Humpin’ junk in ya trunk. The butt pack!

[The Waco Kid]

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Butt packs what’s in them?

Before the issue of M1956 web gear US army soldier & marines used a variety of small haversacks and satchels, such as the Musette bag, to carry mess kit, ration, clothing and shelter.

From the issue of M1956 gear through M1961, M1967, IIFS and to a less extent   MOLLE small modular “field training packs” were issued to carry sustainment items.

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These were (until MOLLE) a similarly proportioned squarish bag that could be fitted to the pistol belt and supported by the suspenders as a lumbar pack or mounted higher on the suspenders as a small day pack.

This butt pack design was copied by many forces around the world, such as the Bundeswher, when they modernised there WW2 era gear or acquired US military assistance.

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The field training packs were not designed to be used in conjunction with a main pack, hence not actually/technically issued as ALICE gear. However a lot of troops found have it them a useful addition. Either as an extra pocket on the ALICE pack lid or for foot patrol.

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What goes on the butt pack according to the manual FM21-15.

• Two pair of socks

•.Two pairs of underwear

• Razor/shave/wash kit 

• NBC SUIT*
• One complete MRE

• Poncho LINER*

This makes for a pretty full sack!

* The NBC (MOPP) jacket and poncho liner were likely intended to be lashed to the outside wrapped in the poncho.

 

[The Waco Kid]

Belt order has always been a useful way to carry kit in hot and humid environments like the jungle but but it is not the easiest to wear in the confines of a vehicle.

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With the rise of mechanised infantry operations bulkier belt order and larger sized lumbar packs fell by the way side. In bush wars and now to an extent when a degree of woodland and trench warfare is taking place the belt kit and butt pack is making a return.

So what actually goes in the buttpack?

So common recommendations are:

• Poncho (multi use item)

• Waterproof jacket (optional)

• Field striped MRE

• Weapon cleaning kit

• Spare socks & underwear

• Esbit stove

• Scrim or camo net

Airsoft optimised buttpack

For a typical day skirmish it’s useful to have some sundries in case you don’t go back to the safe zone between games. Therefore:

• More bb’s and speed loader

• Gas and/or batteries

• Dry socks

• Pertex wind shirt 

• Poncho

• Spare eyepro

• Electrical tape

• Tools to tight loose gun bits

This will all fit in the small MOLLE waist pack and can be padded with a thin fleece if needed.

 

[Lozart]

he hee....he said butt!

I have three, one green nylon, one woodland and one of those god awful modern versions where all the straps and buckles are in the wrong place. Definitely interesting to see the "what goes around" happening in the resurgence of belt kits and indeed, butt packs, with the Spiritus LBE expander, the Mayflower/Velocity Jungle rig, the Platatac belt kits and of course, good old British belt order kit (which never really went away to be fair).

 

[gavinkempsell]

I just keep bubble wrap in mine, much lighter to humf around a Scottish woodland sight.

 

[Shamal]

Bubble wrap is quite good for protecting pies.....

 

[gavinkempsell]

Bubble wrap is quite good for protecting pies.....

subtle as kick to the nuts.

 

[Impulse]

I have one on my Vietnam belt kit, but it doesn't feel like the most secure pouch. I've used it to carry an HPA tank one time, but when I use it I just stick extra scrim net in there for VC sneaky shenanigans. I mostly use it as a central attachment point for the harness.

If I was to use this kit for normal skirmish, I'd probably need to use the butt pack more for BBs, gas etc, but I'd be constantly worried that it's going to fall out. Not an issue for Vietnam games due to ammo limits, so I have to go back to respawn to re-ammo anyway, but at a skirmish game or other event without ammo limits (or with higher ammo limits), this could be a concern...

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[JinxDuh]

I have one on my Vietnam belt kit, but it doesn't feel like the most secure pouch. I've used it to carry an HPA tank one time, but when I use it I just stick extra scrim net in there for VC sneaky shenanigans. I mostly use it as a central attachment point for the harness.

If I was to use this kit for normal skirmish, I'd probably need to use the butt pack more for BBs, gas etc, but I'd be constantly worried that it's going to fall out. Not an issue for Vietnam games due to ammo limits, so I have to go back to respawn to re-ammo anyway, but at a skirmish game or other event without ammo limits (or with higher ammo limits), this could be a concern...

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I’m the complete opposite. Everything gets chucked into it!

Odin speed loader, green gas, spare batteries, food, medications, tools, soft cover, towel, eye pro, spare eye pro, face pro and if there’s some room left a few more mags ?

 

[ghostwalker]

I have one of the blackhawk enhanced packs on my us alice webbing kit. Was to keep the 'tears of the sun' vibe going. But it's a pain in the butt! just a smidge to small for a hpa bottle but a mile too big for a bag of bbn's, gas refill canister and small tool kit. It also has more straps than a swingers swing

 

[The_Lord_Poncho]

If I was to use this kit for normal skirmish, I'd probably need to use the butt pack more for BBs, gas etc, but I'd be constantly worried that it's going to fall out.

Back in the days of black and white when I wore british 58 pattern webbing, the rear Kidney Pouches suffered from the same issue. The solution then was to put everything in a plastic tub, and then inside the pouches. I'd imagine a more up to date solution would be to use a small canoe sack/stuff sack to keep it all together, and reduce the likelihood of bits falling out.

 

[gavinkempsell]

I have one on my Vietnam belt kit, but it doesn't feel like the most secure pouch. I've used it to carry an HPA tank one time, but when I use it I just stick extra scrim net in there for VC sneaky shenanigans. I mostly use it as a central attachment point for the harness.

If I was to use this kit for normal skirmish, I'd probably need to use the butt pack more for BBs, gas etc, but I'd be constantly worried that it's going to fall out. Not an issue for Vietnam games due to ammo limits, so I have to go back to respawn to re-ammo anyway, but at a skirmish game or other event without ammo limits (or with higher ammo limits), this could be a concern...

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I drilled out the bottom rivet & spun the clasp 180 so my pistol mag pouch would close, going to rivet it in it's new home but not done it yet.

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[The Waco Kid]

Thank looks like it works well. ?