Back for good
Ballast for hip hop kids or survival tools for explorers, rucksacks are versatile beasts. Morag Bruce looks at the functional and the fashionable.
aldcrcc . . . \aldcrahl 'l‘hc
notion ol' going a-wandcring
with a knapsack on your back might wcll coniurc up imagcs ol crippch spincs. crumpch clothcs and a pcrmancntly constipach L'XPI'C\\lUll. th liltlay‘s l'llL‘ksacks arc coml'ortablc. stylish and just as likcly to withstand going down thc Yangt/c as a trip to 'l‘csco to gct your this in. Is thcrc anothcr bag which cr'osscs so many bordcrs'.’ l’ans ol‘ hip hop wcar thcm low' slung. ramblcrs considcr thctn a sccond skill. Moscs cal'l'icd lhc lcn commandmcnts down lrom Mount Sinai in a primitiyc rucksack madc l'rom scycral pig's bladdcr's.
But it your only prcyious rucksack cxpcricncc is l‘rom school or thc gym. w'hcrc haying yotrr bag on thc wrong shouldcr or saints prcscryc you both shouldcrs. would rcsult in bcing cast onto thc rubbish tip ol‘ popularity. thcn rcad on. Rucksacks arc pcrl'cct liot‘ harids-l‘r‘cc city tourism. grcat for storing camcra cquipmcnt. bottlcs ol‘ w'atcr. and accidcntally boshing locals in thc l'acc on thc bus. But bc it month-long tr‘ck through India or city-brcak with morc nccd ol' .»\-/. storagc than Kcndal mint cakc. thcrc's a backpack l'or cycryonc.
I Serious backpacker Osprey Crescent I'll, VOL
Capacity 3.12%}. 57.199.
'l'hc (‘rcsccnt 7() is idcal l'or cxtcndcd trips w'hcrc you nccd maximum comfort and durability. 'l‘hc ncw' Biol‘orm ('ustom Mouldcdttm) hip bclt means using this pack w‘cck in. w'cck out is casy. 'Ii's'oxom. ()/.l’/ 554 ()8()4/()/4/ 248 4877.
I Weekender
l‘rso Summit (30. out
capacrt ' 2?.»15kg. €60.
'l‘hc adjustablc back systcm cnsurcs a coml‘ortablc lit for any si/c ol‘ pcrs'on and dual compartmcnt mcans casy organisation and stor'agc of w ct itcms. Thc outcr attachmcnts makc it casy to strap on a slccping mat or storc a llcccc. lt cycn includcs a rain coy'cr on thc ol‘l' chancc it rains whcn you‘rc walking in thc Highlands. Ii.\‘rt.('rrnz. ()/.\’l 554 ()8()4/()/4/ 2484877.
I Stylish
lvlarrmekko Flora. €58.
.-\ littlc piccc ol' dcsign history from {\larimckko. It’s ay'ailablc in rcd. bluc. black or bcigc cotton. Maybc you should gct onc in cacl‘. colour — what do scouts say about bcing prcparcd‘.’ nrurr'nrckkoro.uk. Design Shop. [/6 (‘urm'w‘uysirlc. Edinburgh. 0/5] 667 7078.
I Daytripper
()urrrberlantl Rucksack, Sifts. (‘lassic chic l‘rom ('umbria. built to last a lil‘ctimc. ll' anything gocs wrong with your bag. it can bc lixcd back in its birthplacc as sparc parts arc always ay'ailablc. And you can ordcr your bag in any colour. r‘lIrr/mrurr-/>ug.\.r'o.rrk. 0/228 5/4 5/4.
I Chameleon
Camelbak Asymetrrx ii). 2.9er. up to 1:3 litre water (2£l[)£l(3|i\'. $364.99. This works as a backpack. a hydration systcm. or a combination ol~ thc tw'o. Thcrc‘s also a hilly littlc music playcr holdcr. so all ncccssitics arc coy'ct‘cd. /)/(l('/\'\.('U.lll\'. UH] 5’55 2.»’44/()/_l/ 225 8086.
I All-rounder
Day/sate Rucksack. 1.3kg. $65.99. This may look likc any othcr rucksack but it has a high tcnsilc lockablc stainlcss stch mosh intcrior. making it slash—proof. l’crl'cct l‘or carting around laptops. camcras. makc-up and other \aluablcs. ('(I/t'lljjpl'm/llt'lygt‘(LIl/V. (/1942 5/ I820.
I Kook
Red Bokara. small rucksack. £769 rnc PEEP rlarger Size E‘BOi.
(‘arpct is madc to walk on. obyioLisly. but thc pcoplc at (‘arpct Bags rcaliscd that bcautil‘ul CnpiCs of old Pcrsian rugs would sCl'VC brilliantly as a luggage l‘abric. r Quccn ol‘ packing it all in Mary Poppins had a carpct bag. so you know it masz scnsc. ('rrryn'rlmgs‘.co.uk. (/1353 649746 11—25 Ma, zoos THE LIST 101