 Hi there, this is my first post! I’m looking to upgrade my battered old Karrimor which I normally use for 1-night UK wild camping trips. Normally I carry in/on it a TN Voyager, mat, bag, Trangia, water filter, Platypus, food, spare clothes and minor bits and pieces.
Preferably want one that's hydration-system compatible, with wand pockets and not too heavy. Is a 50 litre bag about right? I like the look of the Deuter Vario 50+10. What do you think about that and can you all suggest a few others? By the way, I’m 6’5” so need a LONG back system. Cheers! Marko.
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Hi try a vayde astra 55 2 mens it has an adjustable back size so will cater for your size. the astra is a very light very comfortable bag but still very hard wearing due to being made of cordura. It is also great value for money (£90) dont be fooled by the weight it will still support heavy loads I have carried 50 kilo gramms in my astra 65 2 mens for over 20 miles and had no aches or pains. it has wand pockets and a hydration system aperture. My dad is 6'2" ans the 2nd biggest backsize fits him so im sure the largest will fit you.
try one on its great.
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 If I buy one does that mean I will be able to walk 20 miles with 50kgs without any aches and pains!!! It must be magic. LOL
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Thanks for the suggestion Andrew, I'll check out the VauDe, not sure who stocks it though.
Does anyone have any feedback on the Deuter Futura Vario series? They look very well specced but I have no sense for the back system, and also none of the main outdoor stores seem to have them.
Any other suggestons out there?
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 I'm very pleased with my Macpac Tekapo 45+. which will take more in the fromt mesh panel.
Very tough and Air Supply Harness very good at transferring weight . In fact so good the shoulders have hardly any weight on them at all. Available in different sizes too according to lardiness and height of wearer.
Only just arrived in this country, available from Corswold I think.
And its cheaper here than in New Zealand. GRRRRRRRR!
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all of these sell vaude
Field & Trek
Gear-Zone
Cotswold Outdoor
Outdoor Gear
try one out
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Forgive me if I rant on yet again.
Craghoppers Dri-pacs (if you don't want the liner just take it out to save weight). Going very cheap at the moment. If you can get one which suits your backlength they are the comfiest packs I have ever tried. Sound gimicky, and need some strap trimming but for sheer comfort I just can't believe how good this pack is.
I too replaced my Karrimor. I have a 45 Dri pac(it is a big 45 litres admittedly). The shape of it is fantastic-I can fit everything in. What I do is strap the poles of the tent to the outside, then put my sleeping bag inside the dry compartment. Then I shove the tent fabric down the back of the pack outside the liner (so clothes and sleeping bag stay dry), which fills up all the empty space in the pack and means that the heavy tent is close to my body. I then velcro close the dry bag top and close as normal.
Whole 2 man tent, roll mat, trangia, sleeping bag, clothes etc etc. fit into a pack that seems much more compact and smaller than Karrimor.
£40 from Oswold Bailey, or whatever they call their online store.
OK I'm going to stop raving about this pack now as I am sounding like a geek. The only bad thing with it is the crappy clippy things.
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BTW thinking about it, if you are 6ft 5 the Craghoppers might not fit-the 50litre normal back (they only have reg and short) is just the right lenght for my 6ft boyfriend.
Sorry if I got you excited.
If more people had bought these packs maybe we would have had longer backlength ones.
If you have cash to burn the designer has set up on his own
http://www.aarnpacks.com/home.html
unfortunately in New Zealand...
Damn those Kiwis have all the best packs!
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 THe Macpacs are good. I use a 50 litre Pursuit for most things. This might sound a little big but it compacts down well.
THe old style Pursuit is the best for walking and camping. This is still sold under the 'classic' tag.
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 Well you've got me puzzled.
I have tried all the sites mentioned as selling Vuede rucksacks and cannot find them anywhere?
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For Vaude rucksacs try a local specialised store and ask them to order it for you all my local specialised stores sell Vaude so i guess im lucky.
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for vaude rucksacs try
www.wildspirit.co.uk/vaude/page/rucksacks/rucksack-index.htm
Read the top it says it supplies all vaude rucksacs
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Thank you,
I thought Wild Spirit had closed down, since the shop in Alnwich closed.
Perhaps they are only on the net now.
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This thread sure has livened up! OK, here's where I am:
- MacPac Pursuit 50, great sack but no wand pockets, no hydration and no bottom flap for bag/tent.
- VauDe Astra 55 IIM, looks and seems perfect but there's nowhere within 100 miles of me (Wimbledon) who stocks it so I can't try it before buying! What do I do?
Towerridgedirect.com do the whole range of VauDe, at great prices, but are in Perth, 450 miles from me!
Dang!
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 More generally, I'd suggest that any 40-45 litre-ish sac with a half decent back system should be able to cope with a two-load if you're going ulra-lightweight.
Curiously I've never used a Vau De sac, Macpac ones I've tried have all been effective and there are loads of other choices out there. At 6 foot five your biggest concern is likely to be the fit of the sac, your best bet really is to go and try a lot of different packs and decide what fits your back best.
If you choose to order it on the web afterwards, that's your decision and down to your conscience, but really sac fit is almost as personal as boot fit. It's worth taking the time to load up a few packs - ropes are good - get them adjusted properly and see what fits you.
Sorry if that's all a bit obvious, but packs and boots are the two things that can really spoil your day if they don't fit.
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 The Outdoor Shop has a few really good 55 litre packs on offer at the minute, very versatile.
They even have the Classic Macpac Pursuit which has wand pockets for £85, which is a good price for that pack, different back lengths too.
Alternatively take a chance on a happy ending........
..and just order your preferred pack, can always send it back!!
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If you have a good look you will observe that all the main dealers and a lot of the little ones all sell the same packs. It is quite boring to go around Ambleside from shop to shop and see the same packs, probably at the same prices.
Often on here people will mention a pack that I have never heard of. For instance until I joined OM I had never heard of POD sacks and I have only recently seen one.
Many of these sacks do not have side pockets and I insist on them as I prefer to have my fuel away from my sleeping/clothing gear.
As you say Jon a pack is as difficult as a pair of boots to get right and I have bought some crap in my time.
I once got conned by the outdoors mags into buying a Karrimore Jaguar with its limp piece of lettuce like hip belt and gave it away after only two trips. But it had had rave revues, another lesson learnt!
Quite by accident I happened to come across a VueDe Astra 65(II)and found it unbelievably comfortable, so I bought it.
The only problem with it is I wish I knew what all the bits and pieces on it are for?
I have been to the USA and seen some amazing packs and been through the fitting process which is impresive but I found their packs to be very heavy EMPTY! The Gregory Shasta which was voted by Chris Townsend in an article some years ago as the ultimate pack weighs in at 8½ pounds!!!
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 I have an osprey aether 60 which is very light and very comfy but i would not recommend any pack without trying it first, with a full load (2 five kilo weight bags should do the trick). keep it on for at least an hour while you wander round the shop. it might take you a long time to finalise your choice but better to find its wrong in the shop than half way to mount Doom...
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Where did you find an Osprey Nigel?
I ask because after seeing some favourable revues I looked all over the north and all I could find were daypacks.
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Just picking up on North American theme I recently bought a Gregory Z pack from Itchy Feet in London. Really good suspension and lightweight. There was also a lightweight pack with approxiamtely 55 capacity called G pack. At 1.2 kilos this could be the answer to the 2 day question.
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