There are three major military backpack carrying systems in use by the U.S. military today. These different systems represent a lot of research, use and experiance.

• ALICE Pack
• MOLLE Pack System
• ILBE Pack System
  

The ALICE or All-purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment pack has been around for a LONG time. It developed from previous equipment that was used all the way back in World War 1 and 2.

The ALICE pack as we know it today really took shape in the Viet Nam war. That was the first major conflict where soldiers needed significan carrying capablilities. The ALICE pack gave them a small, semi-versitile carrying system.

The ALICE pack is still used today, but they have almost completely been replaced by the MOLLE and ILBE backpacks.

Want to know more? Check out my ALICE Packs hub.

Next came the MOLLE system, or Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment pack. The MOLLE system is a flexable and configurable system. It can be reconfigured to improved mission efficiency, but keeps a main focus on not compromising soldier mobility or readiness.

The MOLLE system consists of 2 man pieces, the vest and the load pack.

The MOLLE backpack is designed to be "worn", not carried. The vest is ment to carry a soldiers combat gear; all the things he would need durring combat. It keeps them all within easy reach.

The pack is for carrying other gear, but can be dropped via a quick release mechanism that seperates the load from the vest. This allows a soldier to drop his pack in combat, giving him more mobility and speed.

Want to know more? Check out my MOLLE packs hub.

The Marine Corps found that both the ALICE pack and the MOLLE system didn't quite meet their needs, so they designed a new pack that combined the best features of ALICE AND MOLLE.

The ILBE or Improved Load Bearing Equipment consists of a main pack, a detachable assault pack, a 100-ounce hydration system and various mission specific pouches. It has a slightly smaller cargo capacity then the MOLLE system but can still carry up to 120 lbs. One major change over the MOLLE system was the ability to store large caliber ammo and mortars outside of the pack.

Want to know more?  Check out my ILBE System hub.