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A haversack, musette bag, or small pack is a bag with a single shoulder strap. Although similar to a backpack, the single shoulder strap differentiates this type from other backpacks. There are exceptions to this general rule.
The word haversack is an adaptation of the German Hafersack [1] and also the Dutch haverzak [2] meaning "oat sack", (which more properly describes a small cloth bag on a strap worn over one shoulder and originally referred to the bag of oats carried as horse fodder). The term was adopted by both the English and French (as havresac) cavalry in the 17th century. [3] The word haver likewise means "oats" in Northern English and Scottish dialects. [4]
The haversack, especially when used in the military, was generally square and about 12 inches (30 cm) per side with a button-down flap to close it. When empty, the bag could be folded in three and an extra button on the back of the bag would allow it to be refixed in this position. For the military, this made it neat and, when held to the side in its folded form by the soldier's belt, it became part of the uniform of many regiments in the British army.
During the American Revolutionary War, soldiers used haversacks to carry their individual food rations for the day, when the mission did not call for a full rucksack. [5]
In Australia, India and other commonwealth countries in South Asia the word haversack is synonymous with rucksack or other similar terms and is casually used to describe any big backpack.
Haversacks were in use during the American Civil War, as is recounted in Ulysses Grant's memoirs: "In addition to the supplies transported by boat, the men were to carry forty rounds of ammunition in the cartridge-boxes and four days' rations in haversacks." [6]
In 1910, the U.S. Army adopted the M1910 haversack as the standard pack for all infantrymen. The pack is essentially a sheet of canvas that folds around its contents (clothing, daily rations, and assorted personal items), and is held together by adjustable straps that thread through loops. A "tail" threaded onto the bottom of the haversack with a leather strap is intended to hold the bedroll and can be detached from the haversack without disturbing the contents of the pack. Shoulder straps and a single rear strap are designed to attach to a cartridge belt in a suspender configuration. The exterior of the pack has grommets for attaching a bayonet scabbard, a mess kit pouch, and a canvas carrier for a short-handled shovel (entrenching tool). [7]
The M1910 haversack continued production during the interwar years with minor modifications:"An upgraded haversack was developed in 1928 that had quick release buckles and a web strap and buckle closure on the meat can pouch replacing the metal button. However, the M-1928 haversack did not go into production until 1940, and older haversacks continued to be issued until stocks were exhausted." [8] The M-1944 Combat Pack was developed from the much lighter and user-friendly US Marine Corps M-1941 Jungle pack which was developed during the Banana Wars which required a lighter pack in the tropics. The M-1944 pack had some shortcomings and a new M-1945 began replacing earlier packs in February 1945. The two packs had incompatible combat and cargo packs because of different release buckles. [9]
The new two-part design, based on the Marine M-1941 jungle pack, used a much smaller back pack (for rations, clothes, ammunition, and messkit), and a separate cargo bag that attached to the bottom for extra clothes, shoes, and miscellaneous other items. The upper field pack had the same type of grommet tabs and loops as the M-1928 for attaching a bayonet and entrenchment tool plus straps for securing a "horseshoe" bedroll. [10]
The M-1936 field bag was a copy of the British officers Musette bag of World War I and was issued to officers, engineers and mounted personnel. It was a smaller pack lacking shoulder straps and could be attached to a set of cotton web suspenders or carried by a single general purpose shoulder strap. It was intended to carry rations, mess gear, and other essential items and was smaller as less essential gear would be carried on a vehicle. [9]
The Marines carried the M-1910 haversack and the somewhat-improved M-1928 haversack in both world wars, but they also developed their own exclusive pack system in 1941. The M-1910 haversack was considered too overweight and cumbersome for jungle fighting in the tropics of Central America during the years of the Banana Wars.
A more versatile two-part M-1941 system was devised. It has an upper "marching pack" for rations, poncho and clothes, and a lower knapsack for extra shoes and utilities. The exterior of the upper pack had loops and grommet tabs for attaching a bayonet, shovel, bedroll, extra canteen, and first-aid pouch. It was issued in tan or khaki canvas. [10] [11]
A backpack—also called knapsack, rucksack, pack, booksack, bookbag, or backsack—is, in its simplest frameless form, a fabric sack carried on one's back and secured with two straps that go over the shoulders, but it can have an external frame, internal frame, and there are bodypacks.
Webbing is a strong fabric woven as a flat strip or tube of varying width and fibres, often used in place of rope. It is a versatile component used in climbing, slacklining, furniture manufacturing, automobile safety, auto racing, towing, parachuting, military apparel, load securing, and many other fields.
Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment, or MOLLE, is the current generation of load-bearing equipment and backpacks used by a number of NATO armed forces, especially the British Army and the United States Army.
The Special Naval Landing Forces were naval infantry units of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) and were a part of the IJN Land Forces. They saw extensive service in the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Pacific theatre of World War II.
A waist bag, fanny pack, belt bag, moon bag, belly bag, or bumbag is a small fabric pouch worn like a belt around the waist by use of a strap above the hips that is secured usually with some sort of buckle. The straps sometimes have tri-glide slides, making them adjustable in order to fit properly. It can be considered as a purse worn around the waist.
Personal Load Carrying Equipment (PLCE) is one of several tactical webbing systems of the British Armed Forces. Dependent upon the year of design, and the decade of introduction, the webbing system was named and is commonly referred to as the 85 Pattern, the 90 Pattern or the 95 Pattern webbing.
A messenger bag is a type of sack, usually made of cloth. It is worn over one shoulder with a strap that goes across the chest resting the bag on the lower back. While messenger bags are sometimes used by couriers, they are now also an urban fashion icon. Some types of messenger bags are called carryalls. A smaller version is often called a sling bag.
The All-Purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment (ALICE) is a set of load-carrying equipment adopted as United States Army Standard A on 17 January 1973 to replace the M-1956 Individual Load-Carrying Equipment (ILCE) and M-1967 Modernized Load-Carrying Equipment (MLCE). Although since superseded by MOLLE, ALICE gear is still in some limited use with the U.S. Army National Guard, State Guard, also some ground units of the Navy and Air Force.
A Duluth pack, is a traditional portage pack used in canoe travel, particularly in the Boundary Waters region of northern Minnesota and the Quetico Provincial Park of Ontario. It is a specialized type of backpack that is designed to fit in the bottom of canoes. Originally known as the "Poirier pack" or "Poirier pack-sack", the pack style later became known as the "Duluth pack", as its original, eponymous manufacturing company is located in Duluth, Minnesota.
The IIFS was introduced in 1988, to serve as a fighting and existence carrying system—a possible replacement for the All-purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment employed and fielded by United States Armed Forces since 1973.
Hiking equipment is the equipment taken on outdoor walking trips. Hiking is usually divided into day-hikes and multiple-day hikes, called backpacking, trekking, and walking tours.
The M-1956 Load-Carrying Equipment (LCE), also known as the Individual Load-Carrying Equipment (ILCE), was developed by the U.S. Army and first issued in the early 1960s. The M-1956 LCE was designed to replace the M-1945 Combat Pack, the M-1923 cartridge belt, the M-1936 pistol belt and the M-1937 BAR magazine belt. The M-1956 LCE was designed to be quickly configured, using no tools, to accommodate various mission and ammunition loads. The M-1956 LCE remained in service through the 1980s and set the standard for future United States military load-carrying equipment.
1958 Pattern Web Equipment was a modular personal equipment system issued to the British Armed Forces from 1959 up until the mid 90s. It replaced the 1937 Pattern Web Equipment that had served the UK's Armed Forces through the Second World War and the first decade of the Cold War and also the 1944 pattern Webbing which was used in jungle conditions starting from the mid-1960s.
1937 Pattern Web Equipment was an item of military load-carrying equipment. It replaced the 1908 Pattern and 1925 Pattern—on which it was based—and was standard issue for British and Commonwealth troops from its introduction in 1937, throughout World War II, and in the post-war period until it was superseded by 1958 Pattern Web Equipment. It remained in limited use with Territorial Army and other second-line troops until the mid to late 1970s. Official use of the webbing in Community Cadet Forces and the Combined Cadet Force persisted into the 1980s.
The 1972 Pattern Webbing was intended to replace the 58 pattern webbing, but never got beyond user trials. It was made from PU-coated nylon to counter the Soviet NBC capability with a general look closer to a load-bearing vest. It was designed to be used in wide variety of environments such as jungles, deserts and was configurable for use, ranging from short-duration jungle patrols to general infantry use.
The 1908 Pattern Web Infantry Equipment was an innovative type of webbing equipment adopted by the British Army before World War I.
In military uniforms, a shoulder belt is a wide belt worn usually over the shoulder and across the body. With nearly all line infantry, skirmishers, light infantry, grenadiers and guard regiments, two shoulder belts were worn - one carrying the cartridge box, and another for the bayonet, a sword, or other military equipment.
The Duluth Pack company is a manufacturer and supplier of Duluth pack style packs. They also produce and sell a range of other products, especially other bags and accessories built in the style of their packs. The company grew out of the shoe repair business started by Camille Poirier in 1870. He patented the #3 Duluth pack in 1882 and later sold the canoe pack business to an outdoor supply store in downtown Duluth, Minnesota, where it is still located. The company is led and owned by Tom Sega.
Family of Improved Load Bearing Equipment (FILBE) is a series of equipment used by the United States Marine Corps for personal load carrying. It comprises the backpack and various attachments carried by an individual Marine in the field. The FILBE was designed as an improvement over the prior ILBE system that was not compatible with the newest body armor systems.
The cowboy bedroll was an American Old West precursor to the modern sleeping bag, which carried a man's bed and some personal belongings in a waterproof shell. In Australia, it was called a swag.
