EBAY KIT. yes or no?

[darren]

i've been looking at rucksacks on ebay.com at the american ones and the english etc, i've seen a few good ones but this ones caught my eye. its a 100L its looks ok but i dont know whether to get it and risk it being rubbish and falling apart leaving me absouloutly bugger in the wild or to splash out just about £100 and get one from a shop somewhere and have a look at it. i dont have much money to spend though and £100 would set me back alot when i still have to pay for my expedition. what do you guys think of getting kit off ebay? do you think its rubbish stuff or is it just pot luck as to its ok or not. heres the link to da back i was thinking of getting.

http://cgi.ebay.com/7000-CI-HIKING-...8713747224QQcategoryZ2021QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[PC2K]

packs are very personal things, what might fit somebody perfectly may fit very crappy on others. Are you sure you want to risk buying a pack you haven't try first ?

 

[gregorach]

You can get some very good kit off evilBay, but you have to know what you're looking for.

With a rucksack, I wouldn't consider buying one unless I could either try it on beforehand or happily write off the cost. Since it sounds like you don't have money to throw away on a bag you don't like, I'd suggest only considering ones that you can try on locally. Nobody else can really advise you on a rucksack purchase, as nobody else is exactly the same size and shape as you are.

You can get a perfectly adequate bag for plenty less than £100 if you shop around a bit.

Personally, I'd regard a 100L bag as way too big for almost all purposes, but that's a personal decision. Just be aware that you will end up filling it, however big it is.

 

[Goose]

Have you considered a smaller rucsac and a large holdall that it all fits into(including rucsac) so you can leave holdall at your base and take rucsac out "in the field"?
If you are using porters I beleive they can cope with the holdall, but again you will have to be aware of weight limits!

 

[arctic hobo]

I'd strongly recommend a pack 80 litres or less (less is good), and if you ask me, never ever buy online. If you wouldn't buy shoes online, then packs are even less sensible. I'd also recommend you check how easily you can move in it when full, restrictive packs are take a lot of fun out of walking. And balance points - especially important when climbing steep slopes and crossing rivers, as I expect you will be in the Himalayas.

 

[tedw]

I've bought quite a lot of outdoor stuff on Evil-Bay over the past few years and have only been slightly let down twice. As has been said, the key thing is to know just what you are buying; try one out locally, get advice from friends/websites (outdoor magic is pretty good), shop around on the net, then ask the seller important questions about condition, delivery etc. Buy on Paypal if you can as you get some purchase protection and dispute resolution through them.

I also agree that 100l seems a bit too big for most purposes, and that you can get a good expedition-sized rucsac for much less than that.

Good luck,

Ted W

 

[Toddy]

Hi Darren,
Buying off ebay can be a very good thing, but your rucsack, especially the conditions you propose to use it under, needs to fit *you* not some anonymous one size fits nobody very well.
You do realise that 100L rucsack will hold an 7 stone woman Do you *really* want to be carrying that much???? All day, for how long??

Why not go and make friendly with your local outdoors shops, (not on a Saturday afternoon when they are rushed off their feet!) ask advice, try on all of the alternatives, keep your money in your pocket until you are absolutely sure.....and student discounts can be even better things than ebay
Best of luck with it all,
Toddy

 

[darren]

Hi Darren,
Buying off ebay can be a very good thing, but your rucsack, especially the conditions you propose to use it under, needs to fit *you* not some anonymous one size fits nobody very well.
You do realise that 100L rucsack will hold an 7 stone woman Do you *really* want to be carrying that much???? All day, for how long??

Why not go and make friendly with your local outdoors shops, (not on a Saturday afternoon when they are rushed off their feet!) ask advice, try on all of the alternatives, keep your money in your pocket until you are absolutely sure.....and student discounts can be even better things than ebay
Best of luck with it all,
Toddy

i'm rethinking the whole 100L pack beacuse althought i have to carry my stuf i've discovered we might have donkeys. i know lazy but we aint riding them they for carrying tents and cooking stuff etc. i'm looking for a 65L now as i might pick up some wood etc and stick dat in da pack and make some spoons or sumin. speaking of spoons i've made my first spoon yay! its nearly finished just need to sand down the head and sort out the dip a bit. sweet. lol

thanks for all the advice i'm not gunna buy my rucksack off ebay now and i'll recommend not buyin a rucksack off ebay to some of the others aswell.
darren

 

[moduser]

I agree with PC2K. When it comes to your main pack - always try it on first.

I'm happy to buy a day pack reasonably blind but not my main pack.

I suppose if you see a great pack review and know that the strap and waistband system are very flexible and it also has movable lumber pads so you can make it fit you then maybe take the chance (but only if the supplier is prepared to have you send it back if it doesn't fit)

 

[spoony]

Prob get shot down here, but i would have a look at your local Blacks store

Blacks

I have a berghaus, karrimor and a blacks own make, the blacks own make was a 45 litre but i can get as much in if not more than the karrimor 60 litre (go figure)
it has taken everything i have chucked at it, if you contact them they may even sponser you, berghaus also do some cracking stuff, They is a wholesaler not far from me, ill check out some prices next time im there,

 

[darren]

Prob get shot down here, but i would have a look at your local Blacks store

Blacks

I have a berghaus, karrimor and a blacks own make, the blacks own make was a 45 litre but i can get as much in if not more than the karrimor 60 litre (go figure)
it has taken everything i have chucked at it, if you contact them they may even sponser you, berghaus also do some cracking stuff, They is a wholesaler not far from me, ill check out some prices next time im there,

we dont have a blacks store near by sadly. the closest thing to a hiking kit shop is millets which u'll all prob tell me to stay well away from
thanks spoony. whats the website addy i'll check it out online

 

[ScanDgrind]

Don't buy a pack that you haven't at least looked at in the flesh and tried on in the shop.

Go to the shops and try on as many as take your fancy. Whan you've decided on which packs you like take a note of the make and model. Then do a search on Ebay for those exact packs and see if you can get it any cheaper.

I've found that I cannot get a berghaus to fit me, they are always uncomfortable. My wife loves berghaus and I prefer Karrimor. Wer're all different so see what fits you.

Cheers,

Tony

 

[tedw]

Just another thought - it's got to be worth a trip to a big retailer, someone like Cotswold Camping or Field and Trek, where you can try on lots of rucs and they will understand why you need to. When you do, get them to put some weight in the ruc - that makes a heck of a difference to how it feels on your back!

Ted W

 

[scanker]

Go and try them on wherever you feel like and then have a look at the links that have been posted and try and find the one you like for less online.

 

[nickg]

darren ive bought loads of stuff on ebay - its ok with common sense - i recently got a brand new hennessy for 50 quid from a trader in america. trick is this - first make sure that the seller has loads of sales - gold star at least - then check his feedbacks - read loads of them to see if they are consistant and satisfactory. Then go and check out whatever it is your buying in a shop and be sure that it fits your requirements - then check the E-Bay price and make sure its CHEAPER than you can get elsewhere - always always always check the postage costs and make sure that the combined price is still cheaper that you can get it down the road, it amazes me how many sales i see for more that the retail price (search for Rays DVDs and compare the price on his website - people pay 10-15 quid more than if they got it direct) if you are still unsure ask the seller a question and gauge the response if any. Finally bid no more than about 80% of retail price and dont be tempted to push your bid up if you are outbid. Good luck

 

[Phil562]

Your'e right there Nickg.

I can't beleive how much people pay for kit fom ebay.

I have seen untold items go for more then the rrp.

Top tip is deffinitly check online store prices before deciding what you are willing to bid up too, and don't forget the postage, some people really do take the mick on their charges.

 

[RovingArcher]

You will be much happier with the 65liter sack. As many have stated, try one on before buying on the ebay place. There are lots of knockoffs on ebay, so be aware of this and make sure the pack is authentic.

 

[swamp donkey]

Not going to say much about E bay had lots of things from there never any real problems . just follow the advice the others have given reference doing your homework before purchase,extra tips always ask questions and request extra pictures if not clear and if the picture is not of the actual item but pinched from another site etc steer clear. Dont forget if you by from the US (outside the EU) and it costs over £18 your are likely to stung for import duty and VAT , making something which looks a good deal really expensive.

The size of rucsac you require is firstly in relation to the size of you, I am a biggish chap and my boots take up nearly a whole sac on there own! and my sleeping bag is extra large what ever the make and needs more space. You also need to think about what you are going to ask your sac to to over the period of time you own it. If you are going to want to add ropes, crampons, climbing gear, science equipment , rocks etc etc etc on top of your normal gear you wil need extra space and it will need to be able to take the extra load. (remember you get what you pay for) . After all you can always make a big sac smaller but not the other way around. If you are going to travel by Air get a cheap holdall to put your sac in and tape it up ,thus ensuring you have all the straps when you get there .

Have a go with as many sacs as you can with a decent load in dont trust the inflatable pillow that the shop one will have in.

Mind you I am not sure that I can be trusted as my best sac was one made from a old army pack frame and two aluminium walls ice cream tins !

 

[wanderinstar]

I must have been very lucky then, going by the comments so far.
I bought a Regatta Survivor 85 that had been used once for £10.51, and it fits like a glove.
Ian.

 

[Roy's Badger]

Dudes,

a word of warning from e-bay land: my missus has just been ripped off to the tune of £145 by some dodgy geezer in Bradford. Sent her an item not even remotely resembling the one on the sales site, and the e-bay claims system is tortuously slow, and only refunds up to £105. You have been warned...!