Recommend a robust & durable backpack

[SimonCelsa]

My latest Lidl cheapo (about £15) daysack has just expired, lasted about a year so not too bad but I'd rather pay a bit more and get something a little more durable/repairable. I'm getting averse to chucking stuff out.

Any good recommendations? It will be used for cycle commuting (10 miles per day max) & carrying a bit of shopping home after work (as a supplement to panniers). During the day it will occasionally be slung in the passenger seat of a Luton size van amongst parcels and sacks of mail where it will get rather abused. Capacity max 35 litres. Does not necessarily have to be waterproof. Do not require a vast amount of pockets or appendages. Strong zips and straps a must. Not at all brand conscious.

A quick google recommends the Osprey Nebula as one of the best buys at around £70, does anyone have any experience with this bag, Sounds daft but it doesn't look up to much from the images.

Cheers

[Jdsk]

All of our walking rucksacs are more technical than what you're describing. I'd include Lowe Alpine, Deuter and Osprey (ours is an Exos 46) in the brands to look at: all have proved rugged and I'd be happy to buy them again.

Will you be able to try it on before buying?

How much do you care about bright colours, reflectivity etc?

Jonathan

[pwa]

Something like Carradice "cotton duck" will be more durable than nylon. But they cost £100, are only 20L and don't have reflectives.

https://www.carradice.co.uk/ranges/city ... sack-green

But why carry stuff on your back when you can carry it on the bike?

[SimonCelsa]

Thanks for the replies; I could probably try on if really necessary but I don't get out to the shops that much. 'Go Outdoors' is reasonably local as are several other shops of a similar ilk. I must admit being highly averse to bright, dayglo, or other high visibilty attire. I'll maybe check out some Osprey bags, I think they are stocked in Go Outdoors.

I need the bag during the day as well as on the commute. Cheers.

[thirdcrank]

I'm not a rucksack/backpack user but bombproof luggage to me = Ortlieb. They do various backpacks and I think -in theory at least - you can get an accessory to use a bike pannier as a back pack. Unfortunately, what's advertised on the ortlieb www isn't necessarily available in the UK where you seem to be dependent on the distributors.

[TrevA]

I don’t commute anymore but used my Osprey Quasar for over 3 years of daily commuting and it still going strong now. Lots of pockets and padding for a laptop, clothing and lunch, keys, phone, etc. available in a variety of colours, none of them dayglo- mine is black. Not cheap but sometimes it pays to buy quality.

[rotavator]

I have had a Karrimor Sabre 35l rucksack for may be 3 years and have had no trouble with it so far. I use it for hill walking rather than cycling. In particular I like the old fashioned big side pockets. Not waterproof and no rain cover supplied so I bought one and keep it one of the hidden side pockets.

https://www.sportsdirect.com/karrimor-sabre-35-litre-rucksack-798015?google&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI24ufjdGY7AIVS-vtCh2lRAfGEAQYAyABEgI6zvD_BwE#colcode=79801503&fo_c=3681&fo_k=cd3d66ea58a2a0fedd196e98843097e3&fo_s=gplauk

[slowster]

https://www.outdooraction.co.uk/rucksacks-rucksacks-by-type-day-sacks-and-walking-rucksacks/macpac/macpac-weka-30-backpack-pd-14656.php

Black version is £70. The cotton/polyester fabric is very hardwearing. For the use you describe I think a pack without a hipbelt would be better (or one that just used a webbing waist strap), but they are pretty much standard on good daysacks*. Maybe you won't mind the hipbelt or maybe it can be strapped out of the way around the back of the pack.

*The 20 litre version has no hipbelt or waist strap, but I would not like it for cycling or hot weather: the back panel is the cotton/polyester fabric which gets clammy with sweat, unlike packs with an all nylon/synthetic back panel.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
Berghaus were and probably are guaranteed for life.
I have one I use every time I go out, I used to use on my motorbike and now I use it when I go out training et cetera.
Its just got one small zipped pocket and one main pocket, too small Mesh pockets on the side.
It's got to be 25 years old now.
All the catches and zips still work.
Have carried much hardware in it and bicycle wheels strapped to the compression straps.

As said walking rucksacks are more robust.
If you go for a daysack, so unlikely to have any internal stiffening hardware.
20 to 30 L sounds about right.
They have rucksacks in Lidl is all the time, they have some in at the moment, these are the lightweight walking variety probably about 20 L

P.S.a chest strap unless you've got a detachable one you can put on is mandatory I find using on a bicycle.

[Bonefishblues]

Lomo has a good reputation. This is a bargain, and recommended:

https://www.lomo.co.uk/acatalog/drybag- ... ml#SID=116

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
Nylon, texturised, goes under tradenames one of them was cordura.
This stuff last forever and it's not to be confused with anything that is likely to be a pannier bag, not that they probably don't use that sort of stuff for panniers as well.
Anything vegetable is going to rot and go mouldy pretty quick.

[Jdsk]

Cordura is tough but it may contain stuff that isn't nylon and may be vegetable.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cordura

Jonathan

[Cyril Haearn]

Army surplus, camouflage, forty quid, maybe 40+ litres, seems robust and well-made
Weather is getting better/cooler so I shall be using it more than now

Had a Berghaus, it lasted 25 years, the shoulder straps went but could be mended

[slowster]

Anything vegetable is going to rot and go mouldy pretty quick.

If you are referring to the polyester/cotton fabric used in Macpac packs, that is not true. The fabric is impregnated with wax and resin, and is extremely tough and hardwearing, more so I would say than Cordura. Moreover, unlike nylon it ages well, and doesn't look tatty even after a lot of hard use. Macpac is a New Zealand company, and its home market includes a lot of backpackers who use the packs in temperate/wet climates.

The main reason why the packs are not a lot more popular is they are expensive (the one I linked to above is half price) and relatively heavy. If you buy a Macpac sack, it's likely to be a long time before you would need to buy a replacement.

[Glyno]

Might be worth a look ...bombproof and made in Cumbria

https://www.aiguillealpine.co.uk/produc ... acks-bags/