ALICE Packs

ALICE stands for – “All-Purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment.” The ALICE system was introduced into United States Army service in 1974 to replace the M-1956 Load-Carrying Equipment [LCE] and M-1967 Modernized Load-Carrying Equipment [MLCE].

If there is one point where the ALICE pack stands out in, that has to be its rugged durability. Whether its an overnight camping trip, or a 3 day trip, the ALICE pack is durable enough to go just about anywhere.

My first exposure to the ALICE pack was somewhere around 1992 or 1993 when a buddy of mine returned from the first Persian Gulf conflict and we went on a camping trip.

We loaded up our packs just like we used to. But instead of having a civilian pack, my buddy had a medium ALICE pack that he had bought somewhere around Fort Bragg. We hiked about 2 – 3 miles to our camping spot, which was along a marsh between Bridge City and Port Arthur, Texas.

The hike was a pretty easy one – we walked through this huge cow field that must have been 2 miles across, then we followed and abandoned road that went through a wooded area. Finally we came to an area that had marsh on both sides and was densely wooded – that is where we set up camp. The area was familiar as we used to camp there all the time a few years previous.

When my buddy started showing me the medium ALICE pack, one of the main selling points was how durable it was. There was no plastic parts to break, the frame was aluminum tubing, exterior pouches for rain gear or a 1 pound propane bottle for the camp stove, a large internal pocket for al kinds of stuff, and a pouch in the top flap of the pack.

Anyway, my buddy and I spent the night in the woods, next to the gator infested marshes – it was just like the good ole days. We got up the next morning and went home.

But one thing about it, that camping trip and seeing that ALICE pack in action for the first time left a lasting impression. It was only a few days later that I ordered my mail from a mail order catalog.