I am a pack junkie, if you will. I've owned countless packs. I've bought dozens, brought them home and then returned them when I realized some shortcoming or another. I've used various packs on four continents and in two-thirds of the states in the US. This is one of the best I've had. I have nearly nothing negative to say about this pack.
Like reviewer "N. Sean Harshey", I first encountered this pack while deployed to Iraq several years ago. They were selling them in the PX for a ridiculous price (something like $90) and guys were buying them like candy. The quality matched or exceeded our issued ILBE packs (ArcTeryx/LEAF "Tango" modified Bora 95) and the design was much more practical than the ILBE's attached "Charlie" day-pack (discontinued for civilian purchase). I wanted one then, and finally bought one at my stateside PX for around $130.
Design/Materials:
The T.H.E. has a capacity of 2550 cu in. which is at the high-end of typical 3-day assault/bug-out bags, but not as large as the smallest Long-Range Recon or Expeditionary packs. It is ideal for 3-day to week-long outings, though with careful packing, you could go much longer. For reference: It is slightly larger than Camelbak's MotherLode (@ 2100 cu in) but with a more balance design and more MOLLE attachment points. It is just barely smaller than Camelbak's BFM (@2600 cu in), but it compacts better for use as a day-pack. Code Alpha's Three-Day Hydration pack is at approx 2400 cu in.
The main pouch will hold a folded 8x10 tarp, a 3-day off-the-shelf survival kit, two changes of clothes and then maybe a book or two (packed smartly, of course). Inside the main pouch, there's a half-length zippered mesh pocket for smaller essentials. The lower outside pouch will fit two MRE's, or Spec-Ops' "Op-Order Logistics Pouch" for more compartmentalized organization. The top pack will fit another MRE or any of your other smaller miscellaneous gear. Zippers are huge #10 YKK, double-stitched for strength, durability and easy handling with gloves.
The fabric is 1000-denier Cordura nylon, which is the toughest material available for these packs. Our military ones were titans and only used 600-D. This thing is built like a flak-vest in quality, but only weighs 3.6 lbs. The straps aren't as thick a material as the MOLLE loops on military equipment, but they are close. The stitching exceeds mil-specs.
The straps are thickly padded and equipped with metal d-rings for attaching equipment. The shoulder straps include attached adjustable sternum straps and numerous stitching points along the supplementals for attaching gear. The straps are equipped with quick-release buckles at the bottom. The top and bottom of the sides have quick-release compression straps, providing easy access to gear. MOLLE loops cover the entirety of the back, sides AND bottom providing nearly endless possibilities for attaching additional pouches. The waist belt is not padded, but in a smaller pack this is a non-issue. The waist-belt is removable.
The drag handle is perhaps the most durable on the market with ultra-heavy-duty stitching and double-layer reinforced fabric. There are velcro flaps on either side of the drag handle which open to allow a hydration tube or radio antenna to pass through.
Like it's Camelbak, and Code Alpha counterparts, the T.H.E. pack does NOT have an internal frame, but Spec-Ops offers a structured composite insert (T.H.E. Pack Frame) to stabilize and strengthen the back for extreme loads.
The buckles and strap adjusters are made from a thick heavy-duty plastic that is extremely crack and crush resistant. These are higher quality than even the US military uses, and superior to other similar packs (Bug-out brand, Maxpedition, Camelback).
The T.H.E. does NOT come with a hydration bladder, but it does have a partition inside to hold one, and openings on either side designed for a hydration tube.
OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:
This is an outstanding pack. Well thought-out versatile design provides for customization and personal preferences. Durable and heavy duty construction targeted for a military audience. (These are sold in nearly every PX at nearly every US military base) and are a favored piece of personal gear. I've yet to see or hear of one malfunctioning or disintegrating under even the most brutal and repeated combat use (barring direct explosive contact). I wish I would have saved myself a lot of money years ago and purchased this first instead of the countless others. While pack choice is a highly personal issue, I've had a lot of good packs in this tier of military quality and price point ($80-$150) range, and this is my favorite. Highly recommended as a bug-out, survival, hiking, or personal patrol pack. I bought this in black for civilian carry, but I'll be buying one in coyote for my next deployment.
I purchased this bag primarily as my B.O.B./G.H.B./G.O.O.D. (insert your own acronyms here) bag. I'm very impressed with it so far. LOADS of PALS webbing. I absolutely love that they're made in the United States. The interior is bright yellow, which really aids in low light searching. The outer pockets are quite large and hold a ton of stuff.
The zippers are heavy duty YKK and will stand up to a lot of abuse, as will everything on this pack. Everything is superbly designed and executed. However, I do think it needs some features/additions:
1. A lot of similar packs have breathable padding where the pack rests on the back. I would like to see breathable padding added (think TAD Gear's F.A.S.T. Pack).
2. I do not like a lot of velcro on a pack, but it would be nice if there was SOME velcro. There should be an area on the top outer pocket for a nametag and maybe blood type/morale patches, etc. I've seen PALS webbing with a velcro stitched to it. If they did that with coyote brown velcro stitched to a few rows/channels of PALS it'd solve the problem. As it is, I bought a Tactical Tailor Modular Badge Panel for this task.
3. Drainage holes/grommets on bottom w/velcro square around them (so user can cover them up if needed See Maxpedition's drain hole on their Jumbo Versipack for reference). If you have a leaky water bladder or take a spill in a river it's a pain to empty. The main pocket needs it for sure, but I'd put it on the outer pockets as well.
4. Dummy cord loops/lashing points in main pocket and each outer pocket. It would be nice if there was a little paracord loop stitched in the center of each respective pocket for dummy cording items.
5. A hanger for attaching a Camelback water bladder. The included compartment in the main pocket works okay but for piece of mind it would have been nice had there been a loop of paracord or something inside the compartment to hang the water bladder from.
6. PALS compatible webbing going up the entire shoulder strap. As it is, there's a vertical piece of webbing going up to the D-ring that works good for attaching pouches, but true PALS webbing would have been better. Just a simple single row of PALS centered on each shoulder strap going up the entire length (past the D-Ring, too!) would be great.
7. Padded belt option. This one is a no-brainer for heavy loads.
All in all, this is a fantastic pack. While I would like to see the additions I recommended, it is perfectly usable as is. I highly recommend this pack.
Buy Spec-Ops Brand T.H.E. Pack Now
Ive been thru about 5 high-end packs in the last 10 years from Eagle, Blackhawk, Maxpedition and Camelbak, and this is by far my favorite. The quality in workmanship is second to none, and this is one of the true packs that is actually issued to some elite units and seen in military PX's. I wish i would have had one when i was in. It is made of 1000 denier Dupont Cordura which is more flexible and abrasion resistant than your typical ballistic nylon, not to mention that it is an actual brand of material and its quality is more consistant than a lot of other fabrics that packmakers use. The main compartment, along with the 2 smaller compartments all have #10 YKK coil zippers and the mesh pocket on the inside has what i think is a #7 or 8. Almost the entire pack is covered in webbing including the bottom. i believe the capacity is 2550ci, but i can stuff more into this pack than i can my Maxpedition Vulture II, which states that it is 2800ci. The straps are made of one piece of material that goes all the way around and is sewn to itself vs having a seam on each side and mesh covering the padding. When you have a pack loaded down, this tends to be an area of heavy wear when you are dragging the pack on and off your shoulder. Thats not an issue with the Spec-Ops T.H.E. pack. The straps also go all the way down into the back of the pack vs being sewn into the top seam...another vulnerable area of wear. I also like that fact that the compression straps are integrated into the webbing that goes around the pack vs being sewn into the seam. The back of the pack is also one solid piece of Cordura with hardly any stitching rubbing up against your back, flak, or whatever. Its clear that durability was the mission when designing this pack. The inside is lined with about a 200 Denier nylon that is itself better quality than a lot of cheaper packs make their shells out of. The padding is not very thick, or rigid and can actually be removed from the pack liner. There is a frame that you can buy separate and put in this area to give the pack more structure. Ive loaded this pack down for camping and i havent seen any need for it. My hike is only about a mile or so. I believe that some of the things that make this pack so durable take away from its comfort...give and take. i want a durable pack...and this is it! Also, other than the mesh pocket on the inside of the main compartment, there is no organization. I knew that when i bought the pack. Spec-Ops actually makes seperate organizers for this pack. This pack is top quality. It's a little more expensive than a lot of other 3 day packs out there but its also built better than 90% of what's out there. Its made in America, for soldiers,and backed by a lifetime guarantee...not a warranty. Warranties are a joke and do little for someone who is gonna use a pack and possibly damage it. Spec-Ops will back their product even if you destroy it. If you are willing to spend the dough for a great pack, but cant see yourself dishing out for a made-to-order Kifaru....the Spec-Ops T.H.E. Pack is a good way to go.
Read Best Reviews of Spec-Ops Brand T.H.E. Pack Here
I have always been leery of gushy lovey no faults reviews. They always seem like a shill placement. But this review, be forewarned, is one of them. There's nothing I can find to complain about with T.H.E. Pack. It's just exceptional.
Here's the one line summary: top notch pack with great design and quality.
First, I have long been criticized in past reviews for appreciating quality American-made products. I'm not going to apologize for that at all. America did and still does make some of the best quality things in the world and this pack is no exception. You don't find a pack like this made in China, Vietnam, Pakistan, or India. None of the cheap offshore textile producers seem to make a product with the same level of craftsmanship as this. They might make it cheap, but they don't make it to the same quality.
The pack is well built, well thought out, and very comfortable to wear. There's nice wide shoulder straps, a chest strap, and a waist strap that will reach at least 42-44" waist. The shoulder straps have quick release buckles on them. The waist strap is removable. The chest strap can be removed and slid further down the shoulder straps to accomodate a female torso as well. Two cinch straps are provided, one low and one high, to compress the pack if needed.
The two outside compartments have a feature that all packs should have -they do not unzip entirely. Which means if you have small items in the exterior pouches, unzipping them will not dump the contents on the ground.
On the interior, the inside is coated yellow which the literature said was to help finding contents with a flashlight (black absorbing rather than reflecting the light). I thought initially this was some lame-o tacticool thinking, but it really works and you wonder why more manufactueres don't do such a simple thing. The inside has a long compartment that will fit up to a 3L camelback carrier. It's tight with a 100oz carrier in there, but works. There's also a mesh zipper pouch inside.
If you're a Molle junkie, this should satisfy any cravings. There's insane Molle / Pals / Malice attachment points on the lateral sides, bottom, and on the pouches. The shoulder straps have d-ring attachment points as well.
Right, so the overview is done. Here's the clever thinking part that sets this pack apart from average to a point actually justifying the high price:
1. Comfort. It's very comfortable. It was designed with an actual human body in mind, not some cork dummy.
2. Non metallic zipper pulls. Long enough to grab with gloves, nothing metal to snap. Every pack I've owned prior with metal pulls always ends up breaking in time.
3. Beefy zippers.
4. Storm flaps on all zippers.
5. The little antenna / hydration tube flaps on the exterior. It's not juts some hole, but an actual flap.
6. Molle EVERYWHERE. You get to decide where to mount carriers and pouches. There's no limitations. With the exception of the top, you can put Molle on nearly every surface. Even in the 2 inch gap between the exterior pouches there's a little swath of Molle.
7. Very high degree of resizing. No joke here my 3 year old son was playing with this pack and I'm almost able to resize it small enough to fit him (exception of waist belt) and then resize it for me who is vastly larger.
8. Cleaning -no special tools needed. I put it in the wash on "hand wash" cycle and gave it a cleaning in cold water. Refreshed, good as new, and smells great.
9. The attachment points for the shoulder strap and bank vault tough. They come off the main pack at about a 30 degree angle and have a huge meaty flap to keep from tearing.
It's those 9 points above that make THE Pack stand out.
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I've had this pack for 5 years. It has accompanied me around the world on vacations and multiple deployments. It's been beaten up by the heat and sand of the desert and countless international and domestic airport baggage handlers.
Not a single strap or molle loop has broken or even frayed. The zippers have never gone off their tracks nor stuck (unless I've zipped over something myself). The clip straps on the sides work excellent, and even after 5 years, they have not lost their tension and grip the pack as tight as I set them to. The shoulder straps are padded well-enough and do their job, but don't expect to come away without some good rashes on your trap muscles if you load the pack with a ton of weight and don't use the waist/chest straps.
The size of the pack is wonderful. I put the "small" in quotes for a reason in the title. It's significantly larger in volume than a bookbag or a Marine Corps-issued assault pack, but it is definitely not a full-sized rucksack by any means. This pack allows you to pack plenty of items, whether for a multi-day patrol or even a week long business trip. The main pouch is treated exactly for what it is the two smaller front pouches are designed to NOT infringe upon any of the main pouch's space, even when all are full unlike SO many other packs today so you can take maximum advantage of the entire pack at once. There are no fancy spots for pencils and wallets and the like here. It's an austere pack as designed. The main pouch simply has a small zippered pocket behind the smaller top pouch, and a slot in the back which can be used for a frame or Camelbak. Two velcroed tabs which flank the top handle allow a water tube to be drawn from either side of the pack.
My only negative comment about the pack is the lack of an included frame. When carrying heavy or hard loads, your back can take a beating unless you either pad it yourself or pack it with this in mind. There is a SpecOps brand hard frame sold separately now, but I have not had the opportunity to use it yet.
The frame is a significant negative in my book, but the rest of the pack is just so absolutely study and well-designed that I STILL feel confident giving this pack 5-stars.
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I ordered this bag for my son to carry around his own water bottle and snacks while on our trip to Disney. It is the perfect size without being to bulky. It was large enough to hold a small lunch box, a water bottle, a small (99 cents) first aid box, and an emergency poncho.
