BACKPACKING RUCKSACKS
To explore the mountains day after day on one continuous journey requires a rucksack that allows the backpacker to be self-reliant. Trail headed to the Lake District to test 40-50 litre models built for just that...
Where sky meets land, the horizon flirts with us, withholding that which lies beyond – which could be our wildest dreams. We step toward the folds and creases of the mountainous skyline, as the relaxing land exhales a breath of sweetly-scented air. Gently the lips of the horizon part to reveal the mountains that lie beyond, as the worries of the past and the promises of the future dissolve into a single sensuous moment of being truly alive in the wild.
In the mountains, the horizon is always revealing itself, its promise always genuine and its reveal always an exciting moment. So what could be more appealing than repeatedly experiencing that moment on an almost endless journey?
A circular day walk limits our wild experience, as half of the journey is a return to a place we have been, and that we already know. But the backpacker can journey almost endlessly, day after day towards the horizon, never looking back and never returning to the past.
That’s the philosophical bit. What about the practical bit? The most quintessential piece of backpacking kit of all: the backpack! And to journey endlessly towards that horizon, you need one that will support the kit that will support you, then all that’s left for you to do is enjoy the ride. We say these are the best ones out there, so join us as we take them for a walk towards that horizon...
To journey for days, weeks or months through the mountains requires a commitment to the task, where the backpacker is self-reliant and well prepared for what the journey will reveal. Food, water, shelter and clothing are our most fundamental needs, but on a journey toward the horizon these needs may vary with weather conditions as well as the terrain. It may be necessary to carry food for more than one day, a stove for a brew or cooked meal, and extra water in warmer climates. On alternate days your clothing may need to protect against cold, wind and rain, as well as accommodate warm, calm and dry conditions. The need for shelter may require only a credit card for hostels, but could demand a sleeping bag for mountain huts and bothies, or in addition a bivi bag, tarp or tent for more flexible shelter. On longer journeys spare clothes may be needed after washing of your daily walking clothes.
To carry this broad range of equipment, the backpacker has many choices available. It is possible to pack all the needs of some multi-day journeys into a small 30ltr rucksack, while other journeys will require a rucksack of 70-80 litres. Between these extremes there is a middle ground that will allow most people to comfortably walk for a couple of days, a couple of weeks or a couple of months, and that is the 40-50 litre rucksack.
THE RUCKSACKS
To explore the pros and cons of a range of 40-50 litre rucksacks, Trail’s three testers (myself with Jon Bennett, fell top assessor, and Tim Butcher, hostel manager) headed into the Lakeland fells. From the 13 rucksacks received from the manufacturers, we selected six that we felt were best suited to backpacking in a range of British hillwalking situations.
Rucksacks of this capacity come in a range of back lengths, with some only coming in one size with no back length adjustment, while others come in both men’s and women’s designs, as well as having multiple back length options and/ or additional back length adjustment.
The three testers ranged in size, so while we all agreed on the shortlist of rucksacks, certain rucksacks fitted the body shape of individual testers better than others. Tim, who is 6ft 4in tall with a long back, used the Osprey and Vaude rucksacks as they fitted his longer frame better than the rucksacks with less size options such as the Berghaus and Lowe Alpine designs, which were perfect for Jon’s 5ft 8in frame. This left me – at 6ft tall – with the Vango and Deuter rucksacks. A further assessment of these six rucksacks led us to choose just one rucksack each to take onto the final element of testing, which would be a head-to-head backpacking trip across the Lake District to test the mettle of the packs for real.
THE TEST
We headed for Langdale. Our plan was to walk to the horizon of Bowfell before journeying onwards on a route that was flexible. We had a plentiful supply of equipment including sleeping bags for accommodation, food, stoves, clothing and camera equipment. The weather forecast had promised blue skies and temperatures of 27-30°C in the valleys, and as there had been little rain for weeks the chances of being able to refill water bottles was unlikely, so we each had two litres of water, along with sun hats and even an umbrella to fight back against the burning sky.
Clawing our way up the Band of Bowfell brought the full onslaught of the weather to our brows, with sweat dribbling down our faces. Climbing up, Bowfell’s horizon promised big views, but fingers of shadow claimed back the mountain’s north-eastern slopes from the sun’s rays. To escape the heat and explore the hidden slopes, we turned away from the direct approach to the horizon and instead opted for these shaded slopes to see what the Climber’s Traverse revealed.
This rich and sumptuous path ends with the bastion of Bowfell Buttress blocking easy passage. But there is an escape via the crumbling edge of the teasingly tilted Great Slab. The summit of Bowfell was then revealed with its new horizon expanding throughout the compass. And onward we went!