The nice people at AlpKit have been busy again, this time
they have a minimalist waterproof roll-top dry bag that's also a
simple rucksack and goes by the name of, erm, Gourdon.
Apparently the inspiration came from a hot alpine climber called
Tomaz who described his perfect minimalist pack as essentially being
'a drawstring stuff pac with a couple of webbing straps'.
Fortunately Gourdon is a slightly more refined beast - made from
300d PVC-coated Nylon, the little fella comes in five colours and in
25 and 30-litre versions. Seams are taped and the top is sealed by a
roll-over closure locked with a Duraflex buckle.
There's a removable foam pad to add a little load-carrying comfort
and padded straps and a simple waist belt. AlpKit says that the
straps use a fast-drying mesh spacer material. You also get a window,
so the absent-minded can see what's in their sac easily plus some
iron-on repair patches in case you're attacked by a polar bear.
Sounds like an ideal fix for those classic super-wet British
winter days and in true AlpKit style, prices are very affordable at
£17.50 and £20 respectively for the 25 and
30-litre Gourdons. Weight for the smaller version is just 453
grammes.
More details and online buying at www.alpkit.com
Shed Dweller
