Just thought I would do a mini review of this backpack. Im not sure what version it is, I bought it new in 2011 in the UK. It worked well for me with intermittent use( only a few trips a year) for 13 years. Recently I noticed the material around the internal frame was fraying away, also one of the MMPS top zippers was separating. The main problem though is over the last couple years its lost its normal green color and has some funky bright yellowish /brown bleached look to it.(!) Im 6'3" with a long spine and found the size 4 worked well for me, was able to keep the padded belt around the hips which I cant always do with other styles.
I always used it with both MMPS installed and filled. I tried detaching them and using them rocket pack style but found them a bit annoying and floppy to wear, also using them in everyday use they are bit strange looking to onlookers. Not that it really bothered me but i orginally had the plan to use the 2 MMPS as my regular daypack, but its just a bit unusual to have it on the beach or the train
In the end I settled on a 20 litre very light weight daypack Id roll up and include in the vulcan for hiking out from camp. Im a hunter too, so the daypack was handy for that.
Im in the tropics of Australia, equivalent rainforest to Amazon( literally, same paleoforest type) and have to admit it survived better than most packs here, much better than Australian army packs at any rate. No doubt in regular military or daily use its lifetime would have been shortened,, but just having packs here in storage degrades them as the place has high moisture and insane mould/fungal spore loads in the air.
We have a defence science institute nearby which tests material durabilities for different militaries including the UK( in fact was set up by the Uk MOD in the 60's, used to have Brit Scientists still there when I was a kid in the 80's) and one of the rule of thumbs is rubber products last 1/7th the time here they do in Europe. Textiles not as bad but still limited lifetime even in storage. You go to use something you have had stored for a year and it can fall apart on you.
Anyway, quite happy with this heavy hauler and its ability to survive in the bush (and in the closet) My berghaus gear has outlasted everything else to date, but its time to retire it. The somewhat flourescent washed out brown/yellow color it has turned looks a bit odd(!!) I prefer to blend into the foliage.
I always used it with both MMPS installed and filled. I tried detaching them and using them rocket pack style but found them a bit annoying and floppy to wear, also using them in everyday use they are bit strange looking to onlookers. Not that it really bothered me but i orginally had the plan to use the 2 MMPS as my regular daypack, but its just a bit unusual to have it on the beach or the train
In the end I settled on a 20 litre very light weight daypack Id roll up and include in the vulcan for hiking out from camp. Im a hunter too, so the daypack was handy for that.Im in the tropics of Australia, equivalent rainforest to Amazon( literally, same paleoforest type) and have to admit it survived better than most packs here, much better than Australian army packs at any rate. No doubt in regular military or daily use its lifetime would have been shortened,, but just having packs here in storage degrades them as the place has high moisture and insane mould/fungal spore loads in the air.
We have a defence science institute nearby which tests material durabilities for different militaries including the UK( in fact was set up by the Uk MOD in the 60's, used to have Brit Scientists still there when I was a kid in the 80's) and one of the rule of thumbs is rubber products last 1/7th the time here they do in Europe. Textiles not as bad but still limited lifetime even in storage. You go to use something you have had stored for a year and it can fall apart on you.
Anyway, quite happy with this heavy hauler and its ability to survive in the bush (and in the closet) My berghaus gear has outlasted everything else to date, but its time to retire it. The somewhat flourescent washed out brown/yellow color it has turned looks a bit odd(!!) I prefer to blend into the foliage.
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