Karrimor Sabre 75??

[Spacemonkey]

Hello peeps.


At the mo' I'm mostly using my Snugpak RocketPak, but it does rub a bit on my lumbar region, and it is designed for wearing above webbing, which probably doesn't help.
I was going to get a Vulcan like my mate's which is an amazing bit of kit, but quite frankly a bit huge. I know it can be compressed, but...

Anyway, so I starts looking at the Sabre 45 that everyone raves about, but i don't like the back padding on those. Quite frankly, I really do need a upper hip/lumbar pad on my sacks. And that's when I discovered the Sabre comes in a 75 litre size. It's basically identical but bigger to the 45 but the back is more like the bigger sacks, that is, it has proper hip/lumbar and scapula pads thus:

http://www.hawkmoor.com/sabre_75.htm

So has anyone had experience of them? I understand that I can use PLCE puches on the sides, which i shall use the Snugpak ones, and so end up with a reasonable size pack if need be, but they just look nicer than the Vulcan to me. If it's any help, I'm 6' 2" and a skinny runt, hence the need for padding...

 

[NickBristol]

Only seen it at a trade show - looked very good and would be very tempted if I needed a new bag. It's got a lot of features that would actually be useful rather than gimmicks. I like the layout of the back padding, like the grab handles especially and the compression options from the strapping.

I'm a vulcan fan thru and thru but also had plenty of experience and been greatly impressed with the civvy karrimor bags such as the Jaguar. Don't really think you can go wrong with a Vulcan but they are getting pretty dated these days. So now wondering if I can justify a Sabre 75 to her that controls the wallet

How about the Sabre 60-100 for more flexibility?

 

[Spacemonkey]

Nah, I don't like the look of them and psychologically it's too big for me. I prefer a smaller bag so I carry less. My Snuggy is supposedly 50l, but i think it's getting on for more with the PLCE pouches. The Sabre 75 would be 95 with pouches, and that's plenty enough for me.

So would you really consider ditching the Vulcan for the Sabre 75? I know the Vulcan well, but I know nothing of the Sabre 75.. Tough decision...

 

[NickBristol]

Yeah I think I would replace the vulcan with a Sabre 75. Actually should rephrase that: I think I will replace my vulcan with a Sabre 75. The vulcan is looking pretty battered now, 12 years old and showing the effects of following me round the world a few times. Not keen on shelling out £150 for it but if it lasts like the vulcan lifetime costs average out pretty well.

There must be someone out there who's actually got one...

 

[Spacemonkey]

I'm waiting for them to answer too, but all I see are virtual tumbleweeds....

 

[Spacemonkey]

It seems that by online searching the only people who flog these are John Bull and Ray Mears at £150 + £7 p+p and £159 + ?? respectivly, unless anyone knows different??

 

[sabre iom]

I've used a sabre 75 for about 2 years now, with and without the side pockets it's a great sack . My only complaint being the chest strap fittings which dont have much scope for adjustment up and down your torso, some people dont use a strap but 3 or 4 days in to a long trip im glad of the extra support they give. Really comes into its own in woodland where the low and wide style saves snags on low branches, but i'd take my berghaus freeflow any day if doing hard treks as the sabre in summer gives me a seriously sweaty back! The price you pay for padding.

 

[Spacemonkey]

Cheers dude! That's just the kind of thing we need to hear.

 

[Spacemonkey]

I have just ordered the Sabre 75 from John Bull and await with baited breath, but that could be due to last night's curry...

Testing it this weekend on Dartmoor so I'll let you know how i get on.

 

[Spacemonkey]

It arrived toady and first impressions are of a very high quality sack!

There are so many adjustment and compression straps but once sussed, the bag can be made quite compact yet with the release of a few straps will almost double it's capacity. I managed to stuff all my weekend gear in it without any trouble and as soon as the adjustments were made the weight just disappeared. The pouch that contains the frame also contains the removable back pad which doubles as a seat pad/kneeling pad which is a good idea. PLCE pouches would also fit to expand the capacity even more, but it is plenty big enough. If you need more room, you're carrying too much stuff!

I'll report back on how it performs in the field after the weekend...

 

[tetra_neon]

if you have a digi camera, some nice photos of inside and out would really be appreciated. i am looking for a new pack myself and have my eye on the karrimor rucksacks.

 

[Spacemonkey]

Yes, will do. Can I pop them in the gallery and if so how???

 

[benjamin.oneill]

I'm thinking of this bag for myself. The other option was the Vulcan but I like the idea that if I suplement it with a Sabre 45 as a weekend bag later and a set of PCLE pockets you end up with a bag for pretty much every situation: 20, 45, 65, 75 and 95L combos...

Let me know how you get on with it.

Ben

 

[halo]

I'm thinking of this bag for myself. The other option was the Vulcan but I like the idea that if I suplement it with a Sabre 45 as a weekend bag later and a set of PCLE pockets you end up with a bag for pretty much every situation: 20, 45, 65, 75 and 95L combos...

Let me know how you get on with it.

Ben

benjamin,that's just what i've been thinking,also doe's anyone know if the webtex side pocket's will fit the sabre sack's?

thank's all
halo

 

[Spacemonkey]

My Snugpak pockets fit the side, although they are a little smaller then PLCE, and so does the PLCE pouches from my mate's Vulcan. Having spent the weekend wandering around Dartmoor with my Sabre 75 and his Vulcan we both agree that the Sabre 75 is the better pack. You can zip the sides of the bag together using the PLCE pouch zips to compress the bag down to about 45 litre or so and use the compression straps on the hood to shrink it down further. This means you don't really need the Sabre 45 if you had one of these, and the 75 has a far superior back design.

 

[benjamin.oneill]

My Snugpak pockets fit the side, although they are a little smaller then PLCE, and so does the PLCE pouches from my mate's Vulcan. Having spent the weekend wandering around Dartmoor with my Sabre 75 and his Vulcan we both agree that the Sabre 75 is the better pack. You can zip the sides of the bag together using the PLCE pouch zips to compress the bag down to about 45 litre or so and use the compression straps on the hood to shrink it down further. This means you don't really need the Sabre 45 if you had one of these, and the 75 has a far superior back design.

Thanks,

That sounds very handy. It looks more and more likely that I'll have the chance to go to Botswana to spend some time with the San bushmen in the Kalahari. As I have to get myself and my kit out there, and then cater for trips into the outdoors of varying legnths, flexibility will be paramount. Have you tried the yoke thing to combine the pockets into a 20L daysack? I'm not sure how good that looks for anything more than a trip to pick up milk and the paper! May well be wrong.

My plan was to take a 75 + pockets as my main pack, and a 45, or maybe the smaller ones still as hand luggage, giving me greater flexibility. The problem is, thats a massive investment! Having said that, I think quality luggage is a pretty high priority.

 

[gregorach]

Have you tried the yoke thing to combine the pockets into a 20L daysack? I'm not sure how good that looks for anything more than a trip to pick up milk and the paper! May well be wrong.

I've used the PLCE daypack yoke, and I reckon it's fine. OK, it's not super padded and swanky, but what do you really need in a 20L daypack? I certainly wouldn't fancy filling it with anything heavy and angular, but for the usual daypack load (waterproofs, lunch, spare clothing) it's fine.

 

[benjamin.oneill]

sorry, what I said sounded a little harsh on the poor little thing. What you say sounds as I thought, still handy all the same.

Ben

 

[Spacemonkey]

My mate has two padded straps that just feed into the plastic webbing bits on the top and bottom of the pockets and he often uses them as daysacks. One or two zipped together can carry quite a weight. I will try to post some pics this week of the pack from various angles as soon as I manage to suss the picture thing out..

 

[Spacemonkey]

Just a thought, but the Sabre has clips as well as the side zips for the PLCE pouches, so I imagine that if you bought the genuine Karrimor pouches they too would have the clips in which case they would clip straight onto the Snugpak daypack yoke which would be quicker and easier. Also the Snugpak yoke is better padded if this matters...