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Hill walking bag/rucksack?

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  • 01-04-2009 12:21pm
    #1
    jmcwobbles
    Registered Users Posts: 287 ✭✭


    Hey everyone,

    I need to get me one of the shnazzy walking bags a couple of my friends have, with the mesh gap behind the back and hip straps and all - just wondering does anyone have any recommendations re brands etc? My friend has a Berghaus bag and loves it, are they a good brand? I wanna go into town tomorrow evening and find one but don't wanna pay a fortune just for a brand name when another brand could be just as good - although am willing to pay if the brand is actually a superior bag. Any recommendations or experiences you've all had would be much appreciated.

    I presume Millets, Great Outdoors etc are the best places to go, right?

    Thanks! :)


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    #2
    Alun
    Registered Users Posts: 21,455 ✭✭✭✭Alun


    Berghaus are good as are Lowe Alpine and Deuter. The proof of the pudding though is whether it fits you well. Small day bags tend not to have the adjustments to compensate for different body shapes (especially torso height, i.e. distance from waist to shoulder) that the larger multi-day packs do, so just choose the one that fits your body shape the best out of the makes mentioned above. As for shops Great Outdoors, Outdoor Adventure Centre or Millets, I'd say. You might get lucky with some of the other places in the Mary St./Capel St. area, but generally they won't carry the better / more expensive brands.


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    #3
    jmcwobbles
    Registered Users Posts: 287 ✭✭jmcwobbles


    Brillo thanks for the tips - yeah my friends were saying they should be able to fit the bag to you in the shop before you buy so I'll be sure to find a good fit.

    What about Rambler's Way, would that be a good place?


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    #4
    Alun
    Registered Users Posts: 21,455 ✭✭✭✭Alun


    jmcwobbles wrote: »
    What about Rambler's Way, would that be a good place?
    Depends on what they have ... by and large though, they tend to go for the lower end of the market, brand-wise. The staff are pretty pushy as well which puts me off the place TBH, but if they do have what you want in stock they're quite cheap and are even sometimes open to haggling.


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    #5
    jmcwobbles
    Registered Users Posts: 287 ✭✭jmcwobbles


    Cool yeah now that I think about it I got my hiking boots there and managed to get them to throw in a pair of walking socks. You're right about the staff though they didn't seem great - sure will check out the other places first I guess and then pop in and see if they have the bags I like for cheaper.

    Oh actually I have one more question - how much would you expect to pay for a pair of walking poles? Does the difference in brand really make much of a difference there, as long as they're adjustable surely they all pretty much do the same thing?


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    #6
    Alun
    Registered Users Posts: 21,455 ✭✭✭✭Alun


    jmcwobbles wrote: »
    Oh actually I have one more question - how much would you expect to pay for a pair of walking poles? Does the difference in brand really make much of a difference there, as long as they're adjustable surely they all pretty much do the same thing?
    Price wise, I'm not really sure ... I bought my last pair in a sale a couple of years ago.

    As for quality, I've had a couple of pairs of Kohla poles and have been happy with them, although I don't see them on any of the websites (Great Outdoors, OAS etc.) so maybe they're not available here any more. Leki are another good make, but generally a bit more expensive. If you're going to keep them for a while, it's possibly also a good idea to go for a well known make, as getting spares (locking mechanisms, baskets, tips etc.) will be easier.

    One thing to watch out for is that you don't get poles designed for Nordic walking or similar .. they're generally too lightweight and not strong enough for hillwalking use.

    BTW One thing you must do if you get poles is to make sure you take them apart for storage between walks to dry out. If they get wet, and you store them assembled, they'll corrode internally and lock solid.


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    #7
    Noangel72
    Closed Accounts Posts: 145 ✭✭Noangel72


    I buy lots of gear from the north:

    http://www.jackson-sports.com/

    As for poles, get the best you can afford; I like the type with shock absorbers, anyway they will last for years!

    Today I was in millets and they have a Berghaus Arete 35 reduced to euro45; in general I tend to try out things in shops and then buy on the web, these are also good places to buy:

    http://www.macmountaineering.co.uk/
    https://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/webpoint/webpoint.cfm?FUSEACTION=main


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