Gear - LoweAlpine Walkabout 45

Flat Earth Society said:

Only one question, is the aforementioned big enough for a weekend wild
camping in the Lakes?

"It depends"

And what it depends on is the conditions you're going in and what degree
of comfort you want coupled with the kit you have available. It can be
done, yes, especially in summer with a light tent, but if you want
something bombproof in a winter gale while remaining toasty and going
winter climbing the next day you'd want about twice the size.

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] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

"Flat Earth Society" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

Blacks have 20% off the LoweAlpine Walkabout 45, tried it on and it
seemed the perfect fit for my frame (!)

Only one question, is the aforementioned big enough for a weekend wild
camping in the Lakes?

I've got one of those. With the right kit and a reasonably minimalist
approach you should have space to spare. I can fit camping stuff and 6 days
food in mine. If on the other hand you want to take an inflatable lilo,
portable barbecue, his n hers deck chairs and one of those bat a tennis ball
around a pole type games to amuse yourself with you might need to buy 2 of
them, one for each shoulder.

Quoted message said:

"It depends"

Thanks for your reply.

It does seem that I'll need to purchase two rucksacks; the 45 and a
really big one. Perhaps purchasing the really big rucksack can wait
until next Autumn (?)

Quoted message said:

It does seem that I'll need to purchase two rucksacks; the 45 and a
really big one. Perhaps purchasing the really big rucksack can wait
until next Autumn (?)

I routinely use 4 different packs, plus a couple of different bumbags,
all through the year: no single bag is right for everything.

There shouldn't be any particular reason why not to leave purchase until
you actually need the bag, or see one you like in a bargain bin.

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] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Peter Clinch said:

Flat Earth Society said:

Only one question, is the aforementioned big enough for a weekend wild
camping in the Lakes?

"It depends"

Snap.

Quoted message said:

And what it depends on is the conditions you're going in and what degree
of comfort you want coupled with the kit you have available. It can be
done, yes, especially in summer with a light tent, but if you want
something bombproof in a winter gale while remaining toasty and going
winter climbing the next day you'd want about twice the size.

As Pete says, it depends on what you take. As a point of reference,
though, I'm currently using a 50L Macpac Pursuit for weekend trips to
the Lakes, but I've been strapping the tent (Akto) to the outside of
the sack as there isn't room for it inside. My sack is full, but not
absolutely crammed tight.

I do take a few things that aren't absolutely necessary (MP3 player,
book (ok, so who can go camping w/o a book....??), small camera...)
but all except the book hang from my waistbelt. I have a v. compact
sleeping bag and a medium sized mattress. (If I take 2 mattresses, one
of them goes on the outside of the sack so I don't count that here.)
I take minimal spare clothing, and just enough food.

So.... I know that people do take a 45L sack for a w/e in the Lakes,
but I really feel it's necessary to be very careful indeed for that to
be big enough.

p.s. is this the sack that Chris Townsend was v. impressed with when
he did his review of 40-50L sacks in TGO a couple of months ago?
Certainly it was one of the Lowe Alpine ones: my memory is cruddy,
though, so I'm not 100% sure it was this one. I think it was, though.

HTH :-)

Best wishes,
--
,,
(**)PeeWiglet~~
/ \ / \ pee AT [guessthisbit].co.uk

On Thu, 23 Dec 2004 14:00:03 -0000, "AndyP"
<[email hidden]> wrote:

[...]

Quoted message said:

I've got one of those. With the right kit and a reasonably minimalist
approach you should have space to spare. I can fit camping stuff and 6 days
food in mine.

I need to check the list of what you take, again: I remember you
posting it in the middle of the year. I think I'm fairly careful,
now, with what I take on weekends, but I can't get all my kit
(including the tent) into an allegedly 50L Macpac, even with just 2.5
days' food. I'm doing something wrong! :-)

Best wishes,
--
,,
(**)PeeWiglet~~
/ \ / \ pee AT [guessthisbit].co.uk

Peewiglet said:

p.s. is this the sack that Chris Townsend was v. impressed with when
he did his review of 40-50L sacks in TGO a couple of months ago?

Yes, in all three mags I purchase, TGO, Trail & Country Walking, the
LoweAlpine Walkabout 45 has either been recommended or #1 buy for that
category/size!

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to you all!!!!!

Quoted message said:

Yes, in all three mags I purchase, TGO, Trail & Country Walking, the
LoweAlpine Walkabout 45 has either been recommended or #1 buy for that
category/size!

/They/ like it, but read the full print of the review for whys and
wherefores and try one on with weight in it to gauge personal fit rather
than making a final (rather than shortlisting) decision based on someone
else's idea of "best".

For example, I don't like packs with integral side pockets rather than
compression straps because I can't mount anything on the side (like tent
poles, walking poles, brollies) and I can't adjust the pack volume, so I
wouldn't have one myself even if the stitches were sewn in by the Right
Hand Of God. Tastes and needs vary, and there is no such thing as
"best" without context (and context can be very wide with rucksacks).

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] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

In the end decided to go a little bigger, Vango 50+10, that was in the
Millets sale for £34.99. Loads of features for a small price plus the
fit (for me) is very good.

Quoted message said:

"It depends"

Thanks for your reply.

It does seem that I'll need to purchase two rucksacks; the 45 and a
really big one. Perhaps purchasing the really big rucksack can wait
until next Autumn (?)