Ultralight Rucksack

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Bushcraftsman

Native
Apr 12, 2008
1,368
5
Derbyshire
Hi Guys,

I'm looking to upgrade from my cheapo karrimor rucksack, can anyone recommend a lightweight rucksack for longer trips, I'm looking at 45L+ really and don't want it to break the bank. A lot of the ones I'm finding are going for £150+ which at the minute I'm struggling to justify! I don't really want it to be any heavier than 1.3-1.5kg. If it can be waterproof that's an added bonus, but I'm not too fussed about this as most come with covers and I keep most of my kit in dry bags anyway. I quite like the ones that are just a single compartment with a roll top closure, I don't need lots of pouches/pockets because I don't carry many "bits" my kit is quite minimal/lightweight anyway. With the cheapo rucksack I have I managed to get my packweight for a week walking hadrians wall, including food for the week down to about 12.5KG, so hopefully can shave some weight off with a lighter rucksack.

Cheers
 

Old Bones

Settler
Oct 14, 2009
745
72
East Anglia
'You can have it cheap, you can have it durable and you can have light - pick any two'

In the 45-50L range, LA, Berghaus, Deuter, Jack Wolfskin and of course Osprey all do good ones.

The Berghaus Arete is the cheaper end, for £67 from go Outdoors at the moment - http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/berghaus-arete-45-rucksack-p213199

The Osprey Exos gets fantastic reviews, but is £117 - http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/osprey-exos-48-m-p292826

LA has some, but this one is 1.6kg - http://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/lowe-alpine-airzone-trek-45-55-rucksack-e1112676?id_colour=1807

Personally, I'm really tempted by this - https://www.webtogs.com/en-UK/Osprey-Kestrel-58-Mens-Backpack/38655wmp.htm? - colour=Jungle+Green&sku=301641&productid=86492&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Shopping%20API&gclid=Cj0KEQjwrsDIBRDX3JCunOrr_YYBEiQAifH1Fhaq3MxNw20mOPj9-mnjPbwlYvOcVUuS90Ahoy5PyLAaAtEP8P8HAQ - great price but a bit big and heavy for you,

but the Gregory http://www.trekitt.co.uk/33201/products/gregory-stout-45-navy-blue.aspx might suit.

Best thing is to go into your local Cotswold/Go Outdoors etc and try some out - if it works for you, then thats the one. £120 seems to be doable, and if you get a deal, see one second hand, etc, then that might help. Osprey Kestral 48's are coming up new on Ebay at £105, but you can probably do OK by just asking what stores have left over from last year, etc.
 

Nice65

Brilliant!
Apr 16, 2009
6,438
2,859
W.Sussex
This is a thread for Beachlover. He's a bag fetishist. I think he'll recommend Osprey, but he gets through bags faster than a crackhead gets through theirs so he might recommend something different.
 

Bushcraftsman

Native
Apr 12, 2008
1,368
5
Derbyshire
The exped lightening looks awesome, but it's still a bit on the pricey side at £150. I'll keep looking for a bit longer but if I can't find anything else suitable I might just have to bite the bullet and go for it!

the DD modular one has too much going on, I just want one with a singular compartment not lots of pockets and stuff hanging off it. Good price though!

Thanks for all the links old bones, i'll look into them in a bit more detail!
 

Nomad64

Full Member
Nov 21, 2015
1,072
593
UK
The exped lightening looks awesome, but it's still a bit on the pricey side at £150

Quixoticgeek of this parish did a great review of the Exped Lightning which inspired me to buy both a 45 and a 60 and I got them for a lot cheaper than £150 (ok the 60 was an as new secondhand one) but shop around and you should get a better deal on a great pack.

Good luck! :)
 

Bushcraftsman

Native
Apr 12, 2008
1,368
5
Derbyshire
Quixoticgeek of this parish did a great review of the Exped Lightning which inspired me to buy both a 45 and a 60 and I got them for a lot cheaper than £150 (ok the 60 was an as new secondhand one) but shop around and you should get a better deal on a great pack.

Good luck! :)

Mind telling me where you found them? :) I don't think I'd need the 60 to be honest, I know you can compress it down when not full, but I think the only times I'd need more than 45 would be when I was doing a weekend of sitting around in the woods so I'd take extra kit because I'm not lugging it as far. hammocks, Under quilts etc. When hiking distance I shred my kit right down to the bare minimum. Especially through summer.

The only thing that's making me still want the 60 is that its only 10-15 pound more for a much bigger more flexible pack
 

Nomad64

Full Member
Nov 21, 2015
1,072
593
UK
IIRC it was Above & Beyond - just looked and they are not listing any. I think I paid about £110 (by which I mean £25 if Mrs Nomad is reading this ;))

I had a quick g00gle and the best I could find was around £130.

When I was looking, prices were all over the place.

The 60 came from an ad on a forum IIRC about £80. Secondhand might be a good way to go - I can se how they could be a "marmite" pack and that some might not get on with them esp if they don't watch the video on the Exped website showing how to fettle them.

The 45 and the 60 are very hard to tell apart (which is handy because I can pretend to Mrs Nomad that I only have one! ;)) and cinched down there will be very little extra bulk over the 45.

There is also an Exped Thunder which is a bit more conventional looking but same back system.

Good luck and let us know what you end up with. :)
 

Nice65

Brilliant!
Apr 16, 2009
6,438
2,859
W.Sussex

mountainm

Bushcrafter through and through
Jan 12, 2011
9,990
12
Selby
www.mikemountain.co.uk
Nice looking pack with some useful options.

I've got smashed for vat and fees on everything Ive ever had from Massdrop. Sometimes they're included in the UK price, but not usually.

I got some waterbottles and they shipped from Germany, so nothing extra to pay. It's the one thing that puts me off using the site - their's no clarity on extra fees incurred.
 

Paul_B

Bushcrafter through and through
Jul 14, 2008
6,151
1,544
Cumbria
Take a look at lightwave rucksack brand. Also linked to crux tents. IIRC they used to have a sales list in the news section of their website. These were end of line, old designs, etc. Some good deals but I don't know if they still do that.
 

Bushcraftsman

Native
Apr 12, 2008
1,368
5
Derbyshire
still really tempted by the lightning 45, I'm struggling to justify that price though! haha. Been searching for second hand ones on ebay and forums but nobody seems to be selling them!
 

Highbinder

Full Member
Jul 11, 2010
1,257
2
Under a tree
The exped lightening looks awesome, but it's still a bit on the pricey side at £150. I'll keep looking for a bit longer but if I can't find anything else suitable I might just have to bite the bullet and go for it!

the DD modular one has too much going on, I just want one with a singular compartment not lots of pockets and stuff hanging off it. Good price though!

Thanks for all the links old bones, i'll look into them in a bit more detail!

I'm still using my Golite pinnacle (7 years+), when it finally gives up the ghost I'll be buying an Exped Thunder as it improves on the the Golite's weaknesses, namely, it's non-rigid design and tedious roll top opening.
 

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