>>1280831Well the only thing I can think of when it comes to reinforcing and modernizing the ALICE system is the frame. From what I've read online, when the ALICE frames fail, it mostly has to do with how the cross-beam along the frame fails because it's riveted in and not, say, welded. I suppose if you were crafty you could reinforce the old frame by welding on bolsters, but that seems like too much effort and adds weight.
As for bag reinforcement, I'd wager the seams of the bag are a good place to start. Wouldn't hurt to reinforce the stitching on the outer pockets and the attachment points of the webbing to the bag, either. Something vastly important that comes to mind too is that "sleeve" that is supposed to slip over any external frame--maybe also reinforce where it connects with the pack proper, along with the "D" rings that are used to slip the shoulder strap load lifters through.