Backpack Crisis

[Stroller]

Well after months of thinking my current backpack would be suitable for my upcoming trip, I've just discovered that rats have eaten big holes in the bottom of it. So it looks like i'm going to have to buy a new one.

Here's my shopping guidelines.

Value for money. I will difintely not being spending hundreds of dollars at the same time, I am doing the AAWT track and need something strong enough for that hike. I'm am not just on a hike, i am on a year long bike tour with a hike thrown in hte middle of it and as i'm going to new zealand first, i had planned to do a couple of short hikes there. I was going to take my pack from home with me. It only weighs about 2kg. Now i'm stuffed and need to buy a new pack.

So want a pack that won't weight more than 3kg max but 2kg would be better. But obviously it needs to be strong enough for two months on the AAWT trail. I am going in summer and expect to carry food for about seven days at a time. I will have a fairly full load.

I'm female, 164cm tall.

Do you recommend any particular brands for best value. I've already spent a fortune this year on electronics for my tour and the hike is more of a side trip even though its a substantial trip so I don't want to spend a lot of money on a pack. I'd be happy to buy a secondhand pack if it was suitable and the price was right.

[oyster_07]

It might be worthwhile assessing and/or attempting a mending of your pack.

If it's a traditional canvas pack, try a sail-maker as they should have a suitable sewing machine. A shoe repairer may also be able to assist.

[GPSGuided]

+1 on patching the current one if it can be easily done. It'll be cheaper than buying a new pack, especially for something lighter weight and strong. Weight, Strength, Cost, pick 2.


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[johnk1]

How much do you have/want to spend Stroller? I reckon getting your current pack repaired is good advice.

[andrewa]

+?2 on fixing it.

If you're no good with a sewing machine, just cut some fabric to fit, and tack it in by hand sewing. Packs aren't waterproof, so don't bother seam sealing anything. Just make it so nothing fall out!

A

[oyster_07]

It might be worthwhile assessing and/or attempting a mending of your pack.

If it's a traditional canvas pack, try a sail-maker as they should have a suitable sewing machine. A shoe repairer may also be able to assist.

You can even do it yourself with one of these:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stitching_awl

They are available on eBay for less than $10, or they are probably also available at places like Bunnings, Spotlight, or Lincraft.

[Stroller]

+?2 on fixing it.

If you're no good with a sewing machine, just cut some fabric to fit, and tack it in by hand sewing. Packs aren't waterproof, so don't bother seam sealing anything. Just make it so nothing fall out!

A

That's a good point. Maybe i should do that. I don't want to spend any money at all if i'm honest so either getting it repaired or trying to do it myself would be the best solution.

Thanks all!

[Lophophaps]

I've been designing and making gear for many years. My last day pack for use when riding my bicycle to the shops et al was made from spare parts, and the one before that lasted about 20 years. One pack made in 1976 is still quite okay. I wish I was like the pack.

There's some very sticky fabric that could be used over the holes. This will not work alone, as the edges invariably lift. The remedy for this is to put something over the fabric. On the outside, canvas is perhaps best, and on the inside, nylon. Apply the sticky fabric, sew on the nylon inside and then the canvas outside. If you have trouble sourcing fabric, please send me a PM. I have heaps of fabric. If you give me the dimensions of the holes I can cut to size and send. Specify weight and colour, may be able to assist. Cost will be postage, normal or registered mail at your discretion.

Needle talk. Normal needles are either 70, 80, or 90. 70 is for fine fabric, 80 is normal fabric like cotton or polyester/blends, and 90 is heavier. There are others for leather and knit fabrics, leather is rather like a spear to cut through the leather, knit (also in 70, 80 or 90) have a ball point instead of a sharp point to slip through the fabric rather than pierce it. Use the 90 for the heavier stuff but keep an 80 in your machine for normal sewing.

[dagsands]

As someone who has been through this recently but with a tent and a dog doing the chewing, not rats I think the first question is to ask yourself how good is the pack that is damaged and is it worth mending? Also how important is it for you to have a really good super comfortable pack? Last year I bought the Osprey Aura AG 65 ($300) and I can't express enough how comfortable it is and how the anti gravity system makes your pack feel so much lighter than it is. If you plan on doing a lot of backpacking/ overnight hiking in the coming years maybe this is an opportunity to buy something really good now and enjoy it for many years to come. I bought my last pack over 20 years ago and this is its replacement. I hope it will last me at least 10 years. $30 per year, several trips per year, cost per use starts to make it look very attractive.

[Paul]

You could try - "Remote Equipment Repairs" - @ Point Cook, Victoria.

Paul.

[Stroller]

Lopho, I might have to take you up on your offer as I really haven't got time to spend running around looking for special fabrics. Its an hour's drive to the city from my home and i don't need to go there normally. I am leaving in a month and I still have to so much to do and life keeps getting in teh way of things.

My backpack is made from quite a heavy canvas. I think it might have been a good brand and model though i am not going to check upn on that now. It will be hard to get any ordinary sort of needle through it. I think i need a sail makers type of needle. Where do you get those big needles you mention from. Actually i might have a big needle around here already but Ill look later.

This pack is quite comfortable if i recall from the last time i used it which was over 10 years ago. I don't do many hikes as a rule so i can't justify buying a new pack for the reasons you've given dagsands. I would only buy one if this one couldn't be fixed and then i'd only buy one good enough to get me through this hike. I need my cash for other things right now.

[Moondog55]

Lophop beat to to it
At the worst you can use ordinary flexible contact adhesive to make the repair, use it both inside and outside
To use the glue you will need a decent mallet and something to put the rucksack over to use as an anvil to get a good seal tho; I have a lump of wood [ a cut off old post] I use

http://www.selleys.com.au/adhesives/hou ... p-solvent/

[Lophophaps]

To use the glue you will need a decent mallet and something to put the rucksack over to use as an anvil to get a good seal tho;

Moondog, I'll send the fabric, you send the anvil.

[Stroller]

Just emailed you now Lopho. Looking at Moondogs post, it makes me realise that another quick and imperfect repair job could be done with gaffa tape. But maybe just temporary fix.

[Stroller]

Ok now that i'm not so busy with my visitor, i can reply a little better.

Ha ha ha to the above.

But yes glue seems like a good idea - easier than pushing a needle - but you should see my father's workshop. He has lots of mallets and more than one anvil so you probably don't need to send me one of those. But feel free to send glue if you are super keen Otherwise, i shall just go down to IGA and buy some. Thanks for the link. I shall look into it.