NZ Army Onward Pack from the 80's

Used by the Army prior to the US ALICE. Made by Hallmark industries in Hamilton. Innovative design due to the modular break down from main pack to patrol and perhaps lite belt order, but fraught with issues. From the old digs Ive talked to the centre release 25mm buckles were prone to releasing on the shoulder straps and the sleep mat location as the main back cause a lot of prickly heat in the tropics such as Malaysia and Singapore.

Basic layout: Lower sleeping bag zip closed storage, main body with top entry and large snow collar, sleep mat storage with forms part of the harness (brown area) internal zip away divider between SB and main body. Removable shoulder straps to mount on radio pack. Removable pouches and waist belt.  Internal radio harness with outlets in main lid.         

Pack without small radio/patrol pack mounted.

Radio Pack/ Patrol Pack









Mounted on the top of the pack. Fitted a ANPRC-77 with handset and antennae outlets. On the back was a zip entry to more storage and a internal chopper fluro panel that was tucked away. From of pack were loops to mount the large front pouch from the main pack.



Large Pouch



Mounted on front of pack or radio pack, also had belt loops that are the same size as the waist belt.

Side Pouches



Mounted on each side of pack via snap domes. Small Velcro closed pocket on rear. Could mount on belt as well, but not sure if this was by design or by luck.

Waist Belt



Removable and I'm assuming to allow pouches to mount? There were also versions with a 50mm Fastex buckle.

With Pouches





Entrenching Tool Storage







Made for the folding wooden handle that was on wide issue in the 80s. Will take the tri folding type as well. These photos are old, I still have a complete and functioning one in my collection. Ill do a few more picture of it stuffed and worn etc. Onward is familiar with these anyone else have any other info on them? There were also numerous versions of it for the civi market, I can think of at least 3 camo variants and 2 different OG material versions.

Waaaauuwww!!

That has to be the coolest set of kit I've seen all year!
You Sir, just made me a collector of webbing and load carrying equipment!
(Dang )

Nice job Bolty.Interesting to see some things we take for granted nowadays in terms of pack design and how they evolved.

At the time, this was probably one of the best packs in the world. The few Aussies that managed to acquire them (my ex-OC for one) guarded them jealously. I've seen them in woodland and duck hunter camouflage also.

filupe wrote:At the time, this was probably one of the best packs in the world.  The few Aussies that managed to acquire them (my ex-OC for one) guarded them jealously.  I've seen them in woodland and duck hunter camouflage also.

I was just out of RF Cadets School when I got my first one. I was on a retrains site on Ex Golden Kiwi in 89 and the TF infantry were still using them. Swapped my Alice for it. Ive been collecting them every since, but have rationalised down to 1 in as good a condition as possible and have a 2nd one that is a bit rough in some areas. The pouches still come up on TradeMe a bit. About a month ago I found a civi one on Ebay, went for $60 plus USD.

The real tragedy was in 88 when I was doing RFCS they were recalling them and there was pallets of them at the Waiouru RSDS, supposerly to be destroyed.

I had the radio pack that i pilfered of the old man. Had it in Bn for a few years but someone else pilfered it from me lol!.

Sleeping Mat



Made to fit back area of pack, these came pre folded. 1250mm x 400mm



Inserted in back area.

Main pack lid radio exit ports.



Barrel lock mini snow collars.

Internal radio harness



Also shows backing plate for main harness.

Main snow collar

Sleeping bag area.



Internal divider, still zipped close.



Internal divider unzipped to open up area.

Radio pack chopper panel.



Sewn inside the rear zip entry to 2nd storage area.



Radio pack with main pack straps fitted.

Main pack worn.

Bolty717 wrote:Radio Pack/ Patrol Pack









Mounted on the top of the pack. Fitted a ANPRC-77 with handset and antennae outlets. On the back was a zip entry to more storage and a internal chopper fluro panel that was tucked away. From of pack were loops to mount the large front pouch from the main pack.



Large Pouch



Mounted on front of pack or radio pack, also had belt loops that are the same size as the waist belt.

Side Pouches



Mounted on each side of pack via snap domes. Small Velcro closed pocket on rear. Could mount on belt as well, but not sure if this was by design or by luck.

I know of only one other fella who owns one of these, were they rarley issued ?

Cant 100% confirm but I think the whole Army including the TF used them when they came out. Remember they were out of use by 88 so it was almost 30 years ago that they came and went.

I remember TF still having them in 88-89.

An interesting, obscure and well made rucksack.

I've just recently been handed one of these by an Uncle who picked it up along with a sledgehammer at a car boot however it's minus of the shoulder straps, does anyone know of where I might be able to pick some up? As I'm coming up blank on searching for anything to do with this rucksack.

matchstick wrote:An interesting, obscure and well made rucksack.

I've just recently been handed one of these by an Uncle who picked it up along with a sledgehammer at a car boot however it's minus of the shoulder straps, does anyone know of where I might be able to pick some up? As I'm coming up blank on searching for anything to do with this rucksack.

A few come up on a NZ online auction site called Trademe, Ill check my spare may have some. PM me some pictures, cheers Derek

Got this at a arms fair for $5. Made with same materials as the Onward Pack but with a few strange features. The female buckle is white, not a bad case of the UV fading that is common to the Fastex buckles used on the Onward. The 4 ladder locks are also blue. Also no drain eyelet and a different lid design. Not sure if this was some ones attempt at making a pouch or a mock up while getting the design finalized. Has anyone seen anything similar?

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