No Hip Belt Bag

[BumblingAlong]

There is a few thread discussing the importance of hip belts for rucksacks. I'm the opposite, I don't get on with hip belts.

My current go to is a Pro Force New Forces 33L which is ideal apart from the lower back area which is heavy stitched as meets the bonded base. The structure is too much for me. Consequently my lower back soon hurts.

Any recommendations for any 33-35L non hip belt bags similiar to the Pro Force that don't bury themselves in your lower back.

 

[Erbswurst]

Do you think that this here is large enough and better for your back?

British Army Daypack, black, 30 litres

https://www.armysales.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&path=334_368&product_id=322

 

[Erbswurst]

The German army mountain troop rucksack 34 litres is a totally soft construction. Still made by HEIM in Germany. Weighs only 820 g.

German Infantry Backpack Cordura

With its 34 liter capacity, is the German army backpack the perfect roomy day pack for hiking or short trips. The large main compartment has an extra pocket with Hook and Loop for the BW sleeping pad (sleeping pad not included). In the side pockets you can store for example water bottles or...

www.asmc.com

It has a compartment at the back for the German army folding mat, that's available only used if you still can find it. But Multimat makes a surely good copy for British parachutists, called Adventure 4 XL.

Multimat - Adventure 4 XL

Sleeping mat, ideal for global backpacking

www.multimat.uk.com

You can put instead of it just clothing in the compartment how it was done before with similar constructed rucksacks.
If you would put a padded jacket in there or a fleece jacket it's really soft of course.

I own this rucksack and after I took out the folding mat I can use the entire rucksack as a comfortable pillow because I keep my spare clothing in the main compartment directly behind the folding mat.

It's the softest plastic fabric rucksack in this size that I know.
But it's made of 1000 Denier Cordura Nylon like most current real military rucksacks.

I use mainly this rucksack. I honestly think that it's the best one in this size on the world market. They become very old, don't degrade in decades, no zippers, no nonsense.

 

[MikeLA]

JayJays lite fighter, expensive but the best. Personally don’t own one but known lads who have and they rated them.

 

[BumblingAlong]

Do you think that this here is large enough and better for your back?

British Army Daypack, black, 30 litres

https://www.armysales.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&path=334_368&product_id=322

Had one of these for a day. Nearly crippled me.

 

[Erbswurst]

Do you consider a cotton or linen rucksack too?

Like that here for example?

Rucksack Model M44 German Army WW2 Canvas Backpack with straps

German Model 1944 canvas rucksack by Fabric Adler Berg The M44 rucksack was modified from the earlier Model 1931 mountain Rucksack The M44 was designed to replace the Tornister 39 model pack and due to its large capacity and practicality is became part of the general marching order from all...

www.sofmilitary.co.uk

 

[BumblingAlong]

JayJays lite fighter, expensive but the best. Personally don’t own one but known lads who have and they rated them.

Price prohibited

 

[BumblingAlong]

Do you consider a cotton or linen rucksack too?

Like that here for example?

Rucksack Model M44 German Army WW2 Canvas Backpack with straps

German Model 1944 canvas rucksack by Fabric Adler Berg The M44 rucksack was modified from the earlier Model 1931 mountain Rucksack The M44 was designed to replace the Tornister 39 model pack and due to its large capacity and practicality is became part of the general marching order from all...

www.sofmilitary.co.uk

A great feature of the Pro Force was excellent load bearing straps. That's the starting point. Then a back/base that is close but doesn't jag the back

 

[Erbswurst]

That doesn't answer my question about the material.

How tall are you?
Which weight do you want to load in total?
Do you really need 33 litres or are less OK as well?

 

[SCOMAN]

I don't know how much weight you're carrying and I don't know the pack but is it possible that you're carrying too much weight for the pack. The brand is not known for its quality I'm afraid. A short military style pack eg surplus packs, Munro, Karrimor SF Predator, is meant to ride on top of the webbing pouches, they take on the load bearing rather than a waist belt. A longer pack with a sensible waist belt will take the load onto the hips and make it more comfortable. The Karrimor SF Sabre 45 is a great pack with good load bearing capability.

 

[TLM]

but is it possible that you're carrying too much weight for the pack.

I think that is the main point, it is not the volume but load weight that is critical. Military style assault packs as said are not meant to be carried without the webbing, can of course be done but not with too much weight. I have one as got it cheaply but I would not load over 10 kg and even that is not very comfortable but goes.

My experience is that on the lighter weights a waist belt is not needed (unless one intends to run) but that is really a matter of taste.

 

[BumblingAlong]

That doesn't answer my question about the material.

How tall are you?
Which weight do you want to load in total?
Do you really need 33 litres or are less OK as well?

Material is a excellent point. Maybe nylon would have been a better option.

I'm 5' 9 and over 60 yrs of age so body has some wear and tear.

My regular bag is Karrimoor Urban 30 which is excellent and used daily, so comfy without any pinch points. My long enduring struggle is to increase the capacity by just a few litres

I don't know how much weight you're carrying and I don't know the pack but is it possible that you're carrying too much weight for the pack. The brand is not known for its quality I'm afraid. A short military style pack eg surplus packs, Munro, Karrimor SF Predator, is meant to ride on top of the webbing pouches, they take on the load bearing rather than a waist belt. A longer pack with a sensible waist belt will take the load onto the hips and make it more comfortable. The Karrimor SF Sabre 45 is a great pack with good load bearing capability.

Sports Direct offer Karrimor SF Sabre 30,35 & 45. Could be an idea to go in and try them on. The 35l could be ideal

 

[SCOMAN]

The size on your back is critical. The 45 is a sweet spot for many.

 

[Erbswurst]

The German mountain troop rucksack in Cordura Nylon will surely work well for you. The size will fit very well on your back.
If packed correctly the load sits vertically and next to your back. With a light load it feels rather like a jacket than a rucksack.
This rucksack is as robust as other military rucksacks but has approximately half the weight.

People in your age often use equipment that they accumulated over the years and that works or rather worked well for them.
They just continue to use what they always used, of course.

But if you get back problems it's absolutely worth to change your equipment to lightweight solutions that sometimes are very old and still the best, but often are the newest products on the market and unknown by the grandpa generation, because they didn't inform themselves about the newest development since decades.

From the early nineties to now most lightweight stuff lost half the weight.
The technical differences are nearly as big as the changes from 1960 to 1990.
Of course. 30 years of development are 30 years!
That doesn't touch the real heavy duty expedition equipment so much. But for rather civilised areas like most parts of England the new lightweight stuff is robust enough. If you could simply call a taxi to pick you up, you simply don't need bomb proof equipment.

It's nonsense to look too much onto durability if you can't carry the stuff anymore and have a limited amount of time left over anyway.
And with a relatively low investment into the lightest available equipment you can perhaps gain another ten years more in the woods. For someone who loves the nature it's surely worth it.
And otherwise the experience that you have in that age allows you to use such lightweight stuff in most conditions. You simply don't break your stuff as fast as a teenager.

 

[MikeLA]

Price prohibited

Agreed

 

[BumblingAlong]

Ordered a Karrimor SF Sabre 35l (black) from Sports Direct. Good price £65 + £5 carriage. It's raining now. Wonder how waterproof they are

 

[BumblingAlong]

The Karrimor SF Sabre 35l has proved to be an excellent piece of kit. Essentially it's the 30l with two 2.5l side pockets added making 35l which works for me but unfortunately due to this config it doesn't have any compression straps like the 30l or the 45l before you add the zip PLCE pockets.

It's important because the bag only carries well when it's fully packed so I would like the ability to synch it down when not fully packed so it carries as though it was packed

Anybody have experience of adding compression straps or some other compression device working around/over side pockets