I carried a medium alice pack for eight years in the Corps. I'd say that trying to carry anything extrodinarily heavy, bulky, or of a wierd size, then its a great pack frame. As a pack, it is one of the worst choices. With the large pack the weight sticks out three feet from your back giving thus putting you off balance. Why they didn't make it long and flat like conventional packs is beyond me. I've thought of using my frame to carry 5 gallon cans.

I currently carry a CFP 90 that I have heavily modified. With its internal frame and balistic nylon it weighs in at a mere two pounds and its designed to hug your center of gravity. Plus it carries twice as much gear as the Alice Pack.