Cheap backpacks for survival?

agreed. But irritating none the less. There are too many options these days to ask such a general question without details.

Load carried
Options needed
Price range
Color likes/dislikes

if not then I suggest this

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The "My little pony" pack does have certain survival applications. Does anyone really want unanswered questions about possibly being a "Brony" ? No way bro. A person would be highly motivated to find a way out of those woods rather than be found dead with that pack. The same thing applies to Jerry's fishnets. I would crawl out of hell before they found my rotting body wearing lady's underwear.



JoepReinen,

Are you looking for a 72-hour Bug Out Bag aka BOB?
 
Kelty makes a lot of different packs. What you need, though, depends on what you plan on doing. If you're going mountain climbing for 2 days or simply hiking I imagine you'd probably want different gear.
 
Email me. I got a steal for you. Used gently, one of the first internal frame packs from the 80's. I'll send you pics.
 
Alot of stuff.
Pretty heavy:)

For 2 days camping?

If you are serious about quality, spend the money.

If you aren't that serious and still want decent quality, just buy military surplus. There ought to be used NATO gear available in the Netherlands.
 
Check out The Sportsmans Guide. Just got an 'Extreme Pak Heavy Duty - Water Resistant' bag for $31.95 much more than that [very pleased with the quality]. This will be a BOB for my wife's car.
 
For 2 days camping?

If you are serious about quality, spend the money.

If you aren't that serious and still want decent quality, just buy military surplus. There ought to be used NATO gear available in the Netherlands.

Yup. A genuine BW German Mountain Backpack would be good bet. I've been using one for my bimbles in the woods.
Just waiting for my upgrade by Deuter to arrive though.
 
I personally like the company Kelty. They make solid stuff and have a stellar warranty too.

I think it's pretty hard to find Kelty, at a reasonable price, in Europe. Osprey and Deuter are easy to come by though, perhaps not so surprisingly for the latter.

A more 'survival' type bag, could be found in Alpkit's Gourdon 30l pack maybe?
 
Are you talking survival? Or camping? Cause really, I can carry enough crap in a Maxped Jumbo to easily make it 72hrs plus here in the New England woods, even in winter.

But, if you are talking about 48hrs camping that's a different story. Camping equals comfort in my eyes, surely they have an equal to a medium Alice pack over there. I could stuff enough crap in one of those to enjoy myself for 48 hrs+, and not even feel I was just surviving.
 
I have found some great bags for really cheaper at GoodWill from $2-5.
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Surplus Alice packs are great bags that you can find cheap. Got mine for $5.
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Jansport did make some very solid bags a few years ago with DWR treat and rubber bottoms that you might be able to find cheap.
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Plus, they come with a lifetime warrant that I have used several times because I am hard on my bags. I just took them back to Big 5 and they let me pick out a new one for free. And some of these bags I had for 6+ years. The one problem I have found with them and most bags was the zippers. YYK zippers are good but will fault.

Bingo right here. If you are going to be using that bag a lot get something like a Maxpedition. If it is going to sit in a closet or trunk for a year then hit a Good will/second hand shop and dig around for something inexpensive and tough. The true middle ground and likely the best possible compromise is military surplus. Keep an eye out for decent wool blankets while poking around these places also. Some guys make good scores that way.
 
For 2 days camping?

If you are serious about quality, spend the money.

If you aren't that serious and still want decent quality, just buy military surplus. There ought to be used NATO gear available in the Netherlands.

Good local advice
 
Second or third with Kelty. I have their Range backpack in black, and I have been using to carry college books for two years without problems. Great bag, and it doesn't have mole type stuff on the outside that screams expensive gear inside.
 
I've carried Kelty's for years (since the 70's) and never had one fail. I also have two Lowe internal frames, never any problems with them. But to me they just weren't as comfortable as the Kelty. The wife has carried Lowe and Osprey brands, as well as the old Kelty she had when we got together. No issues with any of them either.

One suggestion I would make, go to a store and try several on and see what fits (adjusts to) your body type the best. Some have a lot of adjustment and will fit most anyone with the proper tweaking. Others are pretty limited if your large or small. I'm 6-4 and about 265 and have some trouble finding one that fits me right. Once you do, it will be a pleasure to carry. Also be sure to tailor the size to slightly larger than what you expect your normal load to be.
 
Each year my daughter would go through two $30 backpacks that would eventually fail because they couldn't handle the weight and bulk of all of her textbooks. Seams would tear, zippers would bust, straps would break. Then, I passed on my gently used Osprey React daypack. After two years of daily use lugging around 20+ pounds of books and gear, being tossed in lockers and dropped and dragged across playgrounds it is still going strong. Not only that, she noticed that she no longer gets back or shoulder pain with the new and improved pack design. Seriously, apart from a few stains on the inside that can be cleaned, the pack is still going strong. Not a stitch out of place; zippers, straps, buckles, seams are all intact. We have since upgraded her pack to an Osprey Comet and it is holding up just as expected.
 
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