Gregory External frame part Deux:

Found another example of the ALICE/NICE style external I found earlier:

This time an ALICE pack was kindly included in the pictures.

eBay find: Gregory External Frame

The only specimen I've ever seen, an external pack frame that I assume was not purpose built for a pack bag, but I'm assuming is ALICE compatible.

Probably most similar to a Mystery Ranch NICE frame as a compact, flat pack-board with modern internal frame suspension on it.

Very complex design typical of Gregory, but without some of the details you'll find on many of Gregory's tactical offerings. Still has the usual plastic external hipbelt stiffener and grippy lumbar pad. Appears to be for an Israeli contract?

It appears the hard plastic used as part of the structure is vulnerable to cracking.

eBay find: Gregory USMC prototype

Just like my last post on the FILBE prototype, this pack popped up on eBay and that is still the only place I have seen mention of this pack.
According to the seller this was Gregory's entry for the assault pack component of the FILBE system.

To my eyes it looks considerably larger then the assault pack they did choose, but it's possible this was meant as a stand alone 3-day pack and not intended to be mated with the sustainment ruck.

With the strange horse-shoe zipper access into the oversized top lid and the dual front pockets this pack reminds me of a miniaturized Kelty Gila. Also the one piece shoulder yoke isn't a very gregoryesque feature and echos an older Osprey pack or the Mystery Ranch system. The hipbelt might be the most unique feature of this pack, I'm assuming the cut-outs are for ventilation and not for MOLLE compatibility since the USMC-spec MOLLE attachment system would be brutally painful against the body. While the unpadded hipbelt might look uncomfortable it should be kept in mind that every other assault pack (barring the new MOLLE medium ruck which is barely an assault pack) has no more then a webbing belt so any amount of surface area larger then 1.5" is probably an improvement. Also a durable hipbelt like the one above isn't the worst idea for Marines since they tend to shred anything with foam or spacer mesh in short order.

I think the Marines probably made the right call with the smaller, simpler assault pack they chose.

Bizarre backpack of the week: Gregory

A less famous backpack from a famous brand, this abomination uses two upright metal tubes with plastic cross-pieces and mounting points, with what looks like an internal frame suspension tacked on.