Noobie-First mountain backpack advice-Your help to choose
Posted: Wed Dec 06, 2017 8:28 am
Hello to the community. I want to buy my first backpack and i want your help to choose.Here are some facts that may help you to help me:
As it will be my first backpack i want to do as many things as possible with it. I know it's difficult cuz there are so many brands with so many kinds of backpacks for different uses. I will use my backpack all the year,too. Summer and winter. Sea and mountains. Ski is one thing that i want to learn this winter. So attaching skis on the backpack are not a priority cuz i m not a skier, yet, but i want to be prepared cuz i am waiting for the snow. I don't know all the brands. There are so many. But i really like 2 backpacks of the Osprey line. The Kestrel 28 that fits my needs but not skiing and the Mutant 28 that can carry skis but will need extra rain cover and it doesn't seem so durable as the Kestrel. Is it possible to attach skis on the Kestrel in some way? It has many fasteners.
I am open to suggestions and advices. Thank you in advance.
- Experience_"My profile": I joined my mountain club half a year ago but i m not entirely new to the mountains. I have stamina for many hiking hours/climbing mountains(~8 h). I am fairly active on the trail/mountain always going around trying to explore and see everything i can. I always carry some food cuz i am kind of a skinny guy and i get hungry. And i always carry more water than i need.
Capacity of backpack: Smaller than 30L, bigger than 20-22L.
Features and use i want(as many as possible): Included/integrated rain cover, place for a "water bag", comfortable for long walks in the greek rocky gorges, comfortable for mountaineering, "technology" for air escaping in my back in order to avoid some/all sweat, fairly durable fabric as in Greece and especially in Crete, we have rocky mountains, i don't like black colour but if it suits my needs, i don't mind. Light skiing/ski touring so the ability to attach skis. A price smaller that 140 euros/ 165 us dollars and if possible to be able to buy it from Europe or Greece.
As it will be my first backpack i want to do as many things as possible with it. I know it's difficult cuz there are so many brands with so many kinds of backpacks for different uses. I will use my backpack all the year,too. Summer and winter. Sea and mountains. Ski is one thing that i want to learn this winter. So attaching skis on the backpack are not a priority cuz i m not a skier, yet, but i want to be prepared cuz i am waiting for the snow. I don't know all the brands. There are so many. But i really like 2 backpacks of the Osprey line. The Kestrel 28 that fits my needs but not skiing and the Mutant 28 that can carry skis but will need extra rain cover and it doesn't seem so durable as the Kestrel. Is it possible to attach skis on the Kestrel in some way? It has many fasteners.
I am open to suggestions and advices. Thank you in advance.