MILITARY BAGS & CASES

t’s not big enough to fit a snare, or even an 8” concert tom, but this Chinese military drum pouch did carry ammo drums for the SKS rifles used in the Vietnam War. Vaguely triangular, the pouch measures approx 7” tall, 7” wide at the top and 2” wide at the bottom. Has an adjustable shoulder strap, and cool Chinese lettering on the inside of the flap, which has a toggle closure. In classic olive drab, of course.

When you need to keep your powder dry, you'll wish you had this army-green rubberized bag from the Dutch military. Measures 12" tall x 14" wide x 5" deep, with tri-fold top flaps for extra waterproofing and heavy-duty embedded feet on the bottom corners. No carrying straps, but it has plastic buckles on the back and sides to add them. Easy conversion to a messenger bag or a pair of panniers.

This Swiss army rucksack is one sharp item, but it’s nothing like a knife, being that, again, it’s a rucksack. It’s the Swiss M90 bag, olive drab, made partly of water-resistant rubber, with suspenders and plenty of other loops, straps, buckles and harnesses. Measures approx 13-1/2” x 7-1/2” x 4-1/2” with a rigid bar across the back for stability, and a lower-back pad for comfort. Has (2) extendable side pockets approx 9” x 4” x 4” each, and the interior pocket has an upward-extending cinch sack. It’s a hell of a bag.

From Belgium, where they kept the gas mask and left us holding the bag. In olive drab canvas, with a shoulder strap, the pouch measures 11-1/2" tall x 5-1/2" square with a buckled top flap with leather-reinforced sides and (2) 8-1/2” deep pockets. Has (3) external C-rings, and the adjustable strap is approx 48” long with a lanyard clip.

This olive drab Austrian military soft pack measures approx 15" x 13" x 7" with an inner pouch measuring approx 13" x 7". There’s a drawstring around the top to pull the bag tight, as well as a flap and staps to wrap it into a cylinder and hold it in place. Also has holes for mounting it to a belt, which officially turns it into a fanny pack. Feels like nylon with canvas webbing.

You thought we were going to say “knife”! But no, this is their bag, baby—a Swiss Army M90 rubber rucksack, 100% polyamide, water-resistant and PVC-coated. Heavy-duty, olive drab and in very good condition. Measures 18” x 15” x 5”. Has a padded lower-back bar, a flap-closure top and (2) side pockets with quick-release buckle closures and cinch straps. This is a really sweet bag for collectors, but you can also use it for camping and hiking.

You’ll need a map case. From the pre-smartphone world, where military maps still live. These are 11" x 6-1/2" folded, and they open to a clear 16-1/2" x 20" window with a zippered top on one side and a 7" x 4-1/2" x 5/8" flapped pocket with (5) pen holders on it. Close with hook-n-loop fasteners and have a 42” long adjustable and removable shoulder strap.