BARS Soviet Army WWII Type Duffle Bag Backpack Sidor rucksack knapsack Brand new 1970

For a backpack dated 1989 or ‘83 (to faded to tell) it’s in amazing condition. Cons: Minimal oxidation on the brass fittings that easily wipes off. My sternum strap was put on backwards resulting in not having a loop for excess material. The cord that is used to close the pack has deteriorated to the point it can’t be used. I replaced it with paracord. Works well now. Requires proper packing (you can’t just dump stuff in it as you will get jabbed in the back) Pros: It can be used as a small to medium backpack. Came in great condition. Heavy duty material. Comfortable if packed correctly. Durable. Has bedroll straps that can be used for other things. Simple design. Water resistance (I waxed mine) light weight.

This bag is super cool! It easily carries my laptop and everything I need on campus for the day, plus it is super unique. The closure at the top is a little tricky though. The top has a manila twine cinch cord that is very stiff when you first get the bag. It is not really required to keep the bag sealed up due to the way that the straps work. The arm straps that make this whole thing a "backpack" are only attached to the bottom of the bag. In order to close the top, you have to wrap the straps around the canvas and use a little belt strap to keep it tight. If you don't do it right, the straps will let go of the top of the bag, the backpack will flop down and hit the back of your legs, and all your stuff will pour out onto the ground. So, yeah... it takes some practice. You will not find it easy and practical to open and close this bag frivolously. There are some really sturdy cargo straps on both sides. If I feel insecure about the top of the bag, I flop the knot over and put it through the top cargo loop. That makes things really secure, no way I'll lose my laptop while riding my bike around campus. For being an original and almost half a century old, these bags are in awesome shape. Mine has zero cosmetic defects and looks like it was made yesterday. I would buy ten of these if I could think of a reason I needed that many!

Ok, military knapsacks have evolved a lot and this is not going to be my camping trip backpack first choice. But it is a cool piece of gear, and I have been using it. Mine came in good condition, no rot or mold, rips or tears. As a piece of military history, I got it largely for the cool factor. However, I was surprised to find that if you do the ties right, it is actually a comfortable ruck. Mind you, if I was hiking in the Russian winter with a full kit this would not be my first choice of survival packs, but I can actually see how it got the job done, and at a price that the Soviets could afford. I have been keeping it with a few things in it to use as an occasional day pack, and plan to try it out with the poncho tarp and mess kit for some overnights.

This is a more updated version of the rucksacks worn by Russian soldiers as depicted in the World War 2 movie, "Enemy at the Gates". The ruck I received was new, minus the funky mildew smell of many surplus finds, in excellent condition, and made in 1978. The first thing I did was turn it inside out to keep the metal buckles from clanging in the washer, tossed it in the washing machine, and then dried it outside in the sun. This ruck weights 1lb, 2.4oz (522g) and measures 17" wide (43cm) by 24" long (61cm). The single exterior pocket is 7" (17cm) wide by 9.5" (10cm) long with a 4" (10cm) flap that covers the button down pocket. On either side of the rucksack are 2 sets of buckle down straps that allow you to externally carry a bedroll, poncho, tarp, etc. The straps are 14.5" (36 cm) long. The shoulder straps are 1.5" (3.8cm) wide with 5 rows of parallel reinforcement sewing. The drawstring at the opening of the ruck is flimsy and and takes some tugging to get it in place. I pulled it out and replaced it with a length of slick paracord and a cordlock. The shoulder straps are actually one continuous strap that is folded in the middle and secured around the cinched up neck of the ruck with a simple Lark's Head Knot, which can be tied in 1 second even in total darkness. An online search of "Tying a Veshmeshok Soviet Backpack 101" will land you on a 24 second video on how to tie this knot. Being an old school ruck, this rig is properly packed with other bags full of gear: it is a bag filled with bags. For example, when you lay all your camping gear out on the floor you group your gear by type. Clean clothes go in one bag, food goes in another, and so on for medical gear cooking kit, tool bag, etc. Once your stuffsacks are loaded you pack them in order of priority and comfort. Having each stuffsack in different colors makes identifying gear quicker and easier to locate. I cut a piece of closed cell foam from an old army pad and it goes in first so when the pack is loaded it provides comfort my back and when I pull into camp I can pull it out for a pad to sit on the damp ground. Heavy, bulky items and things of least importance go in the bottom. Gear you might to need to access quickly are loaded last on top of all other gear. This would include raingear, first aid kit, camera, etc. This vintage piece of surplus gear is simplicity defined. It's a lightweight, sturdy ruck that can be worn in comfort once you get the hang of packing it properly and you can drag it and abuse it without worries. Once it is broken in it is as reliable as an old friend. The dictionary defines something as "ultimate" when it "represents a limit beyond which further progress is impossible". For me, that makes makes the Veshmeshok the Ultimate Bushcraft Rucksack.

Was a bit surprised on how big this thing was. It's really more than a piece of history: you can use it for many things. It has a nice sternum strap and comes with some straps on the side for a blanket or a plashtka thingy. I have tested it's durability with a literal full box of screws, and by big I am talking a really big and heavy tub of them. The thing not only felt comfortable (minus the boxy tub on your back) but it held it pretty sturdy. It looks like a potato sack yet feels like a good solid rucksack. 100% worth it to have one in your arsenal of bags. Back to work, comerade!

If you are looking for something different in a daypack, check out this great canvas knapsack from Russia. A very simple design with a unique way of doing the pack straps. I use it while riding my bicycle and for day outings. My pack looks brand new even tho it was made in 1978. The canvas is pretty good quality and should hold up for many years, plus you can sew up any holes that develope. If you are like me and could use a little more pack strap length, I just went to store and bought a nylon strap that I can use to wrap around the canvas strap at the top of the pack instead of making the slip knot with the canvas strap and gained a few more inches of length of the pack straps so it fits looser on me. I also added some cheap carabiners to the pack to clip a canteen or whatever else I need to the pack. Just don't expect this pack to hold 50lbs of gear, its not made for that, more like 5 to 15 pounds.

Bought two of these bags for my boys for Christmas, and they LOVE them. Once you figure out how to twist the straps and tighten them on top of the potato sack to fit your shoulders, everything else is easy. This gear is definitely Old School, but is also cool. We tested them out on a camping trip over New Years, and they worked just fine. If you like WWII military gear you will enjoy having this pack. There are straps on the side to hold a rolled up Russian cloak as well, which is awesome (and yes, I have the Russian cloaks....lol). Look, I love the original Red Dawn as much as the next guy, but I have to hand it to the Russians. They make some awesome gear that definitely holds up against the elements and is practical, too. I recommend this pack to anyone who likes surplus or just wants to mix things up on their hiking/camping trips.

I ordered three of these as Christmas gifts for friends. These bags were well worth the money and the time it took for them to arrive, my buddies loved them. The straps use a slip knot to tie over the top of the bag for easy access and ease of overall use. The interior is relatively spacious and is made of good material and the side straps have plenty of room to attach a blanket or rifle to either side. If you are thinking about buying a surplus bag, this is a good one to choose and is well worth the money.

No holes and tears, clearly these bags were made to last a lifetime and over - much expected for a military bag!

Zainetto pratico, capiente per uso di tutti giorni e leggero. Timbrato '78. L'articolo consegnato è nuovo e in perfetto condizione, solo polveroso da magazzino. Arrivato entro la data prevista. Grazie