Cheap rucksack advice please!

[andyxedos]

hi everyone!

Looking for a cheap rucksack to use for the odd hiking trips or maybe the occasional overnight camp. Have spotted 2 on ebay and would like your opinions on both and how suitable they will be-if you have better alternatives please let me know too!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/260814284202?...84202&_sacat=See-All-Categories&_fvi=1&_rdc=1

or

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/360375209978?...id=m570.l2736&_nkw=360375209978&_fvi=1&_rdc=1

I cant seem to find an awfull lot of information on either on the net so im assuming theyre older models hence the cheapness!
thankyou as always!
andy

 

[Robbi]

have a looksee in Tesco, they do some reasonable stuff at good prices

 

[Shambling Shaman]

have a looksee in Tesco, they do some reasonable stuff at good prices

I would agree, that way you get to look before you part with your cash.

But if puss came to shove I would go tresspass as I'v not has any problems with any of their stuff. Only my personal opinion

 

[Paganwolf]

highlander, good bags cheap as chips, 45ltr one is great or the karrimore bobcat on sports direct superb bag for a nifty!

 

[blacktimberwolf]

As always I agree with Paganwolf, here's one that might interest you....http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Highlander-Ne...ackpacksRucksacks_Bags_EH&hash=item3cb9b84a68

 

[Kepis]

Highlander Forces, great packs, use my 25L as a day sack, it's been dropped, bounced down hills, sat on and generally abused and it just laughs it off

 

[Barn Owl]

You won't go wrong with a Highlander Forces pack.

 

[andyxedos]

cheers for that!

is this any good?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/HIGHLANDER-BA...ackpacksRucksacks_Bags_EH&hash=item3a67aeb5e0
or tesco's seem to have a nice 45l for only £20?
andy

 

[rik_uk3]

Tesco or Argos.

 

[Old Bones]

Cheap is not cheap, expensive is not expensive. Go with a decent brand, possibly in a sale, last years models, etc. Don't buy something you've never tried on (if its wrong, it will hurt like hell), and if a pack is that cheap, think why its that cheap. I've got a Karrimor I bought a couple of years ago, but looking at the build quality, I wouldn't bother again.
Cotswold are doing a Vango Trail 35L for £25 - I have no idea what its like, but Vango stuff tends to be OK. If you are thinking about Trepass, then find you nearest TKMaxx - they normally have them in.

There is always Endy's - http://www.endicotts.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=2426 - Swish packs for a decent sum, plus German stuff and even Highlander.

 

[jacko1066]

Hi, Please forgive me as I am no where near as experienced as these guys on here but I too am looking for a cheap back pack, have you considered something like this -

http://www.flecktarn.co.uk/usrsb1nx.html
or

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0032TE0...de=asn&creative=22218&creativeASIN=B0032TE0VQ

they are both fairy small and with them being Molle it givs you the option of getting pouches and stuff to extend the capacity of your pack for longer stays.
There is a very good review on here for the Bulle pack.
Cheers
Steve

 

[andyxedos]

cheers for all the advice guys! the molle design looks really interesting! do you think the 30l would be big enough or would i be better off getting the 50l? i tried on the tesco 45l tonight and for £20 seemed a good bit of kit-they also had a 6ol for £25? again worth going bigger or just a waste of time?

 

[jacko1066]

Like I say mate Im new to this too so cant really answer your questions tbh, butfrom what I have watched or read on here mot people go for 72hour pack which I think is roughly 50 litres, and like I said early the bulle molle pack got a very good review on here and can always be expanded to carry more by adding extra pouches, or if you dont want to take a big rucksack the pouches can be worn on a belt, I think thats what Im gonna buy myself just because of the flexibility of it.
cheers
Steve

 

[PDA1]

Whatever you buy, try it on forst. With weights inside. An empty pack doesn't give you a feel for what a pack is like loaded. USe cans of food or gallon jugs of liquid so that you can test it with 20-30 lbs (10-15K). If you do this at a outdoor store, they should have weights available for you to test. Walk around the store and ignore the giggles of everybody around. Pack fit and comfort are crucial if you are to walk any distance at all. 40-50 Litres should be adequate for a solo 3 season overnight trip. If you can afford one with an adjustable back, all the better, otherwise, make sure that the one you buy really fits your back.
These are a great set of instructions and videos for backpacking
http://www.rei.com/expertadvice/articles/backpacks+adjusting+fit.html

 

[Minotaur]

Just got two new karrimors from Sports direct, and they need to be tried on. They fine for what I am using them for, but the shoulder straps are like razors. Have also noticed some lose threads etc which do not fill me with much confidance.

If you want one like the Highlander with the pockets., go Gelert Radisson. The one shown is the new one, but the last picture is the middle one. I had the first one. It is still going strong, and been passed on. Think they are working out the 30L from the back pocket, so they are massive rucksacks. Oswald Bailey sell them. You can spot the new ones, by the net pocket, on the bottom pocket.

 

[Lynx]

This is a different Highlander to the earlier one mentioned by the way.

I bought one of these recently and it is a fantastic bag for the price! Nice thick canvas, well made, plenty of pockets and very comfortable straps. Mine was £16 when I bought it and I see they can now be had for less than £10. Bargain believe me. (No links with the seller etc)

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/HIGHLANDER-18...cksRucksacks_Bags_EH&var=&hash=item746b7e6837

 

[blacktimberwolf]

It would be better if you could tell us what you will be puting in your rucksack, how many days/nights on average you will be out & how far you will have to carry your gear......we could then suggest a bag more for your needs, especially the question of size ( how many litres).

 

[maddave]

You won't go wrong with a Highlander Forces pack.

Agreed I have two and they're bombproof

 

[andyxedos]

hi everyone
Thanks for all the replies! Im just starting off so im looking at doing just 1 nighters at first then maybe 2 at the tops-cant imagine doing any longer than that as i love my bed too much lol-hence why i dont want to spend a fortune! (plus the fact i think my other half is about to kill me for spending to much anyway lol). After visiting tesco their 60l seems really good value for £25. Visited mountain warehouse today and they had a rucksack reduced from £130 to £33-was 60-75l so maybe a bit over the top for what i need-was an idiot and forgot the make though :-(

 

[Old Bones]

I'd avoid Mountain Warehouse if poss. They used to be a good shop when they were in Covent Garden selling end of line stuff, but now they are all over the place, selling cheap (and normally overpriced) stuff which tend to fall apart pretty quickly (there is a whole thread on them at Outdoor Magic). Whatever the 'brand' of the pack you found in MW, it one of their 'own brands', and it was almost certainly never £130 - £33 is closer to the real price they were always going to charge. Have a look at the build quality - it will tend to be pretty basic, but have lots of straps and pockets.

MW doesn't pass the drybag test. Dry bags are one of those things that we all buy, but their not very glam, and they never get put on special offer. Since they are all pretty similar (or should be), you can normally tell if the shop is try to cut headline prices to get you in, and then load you up with overpriced smaller stuff (Blacks are past masters at this).

MW charge £7.99 (was £11.99!) for a 10-15L dry bag. Compare that with the standard Exped (trusted well known brand) 13L bag - Endicotts (only in black or green - £7.25 ; Bike Bytz - £7.40, Cotswold (but light blue!) - £8.60, Amazon - £8.55 (although you can get 4 for £17). Exped makes good kit, so I'd tend to trust them more, and be prepared to pay a little extra.
The Karrimor ones you get in Sports Direct - 15L for £4.99 (not bad at all, although their site maintains the fiction that its real price is £19.99), and of course Alpkits Airloks - £5.50 for 13L (and free delivery). I've got some of the Alpkit ones and their really good.
Are you getting a good deal from MW? At £11.99 its a rip-off, but even at £7.99 you can do better going to Sports Direct/Field and Trek (something I don't normally say), Alpkit and Endi's. MW are stretching their margins where it wont really be noticed, and cutting prices (and quality) where it will.

There is good kit which is cheap, and cheap kit. MW is cheap kit. Now Highlander gets good feedback, and Endi's have an NRT 55 for £49.95 or a civvy type Rambler 66L for £37.95 - thats sounds like good kit which is cheap.