WW II Mountain Rucksack - Page 2

Trapper John · 04-03-2013, 08:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by SF18C

SGTRock gets 100 PS.com points*

On only his second post he has gotten a bunch of old guys agreeing on about how hard it was in the "olden days!"

They rarely all agree on something this quick!

Standing by for my floggin'

* oh PS.com points are worthless, can not be used as cash and have no intrinsic value!

No floggin just agreein. This was absolutely the most miserable ruck to hump. Everything you needed on the bottom? Yup! Load shifitng? Yup! And why the C-rat peaches or Ham & MFers always ended up digging into my kidneys, I still don't understand

I think I still have bruises

Suggestion: Burn it and get a Kelty

Dusty · 04-03-2013, 08:18

The only ruck I actually enjoy humping is an ALICE large w/trailer.

Richard · 04-03-2013, 08:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dusty

The only ruck I actually enjoy humping is an ALICE large w/trailer.

HQ & SVC CO stylin'...

Richard

Beef · 04-03-2013, 08:58

I never carried one, but I recall the tank crews were issued these in the mid-70's to stow their gear on the turret racks on the M-60s. They didn't actually carry them. They were clearly the inspiration for the early "jungle rucks" of the Viet Nam era, which I did carry. It seems most of the improvements integrated in the jungle rucks were in the shoulder straps. The frame looked about the same and the hip suspension was nylon. Not near as comfortable as even the early Alice models. I know that the Mountain rucks were developed for the First Special Service Force and 10th Mountain Division in very early WW II. As stated above, they were state of the art for 1942.

longrange1947 · 04-03-2013, 09:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard

If you're talking "prepper" kind of stuff, we used to make wooden packboard frames and use them when I was in Boy Scouts in the 60's.

Here's an example of such a frame:

http://patentpending.blogs.com/paten...apper_nel.html

The ones we made, however, weren't the "Alaskan" style with the canvas back padding - we drilled an evenly spaced row of holes about 1" apart the length of the wooden frames closest to the side that rested against your back and then laced 1/4" or 3/8" cotton rope through the holes to create a webbing for padding the back.

Using double/triple rope with taped padding at the shoulders made decent shoulder straps.

Like a pack horse frame, you could then strap almost anything to it - it wasn't the most comfortable and a far cry from modern rucks, but it worked fine and was not difficult to build or repair from easily found materials.

The pic is one using canvas vice rope - it's a military surplus packboard which the Army used to use.

And so it goes...

Richard

Richard, this is the one I humped with "non-standard" items while at 10th.

SF18C · 04-03-2013, 10:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by longrange1947

Richard, this is the one I humped with "non-standard" items while at 10th.

That looks like some kind of torture device!!!

longrange1947 · 04-03-2013, 10:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by SF18C

That looks like some kind of torture device!!!

Actually, for humping really heavy awkward crap, it was much better than the mountain ruck. You would not believe the heavy jnk that sucker would hold and close to your back as well.

Now put a half full jerry can of water on a new skier's back with that and it will break him of "hip projection" in a heart beat. Definitly smoothes out the skiers turns. Yes, I was a cruel ski instructor.

jntobin · 04-03-2013, 16:33

It was a bear to hump, and it would hold all the army cold weather gear, but who wanted to carry all that high drap, low speed crap. Oddly enough I picked up two of them in new shape, and two RVN Jungle Rucks in new shape at an auction a couple of months ago.

tobin

JJ_BPK · 04-03-2013, 16:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by SF18C

That looks like some kind of torture device!!!

Sus-up,, That's a black-op Gizzmo..

If I remember correctly it holds 4 cases of BUD???

Utah Bob · 04-03-2013, 18:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by jntobin

It was a bear to hump, and it would hold all the army cold weather gear, but who wanted to carry all that high drap, low speed crap. Oddly enough I picked up two of them in new shape, and two RVN Jungle Rucks in new shape at an auction a couple of months ago.

tobin

Wanna sell a jungle ruck?

Trapper John · 04-03-2013, 18:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by jntobin

Oddly enough I picked up two of them in new shape, and two RVN Jungle Rucks in new shape at an auction a couple of months ago.

tobin

Two of 'em and a useless jungle ruck too? Hoarder??

longrange1947 · 04-03-2013, 18:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by JJ_BPK

Sus-up,, That's a black-op Gizzmo..

If I remember correctly it holds 4 cases of BUD???

No, that was a CEWI (cannot remember if that is correct, Richard?) I jumped in with beer and ice while at 10th in '69.

jntobin · 04-03-2013, 22:30

I will not be selling any of the rucks, but will be donating one to Chapter 34 for a silent auction to raise funds for the 2014 convention. The last ruck I carried in uniform was a Large Alice, mounted on a Jungle Ruck frame, you had to cut out about an inch at the top of the frame, the sleeve it for reinforcement. It rode very well.

tobin
"Croich Honorah"

Richard · 04-04-2013, 06:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by longrange1947

No, that was a CEWI (cannot remember if that is correct, Richard?) I jumped in with beer and ice while at 10th in '69.

CWIE - Container, Weapon, Individual Equipment; pronounced Cee-Wee. They worked as advertised but a bear to jump when loaded.

CEWI is Communications Electronics Warfare Intelligence or Combat Electronic and Warfare Intelligence - also pronounced Cee-Wee but an entirely different animal.

Richard

jntobin · 04-04-2013, 06:58

CEWI is one of the many things in life that I wish I had not met, I had to jump on e in jumpmaster school, when I hit the red ball, as it deployed it dang near removed my knee caps.