Gear

Hey folks,

Well it's that 'Let's upgrade our kit' time of year again and this time the focus is on Rucksacks. I need something that can fit in gear for a couple of days, is reasonably hard-wearing and preferably comfortable. Most of my gear is quite light (Voyager Superlite, Thermarest, Event waterproofs etc) the only exception being my sleeping bag which is synthetic as a result of allergies. The only other requirement is that it just about fits as hand luggage for when I go over to Norway to visit the in-laws and do a bit of wild camping.

Have been looking at Osprey Talon 44, Lowe Alpine 45 and Golite Jam. Are these appropriate to my needs? Any thoughts or advice on these or any alternatives would be most gratefully received...

Cheers.

Nothing wrong with any of them. Probably worth adding the OMM Villain, Osprey Exos 46 and Crux AK47 to the list and then trying as many of them as possible to find what best meets your needs and fits well.

packs with curved backs are not hand luggage friendly which will narrow your selection down as will the packs dimensions to fit in the measuring frame.

The hand luggage dimensions aren't really a major worry - if it's there abouts it 'd be fine as they almost never check anyway! Love the look of the exos but am not sure I can quite afford it! I think £100 is probably the cut-off point. The Jam looks good but I'd like something that can be packed full and still be comfy. Hmmm, so many choices...

One other thought was the OMM Jirishanca, anyone any advice on how much it'd hold?

that depends where you're flying from, with what airline and what mood security may be in.

try the osprey on filly loaded. you may not find it comfortable. i don't for a few reasons - the hip belt digging in and the straps digging in my back.

I can do an overnight wild camp in summer with my Jiri. If your sleeping bag's a bit bulky you might struggle though.

Apparently the Jam's been updated for 2010 and is now a bit more stable but finding exact details seems very difficult. Anyone know any of the specifics?

Anyone have any experience of the 2009 Lite-Speed as another possibility?

"For 2009 the Jam gained a portly 4oz (26oz total), but again you could see why. The added weight came mostly from the new hip pockets which a good portion of users do find valuable. There were some other changes too including longer side compression straps that can be trimmed to reverse the weight gain.

For 2010 the Jam gains an even bigger 5oz and there isn't really a clear reason why. The new Jam uses new fabric, has revised paddling (like every revision) and an updated hipbelt."
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=23452

"In addition to using the Tier 1 Recycled Nylon, the 2010 Jam Pack has also seen improvement to the construction of the hipbelt and the padding used in the shoulder straps making the pack a bit more comfortable than the 09 pack. The 2010 Jam uses a 'Wishbone' padded hip belt that is attached is sewn to the pack in the lumbar region thus allowing for a better wrap of the hip bones.
http://www.thegearcaster.com/the_gearcaster/2010/01/golite-2010-jam-pack-review.html#ixzz0mCwwMIPm

I think the front pocket is bigger in the 2010 version too.

Berghaus Arete 45 is another one to consider (good value for money at about half your £100 budget) but probably not suitable for hand luggage as it's not frameless.

Bear in mind that packs like the Jam are designed for lighter loads and may be less comfortable once you go over a certain weight - at least that's what I found with my Golite Pinnacle which is a similar but much larger pack. Careful packing also required to maximise comfort.