The 3003 is'nt particuarly absorbant but does make an average doorstop or a great wobbly table/chair rectification device. If you have not received one then it is probably sat in my office with the other 17 copies that have accumulated there in various hidey-holes over the past few months.
On the rucsack subject I have heard in conversation from at least two people how they walk to their car in the morning using a normal civilian rucsac then either on reaching said automobile, or when reaching their place of work, they shove the civvy one inside the RAF sack to complete their commute. Something to do with the high viz wording and birdy on the top flap....
I still smirk to myself when I think back to the time everyone was 'issued' a CD that you could pop into your PC and be enlightened as to where our assets were the previous year and what they were all supposed to do...within minutes of opening the packaging and realising how utterly pants it was every office in my squadron had some lovely new coasters for our expensive personalised mugs.