First Rucksac

"Stephen Rainsbury" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

For what its worth, my lot tend to buy ex-army bergens, which are comfortable, tough and
adjustable, something like
goarmy.co.ukbuypage.aspOpen ↗, mind you these retails
at around £40 but we can normally get them for less tha £30 from a local shop

I think you'll find these are NOT ex-MOD but a cheap far-Eastern copy. certainly at that price
they are not.

Rifleman said:

Sheesh! WHY in God's name do you carry 45lbs?

You must be ABSOLUTELY BARKING!

I don't think I do anymore, but I doubt that I ever get below 35lbs.

Do you realise how much cheap tents, cheap sleeping bags and so on weigh? I can understand being
able to travel light with modern expensive hi-tech gear, but I've never underestood how beginners
could travel light with cheap gear, not without being seriously under-equipped.

I do have better lighter gear these days, and I haven't weighed my rucksack for a long time so I'm
not sure exactly what I currently carry, but it still feels pretty damn heavy so it's probably in
the region of 35-40 I'd guess.

I think my main problem is food. Firstly I tend to take too much of it (just in case, I've run out
in the past and it wasn't pleasant) and secondly I tend to carry too much heavy food (like maybe 15-
20 bars of chocolate, although I've kicked the chocolate habit recently).

I also tend to take a few "luxury" items since I mainly do base camps rather than backpacks, so of
course, the lighter the weight of the main items, the more luxuries I can afford to carry! :-)

And then of course there's the camera gear.......

Paul
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Rifleman said:

"Stephen Rainsbury" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:xQ7%b.141$IW1.2@news-
binary.blueyonder.co.uk...

Quoted message said:

For what its worth, my lot tend to buy ex-army bergens, which are comfortable, tough and
adjustable, something like
goarmy.co.ukbuypage.aspOpen ↗, mind you these retails
at around £40 but we can normally get them for less tha £30 from a local shop

I think you'll find these are NOT ex-MOD but a cheap far-Eastern copy. certainly at that price
they are not.

It's that Argos/Pro Action team again 🙂

I haven't sen it so don't know what it is like but may be worth a look.

Pro action 90 litre rucksack £30.

argos.co.ukProductDisplayOpen ↗
1&catalogId=1751&productId=83013

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"Paul Saunders" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

I think my main problem is food. Firstly I tend to take too much of it (just in case, I've run out
in the past and it wasn't pleasant) and secondly I tend to carry too much heavy food (like maybe
15-20 bars of chocolate, although I've kicked the chocolate habit recently).

20 x 150g bars of chocolate would give you nearly 68000kJ which ought to be enough for 5 days in
themselves. Sounds good to me.

"Stephen Rainsbury" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

For what its worth, my lot tend to buy ex-army bergens, which are comfortable, tough and
adjustable, something like

goarmy.co.ukbuypage.aspOpen ↗,

Quoted message said:

mind you these retails at around £40 but we can normally get them for

less

Quoted message said:

tha £30 from a local shop

Don't those weigh about 40lbs empty?

Quoted message said:

Models seem to vary but I wouldn't dream of going out without a good

support

Quoted message said:

belt.

Think about it, all of the sack weight will be going down your legs

one way

Quoted message said:

or another, but if you use a belt only a percentage needs to go down

your

Quoted message said:

spine, which makes it easier to move around and far more comfortable.

The percentage can be near to zero of course.

Quoted message said:

Tesco/Argos bags vary dramtiaclly, normally crappy thin straps that

curl up

Quoted message said:

into a curved knife edge and poor seams, as a rule I avoid them.

Owowowow.
--
Mark South: Citizen of the World, Denizen of the Net

"Paul Saunders" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Rifleman said:

Sheesh! WHY in God's name do you carry 45lbs?

You must be ABSOLUTELY BARKING!

He said "used to"....

Quoted message said:

I don't think I do anymore, but I doubt that I ever get below 35lbs.

Do you realise how much cheap tents, cheap sleeping bags and so on weigh? I can understand being
able to travel light with modern expensive hi-tech gear, but I've never underestood how beginners
could travel light with cheap gear, not without being seriously under-equipped.

Let's suggest to Trail that they get on to working that out.

Quoted message said:

I do have better lighter gear these days, and I haven't weighed my rucksack for a long time so I'm
not sure exactly what I currently

carry,

Quoted message said:

but it still feels pretty damn heavy so it's probably in the region of 35-40 I'd guess.

Depends how big you are. I'd feel some pain at 40 lbs these days.

Quoted message said:

I think my main problem is food. Firstly I tend to take too much of

it

Quoted message said:

(just in case, I've run out in the past and it wasn't pleasant) and secondly I tend to carry too
much heavy food (like maybe 15-20 bars of chocolate, although I've kicked the chocolate habit
recently).

20 bars is what goes in some people's daypacks!

Quoted message said:

I also tend to take a few "luxury" items since I mainly do base camps rather than backpacks, so of
course, the lighter the weight of the

main

Quoted message said:

items, the more luxuries I can afford to carry! :-)

Ahem :-)

Quoted message said:

And then of course there's the camera gear.......

Actually (as I'm sure you don't need telling), that alone can easily go over 40 lbs, especially when
there are tripods or medium format involved.
--
Mark South: Citizen of the World, Denizen of the Net

[email hidden] said...

Quoted message said:

"James Smith" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:N4Q_b.855$44.800@newsfe1-win...

Quoted message said:

marc wrote:

* Look at the waist strap - make sure it can be done up,

Don't need one for normal walking - that's only useful over very rough terrain, and then I don't
always use it, so don't discount a model if it hasn't got a waist belt.

*You* might not need one - I'm far more comfortable /with/ one.
--
Fran If you need my email address please ask.

[email hidden] said...

Quoted message said:

"Paul Saunders" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

I think my main problem is food. Firstly I tend to take too much of it (just in case, I've run
out in the past and it wasn't pleasant) and secondly I tend to carry too much heavy food (like
maybe 15-20 bars of chocolate, although I've kicked the chocolate habit recently).

20 x 150g bars of chocolate would give you nearly 68000kJ which ought to be enough for 5 days in
themselves. Sounds good to me.

It won't fill you up though, so you'll still need a sack of spuds, a microwave, an eclectic hook-up,
a couple of Lbs of cheese...
--
Fran If you need my email address please ask.

[email hidden] said...

Quoted message said:

Tesco/Argos bags vary dramtiaclly, normally crappy thin straps that curl up into a curved knife
edge and poor seams, as a rule I avoid them.

OTOH I've got one I bought in Asda a few years ago and it's fine, with good, padded straps and a
good, padded hip belt. My older children carry their books to and from school - no lockers in which
to keep anything - in cheap backpacks from either Aldi or Lidl (I can't remember which it was) and
these are fine too. I've got a larger backpack from the same place and as others in urw will testify
they are well worth the £not-a-lot. The younglings of this family have had Tesco backpacks in the
past - they too have been fine. Unless you're sure that the boys are going to take up walking or
camping as a hobby in its own right there is no point at all in spending a fortune on a 'named
brand' sac. Let them have cheap but good enough sacs now, and then if they want to take the activity
further by all means take them to the Scout Shop (Outdoors) to choose something more expensive. Oh,
and don't forget to claim the SA discount, if that's still available.
--
Fran If you need my email address please ask.

[email hidden] said...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Tesco/Argos bags vary dramtiaclly, normally crappy thin straps that

curl up

Quoted message said:

into a curved knife edge and poor seams, as a rule I avoid them.

Owowowow.

Ignore him. I've had several 'cheap' supermarket bags and the straps have been fine. OK, the seams
might not be so good after the kids have been carrying books and other things with sharp edges in
for a few months, but what do you want for the price?
--
Fran If you need my email address please ask.

[email hidden] said...

Quoted message said:

Pro action 90 litre rucksack £30.

*How* big?? Faints.
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Fran If you need my email address please ask.

[email hidden] said...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I have to say i completely disagree with the above comment, it the scouts are doing 11 miles
they will find it a lot more comfortable with a decent waist strap. lots of the regatta rucsacs
have been used my scouts for various trips and lightweight camping.

Rubbish. A waist belt is primarily to stabilise the load when manoeuvring over very rough
terrain.ie on terrain where the rucksack would have a tendency to sway about,

Do you even remember what it was like to be a young lad out on your first weekend camp? Do you
remember your first 'long' walk with a backpack? Do you remember the way your back and shoulders
ached like crazy for a couple of days afterwards? Or are you really the super-human you try to pass
yourself off as?

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Fran If you need my email address please ask.

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

Hmmmmmm ...... maybe things have changed slightly?

Maybe things were never the same to start with?

"Fran" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

[email hidden] said...

Quoted message said:

Pro action 90 litre rucksack £30.

*How* big?? Faints.
--
Fran If you need my email address please ask.

You could stuff an average size scout into a sack that size! And I agree with having a decent waist
strap on rucksacks, it can save backs and shoulders from unnecessary strain, making walking more
enjoyable. Means we get the kids back for a second trip!

Nick

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

Believe me, I have carried loads in the past which most of you wouldn't even get off the ground,
so I know what I'm talking about.

Could I have 2 hundredweight of best welsh coal then please?

In article <[email hidden]>,

Fran said:

Quoted message said:

Pro action 90 litre rucksack £30.

*How* big?? Faints.

Wossa matter with that? My big sack is bigger than that; my small one is smaller ... both have
their uses.

--
Nick Kew

In article <[email hidden]>,

Fran said:

Do you even remember what it was like to be a young lad out on your first weekend camp?

I never did that as a lad ... liked my comfort more than pain in the shoulders. Only took up
backpacking in my 20s, when I got one of those wonderful modern rucksacks with a truly comfortable
frame and the weight on the waist.

--
Nick Kew

AndyP said:

20 x 150g bars of chocolate would give you nearly 68000kJ which ought to be enough for 5 days in
themselves. Sounds good to me.

Well only 50g bars actually, and many of them chocolate biscuits of one type or another so probably
fewer calories per bar. Didn't I once read that a Mars bar was the most calorie-full chocolate bar
with 330 kcals per bar?

Paul
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Mark South said:

Depends how big you are. I'd feel some pain at 40 lbs these days.

So would/do I. Of course, having added a little unnecessary weight to my waistline I'm now
effectively carrying a lot more than I used to when my rucksack was heavier. Maybe that's why I get
knee problems... :-(

I rarely walk more than a mile or two to a wild camp site though, so the agony doesn't last long,
and it's worth it for a few days of luxury.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I also tend to take a few "luxury" items since I mainly do base camps rather than backpacks, so
of course, the lighter the weight of the main items, the more luxuries I can afford to carry! :-)

Ahem :-)

I remember the first time I went out with my new Nallo 2, I was so pleased at knocking a kilo off my
previous tent weight that I added an acoustic guitar to the outside of my pack to compensate (only a
half size model, 1104g).

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

And then of course there's the camera gear.......

Actually (as I'm sure you don't need telling), that alone can easily go over 40 lbs, especially
when there are tripods or medium format involved.

Well I'd only carry that much on day walks. My backpacking camera set up is relatively light,
usually between 6-10 pounds, sometimes more.

Paul
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Fran said:

It won't fill you up though, so you'll still need a sack of spuds, a microwave, an eclectic hook-
up, a couple of Lbs of cheese...

Believe it or not, my brother once brought two gallons of spring water, a small sack of spuds and a
pressure cooker on a wild camping trip! Mind you, the tents were only about 300 yards from the car.

Looked like he was in training to join the SAS!

Paul
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