Swis Army Surplus Rucksack follow-up

**John Kasaian** · 11-Jun-2008, 07:37

I took the 'dorff across to "the other side" and my impressions on using the rucksack to carry an 8x10 'dorff aren't positive! While the 'dorff and film holders will fit inside nicely, the snugness coupled with the bag's design repeatedly opened the 'dorff while hikings and even riding in the car! The springs get unsprung and the focus knobs jimmy loose so that when I went to pull the camera out----I couldn't! The snug-ness made closing the clamshell and reaching to the bottom of the pack to tighten the focusing knobs a hassle

Also, I found no way to attach actually attach a tripod to the pack and carrying th tripod with a sling was awkward with the pack's shoulder straps (a different matter with the Schmidt-Ruben however, but a Schmidt-Ruben is a lot more 'svelte' than a Ries!) and carrying the tripod on this particular hike wasn't an option (actualy my hike wasn't even an option---the weather was bitter with ice, deep snow on the trail and I suspected avalanche conditions

so after a short walk around the head of the canyon I returned to the warmth of the ol' green truck.

That's the way it goes sometimes, but I wouldn't trade the experience for anything!

and I wouldn't want anyone else to have to futz around in the cold trying to get an opened 8x10 'dorff out of the Swiss Army rucksack!

**Walter Calahan** · 11-Jun-2008, 07:58

So you didn't buy a 3-wheeled jogging baby stroller.

You can lead a horse to water, but . . .

In snow and ice, much better to use a trekking pull-behind sled (pulk).

http://picearubens.tripod.com/Pulks.htm

http://buggaboobuggy.com/expedition.html

**John Kasaian** · 11-Jun-2008, 22:18

Originally Posted by Walter Calahan

So you didn't buy a 3-wheeled jogging baby stroller.

You can lead a horse to water, but . . .

In snow and ice, much better to use a trekking pull-behind sled (pulk).

http://picearubens.tripod.com/Pulks.htm

http://buggaboobuggy.com/expedition.html

Hmmmm..what is the difference between a pulk and an akia? I wouldn't have mind having one along if I were on skis or snow shoes, but this was supposed to be a fairly steep hike up a rocky, icy trail. Even under the best of conditions the only way a 3 wheeler could pass is if it were lashed aboard a pack mule.

By the looks of things though, Mother Nature might have been preparing a sleigh ride of her own

I guess thats when it's time to head for the highway and hot coffee!

**Walter Calahan** · 12-Jun-2008, 06:53

Hot coffee – GOOD

Snow and ice – good for some things. Grin.

Answer, crampons.

I've used a sled in the Mt Washington area in the winter, but on the steep, strollers and sleds are no good. On your back the gear goes. Strollers and sleds simply make it easier to get to the place where the stuff ends up on your back. No perfect solution.

akia = http://www.akia.net/

Ha ha ha ha