The bonus for readers of Ranger Magazine: In Ranger Magazine #3 we showed you the Mission Medic Pack and the EMOD Frame from Eberlestock on two tours. Here we bring you more details on this exciting combination.
In our Ranger Bonus for Ranger Magazine #3, we provide you with more detailed photos of the highly modular EMOD system and the Mission Medic Pack. The backpack was used on two very different tours: On the one hand, during scenario training and simultaneous equipment testing with NATO Special Operations Combat Medic Johannes Kouba and his team from Critical Knowledge. On the other hand, we were out and about with the rucksack with the bushcrafters from the Waldkraft Wilderness School, where we tested the system both stationary and on the move.
You can find out how the rucksack performed in the respective tasks in the two reports in the new Ranger Magazine #3 to read. We also report on our long-term test of the system below.
Professional backpack for first aid
Carried on the climbing wall and over a Lindnerhof plate carrier, the backpack frame from Eberlestock did very well in the big medic test. We explained all the advantages and features of the system for medically trained personnel in Ranger Magazine #3. You can see the details in this picture gallery.
Use for bushcraft
The EMOD Frame and the Mission Medic Pack from Eberlestock were also present at the Waldkraft Wilderness School camp in Mautern in Styria. We supplemented the setup for the “3 days + 2 nights = 1 adventure” tour with the Mission Assault Pack, Mission Load Panel, the Emod Lid and the Mission Wings.
The combination of a sturdy frame and variable outer pockets also demonstrates the versatility of the Eberlestock EMOD frame when bushcrafting and camping. The Mission Assault Pack alone is a stand-alone backpack mounted on the frame. The side pockets and the additional Mission Medic Pack increase the options many times over. Here are a few more detailed shots of the backpack system.
Long-term test has begun
The versatility of the EMOD frame proved itself very well on the two tours for Ranger Magazine #3. However, due to the numerous possible combinations, we also use the setup for other purposes.
Erstmalige Verleihung: Tapferkeitsmedaillen an Jagdkommando-Soldaten
Among other things, we regularly test the carrying comfort in marching training with 15 and 20 kilogram loads. We leave out the Medic Pack, but load up the Mission Assault Pack and the side pockets. Heavier loads are kept stable by the metal frame. There is simply less movement on the back, even when going cross-country. This is a major advantage of the design. However, it also shows that – as with many other backpacks – people who are between 183 and 185 centimetres tall cannot fully benefit from the already slim hip belt.
With heavier loads, even more attention must be paid to the correct adjustment of the straps. Ultimately, the individual back length and weight determine how comfortable the backpack is when carrying heavier loads.
However, it becomes very clear on longer hikes that the rucksack is not a classic backpack. If you are looking for such a carrying frame, you should take a look at the Mainframe Pack from Eberlestock as an alternative. The EMOD frame, on the other hand, is basically designed to be worn over a plate carrier, which provides plenty of air between the wearer’s back and that of the rucksack if no such ballistic protection is worn. However, the weight distribution suffers as a result, which is particularly noticeable when carrying heavier loads.
To sum up the Ranger, we can clearly say that the Eberlestock EMOD and the additional pockets cannot hide their military background. The carrying comfort is of course higher with full-grown rucksacks. But why we appreciate the system so much is because we use it wherever variability, stability and above all robustness are required – even in the purely civilian sector. The side pockets allow for so many possible uses that we also see the rucksack being used in areas other than its intended use in the military sector. You don’t often see so much modularity in such a small space.
The Eberlestock test products were supplied to us by the company HQG at our disposal. More bonus pages for Ranger Magazine #3 can be found here.
