Any Hiking Enthusiasts (Not Hitchhikers ;) )

[Boerklong]

Thanks

[Boerklong]

edit:...reckon that first link must be out of date cos this shop has the same pack for like 700 bucks more...if you can get it at that price then it is a good deal

 

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I see I can get this https://www.capeunionmart.co.za/k-way-venture-50-hiking-pack for the advertised price. Will 50lt be enough?

[Kranswurm]

I want to get into hiking. Booked Fish River for June 2017.

I want to start buying some equipmentt. Starting with a pack. Im not going to use it more than 2 or 3 times per year. Fish River will be the longest and the rest will be 2-3 days max.

I am looking at these:

 

https://www.capeunionmart.co.za/k-way-venture-50-hiking-pack

 

https://www.capeunionmart.co.za/k-way-venture-60-backpack

 

http://www.outdoorwarehouse.co.za/product/capestorm-overland-55l-hiking-pack

 

http://www.sportsmanswarehouse.co.za/products/packs-hiking#filters|sort_most-recent

 

Dont have a huge budget, but I dint want to buy utter crap

50L is a chics pack.You are going to be found wanting on the Fish River unless you are expecting everyone else to carry your share of food,kit etc.

A good back pack will last you a life time so make a decent investment as you must with your sleeping bag and boots

[Stretch]

50L is a chics pack.You are going to be found wanting on the Fish River unless you are expecting everyone else to carry your share of food,kit etc.

A good back pack will last you a life time so make a decent investment as you must with your sleeping bag and boots

 

ja..i think 50l would not be a wise investment. I have a 55l pack but it is very well designed so I can get maximum use of all space. Generally..on a 5 day hike I will be tightly packed...so to loose another 5l would be a bit too much. My recommendation is a 60l. Not too big in that you overpack...but big enough to handle a 5 day + comfortably

[Boerklong]

Thanks. The fish will be 4 days and after that I will not do any thing longer than 2-3 days.

[Boerklong]

Wil look at the 60lt

[Frosty]

Thanks. The fish will be 4 days and after that I will not do any thing longer than 2-3 days.

The first two days of the Fish is very slow due to the boulders you need to negotiate. 4 days is possible but then there's not much time to stop and enjoy the sights and your hike party needs to be fairly fit/strong.

 

Unless of course you're planning to take all the shortcuts.

[Boerklong]

The first two days of the Fish is very slow due to the boulders you need to negotiate. 4 days is possible but then there's not much time to stop and enjoy the sights and your hike party needs to be fairly fit/strong.

 

Unless of course you're planning to take all the shortcuts.

Goinng with a friend. It will be his 6th trip to the fish. Apparently he knows it well

[Kranswurm]

The first two days of the Fish is very slow due to the boulders you need to negotiate. 4 days is possible but then there's not much time to stop and enjoy the sights and your hike party needs to be fairly fit/strong.

 

Unless of course you're planning to take all the shortcuts.

The first two days are the slowest because they the nicest.

If I do it again I will drop in in the late afternoon and spend the night slightly upstream if possible.

[mtbride]

Agree for multi day hikes of 5 and more days, bigger than a 60L would be the minimum I would want. Done a couple of 5 days in the berg, my Deuter 70 + 10 aircontact or whatever has handled itself well. My Wife though hiked with a 38L, together we had just enough space. And in the berg you don't have to carry tons of water as you can drink from rivers up top. Fish probably another story ...?

Edited July 19, 2016 by Kraggie

[Kranswurm]

There is nothing wrong with the KWay range of technical backpacks from Cape Union.

I have a 40L technical day pack which I bought on a sale years ago which is pretty good.

Comfortable and strong.Def on a par with my two Karrimor packs.

[Boerklong]

There is nothing wrong with the KWay range of technical backpacks from Cape Union.

I have a 40L technical day pack which I bought on a sale years ago which is pretty good.

Comfortable and strong.Def on a par with my two Karrimor packs.

This is what I want to hear. I bought a 60L. Should be fine I hope. Wont use it more than twice a year.

[Kranswurm]

This is what I want to hear. I bought a 60L. Should be fine I hope. Wont use it more than twice a year.

It will be fine

Dont worry about it

[Mr Legs]

60 litre can be small, but at least you will not have enough space to pack too much. Show everything you intend to take to your hiking buddy, he will trim it some more and also you can share some items such as a stove with at least one other hiker. 

 

My must take items are Game powder, biltong, peanuts, raisins, small chocolates,cheese and provita, these items are my lunch and if I am too buggered to cook dinner or if the weather is too adverse to make a decent meal, these items keep me going.

 

The three dinners on my last hike in the Richtersveld consisted of pasta alfredo with extra chorizo and salami, spanish rice with mussels and salmon, a kind of hikers paella and third night was couscous with chicken, roasted pine and dried apricot.

 

 

And on the subject of booze, I always decant whisky to take along. Nothing beats lying in your sleeping bag and checking out the stars and the Milky Way and the universe fortified by a sip or two of the golden stuff.

[HappyMartin]

I don't see why you should buy the smallest pack. My pack is 115 l. If I don't use the space compression straps that are built in take care of it. It weighs only 150g more than my GF 65l. It cost R500 more.

 

Fish River is not a hard hike. No tent needed and hardly any warm gear. Should be easy to get under 14kg.

 

Karrimor packs are hard as hell. In every sense. Never wear out but old fashioned, heavy and no match for a modern packs comfort. I have used a Karrimor for 15 years. Recently changed to a modern Osprey. Chalk and cheese.

[Ratty]

So I went investigating different packs yesterday.  Tried on at least 8 which included Cape Storm, First Ascent, Due South, Deuter, Osprey and K-Way.

 

For me, the Osprey is THE one.  Wow is it comfortable.  On majority of the others I found the shoulder straps were in the wrong place (too wide apart) or that it just didn't sit properly on my back.

 

Unfortunately it is a bit more expensive.  They have one for R2049 and one for R2799.  The more expensive one has much better ventilation on your back so for a summer hike is the better option.  It does have a lifetime warranty though.  Even if you tear it yourself, they will apparently fix it for you (just possibly not with the same colour material).

 

My trip is now officially booked, deposit paid and all :-)