35L Back Pack replacement

[Seithennin]

Hi All/Hive Mind,
Sorry to start another "recommend me a back pack" thread but after having searched through quite a few no one seems to be looking for quite the same thing as me.

My currently (getting ancient and coming apart at the seams) 35L Gelert in black and purple is about to see out its last season or two so I am wanting to line up it's successor.

What I am looking for:

Largish preferably draw string main compartment
2x side pockets big enough to take 2x 500ml water bottles each with some odds and ends around the sides
Lid pocket or front pocket (or both) on main compartment big enough to take some odds and ends, small first aid kit, various been bit/stung creams and an inhaler, that sort of thing.
Not wanting anything too military looking and prefer it to be all one piece of kit rather than with add on compartments. Having said that willing to look at anything that fits the rest of the spec.
Prefer non camo colour - black or two tone in muted colours.
UK weather proof/resistant and able to take a reasonable amount of weight and abuse.

I have already looked at:

https://www.raymears.com/Bushcraft_Product/594-Karrimor-SF-Sabre-35-Litre-Rucksack-Olive-Green/ nice design with side pockets but doesn't look to have lid/front compartment.

https://evaq8.co.uk/patrol-pack-mil...MIlae_3cH66wIVUs3tCh0esQX4EAQYAiABEgLDh_D_BwE Looks a bit too desert warrior to my eye but overall design something like what I am looking for.

https://www.essl-rucksack.at/produkt/essl-ru5026-kader-rucksack-large-40-liter-schwarz/ seems to be pretty close to what I am looking for, anyone have hands on experience and able to comment?

Many thanks in advance.

 

[Broch]

Welcome to the forum!

Knowing this lot you will get lots of ideas from the basic to the ridiculously expensive (you've looked at past threads so you'll know the score ).

You haven't said anything about budget or frequency of use etc. However, I went through exactly the same process 2 or 3 years ago and ended up buying a Karrimor SF Predator 30 with added side and front pockets - a great piece of kit but I never use it!! I keep going back to the old Vango day pack that it was supposed to be replacing.

Go Outdoors have a bit of a sale on some bags at the moment - it may be worth looking there. For example, right at the budget end is this - but it actually sounds like it would do a decent job:

https://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/15995735/eurohike-pathfinder-ii-35l-backpack-15995735

 

[cipherdias]

Go to somewhere like Cotswold Outdoors or Blacks where they have rucksack specialists who can measure your back and get you the right fit. Can take an hour or so but money very well spent.

Consider something from Osprey and you won't go far wrong but I also very much favour Lowe Alpine


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Wander]

There's an easy answer to this one:
Snugpak Sleeka Force 35:

Polimil

Polimil

www.polimil.co.uk

Available in various colours (including black) and ticks just about every box you want.

 

[Broch]

There's an easy answer to this one:
Snugpak Sleeka Force 35:

Polimil

Polimil

www.polimil.co.uk

Available in various colours (including black) and ticks just about every box you want.

Yep, that's the one I wished I'd bought when I got the Predator. Do you have one? is it as comfy as it looks?

 

[Erbswurst]

I own this 34 litres rucksack here, made by HEIM in Germany for the German Army.

New:

BW Jägerrucksack Cordura oliv

Der BW Jägerrucksack Cordura ist ideal für Wanderungen. Durch das Cordura-Material ist er äußerst abriebfest und stabil. Neben dem Hauptfach bieten…

www.asmc.de

Because they are mainly made from Cordura Nylon and no other plastic fabric they become a bit brighter during 40 years of continuous use, but if you don't know that you would look at a 40 years old rucksack and think that it is a new one.

That is very unusual for rucksacks made out of plastic fabric. Most do not become so old.

The folding German army sleep mat fits into a thin compartment at the back and gives the rucksack a better structure.

The main compartment is closed with a draw string. The construction avoids zippers because zippers will break sooner or later.

Kleen Kanteen 750 ml stainless steel bottles with flat full metal closure fit perfectly into the side pouches and well into the long lasting concept.

The rucksack is very light, only 820g.
But it's made out of 1000 den Cordura Nylon, a very tough military fabric.

I highly recommend it.


Because it is a bit small for some of my needs I informed myself about the Essl RU 5026 Kaderucksack 40 litres, but did not buy it yet.

Designed in Austria, made in Czechia in the own factory, this rucksack isn't issued but allowed to use and used a lot in the Austrian Army, of course the olive green version.

New:

RU5026 Kader-Rucksack Large 40 L Oliv

Kader-Rucksack Large Hauptfach mit Schnurzugverschluss 2 Seitentaschen (ca ca 35(hoch) x 15(breit) x 7(tief) cm) 1 Vortasche ist ca 27(hoch) x 20(breit) x 5 (tief) cm Deckeltasche Reißverschlusstasche am Hüftgurt Fototasche Integriertes Regencape Rückenausführung orthopädisch erprobt: durch...

www.essl-rucksack.at

1,5 litres bottles from the supermarket fit easily into the side pouches and more stuff too.
In the central outer pouch fits the German / Austrian mess kit easily, a usual lightweight tarp would fit as well.

It has a lid pocket, a smaller belt pocket, and a pocket at the bottom where you find a rain cover.

This rucksack I never have seen offered second hand. Who owns it, keeps it.

In German speaking hiking, bushcraft and military internet forums it is always highly recommended and becomes more and more popular.

This rucksack exist in a 35 litres version too, but I think the 40 litres version is the better choice because nowadays you can put a long lasting but lightweight complete 3 seasons equipment into a 34 litres rucksack. But the extra 6 litres space are really nice to have.

Of course this rucksack is outstanding handy, because it has a lot of outer pouches in the right sizes.

Because it is made out of tough and thick polyurethane coated polyester fabric it will last relatively long.

But I do not expect that it will last as long as the HEIM Bundeswehr Jägerrucksack, because this is constructed to last a lifetime.

But the Essl RU 5026 is of course handier if one doesn't use a totally streamlined kit, that is radically reduced to the basics.

It's mainly a question of taste which is the best choice for a lightweight hiker. And a question how reduced is the carried stuff.

 

[Oliver G]

Have you tried the RAF daysack, all in one construction and has the features you were after, cheap enough to last a couple of years and fairly light weight.

Official RAF Air Cadet Daysack 30 Litre, Black

GET IT NOW! Great Value ATC Daysack | Compact and Hardwearing design | Ideal size for storing all the essentials for day hiking or travelling | Order today from Cadet Direct for SAME DAY dispatch and UK NEXT DAY delivery...

www.cadetdirect.com

 

[Erbswurst]

Is this the price for a new original one???

Ones I found one in a shop in bad conditions, didn't buy it but thought about how to pack it for short adventures with sleeping kit, because this looked in the first view like a good boy scout pack.

Did anyone manage to fit all the needed stuff for an overnighter into it? Surely possible but also not so very easy...

Where is it made? Who makes it?

 

[Oliver G]

I assume so it doesn't say any grades and their kit is normally new. There are a few at the local army surplus store up in Worksop that are in good nick for about £20.

It was never designed as an overnighter, more of a daysack to move your gym clothes out an about in but OP asked for 35 litres, you should get 35 if you unzip the bottom compartment, it's got a bellows type affair to expand the main compartment.

 

[Erbswurst]

Unsure, but I think it's really exactly 30 litres capacity. I compared it well with my own 34 litres rucksack.

It obviously wasn't designed to carry a military camping equipment around.

But an extremely streamlined lightweight equipment fits surely into it. The question is just how to manage it.

Especially smaller persons with smaller equipment surely can do it.

 

[Seithennin]

Update:
Realised that I missed one or two spec things out.

Budget, I'm willing to invest in some semi decent kit upto about the £100 mark - if I can get better for cheaper all the better.

Use, at the minute weekly day hiking, on a normal year about three weeks of holidays in which it will get daily use on day treks.

I'm not a great fan of "alpine" style back packs. Not a fan of a cylinder on my back! ;-)

Many thanks