Reccomend a Bergen for me.

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JACKANGUS
Posts: 20
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2020 3:17 am

Reccomend a Bergen for me.

Post by JACKANGUS »

Hi everyone, I'm new here. I live in New Zealand but originally from Scotland. Been in NZ for just shy of 20 years.
I am ex British military and have been prepping for a few years. Since the Christchurch earthquakes.

I have been putting up with cheap civillian rucksacks for ages now and I want to get an ex military bergen so I know it will last.
I have been looking at a few bergens. What do you guys think?

https://www.comrades.co.nz/shop/italian ... ack-pck01/

https://www.armyandoutdoors.co.nz/colle ... ksack-used

The Italian one is in better condition and cheaper so that one might be a go. Does anyone know anything about the Italian bergen?

Can't wait to hear from you more experienced guys.
pseudonym
Posts: 4549
Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2011 10:11 am
Location: East Midlands

Re: Reccomend a Bergen for me.

Post by pseudonym »

If you can try before you buy.

Back length can play a significant role in a good pack

My go to pack for 22 years in the Military was a Berghaus Vulcan. Still available and built like a tank. Capacity of 100 litres. Newer version is the Centurio 90/20 MMPS.

Nowadays with my lightwieght kit dialled in I no longer need that capacity and durability.
Two is one and one is none, but three is even better.
JACKANGUS
Posts: 20
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2020 3:17 am

Re: Reccomend a Bergen for me.

Post by JACKANGUS »

pseudonym wrote: Fri Apr 24, 2020 12:35 pm If you can try before you buy.

Back length can play a significant role in a good pack

My go to pack for 22 years in the Military was a Berghaus Vulcan. Still available and built like a tank. Capacity of 100 litres. Newer version is the Centurio 90/20 MMPS.

Nowadays with my lightwieght kit dialled in I no longer need that capacity and durability.
Great pack but too pricey for me. seems to go for about 200 pounds. I might look around a bit. Thanks for taking the time to reply, i appreciate that.
pseudonym
Posts: 4549
Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2011 10:11 am
Location: East Midlands

Re: Reccomend a Bergen for me.

Post by pseudonym »

JACKANGUS wrote: Fri Apr 24, 2020 9:39 pm
pseudonym wrote: Fri Apr 24, 2020 12:35 pm If you can try before you buy.

Back length can play a significant role in a good pack

My go to pack for 22 years in the Military was a Berghaus Vulcan. Still available and built like a tank. Capacity of 100 litres. Newer version is the Centurio 90/20 MMPS.

Nowadays with my lightwieght kit dialled in I no longer need that capacity and durability.
Great pack but too pricey for me. seems to go for about 200 pounds. I might look around a bit. Thanks for taking the time to reply, i appreciate that.
I picked mine up for £65 2nd hand.
Two is one and one is none, but three is even better.
JACKANGUS
Posts: 20
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2020 3:17 am

Re: Reccomend a Bergen for me.

Post by JACKANGUS »

pseudonym wrote: Fri Apr 24, 2020 11:02 pm
JACKANGUS wrote: Fri Apr 24, 2020 9:39 pm
pseudonym wrote: Fri Apr 24, 2020 12:35 pm If you can try before you buy.

Back length can play a significant role in a good pack

My go to pack for 22 years in the Military was a Berghaus Vulcan. Still available and built like a tank. Capacity of 100 litres. Newer version is the Centurio 90/20 MMPS.

Nowadays with my lightwieght kit dialled in I no longer need that capacity and durability.
Great pack but too pricey for me. seems to go for about 200 pounds. I might look around a bit. Thanks for taking the time to reply, i appreciate that.
I picked mine up for £65 2nd hand.
Any ideas where i could get one second hand?
pseudonym
Posts: 4549
Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2011 10:11 am
Location: East Midlands

Re: Reccomend a Bergen for me.

Post by pseudonym »

JACKANGUS wrote: Fri Apr 24, 2020 11:16 pm
pseudonym wrote: Fri Apr 24, 2020 11:02 pm
JACKANGUS wrote: Fri Apr 24, 2020 9:39 pm

Great pack but too pricey for me. seems to go for about 200 pounds. I might look around a bit. Thanks for taking the time to reply, i appreciate that.
I picked mine up for £65 2nd hand.
Any ideas where i could get one second hand?
The Army surplus stores are shut atm.
Two is one and one is none, but three is even better.
JACKANGUS
Posts: 20
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2020 3:17 am

Re: Reccomend a Bergen for me.

Post by JACKANGUS »

pseudonym wrote: Fri Apr 24, 2020 11:20 pm
JACKANGUS wrote: Fri Apr 24, 2020 11:16 pm
pseudonym wrote: Fri Apr 24, 2020 11:02 pm

I picked mine up for £65 2nd hand.
Any ideas where i could get one second hand?
The Army surplus stores are shut atm.
The stores in NZ are opening on Tuesday so they are going to send me pics of a few bergens. I would much rather go into the store but who knows when the stores will physically be open to the public.
I don't think I can go far wrong with an ex military pack.
Rusty74
Posts: 284
Joined: Sat Apr 07, 2018 9:35 pm
Location: hidden away in the welsh hills...

Re: Reccomend a Bergen for me.

Post by Rusty74 »

i have a 120 litre plce ex army bergen never lets me down had it for years and still going strong....
Remember the rule of the 7 P's, proper planning and prepperation prevents piss poor performance...
Trojanhorse
Posts: 282
Joined: Sun Nov 28, 2010 12:34 pm

Re: Reccomend a Bergen for me.

Post by Trojanhorse »

Have a loom at the Lowe Alpine Saracen or a 5.11 72
JACKANGUS
Posts: 20
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2020 3:17 am

Re: Reccomend a Bergen for me.

Post by JACKANGUS »

Rusty74 wrote: Sun Apr 26, 2020 3:50 pm i have a 120 litre plce ex army bergen never lets me down had it for years and still going strong....
I wish when I left the Army I took my bergen with me and they could charge me for it.
Those bergens were almost industructible.

The only thing I don't like about the ex army bergens is most are DPM. I don't really want DPM if I can help it but they are great bergens so if that's all I can get, i'm ok with it.

The 5.11 bag would be fantastic too. Quite pricey though. I think i will get a 70 to 100 litre bergen then when I can afford it I will grab one of the 5.11 bags for shorter trips in the woods and urban.