Note: The pictures have to be linked because of their size and quality is too great to post on this page, sorry for the trouble.
The Alice pack is rugged and simple, and many of us love her for that very reason, but like everything else it has a few flaws. Not being rainproof was always a gripe of mine in a pack, living in Western Oregon you can expect rain anytime during the year and lots of it during Fall and Winter.
I would like to thank Trout_Of_Death for his thread on DIY silnylon since he inspired me to do this.
You can check his thread herehttp://zombiehunters.org/forum/viewtopi ... 14&t=75357" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
So I was determined to make my Alice rainproof, I do not say waterproof because of how Alice is designed, if you dumped her in a creek of body of water she will get wet, due to her drain grommets on the bottom and because of how she's built. I was tired of waterproof bags to put my gear in and wanted something permanent.
Behold, my Alice:
http://i731.photobucket.com/albums/ww31 ... AG0537.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I'll walk you through the steps it took to get her to shed rain.
All these supplies are on the DIY thread as well as more information.
Supply list:
1.Lower Odor Mineral Spirits is what I used but check on the DIY thread to see other solvents you can use.
2.A tube of 100% Silicon caulk, I used white and black silicon during my project with two separate batches. The white made is easy to see what I had coated when the MS evaporated and the black gave my OD nylon a nice darker tone.
3.A synthetic brush, I used a 4" as well as a 1'' but use whatever you can, make sure your brush is solvent safe.
4.Caulking gun, you have to get the silicon out somehow.
5.Container, I used a 5 gal bucket for one batch and a cleaned out coffee can for other. As long as it's solvent safe it's okay. Just make sure your container can hold hold a quart of liquid + a tube of silicon and be mixed in.
6.Solvent safe gloves and a place to paint on the batch and a place to dry it.
7.Glass measuring cup
8.A way to mix your batch, a electric drill works well, heavy duty zip ties work well to make a improvised mixer.
Alright we're ready to go. My work station:
http://i731.photobucket.com/albums/ww31 ... AG0479.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
First measure out one quart of your solvent and add it to your container, then add one tube of silicon caulk to your container, mix together until blended well "Note: it will take sometime to get them to mix together so take your time and do it right." Once mixed take your Alice pack and turn it inside out, we want to coat the entire seems so that so water will come through, coat the entire inside, you can try to coat the Radio pocket but I would advise not, it's too difficult to paint in there and well take care of it later. Once you have coated the inside leave it to dry a little bit, it doesn't take too long. Once it's dry you can wipe of any globs or excess that is on the fabric, the inside should look something like this, I used white:
http://i731.photobucket.com/albums/ww31 ... AG0563.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Now turn the pack back out how it is normal and coat the back section covering the radio pocket, like this:
http://i731.photobucket.com/albums/ww31 ... AG0481.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
With the back coated you can now focus on the front flap and coat it as well:
http://i731.photobucket.com/albums/ww31 ... AG0478.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Now you still might need to coat the area between the front flap and the back section depending how crazy you went with the brush, coat it so that when it rains it'll simply bead up and run off. Get under the section that connects the pack to the frame and coat.
You can also coat the three exterior pocket on the pack as well. I only coated the tops of the pouches but you can coat the top and bottom of them if you want:
http://i731.photobucket.com/albums/ww31 ... AG0480.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Here you can see how the coating makes a nice waterproof barrier on the fabric:
http://i731.photobucket.com/albums/ww31 ... AG0468.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Also how the black silicon give the OD green a nice darker shade, I highly recommend this:
http://i731.photobucket.com/albums/ww31 ... AG0571.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
So there you go, how to rainproof your Alice pack, or any pack with DIY silnylon. Now here's my Alice pack "medium" currently set up with a DEI 1606AC frame and Molle enhanced shoulder straps and Molle belt with a MSS carrier:
http://i731.photobucket.com/albums/ww31 ... AG0555.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://i731.photobucket.com/albums/ww31 ... AG0547.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://i731.photobucket.com/albums/ww31 ... AG0526.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://i731.photobucket.com/albums/ww31 ... AG0542.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://i731.photobucket.com/albums/ww31 ... AG0544.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://i731.photobucket.com/albums/ww31 ... AG0549.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Me wearing it:
http://i731.photobucket.com/albums/ww31 ... AG0556.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://i731.photobucket.com/albums/ww31 ... AG0560.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://i731.photobucket.com/albums/ww31 ... AG0562.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Also my little mod I did to the main cargo straps for extra room:
http://i731.photobucket.com/albums/ww31 ... AG0552.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
That way I can hold more on top of the pack and overload the main area.
Thanks for checking out my pack and viewing the page.
It's still serviceable but ugly as sin. My 13 year old nephew loves it.
. I got sucked away from it by a shiny new Jack Wolfskin pack probably a decade or more ago, and gave it up too easily. I've been contemplating getting a new one, actually.
