Build it and they will fill it

Submitted by Eric Daniel

When I finally said goodbye to my ancient LBE and started wearing the RACK, I needed a bail-out bag to carry all the stuff I used to carry in my butt pack, but couldn’t anymore (namely because there’s no “butt” on the RACK to put anything.)

This quest actually turned out to be more difficult than my original quest for an LBE replacement.  There are a lot of “assault” style packs out there, with a lot of features, and they all come with price tags, so I wasn’t about to go out and buy the whole lot and try them all.

After much observation, questioning, pulling, prodding, and stomping, the bag I settled on was the Camelbak Motherlode.  The Motherlode is not the biggest bag out there, but that isn’t what I wanted.  Over the years I have seen folk walking around with some truly enormous “assault” packs.  We’re talking packs that would rival the CFP-90 infantry dumpster for shear portage capacity.  But size wasn’t what I wanted.  I’d learned long ago that soldiers will expand to fill every nook and cranny of any allotted space.  I wanted a pack that would carry some rations, some ammunition, some socks, and some water, in the event I had to run away to fight another day.  The Motherlode is big enough that I can carry what I need, yet small enough that you can actually carry it.  Since I’d quit carrying canteens (on my person that is) the 3-liter bladder in the Motherlode is nice (coupled with a 1 liter canteen (with cup and cooking stand) for cooking) and it is capable of accepting an additional bladder if you really want to load up on water.

One of the other nice features about the Motherlode is it collapses; there are side compression straps on it, which allow you to cinch down the pack so that it doesn’t rattle or flop when it’s not packed to the gills.

Finally, the pack comes equipped with cut outs for radio antennae.  The pack will accept two transmitters (if you’re using ASIP sized radios) or a single, full blown SINCGARS, in addition to the odds and ends I put in it.

The Motherlode may not be the best (and it’s certainly not the biggest or the most expensive) but it does the trick for me.

P.S.  For all you drink tube hydration system users – Suggest you get a length of 1.5” tubular nylon webbing of a suitable color and line your drink tubes with it.  The nylon is not only more durable than the plastic tube (or its neoprene insulation sleeve) but it can also be easily replaced as it becomes worn over time.

Buy the Motherlode here

Comments

[Aaron Merten]

This back pack is definitly worth the price tag. It's not too expensive, and like you said it's not the biggest either. Another great brand of assault-type packs is Eagle Industries, or just Eagle for short. Their 19A-III-P-MS is just wonderful.
http://www.optactical.com/eainmostapa.html

[WestHamUnited]

Does anyone have any thoughts on how this model, or Camelbak products in general, compare to say, Gerber, or any of the other available manufacturers? Does the Army issue these, or do individual soldiers have to purchase their own? Thanks in advance for any info you can provide!

[Eric Daniel]

Ham,

Technically, the Army does issue assault (3-day) packs, though I did not receive one during my last deployment (though the unit I was attached to did) so I couldn’t tell you what the issuing criteria are.

As for comparing one product against the other I would suggest you first decide what it is you want in terms of size, features, color, etc… then you start shopping around.

If you’ve red the piece I wrote on my pack, and I assume you have since you’re commenting on it, I went with that particular Camelbak pack because it met my criteria. It isn’t the biggest one they make by a long shot, but I wanted an accessory bag, not a dumpster (which I already have in the form of a CFP-90 Infantry rucksack.) The other thing influencing my choice was the fact that my choices were limited to either Camelbaks or Spec-Ops, and while the Spec-Ops bags were nice, they were also larger and significantly more expensive.

If you want to compare bags, I’d suggest you try and get to a retail store (REI is a good place, or any outdoor store) and check out the bags they have. Evaluate them on construction, size, features, and price. Log those characteristics so you have a frame of reference. Now go on-line and look at all the other bags out there and compare them to the list you made from your “reference” bag. This will give you an idea of how much bigger or smaller the bags are in comparison with one another.