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MODIFYING the LK35....again

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Many here and elsewhere add side pouches to the LK35.......at the moment, Military Mart have the perfect pouch possibly for £10, and they can be attached in a manner that makes them QD as well. Finally after years, they have been the pouch to convince me to add them to my LK35. They are much better quality than they look in the ad. and are very robust and in great condition.
Cheap and simple, like me!!;)

 
Good pouches, I've got a couple bought with the belt. I slip them onto my Bergan waist belts when I use them. They make great camera pouches or somewhere to carry easy to reach trail food
 
Brilliant idea, Saxonaxe! I might have to get a couple more!!
Just finished on the LK, having had my nearest and dearest sew on some webbing I had, absolutely perfect. Will try out on the next "lightweight" camp/canoe trip...............
 
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Thick git am I...I've just realised that the pouches I have used are the ones David Day was asking about, when he modded his LK35....before I sent him two others I had!!!!!! :rofl: :lol: :thumbsup:
 
You will all know this years ago.......I'm just getting there......
I've loaded up the LK; in fact overloaded it with the lavvu, extra A frame alloywork, HD pegs, s/bag and all the usual rubbish......it was weighing over 20 kgs...as much as the ALICE on a recent canoe trip...............but BLOODY HELL, was it ever comfortable, what a revelation, not that I have much experience with packs: this was the first time I'd seriously loaded it, although I have used it light before.
Using original shoulder straps and a waist hip belt from somewhere, probably a modern ALICE replacement....and the side pouches.

VERY impressive...................:):):)
 

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" was it ever comfortable, what a revelation,"

That's encouraging, I've just bought an LK35...I needed another pack..Oh! yes I did..I did, I'm sure I did....:oopsy:
 
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I'm a big bloke, and people said it's better for smaller people...but I feel I could have walked all day, overloaded. When all it is, is an old wire frame and a canvas/synthetic square sack hanging off it?
So impressed that if you feel it's not for you, can I have it (for further mod ideas)???

Definitely put a waist belt and some pouches on it. Everyone needs one of these, worry not!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
 
Miltec shoulder straps (originally for ALICE pack) replacing the originals................

Whether they are needed or an improvement, it is too early to tell, but they have a bit of padding..........
 

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i've been modifying the bejeezuz out of my LK35 but ran into a bit of a wall with the shoulder straps. i reckon i'm the opposite of Lol, not much over 5 feet, and i just couldn't make the shoulder straps/waist belt combo work for me on heavier loads. mostly the shoulder straps TBH.

anyway, i've since picked up a US MOLLE 2 on fleabay for a fair bargain and that's got some of the best rigging i've seen on any pack, external frame or otherwise. i'm thinking my next project will be to get that gear onto the LK35 frame and see how i get on with it. that's one great thing about the LK35 frame, it'll let you sling just about anything off it if you're willing to faff about long enough to make it work.
 
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re Ark 79............I'm just SO impressed with that bag..........just amazing little thing. Carries comfortably way more than it has any right to........... :thumbsup:
re teef.................What is is about the shoulder straps you don't like, and how does changing the bag help that? There shouldn't be much loading on the straps, but the addition of padded straps is supposed to help, although mine may need breaking in, lol! What do you consider heavier for the LK? Although I overloaded mine on purpose, I reckon 20kg (inc bag/frame?) is probably full load?
 
What is is about the shoulder straps you don't like ....

i found the stock straps sat way too high on the frame for my shorter torso. i lowered them one rung on the frame and that helped a bit but over a good hike in the woods -- off trail stuff, hauling foraged deadwood mostly, sometimes as much as 30 kilos or so -- i'd end up with a vicious ache between the shoulder blades and numbness in the arms, the latter obviously caused by too much weight on the shoulders. i could loosen up on the straps to drop the weight onto the hips but then the load starts to flop around a bit when you're slogging through the woods. as soon as i'd tighten up to secure the load the same old problems returned.

so the idea was to start messing with the shoulder straps and waist belt, bodging on stuff from other packs. as you quite rightly pointed out, you can hang whatever bag you want off the frame and that's not likely to change the shoulder strap situation much.

my hope is that the gear from that MOLLE 2 pack -- shoulder and waist rig -- which is pretty damn comfortable on the MOLLE 2 frame will transition nicely onto the LK35 frame. i've seen a number of guys on U-Tube moving that stuff over to an ALICE frame -- it even has a name, "Wildcat" ALICE if i recall -- so fingers crossed.
 
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And how is Saxonaxe getting on with his LK35??????
 
Just spotted this Lol...The LK35 I bought is in 'as new' condition. To be honest I've got a couple of 30/40 litre packs and I only bought the LK35 really to see what all the rumpus is about. This one has a well made ( surplus) padded hip/waist belt fitted and I must admit the pack is extremely comfortable to wear. I use a Northern Ireland pack of a similar size and the framed LK 35 is much nicer to carry. The fabric band between the frame at the top and the hip belt is the only place it touches me, even fully loaded, so there's no hot sticky shirt back. The weight rides on the hip belt so the unpadded shoulder straps are fine. I've added a chest strap just to keep the shoulder straps from slipping down, because there's no weight on them at all.
I've added a Swedish pouch to the waist belt, there's photos somewhere in another thread (Testing the LK35).
Very happy with the pack, no further adaptations needed for my use, which will be probably just 1-2 over night trips, and if all goes well a trip is on the cards in the next few days, so I'll see how a full load out fares in the pack..:thumbsup:
 
Good stuff.....I'm amazed how useable and comfortable it is. I used it on my last canoe trip (not a lot of carrying admittedly!) and it took 2 nights 3 days of stuff this time without anything on top....my load outs are getting better!!!
Hope you enjoy your trip???
 
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Teef: when I had an ALICE pack, although amazingly capable, I never found that frame too comfortable; like everything we do kitwise, it's a subjective thing I suppose?
In this horrible weather, I too have been pottering with the LK and changing things as an experiment....different grab handles, different pockets on the side with fat webbing sewn like molle at different heights, different belt from MM (really good) and attaching paracord to keep it at bottom of frame, little locking buckles to stop the closing straps loosening any roll on the bottom of the pack when undone, and so on.....AND I washed the bag :eek: :D

Love it.

Saxonaxe: did you use yours? How did you get on?
 
If the shoulder straps are digging in......might be an idea to add a sternum strap.....if adjusted properly it may help you out?
 
Sorry Saxonaxe: just went and saw your thread...should have done that first: that pack does look good!!
 
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