Austrian Bundesheer KAZ 03 Rucksack, Surplus

Here's a rather modern military rucksack that's designed to integrate with combat gear. Come up with a hip belt and sternum strap of your own, and you can turn this into a damn high-quality and low-priced companion for your outdoor adventures.

The Austrian KAZ 03 rucksack is anatomic; there's an internal frame consisting of three supports riveted to a horizontal one. The design is very narrow, something skiers appreciate.

The Austrian grunt has five levels of combat gear and packing. Pieces are switched or repurposed in various configurations. The rucksack is used at levels 3–5 and issued to ordinary infantry jaegers.

1. Combat belt
2. Combat belt and combat vest
3. Combat belt and backpack
4. Combat belt and rucksack
5. Deployment, like levels 3 or 4 but with a duffel bag.

Carrying system and separate hip belt

The ruck uses the combat belt as a hip belt and sadly it is not included. The attachment method is rather quick, there's a 30-mm aluminum flat on the rucksack and pulling it to the side would release the belt. You can probably use another hip belt and come up with a good attachment solution. The aluminum flat is not included with all rucksacks but it's easy to replace with something else.

The right shoulder strap also has a quick-release loop. Pulling it disconnects the sternum strap as well. Clever! By pulling on two loops, you can swing the ruck right off your back from the left shoulder while retaining the combat belt on you. Note! The latest batch is also missing the sternum straps.

The shoulder straps can be adjusted for various back lengths with a simple system and about 2 cm / 0.8" increments.

Several pockets and compartments

Where do we even start? At the flap: as usual, the flap itself is a pocket and accessible from the outside. On the inside, there's a large pouch for things you want to keep securely inside the ruck but also easily accessible.

The main compartment is simple, perhaps for the better. The bottom is a diaphragm that closes with a drawcord to separate the top and bottom. You can access the lower compartment through an external zipper that has buckle backups.

On the outside, there's a bottom pocket as well as a small accessory pouch with a flap.

Modular in every direction

Each side and the back has attachment points for Austrian pouches but the system is fairly simple and attaching other stuff shouldn't be a problem at all. The compression straps allow attaching other things than the pouch to the side. They are not only for tightening the pack.

On the flap and below the bottom there are even more straps for stuff like a sleeping pad. The flap is removable and allows overpacking if necessary.

The webbing on the Bundesheer KAZ 03 gear is interesting: soft and matte like a cotton strap, but actually made of proper durable polymer, most likely polyester. The looks and comfort of these are far better than the shiny and coarse webbing typically used on military and outdoor gear. Other manufacturers should take a look at these.

Measurements and weight

Volume approx. 45 liters as-is, can be expanded with side pouches to 60–70 liters.

Width 34 cm; height 66 cm; thickness 22 cm. Weight: 2550 g.

Condition

Pretty modern stuff, you can actually use this even today and it won't be an exercise of The Suck where you remember the hard old days. All materials, stitching, zippers, and buckles are durable. These have been used, but are perfectly serviceable.