Ma Bag be Daid!

My KAP bag finally died. I have to say, as far as backpacks go it's probably the prettiest one I've ever had. It had a lovely dragon design stitched into it in red and black, which offset the bag's white and black coloring quite nicely. And at $20 on special during Back to School, it was a steal.

Except that it was about $20 worth of stitching. The internals started falling apart some months ago, and the straps have shown signs of letting for for a while now. But it was the top handle that really convinced me it was time to get a new bag. The handle ripped free, opening up a major seam on the body of the bag itself.

Let's face it. I abuse my gear. KAPing is already tough on most book bags because it's not books you're toting around, but relatively bulky things with sharp edges on them. Line and winders are not light by any stretch, and tend to get stuck at the outer edges of the bag where the forces can do the most damage. It's a rough person putting rough wear on a bag with a rough load.

Time to switch! I ordered a Jansport Odyssey 2007 day pack from the REI Outlet Store. It should be here in a week.

Making the decision took a while. I wanted a bag I could actually stick a winder into instead of just hanging it off the back. But the bag also has a loop for a climbing axe, so it should be able to handle the weight of a winder and line without breaking a sweat. The bag has lots of pockets, an essential for how I pack my KAP gear, and has a good suspension, which is great for someone with recurring back problems.

I don't believe for a minute I'll be able to get my KAP 4x5 into the thing, but it's nice to know I can get a full KAP kit into it and carry it onto a plane without having a bunch of stuff hanging out. I'm looking forward to it.

Besides, REI has a warranty on their backpacks! If my rough ways are too much for it, they'll replace it. (Not that I've ever had to cash in on an REI warranty... they sell good stuff! I still have my Mountainsmith mountaineering backpack I got almost fifteen years ago. A solid pack, and still in great shape. I'm not worried. I think I have my new KAP bag for many many years to come.

Tom