Backpack size

[JGP]

I still haven't got anything to actually take my stuff in yet for this year. I'm getting the coach so I'm thinking a big backpack would be best because I can't take a trolley/wheelbarrow etc.

I'm looking at a 65L but I'm not sure if this is too big/too small as I've never looked at them before so was just hoping to see what sizes other people are taking.

Cheers!

[phillyfaddle]

My rucksack is 40L which was fine when the festival was 3 days. I'd go for 65L now. What you want to avoid is carrying any heavy bags in your hands, other than your tent. You'll be in agony, trust me.

[blackred]

Hard to tell without knowing what size your are and how much stuff you want to take. 65l would be the minimum I would advise for 5 days worth of kit, I have a 75+10 and it can take absolutely everything (inc. tent) except booze - i tend to pack fairly light though.

Edited June 18, 2014 by blackred

[bluegel]

65 or above. Remember you will be trekking with all your gear so you want most on your back

[BA4 4BY]

The absolute biggest rucksack you are likely to find is about 120 to 130 litres, which is usually the reserve of the Royal Marines etc if you can picture that. I like my creature comforts so I carry a 100 litre rucksack, but the bigger it is the heavier it tends to get when it's full, so I wouldn't want to go any bigger/heavier than that (I'm a fairly athletic 14 stone bloke).

Of course it all depends on your build and what you intend to take, so it's difficult to say what would be suitable for one person compared to the next, as previously stated above.

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

I suppose you could get all your kit together and visually size up the volume in your head. Better still would be to actual measure the dimensions of your gathered together kit. Then you could go into a shop selling rucksacks and compare the sizes of the rucksack with the size of your collected equipment.

If you don't want to do that then I'd be tempted to get a 100L one. If your stuff fills the bag then you are fine. If your stuff doesn't fill the bag then you are still fine (there's no law saying that you have to fully fill the bag). However, if you buy a 65L one and find that it doesn't fit all your kit in then what are you going to do?

[johnmcga]

If you don't want to do that then I'd be tempted to get a 100L one. If your stuff fills the bag then you are fine. If your stuff doesn't fill the bag then you are still fine (there's no law saying that you have to fully fill the bag). However, if you buy a 65L one and find that it doesn't fit all your kit in then what are you going to do?

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

I definitely wouldn't do this. Well, not if you pack like I do. I'll fill however much space I have available, so my strategy is that taking a smaller bag forces me to pack lighter.

People always take too much to festivals anyway, so I reckon this is the way to go.

[HerrJAH]

I've got a 60L british army engineers bergen with side pouches that bring the total capacity to around 80L. Great bit of kit. Super durable, water resistant, comfortable and if you need to tether things to it with bungees it's super easy. The thing has been round the world with me and to more festivals than I can count and it's still going strong. Saw one on eBay (with side pouches) for about £40.

[johnmcga]

Do you carry much booze?

[plainlazy44]

I really struggle to understand what people take that needs so much space. I take a 29l bag, with my sleeping bag tied to the bottom of it, my sleeping mat tied to the front and a pair of converse hanging off the side. Carry the tent in one hand and and booze in a coolbag in the other.

Is it just the stuff that i tie to my bag that other people put in theirs or do people generally just take a lot of stuff they don't need?

[JGP]

I've ordered the 65L bag, thanks for the advice!

I'll try and get my sleeping bag in there and just carry my tent in my hand. As for booze I'll only be taking 1 crate with me because my parents are driving down on thursday so I'm gonna give them more to bring which I can collect from them.

If I find it's too small then I'll just be forced to pack extra light which my back and feet will thank me for!

As for my build, I'm an average 20 year old so the 65L should be comfortable enough.

[blackred]

I really struggle to understand what people take that needs so much space. I take a 29l bag, with my sleeping bag tied to the bottom of it, my sleeping mat tied to the front and a pair of converse hanging off the side. Carry the tent in one hand and and booze in a coolbag in the other. Is it just the stuff that i tie to my bag that other people put in theirs or do people generally just take a lot of stuff they don't need?