Rucksack Question

I wanted to know how to best decide if a rucksack fits? how do I measure for one? Is an ozark trail backpack worth anything? I'm currently just looking for a day pack.

Thanks,
Silver

By "rucksack" I presume you mean a frameless backpack, which is what a rucksack is. As far as fitting a daypack with no waistbelt, if it is comfortable loaded, doesn't pinch your shoulders and rides fairly closely to your back, you'll be fine.

Fitting a big pack is another story-far more complicated. Some manufacturers, like Arctery'x, for example, have fitting instructions on their websites that work for most packs.

Ozark Trail is WalMart's house brand, made in China or somewhere in Asia. They are worth what you pay for them. Don't expect them to last forever. On the other hand, I have a small no name (literally) daypack I got for free on a job about 25 years ago and use it almost every day. It is made from Cordura type material and every time I pick it up I am amazed it is still in one piece. My guess is it cost less than $5 to make, but like I said, it has no label of any kind on it-never did. Whoever made it really knew what they were doing.

Unless you are climbing or backcountry skiing, spending a lot of money on a fancy daypack seems like a waste to me.

For a daypack, just purchase a regular school backpack. Cost is around $30. What do you really need to carry? Food and water? A down jacket?

Don't spend a fortune on a day-pack!

Thanks for the information and ideas. The Ozark Trail backpacks that I've been looking at are about $19.00. It didnt seem to be a bad price to me- but then again that's why I post on the beginners section lol.

I'll look around at some sporting goods stores also to see if I find anything I like better, also. However, from what I understand I dont need to spend $100.00 to get a decent backpack.

It was mentioned about daypacks without waist-straps. The one's I've been looking at have waist-straps also.


Thanks for your help,
Silver

Waist straps on day packs are only for load stabilization. I have a small hydration pack that has a waist strap. It is nice when I ride my bike to put on the strap and keep the pack in the right place. But, these straps are not load bearing. Anyways, for a day pack, Ozark Trail is not bad. I buy them for my kids school bags. They last twice as long as similarly priced school bags with characters on them (spiderman, batman, disney princess. etc..).

Rucksack = Day pack ???

Not necessarily.


For day packs, I have had very good luck with Jansport and my son also has carried a pack from LLBean (he carries about 20lbs of books in it every day - don't ask me why).

The LLBean packs have a very good warranty (as does most of their gear) and they are not too expensive.
Here's a 'rucksack' for $39.50. 2,000 cu.in.
http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/54123?from=SR&feat=sr#

Here's a day pack for $59.00 1,250 cu.in.
http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/57203?from=SR&feat=sr

By waistbelt, I was referring to a load bearing belt. Even my little daypack has a waist strap on it, which I never use.

Hydration packs never caught on with me. I have an early Camelback before they morphed into huge packs with bladders. Used it biking a few times, but it really doesn't hold enough for more than a short ride. For day hiking, I just bring along a couple of water bottles that I refill over and over. I use either a refillable water bottle of some kind or just use the plastic ones from Arrowhead or whoever that I have picked up here and there and refill those at home.

$20 for a daypack is fine. You can pay over $100 for a small pack and I've never seen the point, unless you want a superlightweight one or a ski pack. Look at our sponsors; they will have lots of packs on their websites.

BTW, if you have a Salvation Army or Goodwill nearby, you might finds a nice little pack at one of them for next to nothing.