Can anybody suggest a good mid sized daysack that won’t fall apart, but won’t break the bank either?
Depends entirely on your definition of both…
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Dixie’s Corner do an excellent 30ltr pimped version of the Berghaus Munro in MTP for £160 - is that what you’re thinking of?
How much?!
At least Dick Turpin wore a mask.
What do you mean? £160 falls solidly in the mid-price range - and who hasn’t splashed out £200 on a glorified picnic basket?
5.11 rush 72. The best sholder straps or any mid sized bergen. Don’t buy at full price. Wait for special offers.
Was thinking in the £40 range to be honest
Two real options - new or fleabay. Fleabay will give you the big favourites, Berghaus Munro or Karrimor Sabre or Patrol, you’re dependant on what’s about, but if you can wait you’ll find a spectacular bargain.
HM supplies do their own 45ltr bag at £55, by all accounts it’s very good, and Snugpak do a 40ltr bag called the Stamina which is pretty well made.
If you’re staff I’d head more towards the 40/45ltr end of the market, if a cadet then 30/35ltr will happily do you.
The old favourites - the Berghaus, the older karrimor - will last a lifetime, you can buy a 20yo one on fleabay and it will last you another 20.
Personally I wouldn’t touch the Highlanders, the webtexs, the Kombats etc… I’ve seen then fall apart on their first weekend outing, and they won’t cost you much less than a decent sack.
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You won’t get much for 40 bob.
This?
http://www.sofmilitary.co.uk/viper-lazer-garrison-pack-vcam-product,17155
Personally I would suggest a Karrimor SF Predator or Sabre 30. Yes it will cost more that £40, but you get what you pay for. When it comes to my non-electronic gear - webbing/daysacks etc I am not known for being particularly careful. I have an SF predator 30 and it is showing no signs of any issues after a good few years of abuse. In fact it looks as good today as it did the day I got it, save my name being written on it somewhere.
Buy cheap, buy twice.
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It really depends what you want it for, is it for Fieldcraft or is it for proper Adventure Training?
If you want it for AT then the options are a bit more varied and more importantly you may not want it in military colours as you won’t be able to take it everywhere. (The National AT centres mainly).
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If purchased in OG or tan, it is perfectly usable for both fieldcraft and AT.
this.
it should be noted that every other provider of AT and DofE in the UK will happily accept people wearing OG rucksacks and the odd bit of DPM/MTP clothing while somehow not suffering a 50% fatality rate on Gold expeditions…
my sector, and i heartily concur, reccommends that cadets buy OG or tan day and rucksacks - not only will they get a far wider range of choices, and far better value than if they were to look for an MTP/Copy/DPM sack, but that such a sack has far greater utility than one with a camouflage pattern.
the solution to these issues is of course a rucksack cover - which is good practice anyway.
It is also a very military phenomenon where people object to camouflage items for civvy activities. I never understood it as on the other side of the fence, no one cares. That is another story though.
interestingly, i can point to two (from their official social media feeds) Bn’s/Regiments who are undertaking what is identifiably AT in preperation for overseas envionment training who are wearing full MTP uniforms, and doing so while unarmed and in a national park that ends in ‘owdonia’…
i did it, everyone i know did it, and no one suffered any problems because of it - the ‘we won’t be able to find you’ whine is cured by exactly the same action you would take if you were wearing civvy climbing gear…
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I would have said it’s more of a PERSEC or reputation issue.
A troop of hairy arsed soldiers advertising themselves then spending time in the bar of an evening.
AT is ADVENTURE training. It’s not a field exercise. It’s not a range exercise, it’s not field firing.
Civvies. That’s it.
I was also given the advice of not taking military/camouflaged kit on civvie international expeditions as it could flag you up, make you stick out, draw attention to the wrong people. Obviously depends on the country. I have had some funny looks while in civvies on a military job, at some of the hand luggage carried while in Africa.
BCB have their Para 35L daysack on offer (they are selling via eBay). £21 for green and £25 for camo, inc delivery. Has anyone tried it?
Otherwise the Karrimor SF Predator is a very solid bag that won’t let you down.
I’m not suggesting that a full set of MTP is the best thing to go walking in, however combat trousers do make half decent walking trousers for those who perhaps cannot afford to go out and buy a new full set of clothes for a couple of DofE expeditions. Groups not affiliated with the cadets have no problem with it. Likewise if you have a group of 5 walkers and one happens to have a daysack that is MTP, I don’t automatically assume they are an actual soldier!
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I’d assume the opposite. All real soldiers dread ending up on Daysack of the Day…
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