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.