How many rucksacks do you have?

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Mike313

Nomad
Apr 6, 2014
272
30
South East
Hi Folks,
I think I have a bit of a bag fetish..... maybe. I have several rucksacks and other bags, as follows:

1: A Large ALICE pack, the one with the 6 external pockets and the metal frame, great rucksack.
2. An ancient Camp Trails rucksack, external frame. Had it since I was in my 20's. Think it's in the attic.
3: A 65 + 10 Berghaus rucksack, which I cannot fault.
4. A 25litre Berghaus rucksack which is my number 1 day bag. Really good with a waist belt and chest belt.
5. A Targus (laptop) backpack with is probably 30litre. Magnificent bag.
6. A Flyye 'Accessories' bag which is my EDC bag.
7. A Troop canvas bag which WAS my EDC bag.
8. Maybe 6 other hip and bum bags.

And to be honest, I've never found the PERFECT rucksack or EDC bag yet. I even looked at having one custom-made or making it myself. The Berghaus and the Flyye come closest to what (I think) I need. My other half has been complaining, 'Surely you just need one rucksack' etc. (and she is right to a certain extent) (No she's not!) (I've a split personality !!!). So I have put the ALICE pack on Gumtree and Friday-Ad and may well get rid of some of the others. Anyway my question is (a) how many rucksacks do you have and (b) which one(s) are your favourite? Thank you and goodnight!
 

brambles

Settler
Apr 26, 2012
771
71
Aberdeenshire
Hmm
A Blacks Alpine 85 litre pack
A USMC ILBE Main Pack
A Berghaus AB65 climbing sack ( 30 years old )
A Karrimor Silvaguard Hot Ice ( 30 years old)
A MOLLE tactical pack in coyote
A pair of Timberland daysacks
A Maxpedition Gleaneagle messenger bag in OD green
A Jack Wolfskin waistpack
A Marpat waist/handlebar bag
 

Ahjno

Vice-Adminral
Admin
Aug 9, 2004
6,861
51
Rotterdam (NL)
www.bushcraftuk.com
Lowe Alpine Sting (OD)
Kifaru Spike Legend
5.11 Rush 72 (with tags still on)

I really like the Kifaru for its hipbelt and the way it carries stuff in comfort. The 5.11 gives me my fix for my urge to organise ... (But already dislike the shoulderstraps).
 

cranmere

Settler
Mar 7, 2014
992
2
Somerset, England
1. a Karrimor women's 50l pack is my biggest, I've never been into carrying huge loads and that is plenty for backpacking gear.
2. a Karrimor Bullfrog 30l
3. A small hydration pack with just enough room to carry some sandwiches and a waterproof as well as 2 litres of water.
 

ozzy1977

Full Member
Jan 10, 2006
8,558
3
46
Henley
Berghaus vulcan
Berghaus munro
Karrimor predator 45
Berghaus tallus 2
Berghaus 65l something
GoLite jam 50l
Swedish m39
Finnish gas mask bag
Swedish gas mask bag
British gas mask bag
Camelbak mule
Daiwa infinity monsterous masive thing
And a pair of karrimor bumbags
 

Shewie

Mod
Mod
Dec 15, 2005
24,259
24
48
Yorkshire
45L multicam infantry pack & side pockets
Karrimor SF Hydro 30
MaxP Jumbo Versipack
ULA Ohm
ULA CDT
ZPacks Arc Blast
MLD Prophet
Montane Cobra
Alpkit Gourdon 20 dry pack
True North Zero 1
Granite Gear Trad 4 portage pack
Lomo 60L dry pack

More than I thought, and I've sold a few recently
 

11binf

Forager
Aug 16, 2005
203
0
61
Phx. Arizona U.S.A
hi all..i have (A) large ALICE ruck and frame (B) med. ALICE ruck and frame (C) Berghaus Cyclops 2 Vulcan (D) US Army assault pack in UCP (E) 2-3 Russian army meshok (F) P-37 Large and Small packs (G) Molle waist packs in woodland,desert,UCP,and multicam...I think I still have a few east german assault packs around aswell...by the way I really like the Molle waist packs, I moded them by putting plastic D-rings on the back and use a G.P. sling to carry it around..i'll list the contents a little latter...vince g. 11binf
 

Squidders

Full Member
Aug 3, 2004
3,853
15
48
Harrow, Middlesex
Just one... a Lowe Alpine Cerro Torre 65:85.

Fantastic pack, can carry loads and is very comfy doing so but also copes well with light loads and straps up tight.

Still fancy a Golite Jam 50L though.
 

Quixoticgeek

Full Member
Aug 4, 2013
2,483
23
Europe
I have a pile of packs, but I use 3 most of the time:

- PLCE side pocket - my small bag of choice, currently has my college materials in it
- Osprey Tempest 30 - My handbag, used for nearly everything the PLCE pocket is too small for
- Berghaus Vulcan - This used to be my goto pack of choice, but after 10 years of use (including 2 years of everyday use - not unpacked for 2 years) but it's too heavy, and I plan on replacing it when I have funds

J
 
Feb 18, 2012
534
10
Bedfordshire
Berghaus Vulcan

Swedish Army M39

Swedish Army LK35

Swedish Army LK70

Savotta 339

Savotta LJK

The swedish army ones I take if I am camping out with fire, so I don't cry too much If I manage a spark hole. The Berghaus is used as a kit store now as I only use external frame packs.
 

Teepee

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jan 15, 2010
4,115
5
Northamptonshire
GG Mariposa
Sabre 130
Old school Karrimor 20l
Lowe Commando
Blacks 65l
Lomo 60l drybag
Highlander 25l
Sea to Summit Sil 20l
Preston fishing pack
Steel framed Canvas pack
Lifeventure 25l
GG G4 (Myog)
Vau De 65l
Dep bags
 
Berghaus Vulcan

Swedish Army M39

Swedish Army LK35

Swedish Army LK70

Savotta 339

Savotta LJK

The swedish army ones I take if I am camping out with fire, so I don't cry too much If I manage a spark hole. The Berghaus is used as a kit store now as I only use external frame packs.

ive ve got the m39 the lk35 and the lk75... The m39 is most comfortable, although I'm going back to using webtex type 75ltr pack as it's a darn site more comfy than all the above.
 

Laurentius

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Aug 13, 2009
2,422
614
Knowhere
I expect rather too many, there is no such thing as perfection yet. I am recently inclined to go retro, and do away with the pack altogether and strap everything to an old aluminium pack frame I still have from the seventies. I may well get round to making myself a wooden pack frame to go one better, but that is for the future when I find time.
 

sunndog

Full Member
May 23, 2014
3,561
477
derbyshire
Berghaus Munro
Berghaus vulcan
Lowe alpine sting
Camel back peak bagger
Camel back hawg
35ltr snugpack
Large alice pack
British arctic? Pack
Half a dozen shoulder bags (only use one :rolleyes: )
25ltr osprey
80-100ltr karimoor independence (same as the newer big sabre I think)
plus a couple of random old canvas rucks
 

Imagedude

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Feb 24, 2011
2,004
45
Gwynedd
Aiguille Expedition 90+20 litre (plus 20 litre pockets)
Pod X- Pod 80-100 litre
Osprey Aether 70 litre
Karrimor Alpiniste 55 litre
Aiguille Super Colouir 46+15 litre
Aiguille Zenith 57 litre (modified to double as pulk harness)
Berghaus Vector 50+ litre
Osprey Atmos 50 litre
Aiguille Ice Pro 50 litre
Pod Alpine 40 litre
Osprey Atmos 35 litre

My first proper sack was a Berghaus Vector purchased circa 1980. It was a simple top loader with no frame or stays. i added the side pockets to increase the capacity to 50+ litres and used the sack for all activities including climbing and a 2 week trip in Scotland. I'd love to see any promotional material for this classic sack that may be languishing in the Berghaus archives. I still use this sack for storing my old climbing kit.
The Vector was replaced in the late 80s by the classic purple Karrimor Alpiniste 65 sack. Again it was a simple toploader with the advantage of the Fformat back system. This was my 'go to' sack for the best part of 20 years. It had buckles you could use with cold fingers, a decent if sweaty back system, straps on the top, bottom and sides which could be used to carry old school kip mats or crampons etc and a decent size lid compartment. It was everything a sack needs to be and in many respects this sack is rarely bettered or even equalled. Despite being a simple single compartment sack it has one of the most accessible compartmens due to the diameter of the opening being just that bit wider than modern alpine sacks. I appreciate that climbing sacks need to be fairly narrow but many are so narrow that it is difficult to get your gear to fit inside, e.g. often the sack isn't wide enough to get your tent in horizontally so you have to fit it vertically and try to pack around it to fully utilize the remaining space. If a replacement for the Alpiniste 65 was released with a less sweaty back system I'd buy it tomorrow.
The Alpiniste was supplemented by the Karrimor Condor 60-100. It was a comfortable if heavy and overfeatured sack. Also it had 2 compartments which look good on paper but are never that good in practice. I don't trust the zips on the lower compartment and they are never that easy to pack efficiently. The top compartment was nice and wide and again the sack could be used with cold fingers . The Condor served for 20 years also.
In the 90s I did 8 years in the TA and used a modified Berghaus Crusader as the issue sack was so uncomfortable. The Crusader was moddified to accept a third zip on side pocket on the back. This is a common and useful modification for a large military sack. The big side pockets are great for personal admin around camp. I do like single compartment sacks but if a sack does have sack/back pockets then make them nice and big. Again the Crusader was a simple toploader with a nice lid compartment. The straps and hip belt could have been better padded though. In the last few years I replaced my older sacks with the following:
My day sack is an Osprey Atmos 35. I purchased this sack because of the comfortable back system which is well vented. It has way too many compartments though and too many 'features' that i just don't need. It has 3 main zippered compartments rather than being a toploader. I don't think these compartments offer any advantage over a simple toploader.
My overnight sack is an Osprey Atmos 50. This has the usual osprey pros and cons. Great back system (if a little fragile) with good venting. The sack is a toploader but with extra compartments and a stretch pouch on the back. These compartments are useful for waterproofs, snack bars and water bottles but they are not necessary. The curve of the back system makes the pack slightly difficult to pack. I recently carried 40lbs for 3 days with this sack and found it to be very comfortable. Like the above sack the straps/buckles etc are tiny and difficult to use with warm hands and impossible in Winter conditions with cold hands.
My big backpacking sack is the Osprey Aether 70. Again a typical Osprey experience. Comfortable and well vented but the detachable top lid/bum bag feature is not needed and just adds weight/complexity. A slightly narrow sack for my liking and it has a lower 'sleeping bag' compartment which I don't like as it means that you end up with a saggy unfilled area about a third of the way up the sack. I really do like single compartment sacks
smile_smiley.gif
. As far as Osprey sacks go, this is a relatively uncluttered sack
My winter day sack is a Pod Alpine 40. Fairly comfortable and simple though access to the top lid pocket is difficult as it is too small. The major flaw with this sack is the tiny buckles which are impossible to use with cold hands. For a winter/alpine sack this is unforgivable. One feature i'm starting to warm to is the roll top lid. It's not as quick to use as a drawcord closure but it is more secure. The elasticated and reinforced crampon mounting system is quite useful. The sack needs straps on the top lid to allow external carrying of large kipmats, this, in my opinion, is a serious omission.
My big winter sacks are the Pod X-Pod and the Aiguille Expedition sacks. Both are bombproof drawcord toploaders with fixed back lengths and a minimum of external clutter. Both are comfortable but sweaty. The only improvements I could make to these sacks would be to make them from Dyneema and add some ventilation to the back systems. Otherwise they are everything a sack needs to be.
 

MT606

Nomad
Jan 17, 2013
432
11
North of the southern wall.
x3 ww2 m31 Gebirgsjager rucksacks
x1 small m31 type/general rucksack
x1 highlander forces 33 daysack in a nice shade of DPM
x1 120 ltr British issue inf bergen in a nice shade of the above
x1 100 ltr '' '' '' '' in a nice shade of Green/OD
x1 grab bag in MTP
x2 us mussette bags
numerous British ww2 haversacks/back packs.

and a partridge in a pear treeeeeeeeeeeeee.
 

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