What Pack does everyone use?

[happybonzo]

I bought a little 20+8L pack from JJB Sports and it's now lasted 5 years.

[Kernowek Scouser]

For years I've used bike bags for light afternoon hikes. I currently have a cracking Mountain Warehouse bag which is 10L and big enough to carry water, waterproofs & gaiters, snacks, a map and waterproof case, first aid kit and basic survival gear (emergency shelter & blanket, Swiss army knife, survival whistle - which includes LED torch, a button compass, thermometer, signalling mirror and a dry space where I store wind-proof matches and a didy lighter). All fairly lightweight and there is space to spare for odds and sods.


For a heavier day hike, I use the Karrimor Urban 30L, which carries all of the above plus whichever brew kit happens to be my favourite at that moment in time, something more substantial to cook and eat, camera, more odds and sods. Last year I did manage a couple of stealthy overnighters, in local woods and secluded moorland with this 30L pack, but even with it packed to bursting and having gear strapped to the draw cord, I still had to improvise an additional bag attachment (fashioned from two Poundland kitbags and a fair bit of para cord) to accommodate my sleeping bag and mat. Okay, but far from ideal.

For my non wild campsite based adventures last year, I used my Gelert Core 65 + 10 which easily accommodated everything I needed to take, plus an awful lot of stuff I should have left a home. Not the heaviest rucksac I've owned, but not the lightest either. Comfortable to wear though and it has lots of pockets, draw cords, hoops and loops which are very handy, but to big and heavy for a cheeky overnighter.

This year I am looking for a new bag (or combination of bag and pouch) around 35L - 45L in capacity, which would be better suited to overnighters and weekends.

​Watch this space!

[Basha72]

I have the long back PLC with the additional yoke to create a day sack with the side pouches, I also have the 120l SAS/Para Bergen 1 of the waterproof ones and two of the old canvas A frame ones ( 1 is dated 1972 so the same age as me and still going lol)

I have a old cyclops roc which as seen better days, just use that to store things in it ! In the garage for everyday carry I use a highlander forces 44 or a Munro I have a couple of others also for bumbling around 20l ones etc

The thing with bergens/ rucksacks or whatever you want to call them it's another one of those bits of kit where people have backpack snobbery the person carrying it should be the only critic budgets and personal preference is what drive my purchases.

Basha

[Kernowek Scouser]

I agree, if it work for you, bugger what anyone else thinks.

[BushcraftAndSurvival]

i used military packs for years and i thought they were good when i was using them. There is a large problem with the PLCE range which does not become apparent either carry a heavy load for a long time or try a better pack.

The waist straps dont distribute the payload weight to your hips and legs. This is because the strap was designed to be worn on top of webbing. They had to position the strap so that it sit's on top of the webbing.

Without webbing the waist strap does not do it's job and all of the weight is on your shoulders and back. This is bad.

I'd recommend pretty much anything from the karrimor SF range, the sabre 75 is particularly good and makes an excellent replacement for the PLCE bergen.

Its not snobbery, it's just that the PLCE is not really suitable for civilian use. If your not covering long distances and your not carrying much weight then i guess it's fine.

[Basha72]

Like I said down to the person carrying it, no doubht there are better packs around, I've done plenty of miles walking and running with plenty of weight over Dartmoor and around snowdon and never had any issues with mine that's all I can say.

When I first started carrying packs it was all about getting the weight up over the shoulders and not pushing on the hips or small of back, principles and gear design change over the years but I'm ok as I am my days of tabbing around the hills are done lol

[BushcraftAndSurvival]

To a degree, for men, it's still important to get the heavier objects at the top of the pack, this is for balance and load distribution (so the weight and force is going downward rather than pulling you backwards). You still want to let most of the weight sit on your hips and therefore your legs though.

Ideally you should be able to slacken your shoulder harness off so that it's not bearing all of the weight and then the pack should settle down on the waist strap. It's *much* easier to carry a load that way.

Try it out sometime and see which you prefer

[Kernowek Scouser]

I'm definitely a chest / shoulder carrier. I'm fairly barrel chested and barrelled backed (if that makes sense). Whilst all the packs I have do have waist straps on them and I use them, it is more to stop the bottom of the pack flapping about, as it just kind of hangs of my shoulders / upper back, rather than sit flush on my lower back. Waist straps helping with weight distribution, just doesn't seem to work for me?

Maybe I have an irregular posture or a high centre of gravity, I don't know, but I do know bad backs and aching shoulders when carrying my rucksac, are something I rarely suffer from.

I do come from a long line of short men, who earned a crust lifting heavy loads, so maybe my pack carrying preference is genetic?

But all advice is welcome and I will give letting the waist straps taking the load a go again and see how that works for me.

Cheers,

Colin

[BushcraftAndSurvival]

I dont think that you have an irregular posture, more likely a pack that is not adjusted to your build.

There is quite a good guide to that here - http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/expert-a...rucksack-guide

Scroll down to the rucksack fitting section and they explain is quite well.

It's worth a read, you'll be able to carry more weight or your existing weight for longer if you make use of the waist strap.

[nsoutdoors]

My pockets for a few hours our... a paratrooper's satchel for longer day trips and an 80 liter rack pack for anything over 3 days.