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  1. #1
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    Default Why should I buy a backpack that's over 200 dollars?

    I just bought this backpack to practice with untill I get a better one next year for my long trip....

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/40-50L-Outdo...r=580531492459

    This backpack was 30 dollars and seems to have some of the features of name brand packs and it's new. I checked the dimensions and it'll fit my tent and other supplies easy.

    Here is another even larger one....

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/Camping-Trav...item3f4141cb99

    It's a different design, I found many hiking backpacks for under 50 dollars, various types, and sizes, one had a 80L capacity for under 50 dollars!

    This doesn't make sense to me, are backpacks this cheap going to fall apart on me or something, they look decent in the pics? I'll have my backpack in a few days to give an opinion on it, but can anyone here with more experince tell me what's wrong with getting a backpack this cheap, or are they like shoes where you just pay more for name brand equipment that isn't always better? Most are spending at least 150 for a backpack from what I can tell, and often much more than that.

    One more thing, has anyone here done weeks or months worth of hiking with a cheap backpack like this? I'm very curious how they hold up compared to the more expensive ones.

  2. #2

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    Quote Originally Posted by Mikenet7482 View Post
    I

    This doesn't make sense to me, are backpacks this cheap going to fall apart on me or something, they look decent in the pics? I'll have my backpack in a few days to give an opinion on it, but can anyone here with more experince tell me what's wrong with getting a backpack this cheap, or are they like shoes where you just pay more for name brand equipment that isn't always better? Most are spending at least 150 for a backpack from what I can tell, and often much more than that.

    One more thing, has anyone here done weeks or months worth of hiking with a cheap backpack like this? I'm very curious how they hold up compared to the more expensive ones.
    Most cheap items are cheap for a reason.
    Cheap materials go into them is a big one.
    Lack of quality control
    Unskilled design and construction



    Looks mean less than nothing.

    I promise you, you will get what you pay for.

    Some items can be serviceable though. It just depends.

    The popular items arent popular because they are expensive, they are popular because they work well. $200 is actually a bit of a bargain for something to last years of daily use.
    Last edited by MuddyWaters; 08-14-2015 at 22:22.

  3. #3
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    The larger one looks more legit to me, and like Muddy says the quality will definitely be suspect. Not to say you wont get some mileage out of either, but dont expect $200 bag quality and well designed features from a $40 bag. For instance, the first bag has crappy water bottle holders, and some goofy exterior straps to hold something that would totally throw off the balance of your pack. It's like they saw that they had some free space and threw them on there as a "feature" when in reality you should probably cut them off. Also, sizing of items from China on Ebay is generally hit and miss. So anyway, I still say go for it. It will last you some hikes, and you'll learn the true value of what's good and not good. Maybe it is better to get a $40 pack to learn these lessons. Good luck.

  4. #4
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    In addition to what muddy waters said. If you buy a pack at a reputable outfitter (and if you are paying $200, you should be buying it in person at a reputable outfitters.) the price you are paying is partially for a skilled salesperson helping you find a pack that fits you correctly. For the $200 packs you are also generally paying for an item with an a fairly solid return policy and long warranty against defects.
    Colorless green ideas sleep furiously.

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    Since you've already invested, I'd like to read your take on it after you get your new bag and use it for a season. Many of us could share stories of what fails and works on cheap gear. I can build a pretty high performance kit with crazy cheap almost everything, from pop can stoves to grease pots, to cheap tarps and Walmart clothing (for trail use, not mountaineering) to thrift shop ski pole trekking poles to grocery store ultralight foods.

    But, there.are two things, that for the life of me, I can't figure out . . . a ghetto sleeping bag/quilt or ghetto backpack with acceptable performance and reliability.

  6. #6
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    At that price, a used name brand pack would be a better buy.
    "It's fun to have fun, but you have to know how." ---Dr. Seuss

  7. #7
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    You get what you pay for. Agree with The Elf. Hiked Dawsonville to Front Royal with a cheap surplus backpack in 1978. Did not know any better, being young.
    So the answer is yes of course one can enjoy a hike with a cheap backpack, but I'd advise shopping the used market and taking along someone who knows how to fit a backpack.

  8. #8
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    I use a Field and Stream 65l only $80 new. Only weighs 4 1/2 lbs. Works fine.

  9. #9

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    A lot depends on how much you're going to use it. If you're like a lot of us on here that do 15 or 20 trips a year, you might want to invest in something more pricey. But if this is something you might use for a weekend trip twice a year, that may be all you need. I've used plenty of cheaper gear...my stove cost $6 and has served me well for almost 2 years now. For awhile I camped under a $10 blue tarp from Walmart because I didn't want to spend a lot of money on a new tent. I used a $10 Walmart sleeping bag for awhile too. Will the $30 pack last as long as the $200 one? Maybe or probably not. It all depends on how you use it and how it was made to begin with. I once bought a polo shirt on the discount rack for $5...the original tag said $45. Was it a $5 shirt or a $45 shirt? Lots of stuff has a huge markup and I've found that some of this stuff you buy on the internet is every bit as good as the name brand stuff...my $6 stove is a good example of that.

  10. #10
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    "You get what you pay for" is true sometimes, but not always. Sometimes you are paying for a brand name and not quality. You can find quality items at lower prices if you shop carefully and are patient about it. I really hate the attitude of "you have to buy the best most expensive stuff to hike" because it just isn't so. There is a certain amount of elitism, it seems, among a lot of WB forum users, a bit of equipment snobbery. Watch for sales, watch for used equipment, check out stuff from less well known manufacturers. Some less expensive stuff will be junk, but not always. "You get what you pay for" doesn't always hold water.
    "You're a nearsighted, bitter old fool."

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by vamelungeon View Post
    "You get what you pay for" is true sometimes, but not always. Sometimes you are paying for a brand name and not quality. You can find quality items at lower prices if you shop carefully and are patient about it. I really hate the attitude of "you have to buy the best most expensive stuff to hike" because it just isn't so. There is a certain amount of elitism, it seems, among a lot of WB forum users, a bit of equipment snobbery. Watch for sales, watch for used equipment, check out stuff from less well known manufacturers. Some less expensive stuff will be junk, but not always. "You get what you pay for" doesn't always hold water.
    How about "You get what you pay for, if you're lucky"
    "It's fun to have fun, but you have to know how." ---Dr. Seuss

  12. #12
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    Some scrounge by successfully with much less than others if they have some skills with repair, maintenance, and rehab. Those who drive old cars know what I mean--it becomes a kind of hobby. And some are much easier on gear than others. A friend calls me the outdoor gear beta tester, because I always find a way to break things in the outdoors. And I also enjoy the challenge of MacGuyver repairs and always have some parachute cord, duct tape, safety pins, needle and thread, and a bit of wire. Funny thing is I use that stuff more often on others' more expensive gear.

    I've seen some uber-hikers out there on mega-hikes with Walmart gear. And I've seen folks strolling around the neighborhood park who wouldn't leave home without being decked out in four figures worth of Patagucci equipment complete with poles and gaiters. It can be pretty much however you want it to be.
    "Throw a loaf of bread and a pound of tea in an old sack and jump over the back fence." John Muir on expedition planning

  13. #13

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    Garlic brings up some good points that every hiker should take to heart...what do you do when you're 5 miles from the nearest road and your shoulder straps rip off the pack? It happened to me just outside Hot Springs with a name brand pack. If you can't rig something to get you to town you're going to be in big trouble. Luckily for me the outfitter was able to hook me up with somebody local that had a sewing machine and knew how to use it.

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bronk View Post
    ...what do you do when you're 5 miles from the nearest road and your shoulder straps rip off the pack? It happened to me just outside Hot Springs with a name brand pack. If you can't rig something to get you to town you're going to be in big trouble....
    Hah--same thing happened to me years ago in a remote area of the Pasayten Wilderness on the PNT--a plastic buckle broke. But I just happened to be hiking past an historic mine (they sold tungsten to Nazi Germany in the 1930s!) and I found a nice piece of fencing wire, an old stove and a rock and was able to hammer the wire into a nice buckle shape. It was kind of fun, and the pack still works that way to this day.
    "Throw a loaf of bread and a pound of tea in an old sack and jump over the back fence." John Muir on expedition planning

  15. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bronk View Post
    Garlic brings up some good points that every hiker should take to heart...what do you do when you're 5 miles from the nearest road and your shoulder straps rip off the pack? It happened to me just outside Hot Springs with a name brand pack. If you can't rig something to get you to town you're going to be in big trouble. Luckily for me the outfitter was able to hook me up with somebody local that had a sewing machine and knew how to use it.
    Is what u use your needle and dental floss for.

  16. #16
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    Interesting opinions so far. I spent much more for a decent tent for my trip next year which will take months, and more than likely I'll get a better backpack for that hike as well, I'll be doing a section hike but a long one, 500 miles is my goal I'm thinking. I just have an urge to get out on the trail and do some overnights as practice, I was using a tiny backpack to hold water and some snacks for day hikes but since I want some longer practice hikes I had to get something that could fit my tent. Id love to be suprised by the backpack I'm getting though, saving money where I can will be important for me with many things because my budget is limited. I'll need to be able to leave with a cushion of money for food, hostels, and restoking anything that breaks.

    I'll let everyone know what the backpack is like when I get it, it should arrive late next week.

  17. #17

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    Not as a hard and fast rule but often front end pt of sale and follow through customer service is part of the total cost in buying backpacks when opting to shop at reputable outfitters and cottage gear companies. Hands on kids glove KNOWLEDGABLE live it breathe backpacking service is not to be ignored, at least by me.

  18. #18
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    I bought a lookalike tactical bag from ebay once and it was worth every penny I paid for it. Mainly, I discovered two things. First, that the design worked for me and I was willing to pay the regular price for the name-brand model. And second, that the cheapie started falling apart soon after getting it, blowing seams and shredding fabric from the second or third rate materials used. But like I said, I would have potentially saved a lot of money if the design hadn't worked as I'd hoped.

  19. #19
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    Another thing to point out is that some items are possibly more forgiving than others when it comes to paying for quality. Shoes come to mind. I have purchased lots of cheap shoes over the years and regretted it each time (you'd think I would learn). For many, a pack is much the same in that to work right it needs to fit. Also, you will read many horror stories about cheap tents (10$ blue tarp not included) that leaked like a sieve in the first rain stome. Like shoes, careful attention to design, function, etc... in packs and tents can make a big difference. As some have pointed out, with luck, cheap gear can work. But quality is more likely to make a difference for some items.

    But for other gear, paying extra is less likely to pay off. You can get synthetic t-shirts, fleece, and gym shorts at a thrift store for a buck and have an unofficial thru hikers uniform that is likely to perform just as well as the foo-foo designer digs, well maybe not just as well, but good enough. A DIY cat food can stove has worked fine for many hikers and costs 50 cents. A lot of people will advise you to "buy quality once", but I found this ideal problematic. I agonized for years deciding on what gear to buy - wanting to get it just right. But without experience, I wasn't in a position to really know what was "just right" for me. I suspect that many people who say "but quality once" have a bunch of cheap starter gear gathering dust in their closet.

  20. #20

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    Quote Originally Posted by vamelungeon View Post
    "You get what you pay for" is true sometimes, but not always. Sometimes you are paying for a brand name and not quality. You can find quality items at lower prices if you shop carefully and are patient about it. I really hate the attitude of "you have to buy the best most expensive stuff to hike" because it just isn't so. There is a certain amount of elitism, it seems, among a lot of WB forum users, a bit of equipment snobbery. Watch for sales, watch for used equipment, check out stuff from less well known manufacturers. Some less expensive stuff will be junk, but not always. "You get what you pay for" doesn't always hold water.
    I dont know of anyone that buys hiking stuff because its expensive, most want to avoid spending any more than necessary. They buy it because it works, and it meets their needs, and they can afford it.

    Can you dirtbag it? sure. That doesnt make those that buy western mountaineering bags snobs. There is a real pleasure to using high quality well designed gear that just works, especially if youve experienced the other side before. Sometimes this other side, is simply the weight of a 40 lb pack.
    Last edited by MuddyWaters; 08-15-2015 at 20:41.

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