Winter camping pack for under a tonne?

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2powern 24 Aug 2015
Hi,
I've got two very good day packs, but I'm looking for something a bit more roomy for winter camping trips. My current winter pack is an Osprey Variant 52 and I'm looking at something with a little more room. Is the Pod X sack worth the money? Ideally I'd get a down sleeping bag to replace my synthetic one, but I can't justify the expense for something I'd use a couple of times a year.
Cheers in advance!
 Jack B 24 Aug 2015
In reply to 2powern:

I have a pod X-pod, it's a few years old, but I don't think they've changed much.

I like:
- Well made, with tough fabric
- Simple, plain design. No silly extras.
- Large floating/detachable lid
- Reinforced patch under elastics for crampons
- easy to get a walkers ice axe down the compression straps
- Different back lengths for sale, rather than an adjustable back. Because my back doesn't change length. But it is still sufficiently adjustable for different loads etc.
- Stiff back frame, keeps its shape and stays comfortable.
- Efficient compression straps when not full

Downsides:
- Even given it's large volume, it's fairly heavy. Comes with the durability I suppose
- Only two pockets (both in the lid). So most of your kit is jumbled together in the main bag. Actually, I like it that way, but YMMV.

At RRP £195, I wouldn't say it was worth it. I didn't pay anywhere near that much, and pod seem to be selling off stock, so you shouldn't either. At £80, it looks like a pretty good buy.

It is absolutely cavernous though, I would have said too big for most people's uses. Even in winter mine is only full if I have both my camping and my climbing kit in it, and I try to avoid walking too far with all that.
In reply to 2powern:

I've got a Berghaus Expedition Lite 80 rucksack advertised in the For Sale section which would definitely meet your needs.
 iksander 25 Aug 2015
In reply to 2powern:

Take a look at the Exped Work & Rescue 50 - light, tough and waterproof - feels like a lot more room than nominal 50 litres
 ballsac 25 Aug 2015
In reply to 2powern:

its a bit agricultural, and not the most technical piece of equipment you'll ever own, but how about an ex-Army 'sac?

you'll pick up a decent nick one for £50 on fleabay/your local surplus shop, its a single main compartment + lid sac totally about 100 litres. they are very strong, reasonably comfortable to wear, and pretty practical. they sometimes come in olive green, but more often in DPM (GREEN/BROWN/SAND/BLACK camouflage), but a simple rucksack cover cures that.

my walking one fell off a lorry about 20 years ago and its still going strong, my work one did two iraq, and two afgan tours and its still kind of servicable. you must however ensure that it still has the aluminuim frame - for some reason, some get taken out.

they come in two lengths - shortback and longback. in my experience you'd have to have lived just outside sellafield all your life to fit the shortback version, it sits about 6 inches above my hips and i'm only 5'7''.

google 'PLCE infantry long back bergen' and you'll see what i'm on about. don't worry about the side pockets, you'd need to be carrying about a months worth of food to need them.

(if you decide on the berghaus exped sac, you'd also be making a good choice - a mate has one from about 2000ish and he swears by it...)
1
 Andypeak 25 Aug 2015
In reply to 2powern:

When I was looking I ruled out POD sacks as they say themselves that they are not designed for trekking/walking as the waste belt fits to high (designed to fit above a climbing harness). I ended up with a 70l Quechua bag from Decathlon which is absolutely brilliant.
2powern 25 Aug 2015
In reply to ballsac:

Being 5ft 7 myself, that pretty handy information. Thanks very much!


Mr K, I can't find your post in the for sale forum.

Andy, cheers for that, I was worried the Pods were a bit too climbing specific.

I'm currently thinking about splashing out a bit more and getting a third Osprey pack.
 Dell 25 Aug 2015
In reply to 2powern:

Wot he said ^^ Any of the Berghaus Cyclops range are flippin' bombproof, and often crop up on ebay.

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