Issue Small Pack - Any reviews?

[Arctic Acorn]

I was watching the press coverage of the Van Doos coming home from Afghanistan the other day, and I noticed that all of the troopshad that new 'Tease the Soldier' small pack.

Does anyone have one of these? Is it any good? Where is it being issued?

 

[Bomber]

I have seen a  pre-production one that a Capt in my office has, it is the exact same as the issue one, but in black, and he loves it.  I have also seen the CADPAT one over at DLR, and everyone that has it is really impressed with it.  I have tried on the new Rucksack at displays and am really looking forward to this peace of kit as well.

 

[KevinB]

???  We got told that we woudl be the first to get them - and get them in theatre next week...

Maybe the R22eR did not want to wait and took ours  ;D

Oh well

 

[zak]

I'm pretty sure they were not using the new patrol back.  I believe they were using the avenger bag in cadpat.  The CF bought a whole bunch of them inorder to compensate for the lack of load carriage space on the TV.  I believe the plan was to issue those until the new packs come in.

 

[Jarnhamar]

My opinion is the issued (green) avenger pack is garbage. Mine is still in it's plastic. I had to wear one a few times and it was pretty incomfortable.

Last minute in a DAG we were issued them and told we were not allowed on the plane unless we transfered the stuff from our issued or personally bought nuke bags to this new avenger bag.  (Thankfully someone shit canned it). 

I think someone up top saw that we had a need (sorta) and tried to do a really good thing, the end produect just didn't measure up unfortinuatly.

 

[Armymedic]

Saw up close the same bag the 12 RBC had in Bosnia. It is a cadpat avenger bag, exactly the same as my green one.

We had the same bull instruction as well on my flight, but most of us just chose to ingnore it (as we all had army green NBC bags and such) and pack the new bag away.

 

[soldiers301]

Does anyone have document or image of the new pack ? Ive seen different prototype but i would like to see the official version.

 

[Matt_Fisher]

For those of us not in the know (myself included), could you provide a description, manufacturer of and some pics of the "Avenger" pack?

 

[soldiers301]

Here is a photo of the Avenger pack.

http://www.gcks.ca/images/avenger-1.jpg

 

[Matt_Fisher]

The Avenger pack looks kinda rinky dinky.  I wouldn't want to use it for anything other than taking stuff to classes or the gym, or maybe as a range bag.  That's about it.

I'd suppose it would be good for cadets at summer camp who want to do the Cadpat thing, but are on a budget.

Actually, their entire website looks pretty cheesy:  "Products found in this website are in no way
CADPAD(TM) or associated with CADPAD(TM)"

Cadpad?  WTF?

These guys make Wheelers Canadian Peacekeeper look high speed.

 

[scm77]

The CF bought a whole bunch of them inorder to compensate for the lack of load carriage space on the TV. I believe the plan was to issue those until the new packs come in.

This may just be me talking, but if your gonna make and issue an entirely new TV, wouldn't you want to make sure it has enough space to carry stuff?

 

[Matt_Fisher]

You don't necessarily want to put everything you'd take on a patrol directly onto the Tac-Vest.

Ideally, the Tac-Vest should only have your "Assault Essentials" (ammo, pyro, first aid, optics and water) that you need to execute the fight.

You'll carry a patrol pack to put your other gear as needed (ranger blanket, rations, gore-tex, warming layers, etc.) that you can have the option of using or not using depending on the mission and environment.

That way when you don't overload yourself for assaults or short-range patrol work and can keep yourself unencumbered when working around vehicles and aircraft (mech and helo ops) than you would if you attached all your "snivel kit" to the TV itself.

I do agree though that the TV should have a better "modular" attachment system so as to mix and match equipment as per roles and missions.   Instead of the fixed pouches and velcro/buckle attachment system, a PALS/MALICE modular setup would have been far better.

 

[Armymedic]

More space, more room to carry crap...

Limited space makes you bring only the essentials.

It is problem with medics and their bags. There is a need to fill them up, and when you do, they get heavy. Heavy makes you tired and slow...Tired and slow can make you a) look bad infront of the troops, or b) when the feces hits the fan...dead.

the TV was designed to be dispensed with the to-be-issued small packs to be given out shortly after.

 

[KevinB]

We just got them (OP Athena - 031s - I think the 011s got them too)

I will take soem pics and post - looks well constructed

 

[Matt_Fisher]

Will be interested to see how it works out!

Is the suspension still the black material as shown on the CTS website, or did they make it OD?

You think you'll spaz anyone out if you were to hit it up with some tan and brown Krylon?    ;D

 

[GerryCan]

So far I've got nothing but god things to say about the small pack, excellent piece of kit, probably the best issued so far in my opinion.

 

[Armymedic]

I got my new CTS small pack a week ago or so...

First impression - its heavy even empty.

I got it ready for the range, putting one of the "fanny" packs on the front and the two side pouches on. Also I threw on the spare large pouch (2 qt water bottle holder) from my tv on.

I leaded it with my 3 L CamelBack, goretex pants, fleece top, rain jacket, extra toque & gloves etc, canteen thermos of tea, Timmies thermos of coffee, and then threw in my box lunch on top.

Carrying it without the TV was extremely comfortable, and well balanced. Then I tried it with my TV and frag vest on...after a bit of adjusting, I got the fit right and it was snug and felt secure on my back.

 

[Yeoman]

carry everything I need to carry (basically everything that went into the butt pack that wasn't in the TV already, plus a 3L camelback) and I've still got lots of room to put stuff into it. it's a very comfortable back piece, the shoulder straps are wide and thick enough that they don't cut the circulation off. I'll have to see if that 522 fits in as easily as it looks like it can in that picture in the little thing that came with the pack. the bag is 22 litre size.
the thing is bloody huge, I'm tempted to use it as my rucksack. a couple of big pouches, straps to throw more stuff on. definetely will put my motherlode camelback out to shepered if it can take the abuse that it looks like it'll take.
Greg

 

[GerryCan]

As for the 522, it was the first thing i tested on it(being a platoon signaller) and it works great. Haven't used it for very long periods of time, but anything is better than the man pack frame and it fits in good with room to hold a good amount of kit with it.

 

[Armymedic]

So far, every ones likes it....

Now bring on hte new ruck.