UKC

...to carry water, snacks and lightweight waterproof on long rock routes. 10 litre capacity should do it.

Must be indestructible, weigh nothing, and cost £3!

All the supposedly technical sacs I've looked at are festooned with whistles, mesh bottle carriers, multiple compartments, have reflective this, that and the other, and close with zips (which usually break long before the fabric wears out).

Any suggestions for something simpler and lightweight?

In reply to flaneur:

You can get some cheap water bladder type rucksacks in places like Decathlon and goOoutdoors, but they do come with lots of random bells and whistles (not literally - that would be weird, like some sort of mountaineering morris dancer). Another alternative might be the Alpkit Gourdon 20. Bigger than you want, but quite simple and relatively cheap.

In reply to flaneur:

I have a super cheap little Decathlon 10l rucksack that squishes down to nothing - I use it as my bag for work. I think it cost £5 though. They come in all sorts of colours.

In reply to flaneur: berghaus remote 8+4, costs about £20 and mine is great for a small just incase pack

In reply to Tall Clare:

It's one of these: http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/arpenaz-10-67926319/

In reply to Monk:



One of the Gay Gourdons?

In reply to jack1996:

A good slim shape, falls down on the zips'n'mesh front somewhat.


In reply to Tall Clare:

That looks quite neat.

In reply to flaneur:
I might have an old one of my daughter's in the loft, that fits the bill.

Do you mind if it looks like a ladybird?

In reply to flaneur:

A day sack with yoke from your local army surplus? It will come with a zip about an inch below the top - and not a lot else!! May cost more than £3 but will last forever and a day.

In reply to Hat Dude:

Good idea. I'll steal flaneur fils' whilst he is not looking.

In reply to flaneur:

football boot/gym bag - although youbhave to get a flash one for it to cost 3 quid, mine cost
50p from blacks when they were closing down. I use em for all sorts - helmet bag, rock boots,
gear bag and then carrying small amounts of kit en route. too much and the string cuts in. i use
it in winter for ny belay jkt as well

http://www.sportsdirect.com/kappa-gym-bag-707208?colcode=70720890

In reply to flaneur:

Black diamond flash.

Not as cheap as you want but bomber, stripped, light, simple, the zip lasts & made for it.
8l and sits slim and bighorn where you need it to, which non-spec packs may not.

In reply to flaneur: deuter speedlight are more expensive, but excellent.
http://preview.tinyurl.com/4ylpeso

In reply to flaneur:

Black Diamond BBEE - bit above your budget, though (x10): http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-gb/shop/mountain/packs/bbee-pack/

Deuter also make some very simple, little bags - Speedlight 10 should suit, can get for around £20 online.

In reply to everyone:

Thanks for all the suggestions.

The BBEE looks promising...at a price. The deuter is a good example of what I don't want: fussy design, tags and rings everywhere, mesh that disintegrates in contact with rock, reflective whatsit, multiple compartments, and my experience of zips in climbing specialist sacs is they fail well before the fabric. Acceptable in something costing £5, not in something that costs £35.

In reply to flaneur:

This one is pretty good for what you have listed. I've been impressed.

http://www.blueice.com/en/products/mono

In reply to flaneur:

forgot this one which I also use a lot...should be easy enough to source from the UK.

http://coldthistle.blogspot.com/2010/10/rei-flash-18-review-aka-forrest-is-...

In reply to flaneur:

what packs have you used that have blown zips out?

ive never blown a zip on a pack (tho i have on boots and clothing) and my gear gets trashed.
mesh i agree with, compartments are a waste of time, excessive buckles, straps and gimmicks are all pointless, but shying from zips im interested in.

In reply to ice.solo:

Me too. I've had a TNF zip up Sac (a little bit of easily ignored mesh but no xtra pockets or such like)in regular use for 15 years and the only thing wearing is the cloth between the back pad and my back.

The bag is used for everything - absolutely stuffed full as carry on bag on flights, day walking sac, climbing sac, gym bag the lot...

In reply to Dane1:


That looks close to ideal, a little big perhaps, inspiring me to check the other lot who have this:

http://www.mec.ca/AST/ShopMEC/Packs/Daypacks/PRD~5023-571/mec-travel-light-...

Which looks similar. I wonder if either ship to the UK for a reasonable amount?


In reply to ice.solo:

The broken pack zips were on

(1) A large US company, cheap 12 litre tear-drop pack. Broke after about 5 years mixed use, mostly as a commuter bag, occasionally as a long-route bag.
(2) A small specialist UK company, 25 litre day pack. Broke after about 5 years hard use as a craging pack. Company replaced zip with an even bigger one for a very reasonable charge. I'm not sure they do that kind of thing now.

In reply to flaneur:

I have one of these that I use for running

http://direct.tesco.com/q/R.100-0611.aspx