Pack durability - cordura, nylon, ???

Lassicomehome · Jul 24th, 2003, 00:24

Hi, I just discovered the indiamike forums - great info here!

I am heading to Nepal and India this fall for 2-3 months, my first time in Asia or the subcontinent, and will do both mountain trekking and city travel.

I have narrowed my backpack selection down to 2 packs - 1 is cordura material , the other is 420 denier
ballistic nylon.Both packs have good travel features (locking zippers, etc) , wear comfortably with load
and are affordable, the nylon pack has 500 ci (8L) more volume.

The nylon seems tough, but I was wondering how well it would stand up to the punishment of India
travel - trains, buses, slashing attempts(though I hope to avoid those!)

Opinions and personal experiences would be welcome. Thanks in advance for any advice!

-m2- · Jul 24th, 2003, 01:24

with reasonable care and normal handling, either material will give years of service -- of course neither will take a slash or razor attack, and both will show some abrasion scuffs if, say, they fall off the top of a moving bus and skid down the road a ways

.

The quality of the design and workmanship tells in the long run -- heavy-duty thread and stitching, with re-inforcing bar-tack stitches and leather or cordura patches where appropriate are helpful. Also look for heavy-duty zippers (YKK make the best) which will be less likely to jam, and easier to fix if they do. Most brand-name gear is of proven design and will have these features and use appropriate materials to give good long run service. If both appear well made, fit well, and are comfortable with a load, then it is just a matter of which you 'connect' with better. As far as the extra size -- depends I guess if you are looking at the difference between, say, 40 and 48lit or 70 and 78. At the larger end, doesn't really matter much, but for a smaller pack, the question is if it is large enough for your plan or just marginal. It is easy to lash on extra gear externally that you might rent for a longer trek while still keeping things trim for the rest of your trip. As a general rule smaller=better; while it requires you to think a bit harder while packing and perhaps give up a few luxuries or redundancies, the payoff of a more manageable pack will be worth it.

And welcome to the forums, have a great trip!

Jul 24th, 2003, 00:24	#1
Lassicomehome Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Colorado USA Posts: 2	Pack durability - cordura, nylon, ??? Hi, I just discovered the indiamike forums - great info here! I am heading to Nepal and India this fall for 2-3 months, my first time in Asia or the subcontinent, and will do both mountain trekking and city travel. I have narrowed my backpack selection down to 2 packs - 1 is cordura material , the other is 420 denier ballistic nylon.Both packs have good travel features (locking zippers, etc) , wear comfortably with load and are affordable, the nylon pack has 500 ci (8L) more volume. The nylon seems tough, but I was wondering how well it would stand up to the punishment of India travel - trains, buses, slashing attempts(though I hope to avoid those!) Opinions and personal experiences would be welcome. Thanks in advance for any advice!

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Jul 24th, 2003, 01:24	#2
-m2- . Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: . Posts: 1,577	with reasonable care and normal handling, either material will give years of service -- of course neither will take a slash or razor attack, and both will show some abrasion scuffs if, say, they fall off the top of a moving bus and skid down the road a ways . The quality of the design and workmanship tells in the long run -- heavy-duty thread and stitching, with re-inforcing bar-tack stitches and leather or cordura patches where appropriate are helpful. Also look for heavy-duty zippers (YKK make the best) which will be less likely to jam, and easier to fix if they do. Most brand-name gear is of proven design and will have these features and use appropriate materials to give good long run service. If both appear well made, fit well, and are comfortable with a load, then it is just a matter of which you 'connect' with better. As far as the extra size -- depends I guess if you are looking at the difference between, say, 40 and 48lit or 70 and 78. At the larger end, doesn't really matter much, but for a smaller pack, the question is if it is large enough for your plan or just marginal. It is easy to lash on extra gear externally that you might rent for a longer trek while still keeping things trim for the rest of your trip. As a general rule smaller=better; while it requires you to think a bit harder while packing and perhaps give up a few luxuries or redundancies, the payoff of a more manageable pack will be worth it. And welcome to the forums, have a great trip!

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