Rucksack?

[dennydrewcook]

So I received a four season sleeping bag (mountain warehouse) as a gift for Christmas and my god it keeps you warm but and it's a huge but it's a little on the large side it's 53cm high and 33cm wide. I want to be able to take it on trips so need something to take it in.

I'm a fan of the milcom airjet rucksacks and would happily review if anyone's interested they're cheap and brilliantly well made I currently own 25 and 45ltr versions but the bag won't fit the 45 I wondered if anyone knows if the 65 would fit it or another one that would and is well made and cheap

Many thanks


Denny

 

[Harvestman]

First thing I would do is look at compression units for the sleeping bag. You ought to be able to get it smaller than that. That then makes it easier to get it into a pack with room for other things as well.

The link is just as an example of the sort of thing that you might consider.

 

[mountainm]

I'd advise the opposite. Don't compress it, pack it "around" the rest of the stuff in your bag. Let it fill the gaps.

But try both.

 

[Harvestman]

I'd advise the opposite. Don't compress it, pack it "around" the rest of the stuff in your bag. Let it fill the gaps.

But try both.

Yep, equally good advice. You find what works for you.

 

[bushcraftkid2001]

For a cheap, exceptional quality rucksack, I would (as I always do and always will) highly recommend the Lowe Alpine Sting. It's an awesome rucksack, about 55 litres and built like a TANK! And if that still isn't big enough, then you can add some standard PLCE side pockets or molle pouches. I have one myself and its is great, it even has an internal frame and adjustable back system so is almost guaranteed to fit you unless you are under 5 foot or over about 6 foot 5". You can pick them up second hand for about £40, pretty impressive when you consider that brand new it costs over £100! I cannot praise it enough.

 

[Bishop]

That's the trouble with any rucksack, at first you marvel at the size then you worry if everything will fit.

It's a longshot but you could try shoving the bag in vertically with the compression straps loose so it's malleable then cinching them up once its in. This technique works well for packs with the curved back mesh airflow system but could be a tad uncomfortable with the mil-com as it will try to make your square pack into a round one, depends how far you have to hoof it. There is such a thing as square compression sacks though finding anybody with some in stock is another challange.

Realistically the best thing to do is tuck the bag under your arm and go shopping, any good shop won't mid you getting every pack down off the rack to if see if the bag fits. A 65Litre should do the trick but erring on the side of caution and the prospect of longer adventures away then 75+ may be worth looking at.

 

[dennydrewcook]

It came in a bag that makes it smaller but does that mean it's a compression bag? 😱


Denny

 

[bushcraftkid2001]

Yeah, that's a compression bag.

 

[Macaroon]

I'd advise the opposite. Don't compress it, pack it "around" the rest of the stuff in your bag. Let it fill the gaps.

But try both.

That's the way to do it - get the foot of the doss bag well down into the base of the pack, then "wind" it around and up 'till it gets to the top. Have your other gear sorted and packed in stuff sacks, then push it down into the doss bag "tunnel" you've created. Your backpack will swallow the maximum of kit this way as you've used all the space in the most efficient way possible.

If your current pack proves too small, the advice above for the Sting is very good advice - they are a really great pack and superb value for money. You'll pick up a really good one at Endicotts.

I hope this is of help to you

 

[bushcraftkid2001]

I got mine from Endicotts 😃😃😃

 

[Old Bones]

So I received a four season sleeping bag (mountain warehouse) as a gift for Christmas and my god it keeps you warm but and it's a huge​

Sorry, but its a 4 season bag from MW. Its not a company I generally recommend, and their bags will tend to be on the large side in comparison with many other brands (was the bag synthetic or down?). You've got a compression sack, so really do your best with that (and dont forget a drybag, Alpkit is generally the best value). But its still a relatvely big bag, and you might struggle even with a 55L pack to get it and other stuff in.

Best value - the Lowe Alpine 65 Kibo from Go Outdoors http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/lowe-alpine-tfx-kibo-65-rucksack-p203618 . LA also make the Sting, so you know its going to be good solid kit, a really good back system (TFX 4, so not most recent system, but its comfy), and currently to be had for £67.47 . Thats a very good price, and not much more than a 65L milcom bag (what do they actually mean by a 'back system'?).

 

[mountainm]

Sorry, but its a 4 season bag from MW. Its not a company I generally recommend, and their bags will tend to be on the large side in comparison with many other brands

Way to pee in someone's coffee. It was a Christmas gift... However if I was the OP I wouldn't worry.

I did a lot of research into the cheaper end of the 4 season market and ended up with a gelert. Also a brand that gear gurus don't tend to recommend. But it packs reasonably small and is light for a synthetic for a very good price.

I used to stuff mine into a long back bergan which I picked up from evil Bay for £22 including side pouches. Admittedly I'm not trecking more than a couple of miles with it. But it suits me very well.

But I've just built my own pack which works even better. A carry frame with a mesh to keep all the dry bags together.

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=127523

 

[Johnnyboy1971]

I jam all my bags into a Bergen liner(big dry bag) which helps fill all the available space at the bottom of the pack.
To give you an idea I can get the two sleeping bags and bivvy bag from the USMSS and a 3/4 SI mat in roughly two thirds of my Sting main compartment. This leaves plenty of room for other kit that is needed(food) and two side pouches if needed.

 

[Old Bones]

Way to pee in someone's coffee. It was a Christmas gift... However if I was the OP I wouldn't worry

I didn't mean to ruin his Christmas, and the bag is apparently warm and works, which is great, but a MW bag isn't going to be warm and relatively small/light, thats just the way it is. There is a tradeoff when it comes to kit - you can have it cheap, you can have it light, and you can have it durable. Pick any two. A synthetic bag around the £120 mark (so MH, ME, etc, although you can currently get the ME Starlight IV for £89 from Cotswold) will generally be more efficent for the weight than a £50 bag. The bigger the bag, the bigger the rucksack.

The extra weight is possibly not a problem if your not travelling very far, but if your on the move for a couple of days, then saving that weight/bulk makes sense. And that also means a smaller, lighter rucksack.

 

[Barney Rubble]

Not much wrong with a mw sleeping bag. I've got the summit 250 three season bag and have enjoyed many comfy and warm nights sleep (in some cold and wet conditions too!)
Am out again in a couple of weeks and am confident that I will stay warm at night.

As for the rucksack check out eBay for cheap brit army Bergen's (as has already been said). I use a Swedish army lk35 bag which accommodates all my gear for an overnighter and they're a solid bit of kit. They are £14.99 on military mart (I've no affiliation with them).

 

[bernie66]

For a cheap, exceptional quality rucksack, I would (as I always do and always will) highly recommend the Lowe Alpine Sting. It's an awesome rucksack, about 55 litres and built like a TANK! And if that still isn't big enough, then you can add some standard PLCE side pockets or molle pouches. I have one myself and its is great, it even has an internal frame and adjustable back system so is almost guaranteed to fit you unless you are under 5 foot or over about 6 foot 5". You can pick them up second hand for about £40, pretty impressive when you consider that brand new it costs over £100! I cannot praise it enough.

I collect driftwood and tie 4ft long up to 35-40kg pieces to my rucksack to carry them off the beach. My rucksack is falling apart and I destroy them in a few trips. Is the Lowe alpine a strong enough sack for this kind of work or do I need to go down another route do you think?
Thanks

 

[Johnnyboy1971]

I collect driftwood and tie 4ft long up to 35-40kg pieces to my rucksack to carry them off the beach. My rucksack is falling apart and I destroy them in a few trips. Is the Lowe alpine a strong enough sack for this kind of work or do I need to go down another route do you think?
Thanks

would you not be better getting a frame from something like the LK35 for this sort of work.

 

[Old Bones]

I collect driftwood and tie 4ft long up to 35-40kg pieces to my rucksack to carry them off the beach. My rucksack is falling apart and I destroy them in a few trips. Is the Lowe alpine a strong enough sack for this kind of work or do I need to go down another route do you think?

I'm not surprised! Even if the LA was strong enough (and they do good kit), thats enough to kill any bag. Cheapest suggestion would be something like the German 'sea sacks' which Endicotts did have in a while back - http://www.endicotts.co.uk/component/virtuemart/rucksacks-packs-kit-bags-92 - give Kevin a ring! Or as Johnnyboy 1971 suggests, tie the wood to a carrying frame, like something from an old external frame ruck sack.

 

[uncleboob]

I collect driftwood and tie 4ft long up to 35-40kg pieces to my rucksack to carry them off the beach. My rucksack is falling apart and I destroy them in a few trips. Is the Lowe alpine a strong enough sack for this kind of work or do I need to go down another route do you think?
Thanks

I use an old army kitbag for wood collecting, pretty robust, a good size and can carry a fair weight- cheap to replace as well


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[bernie66]

I'm not surprised! Even if the LA was strong enough (and they do good kit), thats enough to kill any bag. Cheapest suggestion would be something like the German 'sea sacks' which Endicotts did have in a while back - http://www.endicotts.co.uk/component/virtuemart/rucksacks-packs-kit-bags-92 - give Kevin a ring! Or as Johnnyboy 1971 suggests, tie the wood to a carrying frame, like something from an old external frame ruck sack.

I have spoken with him, got a few to look through
cheers