eBay find: More FILBE prototypes

Found some more for sale.
The first is just a carbon copy of the large MOLLE II ruck in coyote, the second is the missing-link pack I posted about last time:

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.

And Wander pockets

And Wander is a very intriguing brand that I appreciate.

External pocket bags give more room for pocket expansion without compressing the leg like internal pocket bags do. Also note the dart in the pocket bag for more space.

These would be snaggy enough I don't know that'd I'd want to use them, but I appreciate the idea.

eBay find: Mystery Ranch/Jansport hybrid

MR crew cap mounted to a Jansport K2 frame. Wouldn't have guessed that they were compatible, apparently the old Jansport frame width is similar to an ALICE. I can't remember what the seller said he was hauling in the pack, but it was obviously acidic.

Massive damage to the center flap/bag:

Frame fit is surprisingly good:

eBay Find: Velvet MR trizip

Certainly one of the more unusual MR packs I've come across, I can only assume it was a special run for some urban or fashion brand:

Notice the impression left from the QR buckle.

Trizip Update

I have a bit of a fascination with Mystery Ranch's Trizip design. In my mind it is one of the more distinctive access schemes, and one of the most original in recent history.

You can read some of my theorizing in this previous post, but I have a little more information now that clears a few things up.

After talking with some folks at Camelbak it would appear the decision to discontinue the trizip was theirs alone. They cited the main reasons as cost (it was a pricy bag by imported standards) and competition with their other bag styles (such as the Motherlode). Viewing their current line up it appears as if they aiming for a very cohesive product line going forward, and in my view they did this well. The other bit of information I got was that to their knowledge there is no patent on the trizip opening itself, only the Futura Yoke that was also used for the Camelbak version. They also shied away from saying they "licensed" the design from MR, but insisted it was a collaboration.

Later, talking to Dana at Mystery Ranch, I got mostly the same story. He didn't sound as if he paid super close attention to the Camelbak spin off, but said he thought they'd priced it too close to the MR offering which meant by the time people had saved up for a CB they could save a little more and get a 3DAP or similar. Dana did use the term "license" for the design, but I'm sure this is just a fun semantics game that companies play. I didn't get the chance to ask him what he thought of the Nike version...


But as I predicted, it appears the Trizip is slowly gaining ground. I've found at least three new iterations; one from Timbuk2, one from Boreas, and a mysterious Diesel bag.

The Boreas seems to have been out for several years (here is a review from 2013, where I first noticed it). I'd briefly thought it had been discontinued but it appears to be back:

The Sapa Trek

Slightly different lid geometry and they added some elastic to the inner collar, but mostly true to the original MR design.

The Timbuk2 version doesn't appear to be out yet, I just saw it over at the Carryology Winter OR Recap:

Unknown Timbuk2 pack

(photo credit: Carryology)

They appear to have gone a different route, with the simpler lid and flat top zipper of a traditional Horizontal zipper pack, and split the bottom tape to turn the corner into the vertical zipper. I think this is a mistake as it means their will be a larger gap where the zipper pulls meet, and more then likely it will not rip open as easily.

Also just found this on the EDC forums:

Looks a lot like an ASAP or Urban Assault from MR.


Keeping my eyes peeled for more now!