Please suggest a day pack to tour Europe.

New Topic
This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
Rummmer 02 Apr 2014

Hi,

I am after a pack that is big enough to hold 10kg of clothing to take on holiday but also functional enough to go hiking in and must be small enough to fit as hand luggage on a plane.

I would prefer it having hip straps.


Would a 35ltr be big enough to hold 10kg and small enough to be hand luggage???


All suggestions welcome!



Thanks Alex
Post edited at 09:55
Removed User 02 Apr 2014
In reply to alexrumsey:

10kg of clothing? Are your clothes made of bricks?
 john arran 02 Apr 2014
In reply to alexrumsey:

I fly a lot and usually use a 40 litre climbing sack as hand luggage. I try not to cram it too obviously full but usually there's very little if any free space inside. I've never been refused it as carry-on luggage and virtually never even had it questioned.
 london_huddy 02 Apr 2014
In reply to alexrumsey:

I have a different version of a pack like this in 30L, which is expensive but really light and comfy for travel and then comfy on the hill:

http://arcteryx.com/product.aspx?language=EN&category=Packs&subcat=...



Rummmer 02 Apr 2014
In reply to Removed User:

And other equipment I only put 10K/g as this is the max limit you can take.....
Rummmer 02 Apr 2014
In reply to john arran:

So it looks like I'd get away with a 35-40ltr pack?
In reply to alexrumsey:

Alex

Great question - you've obviously seen all those 'turtles', staggering from tourist trap to tourist trap with a massive 80 litre haystack on their back, a daysack on the front and usually, a bunch of stuff clipped to the outside. We take photos

We've been living out of bags for the last couple of months or so, in temperatures ranging between freezing and 35C. I think the single biggest influence on how much you're carrying is temperature - are you going in the summer and staying low? Or summer, with some cold weather exposure? Or even winter, but with some temperate stuff around the med?

My single best piece of advice is to pick a sack of about 35-40 litres, that's designed to carry a reasonable load (so don't worry about shaving 500g off the pack weight if it means straps like cheesewire. At 10kg+ loading, a PADDED hip belt is a must). Then choose what you're taking. And don't pack more than 3/4 full - you'll always bring more back with you.

My tips for a sack:

Comfort - proper, padded, straps and hip belt
Inside pocket on top flap
Somewhere on the outside to carry water
Top load only
At least a couple of loops
Forget about hydration bladder set-ups

Martin

Ps also give it a bit of a scuffing before you go - makes you less of a target
Rummmer 02 Apr 2014
In reply to maisie:

WOW VERY HELPFUL!!!

Thanks for all of that. I'm going for 2 weeks starting in Rome-Venice-Ljubjana-Backpacking in triglvski for 5 days then on to Budapest-Prague-Berlin-Amserdam.

All in 2 weeks.

Lots of flying in between.

All your info and experiences are really helpful so thanks again.

Alex
 london_huddy 02 Apr 2014
In reply to maisie:

My opinions of zip-around packs have changed massively after giving one of them (camelback motherlode) pretty serious use/abuse for a couple of years. I kept expecting a zip to explode but it never did and hasn't yet.

Totally agree with the rest, especially leaving space!
In reply to alexrumsey:

Bl00dy h3ll, that's a packed trip! Is it absolutely set in stone, or do you have any contingency for missing out one or two spots? I must admit, my perfect itinerary probably wouldn't leave Triglav, but then I've never been there and it always sounds too good to be true. We were headed there on this trip, but diverted to Sri Lanka for a month instead (!)

Basically, you've got a bit of a spread between city culture and dusty trails, but if your fashion sense is anything like mine, you'll get away with one type of clothing in any case. A bit of down for evenings in the hills, and you're away.

10kg all-in is a pretty good target - just bear in mind, though, that padded straps come into their own at the check-in desk: most airlines will have a more-or-less official policy on weight allowances for cabin bags, and enforcing it entirely comes down to how much you seem to be struggling to carry it. If you're comfy, it's easy to make it look light.

Where will you be going on holiday to get over this trip?
In reply to london_huddy:

Andrew, that's interesting. I've always been against zip-arounds precisely for the disaster that would ensue from a bust zip - and also for security (although neither is much use against a razor blade - but you can get those mesh things, which I've never tried).

I must admit, packing is a good deal easier with a zip-around, as is rooting for the thing that you need right away.

On the trip we're on, with two small kids, I'm actually using a couple of cargo bags totalling about 180 litres and my wife has a 15-20 litre daysack for electronics and valuables (oh, and the kids have a small bag each, big enough for a DS and a teddy). We're basically on a beach tour, so I don't have to carry them more than a mile or so, and the carry handles are ramped up so that I can carry one on each shoulder quite comfortably.

We've got rock boots, but no other climbing gear, a decent walking shoe each, wetsuits and snorkelling stuff and some cold weather gear, and it all fits fine, with room for some (small) souvenirs- I reckon my share (including wetsuit) would fit into 45 litres quite easily, but not necessarily a top-loading small rucksack. A zip-around would probably be more use, particularly with stuff like fins, which are always hard to pack around.

I just really hate hydration bladders. They creep me out....
Rummmer 02 Apr 2014
In reply to maisie:

Well I am going with a like minded friend and we both initialy just wanted to inter rail around europe but then I heard of Triglav and thought we could do it. Logistically it's a nightmare but it has all been sorted and I am pretty surprised with myself that I managed to find how to get there and back!

a coach from Venice to Ljubjana then Hire a car (£10/ day) drive to one of the cabins in Trig stay for 5 days hiking around then drive back to Ljubjana and jump on an over night train to Budapest! as for missing spots... we're pretty dead set on where we want to be and when. Just cram as much in as possible! who needs sleep???
In reply to alexrumsey:

Only when you're twenty.....

Have a great time. As to exact choice of rucksack, pick what features YOU want and go from there. But a 40 litre sac should be plenty big enough.

Martin
Rummmer 02 Apr 2014
In reply to maisie:

Thanks again for all your help!
In reply to alexrumsey:

No problems - although giving you a bunch of my preferences hardly constitutes help (!)

I'm in the same boat, as I'm currently looking for a new travelling pack which will triple up as a crag sack and also a slightly larger hillwalking pack for taking the kids out.

I half have my eye on the black diamond axiom 40 - which the epicentre are knocking out for sixty quid. If it had a slightly better hip belt (and I was in the country), I'd probably go for it

I also like deuter packs, but they seem to have a hole - for my requirements at least - between the 32l trail and bigger trekking packs.

For cheap packs, you could do worse than field and trek (helps if you like karrimor) or even ebay - I've had a couple of second hand packs from there over the years and it's one of those I'm replacing.

I'm also interested in recommendations, so:

<bump>
Rummmer 03 Apr 2014
In reply to maisie:

I have been doing a bit of research also....


The Berghaus arete 45 seems to be topping all the review websites I haven't tried one on yet but it seems to fit the bill and is reasonably cheap.

Haglofs also seem to have so good ones their ROC Rescue for me at least seems like a good option.

Let me know if you find anymore.

P.S the Osprey Talon looks good but I feel too expensive.
needvert 03 Apr 2014
In reply to alexrumsey:

http://www.hyperlitemountaingear.com/packs/2400-windrider.html
Waterproof material, seam sealed, roll top hood, 40L 800g. HMG has some otherinteresting 30L packs (one weighing 100g too...)

Don't think you really need hip belt at 10kg, I always drag 30Lish bags as hand luggage such as:
http://www.cilogear.com/30lws.html
Cilogear also makes a 45L pack.
In reply to alexrumsey:


I looked at the arete 35 a while back, and it was the back system that put me off (my experience with berghaus packs in the past was that they were bomb proof, but not comfy - I had an ice star for years, and it was intact when I finally gave up on it). The 45 doesn't seem any better in that respect, and I think you'd struggle to get the 45 in hand luggage also - you really want something up to about 60cm max.

The haglofs pack is nice looking, but it's almost 2kg - which is starting to push it no matter how comfy - and it looks to be 160 quid. You could hire a porter for that.

I still like the look of the black diamond - if it's still on offer when I get home, I may have a punt. I'll continue to peruse, though - these afternoon siestas don't half drag on

Martin
In reply to needvert:

Yowza. That's some rucksack porn, right there. If I were going high and light, these are some top contenders. But drunk in Berlin? I'd have to take stuff like this on as hand luggage, cos they'd never make it past the baggage handlers

I've seen the cilo pack before - they're not embarrassed about blowing their own trumpets, are they?
 Neil Williams 04 Apr 2014
In reply to maisie:
I just bought a Berghaus Capacitor 35 and it seems good for that sort of purpose (replacing an old Karrimor 30l which ended up covered in ink[1]). Went for less of a back system type one because I wanted capacity for a work laptop etc so a straight back. My only criticism is that the waist belt doesn't use the traditional Berghaus buckle but instead a flimsy, more normal type one.

I also have an Arete Pro 45 (edit: same size as the Arete 45 but with a better back and harness system, basically) and I can confirm that is way too big for hand luggage. You could pack it so it would fit, but unless you had a cage for your respective airline at home it'd be difficult to get it spot on. It's easier to have a bag you know will fit even if full. (The declared size of the Capacitor 35 is too long for hand luggage, but unless you fill the top pocket full of clothes or something you're unlikely to end up there).

[1] Don't take gel-ink pens on aircraft. The pressure drop makes them leak everywhere.

Neil
Post edited at 14:45
 Neil Williams 04 Apr 2014
In reply to alexrumsey:

If you are indeed 20 as per your profile, aren't you going to have a job getting a hire car? Insurance on an <25 is either expensive or impossible, isn't it?

Neil
Rummmer 04 Apr 2014
In reply to Neil Williams:

Already booked from sixt car hire for £10 per day for a Corsa.... It'll do the job. I can send you the link if you like? There's quite a few studenty deals out there now.
Rummmer 04 Apr 2014
In reply to Neil Williams:

Hi, thanks for that I have made the decision (rightly or wrongly) to buy an arete (£54 from Go Outdoors). I will only pack it 3/4 full on the way out and try to layer up as much as possible for the flight so fingers crossed hand luggage shouldn't be too much of an issue............... fingers crossed.

Thanks again!
 Neil Williams 04 Apr 2014
In reply to alexrumsey:

Nah, it's OK, I'm well over 25 Just wondered that's all.

Neil
In reply to Neil Williams:

Actually, that capacitor isn't a bad looking pack. That might well fit the bill. If the black diamond's not still on special offer when I come to buy it, I might have another look down the berghaus range.

Thanks for that.

Alex, I'm sure you'll be fine with the arete, but squash it a bit when you approach the check-in desk! Just be a bit careful with the budget airlines, though - it might cost eighteen quid for hold baggage when you're booking the ticket, but it can ramp up a bit at the check-in desk.
Rummmer 04 Apr 2014
In reply to maisie:

Yeah I did have a look at the capacitor but I thought it'd be a bit too small to live out of for 2 weeks I could be wrong though.

I was thinking of taking a couple of straps with me that I can just wrap around the pack if need be a just compress it all down. POD might have the bits I'm after. worse comes to worse I'll just walk through check in with all the clothes on me than re-pack in the departure lounge. The trouble is if I book hold luggage for each flight at a cost of £18ea it's an extra £108pp.

I'll just have to cross my fingers

Rummmer 04 Apr 2014
In reply to Neil Williams:

It was difficult to find but I think I managed to get a good deal in the end.

New Topic
This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
Loading Notifications...