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Written by Bryn
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Tuesday, 30 August 2011 15:47 |
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 Vaude backpacks have earned a great reputation with Adventure Travel testers over the years and the Brenta 30 looks like it’s not going to disappoint. Vaude says that the Brenta’s a ‘roomy hiking pack for day tours’, and it looks a technically advanced one at that.
The main draw of this pack is its adjustable back ventilation system and its FLASH (or floating length-adjustable shoulder harness) shoulder straps. Thanks to two pull cords at the bottom of the bag, the mesh panel that’s in contact with your back can be tightened, arching the back of the bag away from your body. This allows you to ventilate your back when things get hot, but also means the bag to keeps its stability on tough terrain.
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Last Updated on Friday, 18 November 2011 17:09 |
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On test: Karrimor Kodiak 30 |
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Written by Bryn
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Tuesday, 30 August 2011 15:30 |
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 The Kodiak 30 is a basic-looking 30-litre daysack from Karrimor. At £45 it’s still one of the more affordable bags in this review, and it’s suited for use out on the hills or as a general travel pack or around town.
Feature-wise the Kodiak 30 offers all the basics you’d expect from a daysack. It’s got two wand pockets, a daisy-chain cord on the front to leash gear to, a lid with a good-sized pocket and key clip to keep things handy; an axe loop for snowy conditions and a rain cover for those wet days.
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Last Updated on Friday, 18 November 2011 17:11 |
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On test: Highlander Summit 25 |
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Written by Bryn
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Tuesday, 30 August 2011 14:59 |
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 The Summit 25 is a multi-featured 25-litre daysack from Scotland-based camping and hiking gear manufacturer Highlander. It’s made from a material called XTP Super-Lite which is a nylon fabric that’s designed to be tough, durable and resistant to damage from abrasion, tears and scuffs; a promising start. At 25 litres the Summit seems no smaller than the 30-litre Craghoppers Kiwi Pro 30 (below) – a good example of how manufacturers’ sizing can differ.
For a pack at the cheaper end of the price range, the Summit has an impressive number of useful features. There’s a nicely sized dual main compartment which is useful for splitting up wet and dry or clean and dirty gear, and it has a bottom entry point (oi oi!) allowing for easy access to the whole pack. You get a front pocket and two hip-belt pockets for items that you want to keep close to hand; two ice axe attachment points and attachment loops which will cater for two trekking poles.
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Last Updated on Friday, 18 November 2011 17:12 |
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On test: Craghoppers Kiwi Pro 30 |
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Written by Bryn
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Tuesday, 30 August 2011 14:38 |
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 British gear manufacturer Craghoppers has been making kit since 1965 when a group of guys in West Yorkshire decided they were going to climb Everest. The lads wanted gear that would be able to withstand the harsh conditions that they’d encounter on the mountain, so they went about designing and testing new fabrics and clothing. Their preparation helped them reach the summit of the highest mountain on earth and Craghoppers was born.
So, we introduce the Kiwi Pro from Craghoppers, a 30-litre daysack that’s made from a mixture of polyester and ripstop nylon with a water-repellent finish. The Kiwi seems smaller than other 30-litre rucksacks we’ve got on test – when I first picked it up I thought it was a 25-litre or even a 20-litre bag – but that said, the main storage compartment is large enough to hold the basic kit you’d need for a day hiking in the hills or bopping around town. There’s also a sunglasses pouch, which has a soft lining to protect your eyewear from scratches, and an organiser pocket on the front so you can sort your life out.
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Last Updated on Friday, 18 November 2011 17:14 |
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Gear