UKC

I'm after a daypack, around 15L, as a second pack for taking travelling; later, I'll probably use it for general stuff in the UK. I want it to be fairly light and to pack down small so i can stuff it in the main pack when not using it. (So maybe with no back padding??) But I'll be wearing it a lot around town and on short hikes so it should be reasonably comfy. Which one do you recommend?

I've been looking at the Aiguille Mini Midi but as far as i know there's nowhere near me (York) that sells them so i can't try it first. Have any of you got one? What do you think of it? How heavy is it? Does it pack down small? Where's the nearest retailer to me? (I asked them all this by email but they haven't responded after about a week.) (I'd also be interested in hearing about the 50/60L Grepon/Grepon SP, which I'm considering as a main pack.)

There are a couple of daypacks on a certain well-known internet auction site, called ebay. One is a 15L Lowe Alpine (5229503501 - no nabbing it, you lot) but I don't know what model it is or how suitable it is. If you know, then pls tell me. There is also a Lowe Alpine Pax 20 (7175007066). Again, if you reckon it's good/crap then get in touch.

And if you are selling a decent daypack then I'd be interested.

Cheers,
Derek

In reply to Judderman:
The lowe Apline packs are more like school bags, the back systems suck.
I got a camel back cloud walker, about 16L and a 2l reservoir
www.jackson-sports.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=5232
a bit more expensive but 10 times better

In reply to Judderman:

15l is a good size. Just about any walking shop will have a range to choose from. I'd go for the most basic one you can - I (well my wife) has a North Face one which I like as its a simple tear drop shape bag with no frills and a small internal valuables pouch. Karrimor do similar ones.

In reply to barryb: Yeah, i sorta realised the Pax 15/20 was more of a naff schoolbag than proper daysack... but i realised it a bit late. I've just 'won' the auction for the 15L one (£11.19 inc postage) and am the highest bidder on the Pax 20. Bugger. Do me a favour someone - bid more than £10 for the Pax 20. Cheers.

In reply to Judderman:

Someone's outbid me on the Pax 20. I'd love to believe it was one of the kind souls on this forum doing me a favour, but i doubt it somehow...

missed out on a bargain though. someone got an olympus mju mini dig camera with a 256 meg card for 109 inc postage -- about £40 less than from the cheapest online shops. I wanted one of them an all but was at work when the bid was ending and didn't bid high enuff.

I'm still open to suggestions re good daypacks, assuming the Pax is naff. In particular, has any of you used an Aguille pack?

In reply to Judderman: As said I'd go with Camelback, but there are many camel back alternatives out there nowadays, it's just CB's are proven.

In reply to Judderman:

I've just bought a BD Bullet that I like a lot. 16L, simple design, and very well made. No back padding. They make a ligher and smaller verion called the Bbee or something like that.

In reply to jam:

I still haven't got a daypack other than the LA one, which is fine for everyday stuff but not for travelling/hiking as it has too much back padding to pack down small, is fairly narrow (made to carry folders, books etc), and held together with zips, which may not hold out too long.

Jam - how small does the Bullet pack down? I am thinking of getting it cos it's about the right size and has a small outer pocket, but it's made from 1,200 denier fabric (that's VERY heavy - i think most big climbing packs are only 1000d) so it may not roll up tight, and it weighs a fairly hefty 480g.

The Bbee seems almost ideal - light (380g), probably packable as it's thin-ish ripstop fabric and has no back padding - but is perhaps a bit small at 12L.

Also, any idea anywhere near York that stocks these packs? I can't find them in nevisport, blacks, cotswolds, outside etc. They have em in Snow and Rock but the nearest is sheffield. I might be able to make it to leeds - what do they have there?

Ta.

In reply to Judderman:

Get a ospray solo pod.

Its a good pack which hangs in a harness form on your back.

plus it wraps up very small.

Dave

In reply to Laffco:

Cheers for the idea but if the 12L Bbee is too small than the 8L Pod certainly will be. A better option fom Osprey is maybe the 13L daylite

http://www.ellis-brigham.com/cgi-bin/psProdDet.cgi/292030||@cPacks%20&%...

But that weighs (and costs) as much as the Bullet (which perhaps isn't too hefty after all).

btw, what's a 'yoke style harness'? The daylite's got one, apparently.

In reply to Judderman: Vaude do some quite nice little packs that weigh peanuts and pack down into their own lid pockets. The Mini Rock 16 is an example and might be worth a look.

In reply to Judderman: aiguille are a made to mesure company. they will customise anything they make to suit you. all there stuff is fanasticly well made and designed. but it is all made to order. so you will have to mail him to get you to make one. he will make them quick if you ask him.

In reply to Chewbacca:
I recently bought a 20L bag for work related trips where I often have a day or half day visit to a nature reserve or similar & need something to carry waterproof, camera, binoculars, etc but still want everything in a small bag for the flight so I don't need to check in my baggage.

Ended up with a Taktona 'Superlight' bag which folds into its own pocket, see
http://www.au-vieux-campeur.fr/gp/asp/produit.asp?codprd=58280

Not the most comfortable to carry (the shoulder straps would be better made of webbing/tape) but great for the trips it was bought for & cheap (€15 which I guess is about £10)

In reply to Judderman:

How about a Deuter Speed lite 10 or 15l?
www.deuter.com

I got the the 10l version for taking on multipitch routes but have found that I'm using it as much for other stuff. It's very light (300g), packs flat and is incredibly comfortable. I really can't recommend it enough. It cost about £20 maybe £25 from Cotswold but can't find it on their site.

In reply to SFM:
Have you looked at the Grivel Air Tech
28 liter's capacity, weights 350 grams, one big pocket at the top that it folds into and not much else beside an axe-loop and flimsy thin foam pad.
It's not bad for it's weight and fairly comfy provided you don't load it down too much - just a bit sweaty on the back if you're used to the fancier sacks with mesh and breathable foam.

In reply to papajon:

grivel seems good but it's a bit big - i was wanting around 15L and i already have a 30L Karrimor Hot 30. It is very light and packable though, unlike the Hot, so i'll consider it.

Trouble is, being in york, there are no decent shops for miles - just nevisport, blacks, mountain warehouse and millets - so i can't try on most of the packs people suggest unless i drag meself to Leeds, which isn't that great either.

In reply to papajon:
no such thing as a breathable back, specially not breathable foam!

If its 16 L then coat/extra layer down the back and rudimmentry everything will be fine coss it won't be that heavy!

In reply to SFM:

the speed lite seems to have a padded back so it won't roll up. Packing flat isn't really good enough as i won't have that much room in the top of the pack.

In reply to Chewbacca:

I'm not sure ALL Aguilles are made to order - their website has plenty of standard models and one would presume that they'd have a few in stock...but maybe i'm wrong.

http://www.aiguillealpine.co.uk/Scripts/prodList.asp?idCategory=44

Anyway, I emailed them several weeks ago about it but they never replied, so sod em.