I'm torn between buying cheap kit now to get camping now and saving up to buy better stuff to go camping next year.
Camping for 3 days: What size rucksack would be best?
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Start with the basics and build your kit up
Thanks, I'll look to getting a basic kit together and go camping!
Lots of good tips on the forum and on youtube, remember to cover shelter, fire, food and water.
A starter kit:
Rucksack
Something to sleep in and under
Something to cook on- even if just a fire
Something to cook in
Food and water, and something to eat out of and eat with is nice
Knife and folding saw
First aid kit
Torch or lantern is nice but not really essential
Fire lighting kit
Get a 40l rucksack, put in the essentials, shelter, sleeping bag, food, cooker. The fit in luxuries in the order of importance to you (radio, hipflask, chocolate)
I regularly do mountain marathons etc with a 30l pack, which contains my teeny tiny sleeping bag, half a tent, map, toothbrush, clean shorts, camelbak and food. Do you actually need any more than that? I could easily get the other half a tent in a 40l rucksack with everything else.
Any bag over 65l is for a serious expedition. Anything over 80l is nothing more than an expression of your tough, strong, rugged outdoorsy manhood. Anything over 100l is for a Special Forces behind the lines 3 week survival fightfest.
I regularly do mountain marathons etc with a 30l pack, which contains my teeny tiny sleeping bag, half a tent, map, toothbrush, clean shorts, camelbak and food. Do you actually need any more than that? I could easily get the other half a tent in a 40l rucksack with everything else.
Any bag over 65l is for a serious expedition. Anything over 80l is nothing more than an expression of your tough, strong, rugged outdoorsy manhood. Anything over 100l is for a Special Forces behind the lines 3 week survival fightfest.
You're joking? 80l for 3 nights? If you look in B&Q they do some quite small kitchen sinks!
If you are on a budget as you say, then my advice would be to get a slightly larger pack than absolutely necessary- this will give you maximum flexibility over the years- just resist the temptation to fill it up unnecessarily!
Don't delay going camping just to save up for expensive equipment- these days perfectly adequate equipment can be bought surprisingly cheaply. If you are in Birmingham, I believe they have a Clas Ohlsen- perfect for building up your first budget kit, and very cheap. You can also pick up a Mora (Cocraft) knife there for £3.99. Take a look at their website before you go to compare prices and build up a shopping list!
Don't delay going camping just to save up for expensive equipment- these days perfectly adequate equipment can be bought surprisingly cheaply. If you are in Birmingham, I believe they have a Clas Ohlsen- perfect for building up your first budget kit, and very cheap. You can also pick up a Mora (Cocraft) knife there for £3.99. Take a look at their website before you go to compare prices and build up a shopping list!
It does depend on your attitude to gear weight.
A 45l sac weighing circa 12kg packed is easily big enough for me for 3 days unsupported travel in spring/summer. But I use mostly ultralight gear (down sleeping bag, cooking in a titanium mug, ultralight tent, Thermarest neoair, dehydrated food etc) and walk in the highlands where water resupply is never an issue. Ultralight gear tends to be expensive and fragile.
I use a Sabre 45. As Nonsuch says, these milspec bags are a bit heavier than they need to be, though they are robust. Two 15l mil surplus pouches attach easily to the Sabre 45 and you have a 75l rucsac, with the option of strapping other items on. That should do you 3 days in winter. It did me for 5 days in the arctic spring.
Also the Sabre 45 has a non adjustable back - not a problem if it fits you.
It also depends on where you are going. In mountain country you feel every kilogram on the ascents and descents - I might tolerate more weight when not crossing contour lines all the time.
A 45l sac weighing circa 12kg packed is easily big enough for me for 3 days unsupported travel in spring/summer. But I use mostly ultralight gear (down sleeping bag, cooking in a titanium mug, ultralight tent, Thermarest neoair, dehydrated food etc) and walk in the highlands where water resupply is never an issue. Ultralight gear tends to be expensive and fragile.
I use a Sabre 45. As Nonsuch says, these milspec bags are a bit heavier than they need to be, though they are robust. Two 15l mil surplus pouches attach easily to the Sabre 45 and you have a 75l rucsac, with the option of strapping other items on. That should do you 3 days in winter. It did me for 5 days in the arctic spring.
Also the Sabre 45 has a non adjustable back - not a problem if it fits you.
It also depends on where you are going. In mountain country you feel every kilogram on the ascents and descents - I might tolerate more weight when not crossing contour lines all the time.
+10
Take a look at supermarket dehydrated stuff in packs, or longlife packs. Now and then Tescos stocks some fantastic curries in longlife packs - you can even reheat them just by putting the pack in hot water.
I would prefer to buy reasonably priced but good quality second hand gear rather than cheap new kit.
As for pack size, be it one night or one year, it's a 100 ltr for me, I've a lot of bulky stuff & I have to carry my dog's bedding, food & water too. I'm not a minimalist nor a light-weighter & I prefer to decide what to pack rather than let the rucksack's limited capacity dictate to me what I can take.
It's always exciting putting together new kit ( at least I think it is ) so have fun. I 've said it before but I don't mind repeating myself all you need is the following;
Something to carry your gear in.
Something to sleep in,on & under.
something to cook in & on.
something to make a flame.
something to cut with.
Food & water is up to you.
If you've got those things covered, you can go anywhere & do anything. Try not to get too bogged down with gear & details, the idea is to be out there doing it.
Haha ! my dog would look a bit of a wussie wearing one of those things, besides he's getting on now & a dog's back was never meant to carry weight....thanks for the link though !
My mate a gurkhas carried a 30l when we went up to Corrour for a 3 nighters and the trip after that he carried a 75l for another 3 nighter, so it is up rreally to individual of what he wants in his sack for any particular trip.
If you're on a budget, Tesco do some reasonably good rucksacks, one of which is about 45l (as I recall)
I dry a lot of food myself, don't mind a Vesta for lunch but most of the retort pouch meals from Tesco are either too small in portion (Look what I found meals) or poor quality (sorry mate, the curries are not great) or I don't want tuna with lime etc.
Can of chicken curry and a packet of five minute rice, filling meal cost £1.29. Corned beef stew made with dried veg and served with smash, meal for two for under £3. I've got a load of rat packs I really must start using but I car camp only these days so tend to take fresh or frozen in the ice box
I went through all the smallest pack to fit all I need in. Nightmare! Have to be carefull packing in and when leaving if cold wet and tired thats all you need! I now use my Lowe Alpine sting (55litre plus sidepockets) for everything. Its easy to compress and easy to chuck everything in to leave site fast. Also if you find anything while out extra space is handy!
Sports Direct currently has a 65L Karrimor rucksack going for £32 and Millets has several tents at £25 which I can afford this month. I got two 44L dry-sacks from Aldi @ £2.99 each. I'd like to buy a micro-tangia with a view to getting a Honey-stove at a later date.
hi there
My pack for an overnighter is the same as for a three nights, the only real difference is the amount food and water I take. I use my large 'Molle modified' Alice Pack. Most of the gear is the sleeping and cooking kit, which is always the same. I don't know how big this pack is about 50 odd litres I imagine and is way big enough for all my kit. My base weight is around 15kg.
The danger of too big a pack is the temptation to take a few more "just in case" items. If I don't use a piece of kit (other than my poncho) for two trips, it gets left at home. I only want to carry kit I'll use.
My gear is not the lightest of its type... but it has to be essential to earn its place. When I see videos where the guy says that such or such an item is somewhat redundant, I don't understand... Why carry the extra redundant weight???
cheers
Gareth
My pack for an overnighter is the same as for a three nights, the only real difference is the amount food and water I take. I use my large 'Molle modified' Alice Pack. Most of the gear is the sleeping and cooking kit, which is always the same. I don't know how big this pack is about 50 odd litres I imagine and is way big enough for all my kit. My base weight is around 15kg.
The danger of too big a pack is the temptation to take a few more "just in case" items. If I don't use a piece of kit (other than my poncho) for two trips, it gets left at home. I only want to carry kit I'll use.
My gear is not the lightest of its type... but it has to be essential to earn its place. When I see videos where the guy says that such or such an item is somewhat redundant, I don't understand... Why carry the extra redundant weight???
cheers
Gareth
I've got enough kit, mixing and matching budget and quality, to go camping next week.
Thanks everyone for your input.
Thanks everyone for your input.
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