hiking backpacks?

Glaucus

Glaucus

Glaucus

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After doing the West Highland Way the other week. I need a new backpack, the one I had destroyed my shoulders and back as do most of them.
I find backpacks the shoulder straps are to close together and thus turn in in their sides, then obviously dig in.

Anyone know any good back packs for broad shoulders and even better decent fitting guide, or a UK company that can do customer or semi custom packs. Found several in America, including ones that do Osprey packs but can put the packs together from a range of parts. But can't see any uk shops doing these semi custom osprey packs.

Or even a better hiking forum. Tried outdoorsmagic and LDWA before, neither of which been to impressed with. Think I've been spoilt by this forum, sheer number of users and knowledge, except not to much in hiking.

Wish zimmerbuilt was in the uk, they look excellent.
 
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Go have a look on the bushcraftUK forums. I'm sure someone over there will be able to advise.

I'd also have a look at karrimore sabre packs. They seem to be pretty well regarded. Not cheap however.
 
jumpy said:
I'd also have a look at karrimore sabre packs. They seem to be pretty well regarded. Not cheap however.
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Any of the Karrimor SF models are pretty decent... mainly because they're nothing to do with Karrimor aside from a licence to use the name from way back when Karrimor were a decent brand.

Try and avoid ones with the S-Shape straps, as they are specced to the average human and can be quite tight on larger people. Also avoid any where the straps 'sprout' from the same point on the rucksack.

For daily use I currently have a Karrimor SF TECMAC 50 but still prefer the issue Infantry Bergen's comfort and would have one, if it weren't so flippin' huge!

Another to look at is the issue NI Patrol one.
 
Look into how you should pack it as well - weight distribution can make quite a difference to how wearing it is on a longer hike. 5.11 and maxpedition do some good offerings but not cheap - but often you can find cheaper versions of their models that have similar qualities if you find something that appeals in their range.
 
Glaucus said:
any idea of any shops that stock the sabre?
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Plenty.
ALL of them are expensive, though and even their own online shops are usually cheaper.
I got mine from Polimil, although Military 1st were the cheaper last I looked.

Most decent surplus shops will stock the SF range, especially those that don't carry any actual surplus.
If you look around for deals, you can find them as low as £40 (though I think I got lucky there).
 
You want to find a good store that specializes in hiking, mountaineering and expeditions.
Don't buy online, you need to try on the packs, loaded with weights, to see how it fits to your body and get the sizing right.


Something to consider is also the weight of the pack relative to contents. Some packs for no real reason are well over 1kg heavier than other packs that do the exact same thing. Other packs are much heavier but give more support, that is a double edged sword because although that could eb sueful when you have a veyr heavy load if you are going lighter then it is just extra weight you can do without.


i have something like 10 backpacks for different sports, conditions, pack-weights. I also tend to modify them, cutting off excess straps/webbing, adding more foam support etc.
I have a mix of Black Diamond, Arteryx, Grivel, Ortovox,Dynafit, Camp, and Millet.
 
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Yeah I know, but I'm having great trouble finding any decent stores for rucksacks.

Last pack that killed me was gossamer g4, ultra light weight, before that was an osprey.
Base weight is around 8kilos. But with 7 days worth of food and a few kilos of water, in the 16-20kilo range.

Several new makes suggested on other forum, but again all US brands.
 
How do tiso/Cotswold etc rate or is it even then on an individual shop basis? I've been wanting a new bag for day-tripping to overnighting Munro's but my deuter bag is only 25l and too small, although it fits perfectly. On the other hand, the larger Lowe alpine I bought for backpacking a while ago is way too heavy and something just ain't right, I end up with sore muscles along the outside of my pelvis on top of what may just be a tired back.

The problem is that these two problems only happen an hour or more into a walk and "play around with the set up until you're comfortable" doesn't seem to work very well for me
 
Well I've got a friend that swears by his Osprey Talon 44 which seems to be in the £80-100 range and if I were out to go buy a bag tomorrow, that would probably be top on my list to try. Taking one for a demo certainly sounds very interesting, I'm halfway between Glasgow and Edinburgh and would be very happy to review/take photos as long as you're ok with me being a novice at both :p
 
I'm pretty sure Ellis Brigham do custom fitting of Osprey bags (although possibly not swapping parts).

Also 8-12kg of food and water for a week? I'd look at what you're taking. That's over a kg of food a day. Perhaps look into more dried and rehydrating food to reduce the weight of that. You're also in the UK so no need to lug huge volumes of water around with you. Get some purification tablets/liquid and just full up your 2 litre hydration pack when needed.
 
shroomz said:
Well I've got a friend that swears by his Osprey Talon 44 which seems to be in the £80-100 range and if I were out to go buy a bag tomorrow, that would probably be top on my list to try. Taking one for a demo certainly sounds very interesting, I'm halfway between Glasgow and Edinburgh and would be very happy to review/take photos as long as you're ok with me being a novice at both :p
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Near Livingston per chance? Drop me a trust and I'll see what I can do for you tomorrow.
 
Amp34 said:
I'm pretty sure Ellis Brigham do custom fitting of Osprey bags (although possibly not swapping parts).

Also 8-12kg of food and water for a week? I'd look at what you're taking. That's over a kg of food a day. Perhaps look into more dried and rehydrating food to reduce the weight of that. You're also in the UK so no need to lug huge volumes of water around with you. Get some purification tablets/liquid and just full up your 2 litre hydration pack when needed.
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All their stores? This is what I'm really looking for. A store that has some expertise. Cotsworld and the other stores are all the equivalent of pc world. also if it's a giid store, I dont care where it is in the country it'd be Wirth the travel.

And no not I don't need to carry that much in the UK, but I did and 2 will again to test it out for American. Where it's proper wildness, John Muir trail has a 7 day section with no resupply points at all. Unfortunately food weighs a lot, even freeze dried, when your burning the calories.
Although I am hoping to streamline the kit a bit.

Thanks fir the offer but I would be useless at reviews.
Moneywise I dint care, as long as it actually fits properly.
 
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