ALICE pack replacement lids?

[milsurp_scout_14]

Saw this large ALICE pack at the surplus store the other week and was intrigued by the description on the lid. Although the top title says "Field pack, combat, large, lc-1", the lower description seems to apply only to the lid itself "Flap, pouch, with liner, large" DLA 100-92-C-4255, NSN 8465-01-248-0978, Wickel Enterprises. I checked and the NSN was established in 1987. The lid seemed a tad bit newer than the pack, which had the older style clasp buckles on the pocket flaps, and a bit more wear than the lid. It also appeared that the lid seam had been re-sewed at some point (picture 3--it is more obvious in person). I've been thru dozens of ALICE packs and never seen anything like this. Was it common to replace lids?

[Username]

That's really interesting. Perhaps there was some need to add the flap from the large size pack to a medium. The stamp certainly does make it look like a military repair. It also looks like the grommets on the bottom of the pack were replaced.

[saxecoburg]

I've actually seen bundles of the "replacement lids". I never understood why the flap/lid would need to be replaced, although some of the waterprrofing on the underside of the lid would fall apart, so maybe that's the reason?

[milsurp_scout_14]

That's a likely reason---I've seen dozens of ALICE packs, and probably half of their lids have had the waterproofing flaking off. I'm somewhat surprised that the Army would fix something that was essentially disposable. Also find those gold grommets odd...if repairs were being made, why not use the black ones?

[anelles]

I've actually got a medium pack in my collection that had a large lid sewn over it's existing lid. That makes a little more sense now that I know extra lids existed.