Lightweight rucksack?

[caorach]

As some might know I've recently tried camping for the first time. I went with fairly inexpensive gear, some of it surplus stuff, to keep costs down until I could see if I liked it.

However, my problem was that I was simply carrying too much weight. I'm pretty small and light (literally 10 stone) and so don't have much carrying ability even when I'm fit. There seems in my case to be a weight above which I simply can't walk well - so I often carry lighter "day" loads for ever without even noticing them, and I tend to carry quite a bit as a day load, but at a certain point it just gets too much for me and my camping load is above this point.

Probably the biggest single weight saving I can make will be with my rucksack as I was using a Dutch Army surplus "Sting" rucksack. This is a fantastic rucksack but to ensure it is indestructible it is made of used tank barrels and so comes in at around 3.5kg weight empty, perhaps more than that with the PLCE pouches attached so I don't think 4kg would be an OTT guess at the weight.

Can anyone recommend a good lightweight rucksack?

In terms of size then the Sting is rated at 55+20 litres. I was using it with the PLCE pouches fitted and was pretty much using all the capacity and I know many people say that it is a very generous 55l in the main compartment so I'm guessing that I need something in the 70 - 75 litre area.

To explain what I carry, just in case anyone has other suggestions or is wondering:

On the nights I was out I was using all the gear I had with me so I don't think I can make significant reductions in what I carry in terms of volume or utility. I can't tolerate down and so am using a synthetic sleeping bag (Snugpak at 1.7kg) which I found just about warm enough for me in use but, clearly, not as light or compact as a down bag. I am using a Vango Banshee 200 tent (2.1kg)and while I know there are lighter options most are beyond my price range and even going to £500 doesn't give much of a weight saving plus very light tents tend not to be robust. I also take along a plastic sheet that I use as a "footprint" for the tent due to pitching on very rough ground with heather and the like, I might buy the Vango footprint as it will be a little lighter I'd guess. I have some lightweight tent pegs that are better suited to wet and boggy ground than the Vango supplied pegs. I was using my Dragonfly stove and fuel bottle and my intention is to replace this with one of those lightweight things that screws into a gas canister so that will save some weight and volume.

Due to the nature of Lewis I don't carry water but was carrying some cooking and tea making gear - very lightweight pots, lighters, cup, fork, dried milk and tea leaves. My food was all freeze dried so maximum food for the weight. In terms of utility then I had my GPS, compass and map, sunblock, midge repellent, toothbrush and toothpaste. On top of that I had my waterproof shell and Buffalo Special 6.

[Billy]

I have the Vango banshee which I think is a great wee tent and recently bought another groundsheet from Cotswolds for about £7. I used it on the Uists which helped as it was a bit wild.
I also carry a primus spider stove which fits in your hand and screws onto the gas canisters. I might need to look at a new set of pots as my others have seen better days and the main pot is losing its no-stick coating.

My sleeping bag is a Rab ascent sleeping bag which is the dogs danglies. Cosy compared to some I have had over the years.

I will be doing a bit more wild camping next season so I intend to spend some time getting my gear perfected.

Billy

[corsican dave]

a leap of faith, but trust me you'll be pleased you made it:
http://www.winwood-outdoor.co.uk/acatalog/Golite_Jam_2_lightweight_rucksack.html

or any of the go-lite models you fancy. ridiculously light and surprisingly comfortable (although you need to revise some of the more conventional ideas on packing. such as ditching the compression stuff sacs for your sleeping bag; replace it with a larger, lightweight waterproof stuff bag that lets it expand a bit. this provides the padding for your back)

I stocked the earlier versions of these when they first came over from the states and the quality and durability is without question. radical? yes, but not stupidly expensive & they work......

[caorach]

or any of the go-lite models you fancy. ridiculously light and surprisingly comfortable (although you need to revise some of the more conventional ideas on packing. such as ditching the compression stuff sacs for your sleeping bag; replace it with a larger, lightweight waterproof stuff bag that lets it expand a bit. this provides the padding for your back)

So do these packs not have a frame but rather use the contents as the "frame" instead? The weight is certainly very nice at around 2lb rather than probably 7 - 9lb in my current pack. Also do you know if the do something around the 70 litre mark as with the bulky sleeping bag and tent I probably can't fit everything into 50l.

[Wildfisher]

I have the 55 ltr version of this which is a very good robust ''sac. It's about 2KG. My version is well well made, shows no sign of wear after more than 10 years, is padded, very adjustable and comfy to wear.

http://www.sportsdirect.com/karrimor-panther-65-rucksack-793029?colcode=79302924&src=google&gclid=CKbpt_SQ08gCFYQfwwodMiIPyA&gclsrc=aw.ds

If I were you I'd visit a stove and try a few on.

[corsican dave]

So do these packs not have a frame but rather use the contents as the "frame" instead? The weight is certainly very nice at around 2lb rather than probably 7 - 9lb in my current pack. Also do you know if the do something around the 70 litre mark as with the bulky sleeping bag and tent I probably can't fit everything into 50l.

nope, no frame. the shape of the pack, once full, gives the same ergonomic properties as a framed pack. hence the trick in packing is to have your soft kit in roomy stuff bags that allows it to expand and fill the gaps. hard kit, such as stoves, pans etc gets packed in the middle of the soft stuff.
the go-lite gust was the model I had for a couple of big alpine trips (down clothing, 5-season tent etc) but it looks like they don't do it any more. in fact i'm struggling to find a uk supplier for you. i'll keep trying.

the problem with packs of this type is that when you get above a certain capacity, it's difficult to maintain the shape. unless you've filled it with down gear, of course. that's one of the reasons that "old-fashioned" pack frames are still used for big, awkward loads. then you start down the slippery slope of updating all your kit for the latest, lightest...... (incredibly expensive)

Fred's choice, or something similar is probably the best compromise. and his advice to try a reputable store is spot on. don't buy mail order unseen. i'm biased, but I would check out a local, ideally independent, retailer who's been in business for years and has keen, knowledgeable staff. worth more than any discount. may have to be the mainland for that, I guess? http://www.northwestoutdoors.co.uk/home/ these guys are very good (john & Lawrence), ullapool. if you're as small as you suggest, you should be aware that some models are made with a number of back lengths. this will be important for you. there are models which have adjustable back lengths but invariably this adds in weight & cost.

just to finish off, here's the latest incarnation of go-lite, as far as I can work out: http://gossamergear.com/ although they're a silly price in the uk and for that money you'll definitely be better off with something more conventional

[Fishtales]

I have the Go-Lite Pinnacle that holds 20 Kg for a weeks camping although I have a down bag that compresses down quite small and I only take one pot which is big enough to go over the end of my tent, and a small kettle.
You might have difficulty in getting a Go-Lite though.

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=97062

There are some threads in the FAQ on lightweight camping.

http://www.wildfisher.co.uk/smf/index.php?action=faq;sa=show;faqid=10

[caorach]

Thank you to everyone for the replies so far - I was really taken with the go-lite bags as they were at the sort of money I could at least start to think about spending but it looks like they've gone under and that UK availability wasn't great to start with. It must be said that a 1kg bag would be great :-)

Good price on the Karrimor though Fred and at 2kg it would still offer a saving on what I've got.

I must do an experiment and see if I could do some juggling and fit everything I need into the main compartment of my 55l rucksack. I don't think it will fit but we'll see in due course.

[SoldierPmr]

It might sound daft but if your only doing day trips and using a 55l bergen something's going wrong. Have you layed all your kit out and really looked at what you really use and what you take just incase? Especialy the environments you are going to travel through like carrying a tarp instead of a tent will save weight and a lot of room.

For a day my self I will just take:
A tarp
A knife
A hatchet (area depending)
A jet boil (inc food and brew)
A doss bag
A head torch
A storm jacket
A softie
And then the nessersery fishing kit.

This is off the top of my head if I'm returning home at night I would leave the doss bag and that saves a ton of room.

[caorach]

A tarp really is sod all use to me on that ground and in the sort of weather and midge conditions which prevail. I'd rather stay at home than try to put a tarp up out there, or sleep under it once I've got it up. You are right though that the tent and sleeping bag take up the most volume but, as I've said, I'm not taking anything that I'm not using. My day trip gear easily goes in a 30l bag, and in fact when I reduce it back for overnight trips the bits I take (cooking, sun block, midge repellent, GPS, food and a few small odds and ends) on an overnight easily fit, with space left over, in the two 10l PLCE rocket pockets on my rucksack.