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I did find a photo of the 85L on ebay with the actual straps (65L ones all seem to feature the same photo) - and although the waist belt is actually padded on that one (as opposed to another one I found, which was basic beyond belief), there is no sign of any adjustment for height. So its not...

Just leave the mat uninflated, but flat with the valve open - your loft or under the bed is ideal.

The little Silva ones (or similar) with a clip are fine, but digital thermometers are not only less breakable, they will also tell you more. You can get ones for less than a fiver, which are used for greenhouses, etc.

A good back system will use the hip belt to support roughly 80% to 90% of the weight of the pack, with perhaps no more than 20% of the weight taken on your shoulders. Its much more comfortable, less likely to hurt your back,and of course transfers the weight lower down, so is less top heavy. The...

But what if the stuff you need doesn't fit into a 45L pack?

Wrapping yourself in a tarp sounds like an exercise in suffering - a decent bag, where you dont have to wrap it in anything, would be the best way. And I'd try out the pleasures of a tarp before you go on your adventure - there is a reason why tents are popular. And yes, you need a stove. A...

There is nothing wrong with tough or simple, and the market will supply that, if you want. But you dont have to be uncomfortable, and frankly, how tough do most of us need a pack to be? Everything is a tradeoff, and since I'm 50 with a dodgy back and a touch of arthitis, I'd trade abject...

But isn't that an indictment of Army purchasing? The Infantry 90 bergan has a long and short version. Thats it. Possibly OK 30 years ago, but just outmoded now. Adjustable back systems have been around for years (Berghaus had them in the eighties) - my LA Liberty 70+20 is about 17 years old...

I've also got a Berghaus Cyclops, but its got no more in the way of a back system than my 25L day sack, and the waist straps are a joke - it would just knacker you using it with a heavy load. Buying a used decent Berghaus pack from Ebay will be lighter and much more comfortable for the same...

Heavy, uncomfortable. camo, and no back system. If I've got c.£40 to spend, which gets me most for my money?

Its one thing to sleep relatively warm, but you wont have much control over the temp your sleeping in, so always better to be cautious - if its too warm, just unzip the bag or even use it like a quilt. But if its cold, you will really know about it, and although you can add extra layers, its...

Looking at the spec on the firms site, the Ridgeway is 'alpine style' - it has no side pockets. But yeah, not vastly different apart from that. Just look for berghaus 65 (rather than just one model), and then see what comes up - you might do well with one of their slightly older high level...

PicLink doesn't pick up everything, but its handy for a quick look, and will generally find other similar items. My tip would be to set up favourite searches, and let Ebay to the job for you. If you search for 'Berghaus 65 rucksacks', you can save that to favourite searches, which will alert...

Totally agree - 25l is for ultra lighters who have spent a huge amount of money on their kit, or people who like hypothermia. As for packs, see what I said in reply to this post - a decent Berghaus 65L with a good back system can be had for £45 or less on Ebay. Wayne is totally right - buy...

Agreed. Frankly, all the four pack mentioned above should be pretty much avoided on principle - between Sports Direct and Mountain Warehouse, the OP has picked the very worst places on the High Street. The OEX range is Go Outdoors decent 'own brand', and you could do a lot worse - they've got...

Look around and see what the market offers - and dont look at seasons too much! Although 3 season is a good bag to aim for, since it will cover much of the conditions you might face, think how you actually sleep. Do you sleep warm or cold? Under a tarp will be colder than a tent, and as a couple...

I'm a fan of Aldi in lots of ways, but I've learnt the hard way that while some camping stuff is good value (and sometimes fantastic value), some isn't the best value. If someone wants a down sleeping bag, and they look at the cost of a decent 1-2 season bag, its a lot more than £40. The...

Yeah - its a very individual thing, and there are loads of different answers. I've certainly spent some money over the years buying stuff that actually was a lot heavier than it needed to be, and if I'd known the market better, I'd have bought better and lighter in the first place - its buy...

Army bergans are relatively heavy and not very comfortable - thats why there is a fair sized industry devoted to modding them. They dont have a proper back system, and same even have the waist straps cut off, which is madness. For about the same amount of money, you can do much better on the...

OEX is Go Outdoors higher level 'own brand' and seems decent. But I notice that the fill power is 600, whereas the Rab Ascent 900 is 650 - although the filling is the same weight, (900g), the Rab has a comfort rating 2 degrees lower ( minus 9 vs minus 11) - thats one reason for the lower price...