Show us your Vintage Rucksacks!

[Creeping Past]

Scotrace, that J L Powell item looks to be a vintage Swiss army salt 'n' pepper rucksack, but they've rebadged it as a vintage scout pack.

I think they had a rebranded Swedish rucksack on their 'reduced' list till recently: it was a fairly good price.

 

[H.Johnson]

Scott,

I like it! Be careful though...some people get very offended when one criticises the claims of this particular vendor!

They don't have online shopping, but the JL (Stands for "Just Ludicrous" prices) Powell catalog has vintage military surplus packs - "only 100 available," for $189. Wooooo.....

 

[H.Johnson]

Can't date this one but it's been in my loft for a few years. Brand new, never used.

Cheers,
DDR

I assume you've read 'Invisible on Everest' by Mike Parsons (whose father founded Karrimor) and Prof. Mary Rose? It features a potted history of the company.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

bwaa haaaaa ha ha ha, those charlatans are asking $2500 for a copy of Out of Africa, now. :eusa_doh:

Maybe that's where their linen shorts came from. certainly not from Nepal …

bk

 

[H.Johnson]

Let's not start this again.....

 

[dit dah]

I've only been here a little while but I'm learning fast...

I used to be under the impression that I collected vintage rucksacks, until I happened upon those bellonging to Mr. Tank.

I admit I showed the photo to a few folk in an attempt to somehow deflect the incredulity one encounters when one confesses to "collecting vintage rucksacks".

May I appoint you sir, my vintage rucksack mentor?

 

[BellyTank]

Go on then.

I have another new/old one to show... later.


B
T

 

[dit dah]

I wait with what Monsieur Poirot might well call "the breath that is bated".

 

[H.Johnson]

Mr. Dah,

You may wish to peruse the Bergans website - it is in Norwegian but many of the pictures speak for themselves. This is the catalogue that commemorates 100 years of Bergans production. Note that it's Bergans, not Bergen....
http://www.bergans.no/mainpage/mainpagecontent/historikk/catalouge.html

I have a couple of early Bergans rucksacks, including a middle 1930s model like that shown at bottom left of page 10 (although my version doesn't have the optional avansert trinse-system, more's the pity). I love the 'before and after' cartoon embossed onto the leather frame cover of these rucksacks, taken from the illustration on Page 9 (see back cover of catalogue).

 

[Dudleydoright]

Bergans - in English

For the English speaker out there, try this one :

http://www.bergans.no/mainpage/eng/mainpagecontent/historikk/catalouge.html

 

[BellyTank]

Much more fun in Norwegian.

In France they seem to refer to the Bergen/Bergan's Rucksack/Rygsæk style,
as the "Bergam", among sacs à dos.
How interesting.


B
T

 

[H.Johnson]

True.

 

[BellyTank]

The French Army had a similar style for their Alpine Troops in WW2 and also as a fairly standard item, post-war. I suppose this (Norway/Bergan's)is from where and why they have adopted the (almost)name.
Perhaps "Bergam" is more French-able.


B
T

 

[dit dah]

Mr Johnson

Please, call me Dit.

Thanks for the berg_n website. Wonderful.

Can anyone clear this up: I've seen a number of such packs referred to as being used by British Commandos in WWII. Is there a definitive Commando pack of that period?

On that subject, why do some folk look like steely eyed men of action in a cap comforter, whereas I look like a demented elf/ military train driver?

Answers on a scrap of vintage canvas please........

 

[Dudleydoright]

Bergan

In the British Army we have always (since WW2) called every rucksack a 'Bergan'.

Dave

 

[H.Johnson]

The story (given to me by an ex-6 Commando instructor) is this. Combined Operations needed a pack that would carry enough materiel for insertions and invasions and were dissatisfied with the 1937 Great Pack (which, after all dates, back in its design to The Great War) in this regard.

A number of Bergans rucksacks were purchased and evaluated for the proposed invasion of Norway (was it, wasn't it? - There's a story in its own right) and proved to offer just what was needed but were very expensive - you can bet someone in Whitehall 'blew a gasket' (shades of Airborne and the Patchett gun in 1944). So, a cheaper copy was made (with the use of webbing straps rather than leather, a more basic suspension system etc.) and issued to Combined Ops in early 1944. This is known as the Packs, Commando 1944 Pattern. This is confusing as there was another 1944 Pattern pack, but that was jungle kit (although rumours of prototype khaki versions just being too late for the European theatre persist - see Bayley's book) and so presumably wouldn't be found in the same stores.

The former were known from then on as 'bergens' or even 'bergans', which has passed to any separate rucksack-type pack (i.e. one that was not a part of web equipment). So, strictly speaking, you wouldn't (or shouldn't) hear a 1937, 1944 or 1958 web equipment pack being called a bergen but a PLCE pack always is.

'Commando rucksacks' are not that uncommon - SoF and Springfields etc. usually have a couple of originals for sale (at a price) and WPG sell reasonable 1970s-made copies. I believe that the influence on French (and, too a lesser extent, German) post-war rucksacks came from this pack, rather than directly from the 1930s Bergans.

I hope this helps.

 

[BellyTank]

Here it is-

This is my latest-

Austrian, old.
It's made from that oldtimey, hempy canvas- same as my WW2 Gebirgsjäger rucksack.

B
T

 

[Creeping Past]

WPG sell reasonable 1970s-made copies.

What market were the 70s copies made for, HJ? Were these civilian packs? I'm taking 'copies' to mean non-issue kit.

And, BT, that hemp's holding up well. Tougher than cotton canvas, you think?

 

[BellyTank]

Well, it has a different texture- dense, yet supple.
I think it probably does hold up better than cotton canvas.
Looks much nicer too.
Now that you mention it and from my own experience, as well as what we both have probably read about hemp, abrasion resistance is probably better than cotton canvas.
I wonder about mold and rot resistance-
does Hemp have any inherent resistance to such?


B
T

 

[Creeping Past]

I wonder about mold and rot resistance - does Hemp have any inherent resistance to such?

"Naturally mold and rot resistant", it says. And here, too (see under "hemp"). Edit: what else? :eusa_doh: