I assume this pack has been out for awhile but I only here about most things when they trickle down to eBay:
http://www.t3gear.com/t3-tora-bora-back-pack/
Appears to be a stripped-down trizip bag, but with a worrisome omission of front compression.
Uses non-waterproof zippers, but they at least appear to be good #10s
This one is on some kind of updated ALICE frame, but it doesn't appear to be either the Tactical Tailor or TAG version judging from the flat crossmembers. Possibly LBT?
The belt and shoulder straps seem to share a lot of DNA with the now discontinued TAG ALICE stuff, I wouldn't be surprised if they manufactured these for T3.
As evidenced by the T3 homepage, the belt is both ALICE and MOLLE compatible, the version on their site ships with a Down East frame. If more ALICE upgrade makers built their belts this way there would be a lot more good MOLLE retrofit options.
Due to the lack of mention I think it is safe to say this design is not under license from Mystery Ranch. Since I do not believe the trizip is patented it is basically fair game, but it is still a bold move in a segment of the industry traditionally quite sensitive to IP and reputation in general.
The one real difference I spy between this design and a Mystery Ranch is the addition of a zipper pull at the bottom of the vertical zipper, allowing access to the bottom of the pack without opening the whole front.
I have no time table on such a prediction, but it certainly seems likely that this form of pack opening will continue to spread until someday it may even be considered a normal sight.
They issue these to us at EOD. Like any backpacking situation, It benefits the user to have a rain cover. It is defined by T3 as a 3 day pack, but it had significantly more storage space than my mystery ranch 3 day which is the same three zipper design. I'm actually transitioning all of my gear from the mystery ranch to the t3 because it gives me greater storage capacity and the frame system is rated to support 150 lb in/on the pack. I've seen a number of people on other forums make comments about T3 as a company not realizing who and what they are. T3 is one of the very few direct suppliers of gear to Navy EOD and US Navy SEALs. T3 is so ingrained in the community that on the seal base in Coronado California there is actually a T3 store.
ReplyDeleteOne of the biggest things about this T3 bag that I like over my mystery ranch is that the exterior is pretty much entirely covered in molle. Makes it very easy for mounting exterior accessories. There's an actual combat version of this bag that has multiple pass-through holes in the top for internally mounting radios and sticking the antennas out the top.