CFP-90 pack?

[fdsman]

Might have been an aftermarket repair or something that might have been sent back to get repaired and whomever that was might have used an outside contractor to do the work. I've seen that done before.

You mentioned that you tried searching for the conteractor name and nothing came up? That is strange, normally if any contractor would have done work they would still be around or bought out by another firm. If that happened it would be public knowledge, though a little hard to find.

I'm going to go with the theory of aftermarket repair. Just from what you said the nylon stiching and seam construction are too good to be done by a government contractor.

If that's the case I believe more then one grunt had this done to theirs, as one of the users on AR15.com posted this:

[fdsman]

I'm torn between which of these packs to keep.

I just received the other pack and it turns out that it's an SDS pack. From what I can tell it's also lined with the grosgrain ribbon, but the key differences are the back cushion and the sleep carrier compartment zippers.

The zipper sliders on the SDS pack are YKK, where as the ones on the tagless pack are Ideal. The zipper teeth are also different. The YKK teeth are much more aggressive, typical of US military gear while the other is more like the kind you'd find on a cheap hoodie, finer and more rounded.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, the tagless ruck has a black mesh back cushion, while the SDS has an OD green one.

The confirmed SDS main ruck is in worse shape then the one I received earlier, however it is SDS.

The SDS pack is missing the screws and the aluminum slider for the ducks foot, and most of the pull strings are chewed up. I found a branch tangled amongst some nylon thread.

The patrol pack that came with the SDS pack is also SDS. As is the one that came with the tagless ruck.


What I'm thinking of doing is taking all the worst parts of the SDS ruck and swapping them with the ones on the tagless ruck, then selling the tagless to someone who wants to forgo the ducksfoot and permanently attach some straps.

[Treesuit]

FDSman,

Yeah, find out the best parts and take the rest and make a second hand rucksack out of it. My suggestion is to get the "ducks foot" repaired, I'm not too sure if you did sell the second hand ruck anybody would be interested in it. The goal is to get at least some or all of your money back in the sale. I would think it would not be to hard to get it fixed somehow.

If you get into a bind, just shoot me a PM, I'll help out anyway I can.

[fdsman]

FDSman,

Yeah, find out the best parts and take the rest and make a second hand rucksack out of it. My suggestion is to get the "ducks foot" repaired, I'm not too sure if you did sell the second hand ruck anybody would be interested in it. The goal is to get at least some or all of your money back in the sale. I would think it would not be to hard to get it fixed somehow.

If you get into a bind, just shoot me a PM, I'll help out anyway I can.

Honestly I don't think loading this pack onto someone else should be that hard. I asked on the US militaria forum about IDing the tagless pack and seeing which one is built better, and whichever they recommend keeping (or if they're equal in quality, take the better of the two) and build the best ruck out of parts from the other, and sell it on ebay or on some gun forum.

From what I gather people are still after these packs and will take even ones that need repair over the korean copies. I saw one that had a large hole in one of the side pockets go for 60 + shipping.

[fdsman]

Weirdest thing, I checked the aluminum internal frame bars and it turns out the SDS main ruck actually has stamped on the aluminum, Speciality Defense Systems.

The tagless pack doesn't have any markings besides the specs of the aluminum from the mill that made it, something like "2024 T2 MADE IN USA" in red ink.

I'm beginning to think I have a late contract 2008 pack.

I contacted an ebay seller selling a similar CFP-90 with a black back support cushion, and ideal zippers.

Tag says:

FIELD
PACK, LARGE, WITH INTERNAL FRAME
DLA100-91-C-4012
8465-01-286-5356
DJ
MANUFACTURING

[Treesuit]

FDSman,

Yep, that is one of the original manufacturers of the CFP-90 pack, so if you have that tag you have an original pack. I did some checking on my MOLLE stuff again and I have a MOLLE medic bag with pouches and the inserts on the inside of the pack have the same construction as in the photo you posted yesterday of the inside of that ruck. I don't have date on mine but its made by SDS. Since this whole debate keeps changing you might have a later made CFP-90 main ruck. As for the stamped aluminum support bars, I might suggest that was a quality assurance and tracking method just so SDS or SPS could track defects to a particular batch and correct any problems.

[fdsman]

FDSman,

Yep, that is one of the original manufacturers of the CFP-90 pack, so if you have that tag you have an original pack. I did some checking on my MOLLE stuff again and I have a MOLLE medic bag with pouches and the inserts on the inside of the pack have the same construction as in the photo you posted yesterday of the inside of that ruck. I don't have date on mine but its made by SDS. Since this whole debate keeps changing you might have a later made CFP-90 main ruck. As for the stamped aluminum support bars, I might suggest that was a quality assurance and tracking method just so SDS or SPS could track defects to a particular batch and correct any problems.

As I said though, I'm only speculating. My rucksack is missing it's tag so the only things I can go by are the features compared to another pack that does have a tag with similar features.

[Treesuit]

I was curious and looked up most of the posts over at US militaria forum.com and found your inquiries. Have you managed to get any feedback from anybody? Also are planning to get any matching TLBV to go with the rucksack? I was surfing some other threads over there and found a couple of long threads on the load bearing vests. I can truly say that piece of gear is not only mind boggling but more mysterious than the CFP-90 ruck or the patrol pack.

[fdsman]

I was curious and looked up most of the posts over at US militaria forum.com and found your inquiries. Have you managed to get any feedback from anybody? Also are planning to get any matching TLBV to go with the rucksack? I was surfing some other threads over there and found a couple of long threads on the load bearing vests. I can truly say that piece of gear is not only mind boggling but more mysterious than the CFP-90 ruck or the patrol pack.

Feedback has been pretty slim. The only reply I received was someone gripping about my usage of CFP-90 instead of FPLIF.

I've had a TLBV like vest before, a Combat Medic Vest System. It was MOLLE and appeared to have been made during the transitional period between the IIFS and MOLLE. The shoulder straps, and most everything else was the same, but the two vest panels were MOLLE. Apparently there was a prototype TLBV that never made it into production, that allowed for the connecting of the CFP-90's patrol pack via quick release buckles instead of shoulder straps. I suppose in theory this would free up your shoulders and make it easier to shoulder a rifle whilst carrying a light load.

As for a set up for the rucksack, I'm using a SADF Pattern 83 Chest rig, which was intended to be used with the SADF's giant Bergen.



The shoulder straps I actually replaced with the ones from the CFP-90 patrol pack. Since they have quick release buckles, it makes putting on and taking off the rig much easier.

As for what to do about the patrol pack's shoulder straps, I'm thinking of grabbing a pair of modified MOLLE II rucksack shoulder straps which have been modified to fit on an ALICE frame, but will do just fine on the patrol pack. Many guys complain about the skimpiness of the stock shoulder straps and often opt for LC-2 straps.

I also found the perfect candidate for replacing the shoulder straps on the rucksack. ILBE shoulder straps come sewn together and have a connecting flap with a piece of flexible plastic that could easily be trimmed, cut, and sandwiched between two pieces of thick leather for an improved ducksfoot.

[Treesuit]

What type of camo is pictured? Is that Aussie desert camo i.e some sort of "duck hunter" camo. If it is that's a rare piece of gear and hard to acquire. I've read in another forum that the Aussies have a strict policy that soldiers turn there cammies in for proper disposal and that anybody else who gets caught selling their cammies or trading is violation of their policy and can be subject to criminal penalites.