Backpack

L

LUW

Joined
Nov 24, 2009
Messages
675
Once again, you guys will cost me money. Yes you! I was happy as a clam with my old cordura backpack that I've used for the last 20 years or so, with all the cool patches I sown on it and with it's 3 (yes, THREE!) external pouches. You had to come along with all the pics and reviews and now I'm convinced I need something better :mad:.

Since you will make me spend money, you should also advice me on what I should spend :p. So here's what I'm looking for: 3 day pack (or with a capacity of around 2500 ci), hydration pack, MOLLE compatible (so that I can attach external pouches as necessary), comfortable waist band, chest strap, padding for the back (if possible), tough and above all, as comfortable as possible.

So far I liked a lot these two:

MOMX0512B.jpg

Maxped's Vulture II



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5.11 Rush 72

They cost basically the same, it was easy to find who would ship them down here (stores and eBay) and I think they have all the features I want/need. Of these two, which one would you guys recommend?

I also looked at Mystery Ranch's Dragonslayer, but I'm honestly doubting the practicality of the "Y" opening to the back :rolleyes:. The way both the Condor and the Rush open looks way more practical, so I'm really not sure I would get along with this characteristic. Besides, it's almost twice more expensive then Maxped's and 5.11's products :eek:. My budget for this is around $150, $200 tops, because I'll have to spend some $30 to $40 on shipping.

What do you guys say?

PS: If my wife gets on my case because of this be sure I'll say you made me do it.
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Send me $30 and I'll do my best to convince you to save your money and keep using what has worked for you in the past. You can PM me for an address to send the $30. :)
 
Ha ha, very funny. Comedy at it's finest :p.
Seriously though, my old backpack is in it's final stretch. The seams are in bad shape and the cordura, at the bottom, won't last very long.
 
Might want to take a look at the Camelbak Motherlode as well... fits in the same catagory as the ones you post, but I think it is less $$$ on fleaBay. I just got one, and I really like it a lot, thou I am not using the water bladder, I use that sleeve for additional storage.
 
picked this one up,
http://www.woodsmonkey.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=439:camelbak-trizip-review&catid=38:packs-bags-a-pouches&Itemid=58
and actually i like the zipper arrangement. tho there are only two smallish side pockets and one fairly roomy top pocket. if more outside pockets are what yr wanting/needing this may indeed not be for you. but its almost identical to the mystery ranch model
http://www.mysteryranch.com/s.nl/it.A/id.2247/.f?sc=8&category=1970
but made by camelbak, with a few variations like the side pockets zip instead of the bottle holder and nearly $100 cheaper...so you get the awesome mystery ranch harness system without the cost.
 
MrCoffee, the Motherlode seems to have all that I want, and the price is right:
Camelbak%20Motherlode%20Foliage%20a_small.jpg

It's definitively one to be considered!

sadiejane, I'm still on the fence about that zipper :rolleyes:. I'll have to see some action shots and videos to get over the feeling that the regular system is easier to use.

Cpl Punishment, oh come on, why doesn't it come with the Busse? I sure would get one if it did...:p Unfortunately all the stuff I've seen from Zulu are a bit over my budget.
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MrCoffee said:
Might want to take a look at the Camelbak Motherlode as well... fits in the same catagory as the ones you post, but I think it is less $$$ on fleaBay. I just got one, and I really like it a lot, thou I am not using the water bladder, I use that sleeve for additional storage.
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Wouldn't you have any pictures of it opened and how it wears? and what about comfort with a heavy load?
 
LUW said:
Cpl Punishment, oh come on, why doesn't it come with the Busse? I sure would get one if it did...:p Unfortunately all the stuff I've seen from Zulu are a bit over my budget.
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Because then you'd have to add $500 to the price tag. . ..;)

The G1 Zulu is on sale for $225 right now, + some if you want a hip belt (you do).

Thing is, the other packs you're looking at, all of their "waist belts" hit me just below the ribs. Nowhere near where they should. If you're going to use them without the waist belt, then they'd be OK. Reason I always recommend Kifaru to folks wanting a MOLLE compatible ruck, especially this size or up, is the suspension is way better than almost all of the other designs out there, with the possible exception of Mystery Ranch, which isn't cheap, either. Plus, they are nearly indestructible, so they cost more, but you'll only buy one.
 
Really? That's something to consider...:rolleyes:
How tall are you? I'm 6'1".

Being honest I rather overspend, but get the best I can get, then spending less and then getting something that's "just ok". If the belt is too high it's basically useless as a form to distribute weight. And one more thing: does the G1 has some sort of padding or armor on the back? One thing that made me particularly interested in the Rush 72 is that the rear part (the part that gets in touch with your back) is somewhat rigid, shielding your back from anything hard inside the backpack that could poke you.
 
Ok gents, I'm almost cross-eyed from looking at so many backpacks
hmm-1.gif
.

Taking into consideration price, availability (not everything I can get shipped down here :mad:) and function (or at least what I think will work for me), I narrowed it down to the Vulture II and the Rush 72. With all the praise, I got very tempted for the Zulu, but it has a BIG disadvantage in my eyes: it's a top loader. My old backpack is like that, and I always resented the fact that I had to be very conscious of how I loaded my gear, because I never had easy access to everything in there.

Right now the Rush 72 is a bit ahead in the race, because it seems to have a bit more structure to it (looks somewhat more rigid then the Vulture) and I think that may help with load distribution. I also think that it permits easier access to the front and main compartment. Besides, it's a bit cheaper.

Taking into consideration only these two models, can anyone offer some experience? Which one is the toughest? Any cons on any of them? I'm really undecided here, so any input will be appreciated.
 
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