In the market for a backpack

[FLYPNW]

Hey folks! It's been a long time coming, but my move to Corvallis from Florida is *almost* complete - lots of boxes yet to unpack, etc... but reality is setting in that I start school at OSU on Monday morning. Having been out of school for over 15 years now, and having worked as a pilot making a really nice salary for several years this will be a huge change, but I'm looking forward to it!

Anyways, I am looking for a high quality tactical "style" backpack. I have one backpack now, but it's not very tough and durable and that just won't work in a Forestry program.

I'd like to find one that will work both as a school bag as well as a day-pack for hiking and such...and of course if it will support concealed carry and pistol carriage that would be great as well.

Lastly, I'd like to see my options in person before as opposed to buying online. Can anyone recommend a shop or vendor in the Willamette Valley that I could check out?

And if anyone has been to the Albany gun show this weekend, please let me know if theres a selection of such bags that I could check out.

Many thanks and Go BEAVS!

Markus

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[OFADAN]

You might stop in at US Tactical Supply in Albany on Hwy 99 and Hill since your so close. They stock Tactical Tailor and Eblerstock packs and are a major supplier for DoD. In fact in the movie Acts of Valor in the opening portion of the movie you can see some of USTS gear being used by the SEALs. Anyway, Both of these packs they stock are top end and used by the military, hunters, and urbanites alike. You can try before you buy. Super great folks there as well.

 

[The B]

Sounds like Dan's squared you away with probably the only shop in the entire PNW that might have what you want in the flesh..

However, if I may take this in a slightly different direction- what features, beyond the ability to conceal a pistol, are you looking for specifically? Aside from making you look like the mostly likely guy to be armed, "tactical" packs also tend to be heavy, much too compartmentalized, and offer poor load distribution.

I'd strongly encourage you to check out backpacking packs... much better load distribution, don't make you look like a domestic terrorist, and you can pack at least a full day's extra food for the weight savings.

And, not least of all, even the "expensive" backpacking/mountaineering packs are not as expensive as a lot of the tactical packs I've seen.

 

[FLYPNW]

You might stop in at US Tactical Supply in Albany on Hwy 99 and Hill since your so close. They stock Tactical Tailor and Eblerstock packs and are a major supplier for DoD. In fact in the movie Acts of Valor in the opening portion of the movie you can see some of USTS gear being used by the SEALs. Anyway, Both of these packs they stock are top end and used by the military, hunters, and urbanites alike. You can try before you buy. Super great folks there as well.

Sounds like Dan's squared you away with probably the only shop in the entire PNW that might have what you want in the flesh..

However, if I may take this in a slightly different direction- what features, beyond the ability to conceal a pistol, are you looking for specifically? Aside from making you look like the mostly likely guy to be armed, "tactical" packs also tend to be heavy, much too compartmentalized, and offer poor load distribution.

I'd strongly encourage you to check out backpacking packs... much better load distribution, don't make you look like a domestic terrorist, and you can pack at least a full day's extra food for the weight savings.

And, not least of all, even the "expensive" backpacking/mountaineering packs are not as expensive as a lot of the tactical packs I've seen.

Thanks to both of you! I will certainly checkout the shop in Albany. Ben, you're points are exactly why I want to see these packs in the flesh. I guess I may have worded my post poorly, but as an adult that is at least a decade older than most of my classmates, I just want a pack thats a little more utilitarian than a typical "school bag". I concur that most tactical types are a) quite heavy and b) not the least bit tactical when trying to be inconspicuously armed. I just haven't had much luck find an out door pack that is in the right size range. I haven't thought much about the price comparison, but I will now.

Thanks again to both of you! I'd even consider a True North Wildland Firefighting pack. Those are about as lightweight, durable and functional as you can get.

Markus

 

[The B]

What's your capacity need?

Here's good information on sizing packs, from a very good pack manufacturer - <broken link removed>

"Day pack" can mean a lot of different things for different people... if you're getting into forestry, and using this pack for that, you might have vastly different equipment carrying needs than somebody just dragging books around campus and the occasional packed lunch up a trail. In the alpine-climbing industry, "day pack" usually means extremely minimalist (a main compartment, maybe a nalgene pouch, maybe one compression strap) and no more than about 30-35ltr capacity.. there's tons of excellent packs in this category, and they'd haul your books and pencils and bubblegum just fine.

 

[Mark W.]

Keep in mind that the more bells and whistles a pack has the more the pack weighs BEFORE you put anything in it. At WHolesale Sports in Salem I was looking at a number of fancy multipocket Mollie strapped fancy hunting packs and the thing that struck me the most was how unbelievable heavy they were in the store. Some pushing 15-20lbs EMPTY.

 

[FLYPNW]

I ended up going with a Kelty Redwing 50. I got it via Amazon for $30 less than Cabela's had it. Thanks for the input from all of you!

 

[The B]

I ended up going with a Kelty Redwing 50. I got it via Amazon for $30 less than Cabela's had it. Thanks for the input from all of you!

Might be a little late now, but have you done any reading on pack sizing? You make sure to get the right size?

Assuming you did- make sure you adjust it right; kidney straps, shoulder risers, etc. I never knew what all those straps did, and so never effed with them, and suffered needlessly for years. Last year I finally investigated, and man, let me tell you- I carry loads way more comfortably now.