Canvas Berghaus Crusader

[johnboy]

Moo-Stach isnt long enough ...........

Ha well spotted... I had been sporting a full 'Tour Tache' however I had been finding that it kept me from getting a complete 'cheek weld' with the L42 . A trimmed Moo-Stach helped with this plus I am a fan of Freddy Mercury...

 

[johnboy]

Tsk fold your socks over your boots man

Yes good drills for Northern Europe but in Limpopo folding them down means that the leeches can get down inside your sock. For a while the entire Team wore Legwarmers. There is nothing worse than a bite from a Limpopo Leech....

 

[SCOMAN]

It's interesting that the photo of the Lionheart Goretex jacket shows the user wearing it whilst doing some dental work to what is apparently an Afghanistani. The headdress is from that neck of the woods could be Pakistani they wear similar in the region, remember it's 1989.

Sorry never read your comments M.Durston

 

[nolightweight]

I heard, from an official source (Andy McGrabb's proof reader, who's cousin works in the same papershop that the second bloke on the balcony goes to for his Sunday paper and a Cornetto every week. Still savvy in his retirement, the bloke varies his route, timings and appearance for the task. That's drills...), that the demise of the droopy moo-stashe as the facial topiary of choice for Sssshhh. You Know Who... was blamed on the social climate of the time.

A memo was even sent to No10 outlining a plan to eliminate Tom Selleck and get the Blue Oyster Bar scene cut from Police Academy.

 

[torc]

The Vector Systems Commando was £300 in 1992 when a Pound really was a Pound. Using this inflation calculator, http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/historic-inflation-calculator, the Commando would now costs £472.
I believe they were made in Ireland by Lowe Alpine. They used to have a great factory shop in Tullamore.
It threw up some realy odd kit like electric pink LA Goretex trousers and Triplepoint bivvy bags, stuff that never even made it to full production.
They also sold tonnes of great normal kit at well below retail prices.

Happy trails...torc.

 

[nolightweight]

Good post, torc.

A couple of us have had this discussion and yarp, although some of the prices don't look overly steep now, (I paid £140ish for my Vulcan a few months ago, and about £45 for my Munro) but back in 1989 and 1992 they were serious dollar for squaddies at the time and big investments.

At a time when a pint was around the £1 region and 20 B&H was a couple of quid, about £100 for a Cyclops Roc complete was big wedge out of any pay packet.

There also wasn't that many companies producing/retailing this type of gear for the military market, especially compared (Simples) to the wide selection available now.

Good thread, this...

 

[Twodogs]

Yep the days when the pay was poor and the rifles were long ................

 

[MartinK9]

Yep the days when the pay was poor and the rifles were long ................

Tell me more grandad

£14 a day was blinking outstanding I tell you

 

[Twodogs]

Cant talk now busy polishing my shako ,,,,,,,,,
Twodogs

 

[m.durston]

I heard, from an official source (Andy McGrabb's proof reader, who's cousin works in the same papershop that the second bloke on the balcony goes to for his Sunday paper and a Cornetto every week. Still savvy in his retirement, the bloke varies his route, timings and appearance for the task. That's drills...), that the demise of the droopy moo-stashe as the facial topiary of choice for Sssshhh. You Know Who... was blamed on the social climate of the time.

A memo was even sent to No10 outlining a plan to eliminate Tom Selleck and get the Blue Oyster Bar scene cut from Police Academy.

HAHAHAHAHA!!! thanks for this , its cheered me up no end

 

[johnboy]

The Vector Systems Commando was £300 in 1992 when a Pound really was a Pound. Using this inflation calculator, http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/historic-inflation-calculator, the Commando would now costs £472.
I believe they were made in Ireland by Lowe Alpine. They used to have a great factory shop in Tullamore.
It threw up some realy odd kit like electric pink LA Goretex trousers and Triplepoint bivvy bags, stuff that never even made it to full production.
They also sold tonnes of great normal kit at well below retail prices.

Happy trails...torc.

Good post... Yep Vector is / was a sort of brand for the military kit that Lowe Alpine made back in the 80's and 90's.

Based on the tags that came with my VC it was definately made in Eire..

Your calcualtion of the current price would make it a bit cheaper to buy today than this baby....

Thats a Bergen....

 

[nolightweight]

Come on, johnboy. What flavour bergen is that, then?

For nearly 500 sheets I'd want Keeley Hawes and a bottle of bubbly, or at least Lesley Vickerage, a six pack of Strongbow and a kebab bursting out the top of it...

 

[johnboy]

Come on, johnboy. What flavour bergen is that, then?

For nearly 500 sheets I'd want Keeley Hawes and a bottle of bubbly, or at least Lesley Vickerage, a six pack of Strongbow and a kebab bursting out the top of it...

Kia Ora Neil...

It's a Norrona Recon Synkroflex

You might be a bit more familiar with the older non Synkroflex version..

Ray Mears uses one in a few of the older shows. IIRC the he's using it when he traverses the Umukarikari Ridge in the New Zealand Episode.

Any how the Recon Synkroflex will set you back about GBP 449.00

They also do a Pararanger which uses an internal frame which is better if you spend any time jumping out of C130's..

The Pararanger is GBP 399.00

Here is an interesting youtube video In Swiss German I think but you get the drift...

[video=youtube;Vg0ePgpw9Qg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vg0ePgpw9Qg[/video]

Basically a mahoosive 125ltr Bergen...

Norrona kit is nice but outrageously priced... actually I got it wrong the VC would still be more expensive...

HTH

John

 

[GordonM]

You lot are great! I share the era with you. For the timeframe, not being a "snake eater", I wasn't allowed to deviate from the standard issue. Would have given my left testicle to have been able to ditch the Large LC-1 ALICE ruck for something better.

Anyone notice the parang style survival knife, in the above catalog, that looks just like the "new knives" being passed around in the kit review forum.

Gordy

 

[nolightweight]

Kia Ora Neil...

Tatonka, johnboy...

Are they just really over-priced or priced to reflect hand stitched, quality manufacture by Fijian maidens during the rainy season?

Nice looking pack. Had any experience with the Berghaus Atlas rucksack? Seems to be popular in Central Europe.

Gordon: It would be good to hear about the sort of gear you guys took into the field in that era.

Cliff has told us some stories from when he was in the US (with a battalion I can't remember the name of...) some first hand info would be good.

 

[sasquatch]

In still think there should be a group on here dedicated to the classic bergans and those still rocking them Cliff, this thread alone has certainly generated some interesting reading! Nice one and thanks to everybody for sharing. I've learned something and it's made me smile no end!

 

[FerlasDave]

This thread should just be called the history of the bergen. lol. Im loving the thread just wish I could put more into it.

 

[Twodogs]

Gordon , I remember buying a load of gear from the PX in Fort Lewis , Alice pack large LC1 ( bit like marmite you love it or hate it ) ,LC2 Web belt, first aid pouchs, poncho liner ( megga kit ) , water bottles ,mug and cover all worked well .


Twodogs

 

[johnboy]

Had any experience with the Berghaus Atlas rucksack? Seems to be popular in Central Europe.

Kia Ora Neil,

Yep the Berghaus Atlas is an interesting bergen. Very similar to the Norrona stuff but with 100L all up capacity rather than 120L.

I believe that a good number were bought by the German Army.
Which might explain why they are popular in Central Europe.

I've never used one nor seen one in use. I believe the side pouches detach al la Crusader/ Vulcan and you can make a day sack out of them. IIRC the Atlas was also available in 'civvy' colours and was for a while the largest capacity civvy rucksack Berghaus made for backpacking etc.

I found this 'gem' on a bit of a You Tube search last night...

[video=youtube;8sIP0Bih-9U]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sIP0Bih-9U[/video]

It dates from the 80's and has a good bit of footage of the Crusader being used and abused. Also a bit of survival stuff as well...

There you go all I know about the Atlas...

HTH

John

 

[nolightweight]

Kia-Ora, johnboy

Good video. Not a droopy moo-stashe in sight though.

Apart from a couple of details the Atlas looks, and I guess functions much the same as Vulcan. The side pooches are a different design but function the same as a daysack/small pack and I've seen a pic on military photos showing them in use like that. The curved bottom (Let it go, boys ) is different and must be larger.

The two ice pick/axe clips you see on the pic you've posted are the same as the ones that were on my Munro. I've whipped them off and fitted them on my Vulcan, work great for keeping a couple of RvOps bivi poles secure.

The rest of the bergen looks very much the same to me.

Cheers.