Advice to lurk your local Goodwill is sound. You can get lots of mileage out of secondhand packs.

If DIY is part of your thing, you can make a simple, top opening, straight-through rucksack based on the many designs available from many web sites. Ex: http://www.backpacking.net/makegear.html or http://thru-hiker.com/projects/
And don't miss the instructional articles at the latter site.

Some designs have 'stuffable' shoulder straps, some just use a thin piece of foam. I prefer to use microcell polyethelene upholstery foam. Automobile upholstery shops sometimes have scrap barrels full of the stuff. It is VERY light.

You can get useful fabrics for under $6 per yard from owfinc.com - either silnylon or packcloth. You can make a fine pack with one yard of 60" fabric. Even made from packcloth, a simple rucksack will weigh much less than most frame packs.


Edited by Spock (07/15/10 10:16 PM)