Rucksack Capacity - what's your recommendation?

[Paul_B]

OK it's not Bushcraft. I'll get that out straight away. I'm asking my question on here because I suspect there are enough people knowledgeable on kit and who have possibly been in need of something similar.

Question. What capacity rucksack should my partner and I have to carry camping stuff for a basecamp type of summer holiday on a Mediterranean island? Location not important but it's fly out by budget airline and public transport / by foot to a campsite carrying clothes, tent and kit for two adults and a young child.

My partner has a women's 65 litre backpacking sack. I only have a few variations on 50 or so litres. However one has 15litres extension which IMHO actually makes it more like a 70 to 75 litre sack. The other is a custom made sack from aiguille outdoors that's based on a 50 litre sack with three plus extra inches on the back length which they wouldn't commit to how much extra capacity it gives. Both sacks are less than 1.5kg and single main compartment, which IMHO uses available capacity better.

So would 150 shared litres be enough?

If not is there a cheap alternative? It seems to me outdoor shops now only sell lightweight sacks to carry lightweight kit for backpacking. No big volume load luggers like the old karrimor jaguar sack that was available (in civvie form) up to 100 litres.

Any views and recommendations gratefully received.

 

[Buckshot]

yes more than likely but it depends how big the tent is and how much kids toys you want to lug around
Summer in the med you wont need much in the way of clothes or sleeping bags, food you can get there so most of the bulky stuff will not be needed - except for the tent and kids stuff
Perhaps lay it all out and have a test pack now to see if you need anything else

 

[Paul_B]

Three man tunnel tent with extended porch, lightweight down sleeping bags, thermarest mats or exped synmats. The kid is getting a rucksack of his own for toys (8 to 20 litres is available in proper kids sacks, depending what actually fits him).

It will be the first time we've backpacked together. I know what capacity I need for UK camping in areas like the lakes - my home turf (20 litres and 6kg load) or full week trip in remote (for the UK) places in Scotland without re-up ply (50 litres plus 15 litre over pack but mostly it is slightly empty without expansion). I've never tried it in hot places and never with child and my partner. New things are great but I like to be prepared and kitted out.
Tent is a helsport lofoten pro. Cracking good tent IMHO.

http://www.tamarackoutdoors.co.uk/Mobile/MBSCProduct.asp?PdtID=22992944

It's good advice to test pack. I was in an outdoors store at the weekend trying on sacks (went looking for a kid's day pack for our 5 year old but hey I'm a gear freak that has been abstaining from good outdoor kit for several years - went cold turkey when our son was born). It got me thinking (about a new gear purchase) and keen to test pack our bags. Ran out of time at the weekend.

The tent is beautifully compact BTW. Poles are 36cm long and so is the packed tent. Very compact. I think my 4m x 4m DD tarp packs bigger without guylines or poles! Used it cycle touring last year. 3kg is heavy but it's good for three and the large porch makes it suitable for at least 2 weeks continuous use.

Down bags are all 850 or 900 fill power (euro standard which is better than us standard which IIRC over plays the figure). So they're all small pack size. Kids need lots more clothes (although smaller) unless you're doing lots of washing IME. I think two 65 litres should be ok.

 

[Paul_B]

What's a decent rucksack these days?

My favourite sack is the 50+ litre berghaus alpine extrem sack bought early 90s in a fetching shade of blue and bright yellow. Two alloy staves (bent strips of metal) and a total weight of less than 1.5kg. Excellent harness system that can be loose for walking on easy terrain but come the steep stuff you pull a strap low down on the hipbelt and it pulls the whole sack into your back for stability. I've scrambled with a full 20kg load on my back before now. I've noticed a few of the current stash of 65 litre sacks have a similar strap on them. They weren't around just 5 years back when I last looked at larger sacks. To give you an idea of how good they strap and back system was on my old sack I'll tell you about a 10 day traipse around the lakes I did without resupply. I had 20+ litres at the start. About halfway I strained my back so I was in a fair amount of pain. Ibuprofen and paracetamol didn't really touch it. However I put my sack on and pulled that strap tight. The pain died down to a manageable level to continue. The rucksack actually seemed to support my back! They don't make things like that anymore I reckon, certainly not while still being 1.5kg and capable of carrying almost 30 kg load reasonably comfortably.

I just wish it had a bit more capacity for this trip for safety.

 

[KenThis]

In my youth I backpacked around Europe, including more than a week on Kephalonia.
I used a very old and heavy 60 litre rucksack. But I had way too much stuff for a greek island.
It's mostly clothes you don't need, but also think about if you really need to take a cook system.
You probably only need sleeping bag liners and possibly a thin blanket like the snugpak jungle blanket.
Wear a comfy lightweight pair of trousers and long sleeve shirt on the plane out (for the evenings).
Pack just a few t-shirts and shorts/bathers.
It's so warm clothes dry very quickly so have one to wear, one spare and one drying.
I would also make sure of packing some really good insect repellant and bite cream/antihistamines.
IME mosquitos seem to love campsites in Greece, and love campers even more.
Even taking into consideration the baby stuff I think you'd have more than enough literage together.