Which bag?

[comanighttrain]

I'm looking for a cover-all general purpose bag...

I was thinking about one of these two

http://www.surplusandadventure.com/shop/army-surplus/bags-rucksacks/plce-full-size-military-rucksack-346382.html

or

http://www.surplusandadventure.com/shop/army-surplus/bags-rucksacks/web-tex-plce-size-rucksack-s-329328.html

My idea being if i need to go lightweight I can just take off some of the bags, and if i need to go for a long time I can load it up...

[Ben Casey]

Can you take the side pouches of to make a day pack I have something like that just mine is a bit smaller. The only problem I have is with the zips for the side pouches. They tend to be hard mind you mine is really old and not modern like the new ones. But that is the same as what I'm looking for on your links :)

[comanighttrain]

HArd to operate or hard like they dig into you?

I think thats the deal with it...you make a day sack by removing the centre part

[Ben Casey]

I find it easy to get them of and put together as a day sack but getting them back on is a pain :(

[GaryBeaner]

I'm not very clued up about bags, but this looks good to me, from Ronnie Sunshines http://www.youtube.com/ronniesunshines

[comanighttrain]

nice! perfect. Exactly what i was going for... Bought it off of Surplus and aadventure for £100.... bummer I didnt catch it on discount.

[JEEP]

Why 120L?

You will have to be in more than just regular good shape to drag a fully packed 120L backpack around. You will always have a tendency to to fill your pack (it requires a lot of discipline not to), a larger pack just means the temptation of packing loads of heavy stuff which you will never use.

Aside from that; a 120L backpack weighs, in it self, quite a lot.

I have sold a lot of bags over the years; 75-90L is the standard packsize for your average sized male of average strenght/shape and health. Personally, with my bad shoulder, I try to keep my packs below 50L.

[Fletching]

75-90L is the standard packsize for your average sized male of average strenght/shape and health. Personally, with my bad shoulder, I try to keep my packs below 50L.

I agree. I can pack all I need for week + trip into a 45l Sabre SF with the 2x 12.5l side pouches that also make up a separate day pack.

Steve

[comanighttrain]

For sure a 50l bag will be in the future buying list. I just needed a cover all bag. I was also looking at the highlander 55l. Also it'd good to have room for carrying stuff back :D

[Paul Webster]

I went through the same dilemma myself a while ago, I only had an army issue Bergan which is huge. I settled on a pack by 5.11 tactical, their 3 day pack - the Rush 72. Its just under 48 ltr and I have 2 small pouch add ons for it and a water bottle carrier. I love tactical looking gear and this pack is really well made, i'm not sure if this is a problem or not yet but it isn't a top down pack, but the main compartment opens up like a suitcase. I'm thinking it might limit what I can carry, also...its a fairly short pack so you end up having allot of weight away from your body which is going to pull.

If it doesn't work out ill go for a decent lightweight actual camping pack and leave the GI Joe stuff as backup luggage.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZuusNQRnMU

[Martin]

Agree entirely with Jeep here. The larger the pack the more you bring. I am constantly striving to get my kit smaller and smaller to fit into smaller and smaller rucksacks. I have spent too long lugging too much weight over too many miles. Nowadays I prefer to enjoy the journey and try to travel as light as possible.

I don't subscribe to the idea that you can pack enough kit for a week's camp in a 45 litre pack, and don't like kit hanging and dangling off the outside of it when I'm walking, but feel that 60 litres should be more than enough for a decent amount of kit, including food. As ever, the lighter something is the more money it costs but you normally get what you pay for.

Martin

[Fletching]

I don't subscribe to the idea that you can pack enough kit for a week's camp in a 45 litre pack....

...I'll challenge you to that one Martin (water excluded) with my 45l + 2x 12.5l PLCE side pockets! ;)

Steve

[Martin]

...I'll challenge you to that one Martin (water excluded) with my 45l + 2x 12.5l PLCE side pockets! ;)

Steve

Precisely. ;)

Martin

[comanighttrain]

be that as it may. I can probably sleep in this rucksack.

Hopefully will get out next weekend so will tell you if it was a good/bad/ugly choice