Trevor George said:My 20 year old daughter is planning a long walking trip of
several months and we have just started looking around at
Rucksacks, Backpacks, that might be suitable and
comfortable and waterproof etc.
It depends exactly what she has in mind. If it's walking
around wild places largely unsupported or if it's walking
around a selection of great cities then I'd personally use
rather different packs for the job.
So, if you can define "a long walking trip of several
months" a bit more closely we can probably provide some
more help!
But beyond that... There's one very good way to decide what
packs are comfy, and that's to try them on with an
approximate travel weight loaded inside (this is also the
best way to assess size: if you try and put what you intend
to carry inside you'll know if it fits or not). It will be
self evident which is most comfortable, and because
different packs fit different bodies better it's far more
reliable than someone else saying "I like Brand X". While
not doubting that they do, it doesn't necessarily mean that
another person will fit Brand X's gear well.
As for waterproofing, there are a few out there that are
genuinely waterproof (various (but not all!) models from Vau
De, Craghoppers and Ortlieb, for example), but for the most
part although packs are made of waterproof fabrics they leak
through the seams, so the more seams the less waterproof. To
keep contents dry use either internal waterproof liners
(binliners will do, but they tend to rip easily so
personally I use and recommend rather tougher purpose built
liner sacks) and/or an external raincover.
Quoted message said:Gadjets or mechanisms to avoid and pointers to look out
for when choosing would be a great help.
Again, this depends on the exact format.
Quoted message said:This Rucksack with wheels ... beaversports.co.-beaversports.co.-Open ↗
uk/catalogue/rucksacks/rucksacks.htm
Great for wheeling around airports and the overall format
means it'll be fairly easy to pack and unpack and keep
clothes presentable. Probably well suited to a holiday with
lots of urban stops connected by flights. Of rather less use
on a mountain track where the wheels and stiffening for them
are just dead weight. Eagle Creek do a fairly well thought
of range of these.
Quoted message said:or any of the ones listed here, Berghaus, Karrimor, etc
... edirectory.co.uk5Open ↗
5/ca1256.html
or the women's one (second one down on this page) ...
hard2buy4.comi 11697.htmlOpen ↗
The Usual Suspects listed above, in women's shapes and not,
are all down to try them on with weight in and see how they
fit. Women's fit bags take the general anatomical
differences into account, but that isn't necessarily a win
as not only are women different from men, but also from one
another! my girlfriend is taller than I am and relatively
broad across the shoulders compared to Ms. U.K. Average, and
I don't think her big pack is a women's model as the men's
generally fit her better. Try things on to be sure.
For more general info on what packs may work well for
different things have a butchers at
personal.dundee.ac.ukpacks.htmOpen ↗ and see
if there's anything there that helps.
Beyond the pack, there's what to put in it. Fortunately
"travel gear"
is /in/ right now and everyone is falling over themselves to
provide clothes that are not only fine for walking
in but pack small, wash easily, dry fast and won't
have you looking like a refugee from Everest Base
Camp if you need to look smart (pleading your case
on an international border to a bureaucrat in the
wrong language may well work better if you're
presentably smart by his standards). Rohan
(www.rohan.co.uk) are probably the archetype, but by
no means the only game in town. Shop around and see
what fits and is affordable.
Pete
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer Tel 44 1382 660111
ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital Fax 44 1382
640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net
[email hidden] dundee.ac.uk~pjclinchOpen ↗
