Friday, August 5, 2011

Swiss M/70 Alpenflage Leibermuster, Back Pack Strap Modification / Set-Up

After trying out my Swiss M/70 Alpenflage jacket and backpack, with a full load, I noticed that there was a crucial support component missing.............. With the pack loaded, it tended to slide down the back and drag the front of the jacket up and over with it! 

Inside the M/70 jacket there are two straps that hang loose iniside. These two straps are an internal extension of the external D-ring attachment points for the pack.  These two straps are meant to attach to two buckles on the M/70 pants.  This gives the loaded pack the support it needs to be comfortable and to keep the pack from sliding down.  You can see the two straps on either side in the pictures below........ look close.


I do not have a pair of the original M/70 pants, so I needed to come up with a more useable solution....... especially if I wanted to wear the jacket and pack without the M/70 pants.  Here's what I came up with.  I attached a brass clip-hook and adjuster to the end of the internal M/70 jacket straps.  I then added a set of Czechoslovakian belt loop D-rings to my pants belt.  This allows me to attach the jacket straps to my pants belt for support.  It works amazingly well!  


I also have recently acquired a pair of M/83 pants.  These pants have a set of D-rings sewn to the waistband, one on each side.  These D-rings are used to attach the M/83 shirt hold down straps to, but they also provide an attachment point for the M/70 jacket and pack  straps.  This just as well as the belt and D-ring set up I described above.  Now I have a full camo set up that works with all of my Alpenflage components.


Here's a few shots of the M/70 jacket and pack worn with the M/83 shirt and pants.  These shots also show how well this camo pattern works up here in the Pacific Northwest.

No comments: