Brio Crag Daypack

[sparrowtb]

Hi,

I'm looking for a new daypack. I need it to do field work this summer. i'm mainly going to be carrying field guides, binos, water, a little food, extra layer and rain gear. I was looking at some mec backs as well as the kelty whitney 1900. i was wondering if anyone had opinions on these items thanks.

The mec bag
http://mec.ca/Products/product_detai...=1082923197527



Thanks

[tlbj6142]

Looks nice. Does not appear to have side water bottle holders on the side.

I, too, have been looking for a ~30L (1800ci) day pack. Check out the Salomon Raid 300, the LL Bean Bigelow (top or panel version) and the Osprey Aether 30. Granite Gear have a couple of nice ones in the catalog, but I couldn't find any locally.

I orderd all three. I have the LL Bean Bigelow (top load) and the Osprey Aether 30 so far. The Raid 300 is suppose to arrive tomorrow.

The LL Bean bag is a bit heavy 1041g, but it fits nice as it comes in 3 sizes (many day packs do not) and it had an awesome hipbelt. Once the Osprey arrived, I sent the Bigelow packin'. As I liked the features on the Osprey better (no stupid top lid, lighter, removeable back pad, dry bag style top).



I'll let you know tomorrow, or Tuesday, how the Osprey vs. Salomon battle turns out.

[c.coyle]

Bean also makes the "Continental Rucksack". 2000 cu. in., $29.00. Classic top loader or panel loader. Low tech, no frills. One big compartment and outside pockets. I've never weighed it, but it's light. Semi-rigid frame sheet. Comfortably carries 10 - 12 # all day.

[chris]

I haven't used the Crag, but MEC makes top quality gear. They design, make, and market another brand called Serratus, and I have two of these packs, the Condor (big, basic) and the Aladdin II (small, basic). Both are really good and very tough. The Aladdin came with me for a month or so in the Nepal Himalaya in Dec-Jan of 01-02, an AT section hike from Springer to Damascus in 02, numerous weekend outings in the Smokys, three weeks in Central America, and another three in the Middle East.

[tlbj6142]

I'll let you know tomorrow, or Tuesday, how the Osprey vs. Salomon battle turns out.

I'm going with the Salomon Raid 300 ('02 model from Northern Mountain Supply).

Osprey Aether 30:

• Fit was a bit too tall for me. Maybe the small would have been better
• 840g (medium)
• 1" webbing hipbelt. Hip Belt "wings" way too small to provide any real "help"
• Love the dry top closure. Wish every bag had one.
• No top lid (those things are just plain stupid)
• Decent compression (dry bag top and/or wrap-around compression straps, shock cord)
• While the side bottle holders can hold a Nalgene size container, the bottles fall out everytime you bend over. This is probably the biggest reason why I'm not keeping the pack. Stupid design. Seems like the Osprey folks made something that looks good on the rack, but lacks function on the back.
• Load lifter straps help keep load forward.

Salomon Raid 300 ('02 model)

• Fits me better than the Osprey.
• Hipbet nicer. 1.5" or maybe 2" webbing belt with nice padded wings
• Two Hipbelt pockets! There is no reason why every pack on the market shouldn't ship with hipbelt pockets.
• Top lid (this sucks! stupid things. Add too much weight for too little function). The damn thing doesn't even come off so you can use it as a fanny pack "in town".
• 702g
• Nice deep mesh outer pockets. Keeps stuff from falling out.
• Internal hydration sleeve (I don't use them but...) and dual ports.
• drain holes. (again, every pack should have these. Who uses a pack cover anyway?)
• Shock cord only pack compression. This might be an issue on really small loads.
• Excellent back panel. Very stiff padding. Good design.
• No load lifters to keep top portion of the pack forward.
• Bunch of extra shock cord thingys all over the place (I think to hold water bottles on the shoulder straps and "tools" on the front outside the mesh). Easily removed (weight above includes these stupid things).
• Draw string main bag. Yuck!
• cheaper than the Osprey (by $40).

If I had the time, I'd just make my own pack. As I'm constently amazed at the lack of real usable features on packs.