Club Obi Wan

Again I was able to find a few more backpacks (you see - the wait may take quite some time, but in the end it'n not for nothing ).

Anyway, here's an updated, again (I already contacted some of the interested parties):

01. Indiana MarkVII
02. NewJerseyRaider - interested
03. Indiana Kev - interested
04. Venkman
05. jedidentist - interested
06. ANZAC_1915 - interested
07. gmarthe
08. Arkansas Smith - interested
09. Anderson
10. Indiana Croft - interested
11. Indiana Jake - interested
12. IndyMo
13. OSU1138 - interested
14. grizzlelee
15. Texas Raider
16. IndianaSVT - interested
17. gi_canuck - interested
18. BOINKFFD - interested
19. Indiana Citroen - interested
20. franky jones - interested
21. u2_m4r1n3 - interested
22. Hunter57 - interested
23. Joe Explorer - interested

All right. I have moved up in the world. Only 19 slots ahead of me. I will be worth the wait. Thank you again for making this happpen.

Is there any way i can get on this list? but first- how much is this indy pack going for? From what I've read everyone is happy with it- so i'm guessing it's is an amazingly SA pack!

I don't know how I feel about IJ having a German Army backpack. I guess it could be rationalized as a keepsake of the war. Are these packs that people are picking up at surplus stores circa WW2? If so, are there any Nazi markings in them, because I'm opposed to buying Nazi militaria.

Good point- But we destroyed the Nazi's, so the packs are the worlds to keep and share. Kind of like collecting a Nazi WWII rifle, except way more useful and related to Indiana Jones!

These are backpacks of the early German Army AFTER the war. This type was equipped since the late 50s, but most of the bags found out there are younger (70s to 80s, from the "last" phase these backpacks were "on duty"). No Nazi markings inside (if so, I would be not able to buy them over here, because stuff like this is strongly forbidden in today's Germany).

To get on the list you just need to tell me.

Jens wrote:These are backpacks of the early German Army AFTER the war. This type was equipped since the late 50s, but most of the bags found out there are younger (70s to 80s, from the "last" phase these backpacks were "on duty"). No Nazi markings inside (if so, I would be not able to buy them over here, because stuff like this is strongly forbidden in today's Germany).

To get on the list you just need to tell me.

Thanks for the info. That makes buying one easier to swallow. I won't be able to buy a pack now, but maybe in the future. I'm about to drop $50 on some Crystal Head Vodka for my Halloween party, so I'll be a little broke for awhile. Liquor before luggage!

IT CAME IT CAME IT CAME!!!!!!

YAY HURRAY!

Thanks Jens, it looks absolutely fabulous! The only thing its missing is the inside buttons for the smaller pocket, but who cares! (Though if anyone doesn't want theirs or is taking the pocket out, let me know, I want the buttons!)

Jens is awesome!

Excelsior!

Riothamus

P.S. Pics this weekend

Thanks for letting me know - finally they arrive one after one. And PLEASE post these pics, I'm curious to see them!

Concerning the buttons - I am very sorry, didn't check or notice this myself. I try to obtain some and send 'em your way, okay?

Kind regards,
Jens

For those willing to lie with or swap out modern buckle and straps, here is a source of German rucksacks for $10 in the US:
http://www.majorsurplus.com/German-Rang ... C1940.aspx

Regards,
Rambler

Anyway, here's an updated, again (I already contacted some of the interested parties):

01. Indiana MarkVII
02. IndianaGear Hunter - interested
03. NewJerseyRaider - interested
04. Indiana Kev - interested
05. Venkman
06. jedidentist - interested
09. ANZAC_1915 - interested
10. gmarthe
11. Arkansas Smith - interested
12. Anderson
13. Indiana Croft - interested
14. Indiana Jake - interested
15. IndyMo
16. OSU1138 - interested
17. grizzlelee
18. Texas Raider
19. IndianaSVT - interested
20. gi_canuck - interested
21. BOINKFFD - interested
22. Indiana Citroen - interested
23. franky jones - interested
24. u2_m4r1n3 - interested
25. Hunter57 - interested

I am very curious how you can find 25 people interestedin bag and I can't find more than 5 interested in my pants.

Maybe I should appoint you as my Marketing Director

I'm doing nothing to "attract" the people (honestly, more people on the list do just mean more work for me ), it's the product which sells itself. ;-)

That bag is half the price of your pants. ;-)

Also I can and do carry my new pack everyday. Which means I get a lot more mileage out of it then a pair of pants I can wear once a week. And that is a lot of money for a pair of pants....

PLATON wrote:I am very curious how you can find 25 people interestedin bag and I can't find more than 5 interested in my pants.

Maybe I should appoint you as my Marketing Director

Supply and demand. There are many choices for pants, there are fewer choices for KOTCS backpacks.

Just picked up the KOTCS DVD and did a freeze frame on all the scenes with the backpack. I would definatelty say that we are 100% sure that this German backpack is definately the one!!! Compared it directly against the pack I got from Jens. It is definately a match!!

Thanks again Jens for a great find!!

IB

Thanks for the Info Bond. And thanks to Jens for digging this one up for us

Hey Everyone.

This is Page 4, and I just read all of the posts so I'm kinda up to date with what is going on, but perhaps we could take a post to review everything up to this point for the readers.

The questions I have are:

1. What is the exact make/number of the bag?
2. What are the variations throughout time?
3. What has to be done to make this SA?
4. Can I still get on the list?
5. How much are the packs going for?

Basically, what I am getting is that most of us are in agreement that the pack Jens has been shipping is the pack, but if I know this forum, I know that this is only half the story.

Now that the KOTCS DVD is out, I am wondering where the "detail" information is. Does it in fact have H.J. on the back, and if so what is the size, color, font, etc.?

Also, it seems as though leather straps need to be added to the pack, but after the whole MKVII strap fiasco I am wondering why there isn't more scrutiny to find the right color, length, shape etc.

I'm interested in obtaining one of these packs, but I think we need to make sure we live up to our OCID (Obsessive Compulsive Indy Disorder)

I just got one of the modern day bags in brand new condition, quite nice and practical really. Will do 'till I find something more accurate... heck I may even stop looking with this one.

Ok, KT, where did you find that and for how much. You know better than to hold out on us like that


;-)

I haven't posted to this thread in awhile, so I thought I would.

Hey Jens, have any luck in procuring any other packs?.
I'm still very much interested. ;-)

I'm also glad that those who were lucky in the first group are very happy were there packs.

Croft

Indiana Neri wrote:Ok, KT, where did you find that and for how much. You know better than to hold out on us like that


;-)

Try an ebay search, they are slightly expensive in the UK. (About $20). Key in "German Alpine Backpack" he lists black bags but has the olive in stock too.

I got mine just like that for 20 dollars as well. I think I got mine at amazon.

Well, with a little luck, I should have this on the way from Germany!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0275035133




Basically amounts to $70 US shipped, so I might be off the list if this pans out.

I'll post pics when it arrives in a month

Derek

Can someone (that can speak German) help me with the bag above?

First of all, is it THE bag?

Does anyone know the seller or have an idea if these are unissued, used, beat up all to heck?

What is shipping to Canada?

Basically can someone help me because I think I would like to get one.

Thanks,

Jeff

crazylegs,

Yes it looks like the bag. Use this sight to do a translation for you.

http://babelfish.yahoo.com/

Your other questions you will have to ask the seller.

Good Luck!

IJ

Thanks Indiana Bond,

I'm only on level 20 of my Pimsleur German I, so I don't think I would be able to ask anyone anything in German. I really need someone who can speak it to help me a long.

I have a feeling this is going to cost me a lot in shipping and exchange, so I want to make sure it's THE bag, and they're not all in bad condition.

Hi crazylegsmurphy,
I spspeak german So i can tell you, the backpack is it. This is the real deal an old german army backpack. the magic word is old an the auction also says that such backpacks are hard to find. If you have any questions, just ask. I am always glad to help

Hey Chris,

Ok...Change of plans. I just convinced my buddy to buy me two (one for me, one for my dad) for re-tagging his music collection. So, I'm pretty much ready to order, I just need to know a few things.

Does they have a return policy?
Does it say anything about saving on shipping if I get two ( would really like them both shipped together)?
Shipping cost to Canada?
Are there extra costs (VAT, Tax, etc)?

If these are THE bags (rubber/leather bottom, old but still in good shape) then I'll take two.

I just need someone to ask these few questions for me if you don't mind.

EDIT:

I asked them these questions in English, but I don't know if they speak it.

Looks like the auction says they only ship to Germany.

jedidentist wrote:Well, with a little luck, I should have this on the way from Germany!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0275035133




Basically amounts to $70 US shipped, so I might be off the list if this pans out.

I'll post pics when it arrives in a month

Derek

I just downloaded Babylon and it is a fantastic translator!

It sems to do just the language I choose (free trial) but it appears to be quite good!

Below is the translation of the question I asked the seller. German speakers can check and see how it did...

Guten Tag! Ich hoffe, sie sprechen einige English ... Ich interessiere mich für diese Rucksack, aber sicher sein wollen, sie können Schiff in die USA und was die Versandkosten werden. Vielen Dank im voraus für ihre Zeit. Mit besten Grüßen, J!m

Anyone else who wants to use this, feel free! Note that I first asked this in English, and then posted this translation below.

Does they have a return policy?
there auction says nothing about a returb policy

Does it say anything about saving on shipping if I get two ( would really like them both shipped together)?
yes you can do that. There is no extra cost on or dopple shippment to pay. the seller say, that the shipping costs depent on the weight of the order.

Shipping cost to Canada?
the site says nothing about shipping to canada there also is no information if they are shipping oversays.

Are there extra costs (VAT, Tax, etc)?
well i don't know the tax or any extra costs of your country i think you sould ask your local costums office.

should i ask him this questions or will you wait on a answer from the seller?

To JIM:

don't use that think

for example: sie können Schiff in die USA und was die Versankosten werden. Means. You could Boat in the USA and what shipping will be. I can't even translate it back as bad as it is. Well but you could try it of course with a lot of imagination he will understand what you' re trying to say.

so let me know if i can help you further on.

well, thanks for the clarification on the translation.

I sent the english text first, and then the german translation under it.

Hopefully, he understands English, as that would solve the problems for us. If not, maybe he can get enough out of the English and bad German to figure it out...

I have found that the majority of Germans speak/understand english, and quite well. They SAY they don't, but once they start talking it is just fine...

Some brave soul should go through all of this and buy in bulk, then turn around and sell them to COW members for a small profit!

That is a great idea!

Problem is, I'm poor!

Why don't you guys direct some of thee questions to me? Rather than everyone just keep grasping at straws.
1. Yes this looks to be the bag...otherwise I wouldn't have bought it
2. I obviously asked if he would ship to the US...otherwise I wouldn't have bought it.
3. If you can do the math, you would figure out what the shipping costs were. I said I paid $70 US, and the Buy it now is 15.9 Euros... little conversion and some currency exchange rates will show that I was quoted 35 Euros for shipping (which is about what Jens is having to pay).
4. Shipping to US and Canada would be roughly the same...both need a boat to get here. But just ask "How much shipped to Canada?" And he'll e-mail you back.
5. I don't speak a lick of German...I used Babelfish and just good guessing as I was clicking on payment buttons.
6. As for VAT, etc....does it really matter? If you're going to be on the list for Jens, aren't you going to have to pay it anyway? It is what it is.

All in all, if this doesn't pan out, $70 isn't going to land me in the poorhouse. As with everything in this hobby/obsession, if your budget is that tight that you're worried about an extra $10-20 here or there, you should check you priorities. I don't mean to sound condescending, but the level of tension over this all of the sudden is a little weird.

I don't think this is working out so well.

Chris says there is no return policy, yet I see a huge write up under the return policy.

JC1972 says they'll only ship to Germany, yet jedidentist says he ordered one to the U.S.

There really seems to be some kind of language barrier here and things are getting confusing.

I have emailed the seller in English, and have not yet heard back from them, J!m is attempting to hack together some German, but it's apparent that it's not coming across so well.

It looks like J!m and myself are willing to buy the remaining three but we both seem to really need some help doing so. If anyone is 100% fluent in both English and German perhaps they could help us out by e-mailing the seller the following in German.

Hello,

I am writing on behalf of two friends that are interested in your listings on eBay.

Below are some questions that they would like answered before buying, if you could answer me, I will forward it on to them.

Shipping:

1. Can you ship to Canada?
2. What is the cost to ship to Canada?
3. Can you ship two bags together to save shipping?

1. Can you ship to the U.S.A?
2. What is the cost to ship to the U.S.A?


Quality:

1. Are the bags in good shape (holes, rips, mold)?
2. Are they all the same color as the one pictured?

Price:

1. Do you know what the VAT typically comes to?

Returns:

1. What is your return policy?

Thank you,

That would answer enough for me to feel confident in ordering two (and I hope I can before they're gone).

I don't really want to "take a chance" because if I buy them and he won't sell to Canada, or some other thing, I am going to be seriously stuck trying to communicate.

Please help!

I have not heard abck eaither, but will wait until I do before I send money.

I doubt it will be a problem, and I also doubt he speaks NO English, so it'll work out in the end.

If we don't get these, I'm sure there will be more.

Those ancient Mark VII bags keep cropping up, and often un-issued condition!

I would like a pack (any pack really), and thought this would be a good one for me. If this seller sells one, and you still want two, you can have them. I don't need it that badly. ;-)

Why don't you guys direct some of thee questions to me? Rather than everyone just keep grasping at straws.

I think we were kinda hoping you would volunteer the information once you saw what we had posted, as you did.

1. Yes this looks to be the bag...otherwise I wouldn't have bought it

Awesome, but no offense, I don't know you or your priorities and getting a second opinion on this forum isn't unreasonable when you're ordering something in another language. It "looked" the same, but if you've ever put in "gas mask bag" into eBay you'll notice that unless you know exactly what a MKVII is, you might be guessing a lot.

2. I obviously asked if he would ship to the US...otherwise I wouldn't have bought it.

Great, we didn't know that and so it's good to know he responded to you. That answers that for J!m. Assuming he'll ship to Canada (which is another country with different laws ) might be a bad idea if communicating with the seller isn't going to go smoothly.

3. If you can do the math, you would figure out what the shipping costs were. I said I paid $70 US, and the Buy it now is 15.9 Euros... little conversion and some currency exchange rates will show that I was quoted 35 Euros for shipping (which is about what Jens is having to pay).

I can do all the math in the world I want, but unless I know the costs involved I'm just guessing. Of course I was able to convert the 15.9 Euros, but adding on the VAT, shipping (for two bags)...I want to know what I'm spending before I start sending money willy nilly across the world.

4. Shipping to US and Canada would be roughly the same...both need a boat to get here. But just ask "How much shipped to Canada?" And he'll e-mail you back.

I emailed him and haven't yet heard a reply. "Roughly the same" could be a lot different in the end...trust me I have ordered a few things overseas and it can get a little odd at times...all I wanted was confirmation. As well, two bags is different than one...so "roughly" could be 35 Euro more.

6. As for VAT, etc....does it really matter? If you're going to be on the list for Jens, aren't you going to have to pay it anyway? It is what it is.

Sorry, but yes it matters. When I'm trying to figure out a cost so I can see if it's worth it to do so (both here and Jens) or simply for peace of mind so I can tell what I am spending.

All in all, if this doesn't pan out, $70 isn't going to land me in the poorhouse. As with everything in this hobby/obsession, if your budget is that tight that you're worried about an extra $10-20 here or there, you should check you priorities. I don't mean to sound condescending, but the level of tension over this all of the sudden is a little weird.

$70 isn't going to land me in the poorhouse either, but I'm sure if I said, "Hey, why not send me $70 and I might send you something back, and I might not!" I'm not sure you would be super likely to do so.

I'm not "worried" about $10 or $20 here, but money is still money and I don't have a "flush it down the toilet due to laziness" budget. I'm glad you had the guts/ability to order your bag, but I think it's reasonable to be a little informed instead of making rash decisions that might make things harder for myself and the seller.

These are not unreasonable questions for an eBay transaction, the problem is that there is extra "tension" because there are three bags, I would like 2 of them, and J!m would like one....so it makes things little tense when I have no way to communicate with the seller like I normally would, and the description of the product is in a language I can barely read.

All I am asking for is for someone to translate what is there, and perhaps ask the seller these questions in proper German so I can go ahead and order knowing exactly what I'm getting into.

I would like a pack (any pack really), and thought this would be a good one for me. If this seller sells one, and you still want two, you can have them. I don't need it that badly

Same, I wanted one for my travels and one for my dad...but it says there are three left. If we can get these answered, there is enough for myself and J!m (who are the only ones who seem terribly interested.)

I'm the same, I'll wait for the answers...but it would be a shame to not get them due to a language barrier when so many people are much smarter than me and can quickly translate and help us out.

Ok i have sent the questions to the seller ( in german) and after i have scrolled a little in the site......stupido i have found the return policy. you can return the item within one month after recieving it. So this is the normal german buyers right. I will answer as soon as the seller contacts me.

always glad to help.....i love this sentence

chris.jones wrote:Ok i have sent the questions to the seller ( in german) and after i have scrolled a little in the site......stupido i have found the return policy. you can return the item within one month after recieving it. So this is the normal german buyers right. I will answer as soon as the seller contacts me.

always glad to help.....i love this sentence

I thought it was the standard legal text when I saw that. I was allready sweating to try and translate that into English, when I discovered that my German wasn't good enough

Regards, Geert

This is the e-mail I received from him regarding shipping it to the US:

Dear dentistboy,
Hello,
5 kg to 35 euro order by mail

I also received this shipping e-mail this morning:

Die nachfolgenden Artikel wurden soeben für den Versand vorbereitet und werden umgehen verschickt.
Mit freundlichen Grüßen
Krings
Sollte die Ware nicht innerhalb von 3 Werktagen bei ihnen eintreffen, kontaktieren sie mich bitte.
Gründe dafür könnten sein, dass eventuelle Farben- oder Größenangaben mir nicht mitgeteilt wurden.
Die Ware wird an die von Ihnen bei E-Bay hinterlegte Lieferadresse gesendet.
Wir würden uns freuen, Sie bald wieder beliefern zu dürfen!

Which Babelfish translates into:

The following articles were prepared just now for the dispatch and are sent away to go around. Yours sincerely Krings If the commodity should not arrive within 3 working-days with them, they contact me please. Reasons for the fact could be that possible statements of size or color was not communicated to me. The commodity is sent to the ship-to-address deposited by you with E-Bay. We would be pleased to be allowed to supply you soon again!

Obviously, English isn't a close second language, but I got the picture. We'll see how it ends up.

Derek

That second e-mail looks more like a standard one he sends to all his cutomers, so do not believe the three days stuff in that one.

Regards, Geert

I sent him a question about shipping to the US and no response.

gwyddion wrote:That second e-mail looks more like a standard one he sends to all his cutomers, so do not believe the three days stuff in that one.

Regards, Geert

Of course...but it just shows that hopefully it's on its way. Maybe it'll show up the day that my AB finally arrives (14 months 16 days and counting).

One is on its way to Austria

No more left, oh well.

If anyone wants the modern type cheap, Sportsman Guide has 1 for $10 or 2 for $20

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/search/s ... k=rucksack

I have received no reply from the seller... (in any language)

What is the difference in the Sportsmans Guide version?

Seems close to me, but I have not yet risen to the "Stitch Nazi" level on the backpack yet... I beleive the straps were leather on the movie piece, right? (Apologies, I only saw the film twice- once in theatures, once on DVD).

Two for $20.00 seems like a prety decent deal... For the difference in price, a leather shop can make SA straps for you...