx Equipment Inc.
"We tried not to develop this in a vacuum," said Capt. Dave Pinion, Improved Load Bearing System Project officer. "Systems Command solicited input from each Marine Division at every point in the decision making process, from writing the initial requirement to the final selection process."
"Some of the features of the new pack were taken directly off the web survey," said Pinion.
These features include:
* The ability to carry 60 and 81 mm mortar rounds outside the main pack.
* The ability to carry 120 pounds.
* Pack size to be no larger than 6000 cubic inches.
* Must have a detachable patrol pack.
Both packs feature internal frames and are somewhat lighter and have a much more simple designs than the Corps' present MOLLE pack. The Arc'teryx weighs eight pounds four ounces and carries 5,000 cubic inches and the Gregory weighs nine pounds 10 ounces and carries 4,520 cubic inches.
The test plan originally called for a Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) and a conventional unit on each coast, a unit at 29 Palms, and a unit executing a winter training package at Bridgeport Calif., to evaluate the packs, but operational commitments of these units required a change.
"It's still going to be a very comprehensive test," said Pinion. "We are still going to test it in the desert, in cold weather, in a MEU (SOC) shipboard environment, and in the jungle."
The intent of the long evaluation period is to let Marines use the two new packs alongside the present MOLLE pack to find the ideal load bearing system that will meet the infantry Marine's needs. The pack is also being tested with different reconnaissance units to evaluate if the pack will satisfy their specific mission profile as well.
Units that will evaluate the pack include 1st Marines in Camp Pendleton, Calif., 7th Marines from the Marine Air Ground Combat Center in 29 Palms, Calif., 3rd Marines in Hawaii and 4th Marines in Okinawa.
The packs will also be tested in the biomechanics lab at US Army Soldier Systems in Natick Mass to measure muscle fatigue and joint stress while wearing the pack. The field test will end in June and a fielding decision will be made during July. The Schools of Infantry should begin receiving the first packs in January 2004.
"These packs won't need a video or an MCI to put together," said Pinion, who is an infantry officer that deployed previously with the MOLLE.
The Marpat/coyote webbing is made by ArcTeryx, a Canadian backpacking company. The Woodland one is by Gregory. I think they have done a military contract before. There was a Kifaru and others involved too. Too bad Kifaru didn't make the cut.
Here are two more pic links.
ArcTeryx
http://www.gear-guru.net/arcteryxilbe.jpg
Gregory
http://www.gear-guru.net/gregory1ibe.jpg
Go with God, but make Him walk the point.
If you load a mudfoot down with a lot of gadgets he has to watch somebody a lot more simply equipped - say with a stone axe - will sneak up and bash his head in while he is trying to read a Vernier. - Robert Heinlein
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Hard Charger
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Last Login: 1/23/2007 11:50 PM
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I like the thick wide load bearing waist belt bet it's useful over the armor and field gear, like the height on the Canadian pack too just the right size to butt against the kevlar.
Look at all the pretty webbing and dingle berries, be great for camping and hiking all the camo pattern almost makes it look like a functional military pack... oh wait.
When they want to get real about designing a pack they'll have the designers wearing full battle gear for a week so they have a clear idea WTF they need to do instead of trying to make a civilian hiking pack into a military pack by using camo cloth.
They need to get out of the mindset of designing packs to make the REMFs comfortable and make them for the people who need them.
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Hard Charger
Group: Past PNET Supporter
Last Login: 9/13/2007 8:52 PM
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Oh yeah the design is great......NOT short troopers like me couldnt walk to the door of the bird with that hooked on to the chute let alone from the staging area to the bird. Hope they make some troopers try it out with a single point release or a h-harness before buying one of them.
"Greater love than this hath no man, but that he should lay down his life for his friends."
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Seasoned Vet
Group: Registered User
Last Login: 10/2/2005 10:13 PM
Posts: 5,502,
Visits: 70
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I prefer the Gregory. Straps are something you can't get away from. You just have to find somewhere to stuff them.
Go with God, but make Him walk the point.
If you load a mudfoot down with a lot of gadgets he has to watch somebody a lot more simply equipped - say with a stone axe - will sneak up and bash his head in while he is trying to read a Vernier. - Robert Heinlein
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