Karrimor Annapurna I

[Dan00001]

Another vintage backpack acquired, a Karrimor Annapurna in good condition apart from the edging strip along the top cover needing replacing.

 

[hughtrimble]

That is an interesting looking pack - the side pocket location makes it all look a bit top heavy?

 

[Dan00001]

That is an interesting looking pack - the side pocket location makes it all look a bit top heavy?

I think it depends what you're doing. These are designed for hiking where you want the bulk of the weight to sit higher up and don't forget, you would also generally strap something between the bottom of the bag and the frame like a tent or a sleeping bag, lowering the centre of gravity.

 

[Dan00001]

By all accounts, these were a very popular backpack back in it's day.

 

[Tengu]

I have got one of those!

Shame its in pieces

 

[Springchicken]

I believe that they were originally designed for the 1970 expedition that made the first ascent of Annapurna I's south face. I remember reading Chris Bonnington's account of it. It was also the testing ground for the Troll Whillans harness, later dubbed 'the nut crusher'.

I always hankered after an Annapurna II but time passed and I settled for a Jaguar IV instead. That one looks in very good nick!

 

[Dan00001]

I believe that they were originally designed for the 1970 expedition that made the first ascent of Annapurna I's south face. I remember reading Chris Bonnington's account of it. It was also the testing ground for the Troll Whillans harness, later dubbed 'the nut crusher'.

I always hankered after an Annapurna II but time passed and I settled for a Jaguar IV instead. That one looks in very good nick!

Thank you, I have a bit of a collection of vintage Karrimor backpacks now and have been looking at a Jaguar IV on ebay.

 

[Lean'n'mean]

My first rucksack was a Karrimor annapurna II bought in 1979 from Field and Trek. The bags & frame were sold separately, (they only had red or blue I chose the blue) and by memory, there wasn't much change out of a hundred quid for the whole set up (I was earning around £75 a week at the time.)
I used it throughout the 80s.

 

[Springchicken]

Thank you, I have a bit of a collection of vintage Karrimor backpacks now and have been looking at a Jaguar IV on ebay.

I really liked my Jaguar IV. It was surprisingly comfortable and was my companion along the length of Offa's Dyke. I didn't really rate the colour - beige - and discovered later on that it wasn't great for alpine climbing. So, stupidly, I sold it and went for full-out purple with a Haston Alpiniste. "Very cool and much more my speed," I thought until I found what an utter pain it was to get ice accumulating in the velcro covering the rather flimsy central zip; it made the pack about as water resistant as a tea bag. Ah well! We live and we learn!

 

[Dan00001]

I really liked my Jaguar IV. It was surprisingly comfortable and was my companion along the length of Offa's Dyke. I didn't really rate the colour - beige - and discovered later on that it wasn't great for alpine climbing. So, stupidly, I sold it and went for full-out purple with a Haston Alpiniste. "Very cool and much more my speed," I thought until I found what an utter pain it was to get ice accumulating in the velcro covering the rather flimsy central zip; it made the pack about as water resistant as a tea bag. Ah well! We live and we learn!

An Alpiniste is one that I'm desperate to add to my collection. I'm just waiting for the right one at the right price, not that the particularly come up for sale very often.

 

[Tengu]

I believe that they were originally designed for the 1970 expedition that made the first ascent of Annapurna I's south face. I remember reading Chris Bonnington's account of it. It was also the testing ground for the Troll Whillans harness, later dubbed 'the nut crusher'.

I always hankered after an Annapurna II but time passed and I settled for a Jaguar IV instead. That one looks in very good nick!

Annapurna? Brr.

(Just looking at Ben Lawers gives me the shivers)