Savotta Askare Hip Pack

Large 7 L multifunctional hip pack suitable for various specialized jobs and tasks. Originally made for military snipers, but also perfectly suitable for other military use and hiking. Versatile internal organization and numerous external attachment points. Quickly attaches to backpacks in a variety of ways, enabling you to use it as a part of a modular, scalable backpack system.

Features

• Capacity c. 7 liters
• 40 mm (1.6") SR buckle belt (max circumference c. 145 cm / 57") attached to stabilizing wings
• Flat open-sided compartment on the body side for stowing the belt
• Thin closed cell foam padding on the body side for shape retention and comfort
• Single large compartment with zipper closure
• Two small flat internal compartments
• Numerous elastic loops for internal organization
• Two tie-down points on the inside for dummy cords and carabiners
• 35 x 10 cm (13.8" x 3.9") loop surface on the interior for hook-backed organizers
• 2 x 2 PALS webbing on both sides
• Numerous 25 mm (1") webbing loops for elastic cord and pack attachment buckles
• 15 x 10 cm (5.9" x 3.9") loop surface on the outside for patches and identifiers
• Water drainage grommet on the bottom
• All color options offer good NIR performance
• 5 year material and workmanship warranty
• Made in Finland/Estonia
• NSN: 8465-58-002-0197

"Askare" is Finnish for "task" or "chore". This pack was originally designed for sniper teams to carry various shooter/spotter-related equipment. However, it has proven to be a great asset for all sorts of tasks within and beyond the military. The large seven-liter capacity plus numerous external attachment options make this a very versatile general-purpose bag.

Internally, the bag features a number of options for organizing your gear: elastic webbing loops of various sizes, flat compartments, tie-down loops, and a loop surface for attaching hook-backed organizers.

The rear wall has two rows of 50 mm (2") elastic webbing sewn onto it, forming loops of various sizes. The lower row is sewn into two large, ca. 17 cm (6.7") wide, loops (designed for .50 cal Barrett magazines). The upper row is sewn into three smaller, ca. 12 cm (4.7") wide, loops (designed for HK417 magazines). Each end of the bag has one elastic loop for smaller items.

The front wall has two flat compartments, with tie-down loops on top. A 35 x 10 cm (13.8" x 3.9") loop surface on the inside front wall enables you to attach all sorts of hook-backed organizers, etc.

A large, open-ended flat compartment at the back has a removable closed-cell foam pad inside, and it enables you to stow the waist strap away if needed. This compartment can also be used as a huge belt loop if you want to carry the Askare on a regular belt or the hip belt of a backpack.

PALS webbing on the sides allows you to attach small pouches and accessories on the outside. The horizontal webbing on the front can be used to attach small pouches such as Savotta Multitool pouch, Tourniquet pouch, and Zipped GP pouch 2x2, or elastic cord loops. The numerous webbing loops around the sides can be used to attach elastic cord for carrying all kinds of gear on the bottom and front of the bag, tourniquets, ponchos, tarps, whatever.

Carry options

Due to the large size, Askare is best carried on your lower back, just rotate it to your front for easy access. The belt is also long enough for you to carry the bag diagonally on your back like a sling pack. The belt is attached to large triangular wings for stability.

For longer treks with a backpack, you can quick-attach the Askare to your backpack’s side compression straps. To do this, you will need to add suitable buckles (2M PALS-mount or split-bar female buckles) or use G-hooks. No quick-attachment buckles are included with the bag, but you can buy them e.g. from us. You can also quick-attach the Askare to the side of your pack by simply looping the pack's side compression straps through the large webbing loops on the front of the bag.

The belt can be stowed inside the open-ended compartment on the body side of the bag when carried on your pack. Drop your pack, unclip the Askare, dig out the belt, don the ready-packed bag, and you’re ready for work.