Belgian Paratrooper Pack, Flecktarn, Surplus

The Belgian armed forces had an affair with Flecktarn in the '90s. Legend says the public didn't like the view of German camo in their country so they were phased out. These backpacks are from those days and this is a single batch of packs that were never issued.

Features

Apart from the slightly psychedelic colors of the Belgian Flecktarn, the pack is based on previous iterations of their Para Commando backpacks. The appearance is very blocky, the Cordura-like fabric seems bombproof and has deniers to spare.

The shoulder straps are padded but otherwise quite Spartan, not suitable for flipflop-wearing scallywags. They attach to sturdy steel buckles at the top and can be removed if necessary. The pack has no frame but a fixed closed-cell foam padding, rectangular in shape, of course.

At first sight, you would think the backpack has a single big compartment. And it does, but it can also be divided into not just two, but three separate ones! This is achieved with two sturdy dividers and zippers on the inside. But that's not all! After everything is separate (maybe equal, too) you can access any of the lower sections via zippered openings on the back of the pack.

On the outside, one side has two pouches on top of each other while the other side has a single tall one. It's excellent for carrying a tripod or small camping chair, or other long items.

The exterior also has webbing and grommets compatible ALICE and 1910 systems for your vintage pouch collection. The top and bottom also have the usual pairs of 76 cm (30") straps for extra gear. The straps are removable and camouflaged on both sides.

Measurements

Condition

Unissued. Stored for a long time, so some metal pieces may have patina on them and the fabric is stiff.