British Army Other Arms (Engineers) Bergan Modification

[@soggz4246]

Brilliant bit of kit. I got one with side panels which I use for winter camps. Need to carry more insulation in the winter. As a Marine told me once “Travel light, Freeze at night”. All the best.👍🏾🇬🇧

[@ryand141]

I can see why you sprayed it. I find it's always best to be less conspicuous. Nice Bergen and great mods.

[@owtnabowt2723]

Cheers Ryan. I wanted to demilitarise it to see if i could use a £35 Bergen as my main pack. Its coming up for 8 months now, and to be fair its working well. I should probably do a follow up on what its like to live with. (hhmmmmm! new vid coming shortly I thing :) )

[@ryand141]

@@owtnabowt2723 I do find it interesting how people react to DPM. Even myself. Just got a German army daypack myself. Not as versatile as that one though, shame but olive colour is ok.

[@xix94]

had one for ages massive backpack

[@ozdavemcgee2079]

Good channel just found and subbed. I got a Long and Shortback out here in Australia in Khaki. I got the shortback like late 80s and used in it in the Australian Army. Our packs then were shite. Longback didnt work with ALICE harness battle order. Bought a longback for hiking still going strong after all these yrs But great kit. Not tried the turtleback one. My only issue is ventilation. We got ALICE packs early 90s. I use longback all yr except Summer. Whereupon I have the shortback. I got an extra rocket pouch and saw my cobbler. A bit of unpicking he sewed it up. Just made a slerve with some rollmat in it, exactly the same as an ALICE pack. Added a few loop and buckles on lower side/back seam. It can be used as it was issued, the extra pocket pad is no issue. OR...it can go onto a alice frame. Perfect, worlds best pack on a ALICE fram for or high 30 to 42°c summer.

[@owtnabowt2723]

Cheers Dave. Chuffed you dropped by to say hello. I only did time in the TA, so full respect to you full timers. My infantry mates keep trying to push me to try a "proper" bergen...lol. If i get my hands on one, i'll definitely do a comparison video.

[@El_Croc]

Bombproof kit alright. Gave my old one to one of the kids for their camping needs - still going strong. Your vid made me miss it tho as a useful and expandable daypack it'd still be good to replace. Ho hum - guess I better get another one eh? Cheers for the vid. ATB.

[@owtnabowt2723]

Hi El Croc. This ones still going strong. I think I've broken one buckle, which if you saw the way I chuck it about in the woods wouldn't surprise you. My year long experiment into using it is nearly over though, so i'll soon be looking for a replacement. (I'll still use it, but will use other kit as well)

[@paganoutdoors3193]

Very cool mods, nice video, good health and safe travels, cheers craig 🌿

[@owtnabowt2723]

Thanks pagan outdoors. Its been a very good piece of kit. I'll be doing my 12 month review in the new year. Hope your feeling well and ready to get back out.

[@alphabarbs]

This is a really good modification idea - Great stuff :-)

[@owtnabowt2723]

Thanks alphabrarb. I've used it a couple of times now and it holds up pretty well. I've not had to get into it while its actually raining yet though😬

[@alphabarbs]

​@@owtnabowt2723 - To qualify this response, I have this ruck too. I've not yet had that foul wet-weather experience either. Generally, I use a heavy rubble-sack as a liner. Liner into ruck, pack kit into the liner, and roll the top,- nothing complicated. Sleeping bag at the bottom in it's own liner, German army style folding kip-mat fits into that huge internal divider space, and at the top (because there is always space at the top) goes the Bivvy / Basha in its own rubble-sack liner. I've got the rocket-pockets and yoke, but to date, I've not had to use them. The daisy-chains on the ruck are great for night-time illumination markers. As a rule, I keep everything inside the ruck. It does wind me up a bit when I see folk with more equipment festooning the outside of their pack (as a regular feature) than is even packed on the inside. I'm scratching my head here, thinking "..what's the basic point of the bag again..?". 'Merkins are a funny bunch, with their axe, knife, folding saw, skillet(!), wooden whittled cup, storm lantern, leather gloves, fire-lighters, paracord, hat, wind-breaker and head-torch (for extra Tacti-Cool) all dangling off daisy-chains and molle-loops. That said, if it keeps them happy... Regarding rain and rough weather, so long as You keep snapping the velcro-seal closed, I don't imagine there will be too many problems. In most places there is a tree or a bush to use a a bit of shelter. On the moors and in the mountains could be a little more challenging, but I'll cross that particular bridge later.

[@owtnabowt2723]

Mornin' My mistake, I thought I was responding to a comment about the way I set my bivi bag up... lol. I have used this bergen in very heavy rain and it coped really well, I do also have a rain cover for it so that helpsprevent water getting in at the seams. I actually use my gortex bivi bag as my ruck sack liner and it work brilliantly. Once I have a bit of cover from my basha, i take the whole bivi out of the bergen and sort it under cover.

[@johncamps1337]

Liked your video 👍🏻. I found it useful with good tips. I have a long back 120 litres. bergen. I went for the same as you. Yes DPM attracts unwanted attention from the public. Yes I sprayed it black like you and the rocket pouches. Can blend in more now less obvious. 👍🏻 Got mine for £17 quid from Surplus and lost. Is grade 2 had to do some repairs on it. I had spare buckles and webbing which I replaced the broken ones. I am doing the cargo net same as you. This will do me for walking and bushcraft. 👍🏻 🙂 Thanks alot and yes I've copied you. 😆😆

[@owtnabowt2723]

Thanks John, glad you found it useful, and I'm more than happy to share ideas. The cargo net has proved much more useful than I thought it would, keeps things like my brew kit, tripod and waterproof within easy reach, and so easy to cram wet and dirty stuff into after a trip. 😃. The spray job has held up pretty well, and does help tone it down when looking for a sarnie in Morrisons. I'm coming up to having used it for 8 months as my main kit now, so my do a quick follow up vid on how it coped.

[@johncamps1337]

Followed your video and instructions. Sprayed my bag black OK. Tried making the net with paracord. Followed your guidance. Mine did not turn out well. Loose cord on the bungees when looped through after making the net. I used cable ties to make the net. Fold the net over so if would hold stuff. Had long string on one bungee to attach to webbing ladder of the bag. Not easy to make, was time consuming. Haven't attached it yet. I think next time I will just buy a net bag and attach it. Spray painting it was easier. Don't know how long the paint will last, but the camo is starting to show through. Might be coming off or I need to re do it. Nothing is simple or straight forward is it. 👍🏻 I've tryed can't be an expert at everything. It is frustrating when it doesn't go right when doing a job. Sorry for my rant and complaints. It's just what I encountered when I did it.

[@owtnabowt2723]

Evenin' John, With the net folded over, the long lengths of paracord should be at the top. What I did was pass the paracord through the first loop on the webbing from the outside edge, passed it through the top net sections. (the first top net hole, and what would have been the last bottom net hole before folding) then back through the webbing loop that it had just come through. I then moved down the webbing one loop at a time. In from the outside, around the edges of the net then back through the loop it had come through. Once I reached the bottom I just tied it off. You may find that the net is a bit longer than the webbing straps, so line it up before you start. I had about 4 inches at the top of mine so actually started the weave through the webbing further down the net at the front. The cam pattern shows through the spraypaint on mine, but its really muted, so not obvious cam, is holding up much better than I though it would. Hope that helps and would love to see a pic when you're done.

[@johncamps1337]

Done the best I can. Folded the net over, secured the net. With cable ties at each corner. Weaved the paracord through the the Web ladder and through the net sides. Done my best I can do for me. Will take a picture. It's not 100% the same as yours. 👍🏻 cannot upload picture.

[@johnrutherford4042]

You made a good job on it tho mate good effort well done

[@alondon6950]

Thanks

[@owtnabowt2723]

Your Welcome, :)

[@OldNavajoTricks]

I have a four rocket throwover but I like your top n bottom layout, bit more padding/support arsewards to make up for a lack of webbing, I, might draw up a design and start counting clips out...

[@owtnabowt2723]

Cheers Navajo. I use a four rocket throw as saddlebags on my bike (Suzuki DL650) . The top and bottom worked really well for me, hope you have a similar success. I've moved on to using the tatonka lastenkraxe external frame now, but still use the rocket pouches paired up and bungeed on. :)

[@OldNavajoTricks]

@@owtnabowt2723 Current project has three on the lower rack and the throwover four above those, I need to sew a pair of clips on for the yokestraps but that should be a video soonish once I get the time to get to it 👍 Bikeless at the moment but yes, I'd definitely make it fit a pannier system and wear the main normally.

[@marksadventures3889]

Bloody hell! It's a Combat Ninja Turtle! Pizza anyone? Right P** take over. if it works fill yer boots. I turned a pair of old rocket pouches into small front panniers for my mountain bike. I'm going to use small bergans as rear panniers as well, with a paint job for the bike I should have a camo-rat MTB for stealth camping. (I have 3 different bikes - 2 MTB's I bought for £50 and a third - a posh framed Claude butler) - I found dumped that I'm working on now for a Rat Bike - I find I prefer cycling to tabbing. Good stuff fella.

[@owtnabowt2723]

HAHAHAHA "Combat Ninja turtle". Exactly thelook I was going for. 😂. Looking forward to meeting the rat.

[@johncamps1337]

How did you weave the paracord through the ladder if the net bag is folded over and you have 2 long bits of paracord on one bungee at either end? How do I attach the net?

[@owtnabowt2723]

Hi John, I've replied to your other comment with what I hope will help you out. Let me know how you get on.

[@johnrutherford4042]

I can't understand why you dyed it it will go bk to normal colour in due time I can't understand why you bought it in the first place ,doesn't make sense it's woodland ie dpm for out in the woods why dye it is beyond me

[@owtnabowt2723]

Hi John, thanks for watching and taking the time to comment. Why I bought it in the first place...I used this kit for several years back in the 90's and loved the performance and utility of it. When I was looking to get something a bit more robust for my current camping requirements, I decided to go for this Bergan. The colour change was/is an attempt to slightly de-militarise how it looks. You get some pretty strange looks when on a long hike if you pop into a Tesco's or Morrisons with full cam mil kit on your back 😆 To be fair, once I'd put the cargo net on the back, it took away a lot of the military feel to the kit, and the spray job is holding up pretty well. When I set the rocket pouches into civilian format, it just looks like a regular (if ancient) rucksack. Again, thanks for the comments.

[@squadcast7456]

Get a infantry one, it's for real men oh and cargo nets 🤣🙄 put some wheels and a handle on it as well so u can pull it along, I will send u a infantry pack if u want mate

[@owtnabowt2723]

😂 I was gonna get one of those motorised golf carts to put it on, saves all that pulling it along. I'm gonna spend a year with this one, might try a year with the infantry pack next. The long backs a 120ltr I think, might be overkill, even for the longest of weekends 😆

[@squadcast7456]

@@owtnabowt2723 short back is the best, ten times better than that one ur using pall, been to 11 country's and 3 warzones never let me down, if u want me to send u one I have a spare mate👍

[@owtnabowt2723]

@@squadcast7456 That's a really kind offer, and i could do a side by side comparison. Send me a mail [e-mail]. I don't want to put you any hassle, but hopefully we can sort something out..Cheers 👍

[@squadcast7456]

@@owtnabowt2723 sorry mate just seen your reply, I will send u a email Monday, I am away at the money 👍

[@owtnabowt2723]

@@squadcast7456 no problem brother. Stay safe.