Heer (Army) equipment (reference) thread.

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This type attaches to the Y-straps.

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The RB number is stamped inside. RB-Nr. 0/0766/0004

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One more photo of this pack. The main body of the pack is made of a brownish-colored material, the top flap is a green shade, and the pockets on the front are made of still another color of material.

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Here is a similar rucksack made of typical coarse wartime cloth. The pack is used and no markings are visible. The shoulder straps are made of a web material and there are no hooks to attach the straps to the pouches.

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The well-worn pack has an interesting repair. The bottom of the pack was worn through at one corner. This hole was repaired with the entire front flap from a breadbag! The stitch holes from where the small leather straps were once attached to the breadbag are still visible.

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The pack full of stuff.

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Web and leather shoulder straps. I will post some more rucksacks later this weekend. I would enjoy seeing other pictures of rucksacks, it seems there are countless varieties out there.

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Here is a field-made rucksack I have shown before, made from splinter pattern Zeltbahn material. The shoulder straps are made from a pair of leather Y-straps.

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The Y-straps have added rivets.

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Here are two examples of the late-war rucksack that was supposed to replace the tornister as a general issue item. The pack on the left is the standard type, with the two permanently attached leather straps for the Zeltbahn. The one on the right has some unusual features, with modified hardware and permanently attached canvas shoulder straps.

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Rear view of these small packs. Both packs originally had hooks to allow the pack to be attached to the Y-straps or the large rucksack. The pack on the right has had the hooks modified to make them look like D-rings for the attachment of these canvas straps. The rucksack is unissued and I believe that this was an official modification, perhaps for issue to troops who did not have Y-straps.

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Here is a photo showing how the pack was modified. The pack is made with very little leather, even the strap inside is made of web. I believe this is a very late pack.

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The pack is marked with an RB number. 0/0956/0128

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One more photo of this pack. These are the steel clips at the bottom corners. Note that they are both different, even the colors are different. The one on the right is very strange, this is the same type that was used but modified on the top of the pack, where the straps are now attached. Late in the war, it seems a great variety of hardware was used, with some parts even being formed from wire.

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Tornister with canvas straps

Here is a Tornister from the collection of forum member "pzo", this is an example with web straps. I have seen the straps for sale a couple of times but never a pack complete with the straps. I don't have an example like this and Janusz and I agree that it would be a good idea to include this type in this reference thread.