Starting from a few Special Operations troops in 2001 to
Afghanistan, the War on Terror quickly spiraled into massive troop deployments
and soon became America’s longest war.
The deployment numbers soon swelled as the focus switched to nation
building in Afghanistan and then the Iraq War in 2003. American personnel were not well-equipped in
the beginning: although advanced (for the time) uniforms and gear like MOLLE
was standard issue on paper, production was not able to meet the demand for
deploying units. Many had to scrounge
for gear, including old surplus ALICE gear and off the shelf commercial
products, to fill the gap. This led to
an explosion in the commercial tactical gear industry as many small shops
nationwide hungrily gobbled up contracts and tailored gear to each unit’s
specific needs.
This Blackhawk SOF rucksack was one of these private purchase
commercial items. Like its namesake
indicates, the “SOF” was intended for Special Forces to carry all the items
they would need far behind enemy lines but made from more durable 1000D Cordura
and with much greater carrying capacity than the standard issue (at the time)
ALICE pack. It uses the metal ALICE pack
frame (NOT included, but easy to source).
This massive backpack boasts a total
carrying capacity of 6000 cubic inches (approximately 95L), with 3220 cubic
inches in the main compartment alone, more than enough to carry all your gear. It also features a very retro tan colorway
with black buckles, a high-contrast aesthetic common in the early gears of the
GWOT since that was mostly what was available at the time. The rucksack has also been issued and used as
seen by the numerous scuffs on the outside as well as the names and skull-and-crossbones
trench art on the top of the lid.
The Blackhawk SOF backpack would make an excellent addition
to a modern militaria collection, or could easily be used for your next
outdoors adventure hunting, hiking, or for airsoft or paintball.
The War on Terror ended up becoming America’s longest war
and is receiving increased attention from collectors and historians for the way
it fundamentally changed American society.
Early GWOT gear is getting hard to find, even though it was used in
recent living memory. Buy now to own a
piece of modern American history! Please
see my other listings for more awesome militaria items. If you buy or win multiple items from me,
please message me about combined shipping.