Hi all.
Wow, so much info it's a bit overwhelming lols!
So I got my new bag today
After considering all the above I thought I had settled on a Lowe Alpine Sting/Ray due to the adjustable hip strap and general applause they seem to get when talked about. I did look at the Kifaru but my wallet attempted to commit suicide, so to coax it back in from the cold, snowey window sill I turned my PC off and went to bed mulling over the options.
Today I came to work, almost ordered the Sting but thought I'd better check my local outdoors shop (if F&T can be classed as such) just in case they had one I could try on. 30 minutes later I came out with a Karrimor Alpiniste Elite 45 +10 (Orange & Grey) which set me back £60 (down from a ton apparently). Opps!!
It's got everything I need on it, and more tbh, but the main thing is it fits me really well and has that Alpine styled slimness originally designed for swift Alpine based movement/climbing/sports but which I find works very well as a trekking pack also. Wearing it in the shop really inspired me to cut down on my bushy gear as well, which was one reason for getting a smaller pack in the first place.
Tbh it was those two aspects that clinched it, the fact it fit and that it was half the price of the Sting. The only downside is that I'd guess teh Sting is somewhat more resilient to bumps and will last a lifetime, whereas my Alpiniste may last 5 to 10 years if treated carefully.
Linky:
http://www.fieldandtrek.com/karri-alpiniste-45-+-10-pack-714125?src=google
Thanks for all your advice, it helped me to decide what I really needed in a bag and what I really didn't!
Cheers
CH
Nb. I'm heading out for a weekend in the woods at the beginning of Feb so will report back with my views soon after, hopefully with pics
