I think from this, I will buy a more civilian-oriented bag for DofE bronze and perhaps silver, and for any hikes I do civilian, rather than a berghaus as the berghaus I’ve seen so far on websites seem a little expensive, for quite worn and feature lacking, (the latter even the new ones are lacking somewhat - however I suppose thats one less thing to break!)
However as I get older, and start to do longer expeditions, silver and gold DofE etc I will likely buy a new(ish)
Berghaus, based on the capacity, robustness and overall capability unseen in premium civilian brands (osprey vango etc). More features seems to directly correlate with lower capacities, however berghaus does a good job over countering that.
I will probably also purchase a cheapish dpm or OG infantry bergen for overnight kit and throwing into minibuses etc.
I’d go to an outdoor shop with a good range of rucksacks - even GoOutdoors - try on loads, get them to stuff them full of tents to get the sight up, and get something in the 70l range. This is your walking rucksack, it will do long weekends in Snowdonia, the Lakes, and in Scotland, and certainly Bronze and Silver DofE, and needs to be comfortable for you to walk in for days. Spend your money here.
If you feel you need something else as a ‘gear hauler’ for ATC, get a holdall from Lomo in Glasgow. 60l should do it, they have shoulder carry straps so moving from a vehicle to accommodation is no drama.
Obviously RAFAC regs limit cadets to daysack and webbing, are bergens* actually used anymore?
If overnight kit gets minibussed to patrol harbours in just a duffel bag or whatever, are bergens ever used in a situation where they’d have to be DPM/MTP/OG etc?
*Original DPM or 80l+ sort of thing
Edit- In Air cadet context, not wider military use
A lot of people (me included) walk into the mindset of thinking a bergen is a vital bit of kit for a cadet, but I suppose this is (for now at least) not the case.
Correct, AFAIK the ACF don’t use them either. They are issued (loaned from stores) with a Cadet Patrol Pack which is around 50L - larger than we would permit but smaller than a bergan. I guess the rest of their kit goes in whatever luggage they have, in the vehicle.
An excellent example of the stunning cognitive dissonance that runs through the organisation.
Gold DofE: walk 60km through Snowdonia over 5 days, unsupported and carrying all your gear - good stuff, certificate, garden party at the palace, celebrate.
Feildcraft: walk 1km from the coach to a farm on a training area, carrying half the weight of a DofE trip - dreadful, potentially harmful, ban immediately.
That’s not fieldcraft, that’s movement from a vehicle to a building carrying your kit. If anything a rucksack is safer than a duffel bag unless it is 2 person carry.
The rules the RCs asked for with regards to weight in a rucksack is to stop wanna be infanteers making cadets carry weighted sacks over rough terrain.
The unfortunate truth is people do that and therefore the rules have to be restrictive and clear.