A tip of the boonie hat to Threeper Lee F. for spotting this --
Sportsman's Guide has these Swiss military packboards:
FXM-182411 - Used Swiss Military Pack Board, Olive Drab $29.97
For transporting heavy loads of Swiss chocolate! Actually for turning troops into mules to move heavy stuff, such as ammo and shells.
* Metal framework
* Leather chest straps
* Padded canvas shoulder straps with leather belts
* Padded back and kidney pad
* Padded headrest
* Adjustable back shelf. 18 x 22"h. Weighs 11 lbs.
Condition: used, in very good shape.
Looks like good price for what you get. Does anyone have any experience with these?
11 comments:
Just got a new Sportsmans Guide catalogue in the mail yesterday. It looks like they have some pretty good prices on military surplus stuff. Canteens, ammo, etc. Prices seem to be coming down lately. I'm not affiliated with them but I do buy stuff there occasionally.
Swiss gear is generally 1st rate stuff, heavy duty items. I have quite a few of their daypack, bread bag, and several rucksack designs. I recommend them highly - though heavy, canvas and leather old school works! Thorns don't tear them up very much.
Yes, excellent pack, but it is one heavy item in and off itself. I've had one for a couple of years to haul water for some remote game water stations - great. Two five gallon containers is about 85 pounds - quite a load if you are not used to it.
Hope this helps.
No experience with the packboards.
I also received the Sportsman's Guide catalog today and found about a dozen items worth the purchase. Most were shown as two (or more) items at one low price.
Think I'll go support the economy... well, Sportsman's guide and UPS anyway.
MikeH.
III
I thought about getting one but didn't due to the thin belly strap. If you look at some of the current gear, the belly strap is wide which helps dissipate the pressure. Seems like nothing but when your pack is pushing 50 - 70 lbs, the belly strap is a huge back saver.
The same issue of the catalog had 2 qt canteens (bought two), field first aid kits (bought 4), and a number of water tight Chinese ammo tubes (got 4 of the medium size ones). All good and useful items for various purposes covered in previous praxis. Sometimes Sportsman's Guide really comes through with the goods... and sometimes they sell junk, but most of their military surplus is pretty good and in good usable condition. I think they had 800m of phone wire too.
barry says hes going to mobilize 17000 gaurdsmen and no one has anything to say?
Christian Patriot III - Anon 10:17 here.
That belly strap can be offset if you attach a tump line to the top corners of the pack - I should have mentioned that. A tump line makes you a true beast of burden, but really helps with heavy loads (well heavy for me anyway, lol).
I went ahead an ordered another pack to keep in reserve. One thing I've learned - if you really REALLY like, buy at least two of them, because when they are gone, they are gone. I think I'm paying twice of what I did formerly, I think $15 plus s&h was the cost.
SG prices aren't always the best in town - what I often do is internet search on specific items and can sometimes beat the price. Its just being aware its there that counts.
I wonder how many heads of Congressional members you could fit on that thing? Put Repubs on the right and Dems on the left.
Nothing wrong with that belly-strap that a sewing-awl and a little Yankee Ingenuity can't fix...
DD
ok. The subject of gear leads me to........
My days of humping a ruck has LOOOOOONG since passed. Period. End of discussion. Ain't going to happen.
I could give it my best ranger war whoop and the old college try plus 2 for the gipper and my back just isn't going to comply.
God this means I am stuck in the cavalry doesn't it. Or worse yet. Supply.
I hate young people.
Anon 11:11, I agree with your - lifting heavy loads suck, and you only have one back - screw that up and you are in a world of hurt.
But moving earth or liquid in bulk will likely become an every day task - having the equipment to move it will be necessary. Rucksacks like this, or some type of wheelbarrow will be needed.
Six Bears had a good post on wheelbarrows that made a lot of sense to me. No flat tire, steel grip posts, about 6.0 cubic foot capacity. April 10, 2010 entry on Six Bears blog.
Anon 10:17 and Dedicated Dad - thanks for helping me think outside the box!
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