Let’s face it, we all have a love/hate relationship with our rucksacks. The adverts show a happy hiker grinning like a baboon with a pristine rucksack perched on their back but that’s a lie. The truth is, after ten hours of walking in the pouring rain you begin to have evil thoughts about your rucksack. It’s weight seems to grow by the minute and it has turned you into a beast of burden.
At first you think about all the things in your pack you didn’t really need. That spare cannister of gas, or those extra socks. Then you start to wonder if anyone would notice if you secretly stashed them under a boulder and carried on with a lighter load. An hour later you are beginning to wonder if actually need anything at all and fantasize about hurling your cursed pack into the nearest ravine.

Then it happens, the moment of revelation when everything changes. You arrive at your campsite or bothy and you open the rucksack you have carried for all those hours and find it is filled with delights. There is food, dry clothes, a lovely little stove, a warm sleeping bag and perhaps even a tent to shelter you from the elements. It’s like rubbing a lamp and having a genie pop out, it contains everything you desire. Suddenly it’s your best friend and can’t imagine life without it.
Ask yourself a question. Who do you want to review this rucksack? You could have someone called Norman from Cleethorpes who did Snowdon for the first time last week, with two of his mates from the rambling club, and has owned the rucksack for three weeks and never got it wet.

Or you could have me.

I’ve been walking in the hills for over forty years and I’ve had this rucksack for more than five years. During that period I’ve knocked the living daylights out of it. I’ve carried it groaning full of coal, food and booze. It’s been up countless hills and visited loads of bothies. It’s been out in thunderstorms and blizzards. I’ve kicked it down a hillside, dropped it in a river (Twice), almost set fire to it and strapped a variety of things to the outside including various items of kitchen equipment and part of a Barn Owl nesting box.

So what are you going to do, keep reading or google Norman from Cleethorpes?
The rucksack I have loved and hated in equal measure was manufactured by Deuter. I bought it over five years ago at the Go Outdoors store in Inverness at the knock down price of £75. (No they are not paying me or giving me loads of free gear. I’m hurt you’d even think that. There’s no way I’d allow myself to be influenced like that, although I would like to point out that I can be contacted through this website.)

In writing this review I gave some thought to what I want from a rucksack and came up with the following.

A good rucksack should be…

1. Comfortable to carry.

2. Durable, so it doesn’t fall apart after the first three weeks.

3. Simple. I don’t like rucksacks that have all kinds of straps and buckles and pockets all over them. The best ones are simple.

So let’s take a look at the Deuter Charge 65 + 15

Comfort

As the name implies it has a 65 litre capacity and extends to a further 15 litre if you extend the top. I’ve done this a lot going into bothies and camping and it’s the perfect size for me. In terms of carrying comfort I really rate this sack. Although I don’t think they make this particular model any more the adjustable back system Deuter use is pretty much unchanged as far as I can see. The rucksack is very comfortable to carry. Some rucksack tend to allow the load to shift around on your back when you lean off the vertical. That something you don’t want as you’ll constantly have to drag the rucksack back into the vertical and that is tiring and annoying. I’ve always found the Deuter very stable and comfortable with the mesh incorporated into the back allowing good ventilation in even the hottest weather. You’ll still sweat carrying this pack through the cairngorms but maybe less than you would without the mesh.

Durable

After five years the Deuter is pretty much still as good as the day I bought it. It’s not as shiny as it was, some of the webbing is a little frayed and been stained by all kinds of stuff over the years. Despite all the abuse I’ve given it the sack still has at least another 3 or 4 years active life and that’s a pretty good testimony.
A common problem with rucksacks is that, after prolonged use, the shoulder straps begin to lose their rigidity, deform under loads and dig into you. This just hasn’t happened with the Deuter and all the straps are still comfortable. All the zips, another weak point on less robust sacks, still work and I’ve never had them jam. The only thing that broke was the buckle on the waist strap and Deuter replaced that free of charge. Spring loaded buckles do wear over time so I’ve no complaints.

Simplicity

Generally I’d rate this sack pretty high on simplicity but it is the only area where I would have some criticisms. On the good side. The top flap extension is easy to use and works well, the adjustable back system is also good and I’ve had no problems with it. There is a divider in the lower part of the main carry compartment of the sack so you can make a pocket for your sleeping bag. You can unzip it if you don’t want to use it and that works very well. The mesh pockets on the outside of the pack are great for carrying walking poles when not in use.

On the downside. There’s a nylon strap with attachment loops running down the centre of the rucksack which I never found a use for in all my walks. Also there is a zip on the front of the rucksack which allows you to open the main compartment from the front instead of having to go in from the top. I never found this much use although other people might. I’ve developed a system over the years so I pretty much know where everything is and I carry the things I’m likely to need on the walk in the top or accessible side pockets. If you need to search for things the front zip might be a help. I’d prefer that zip to allow access to a pocket for maps etc.

Overall top, marks for my Deuter great value for money. I’d never heard of the company when I bought the rucksack but I wouldn’t hesitate to buy another if this one ever wears out.

Star rating

Comfort *****
Durability *****
Simplicity ****

I’d just like to point out that, even though I’ve never been there, I am sure Cleethorpes is a very nice place and anybody would be happy to live there. Also, if there is a Norman in the Cleethorpes Ramblers, I am sure he and his mates are good chaps and he’s done a lot more than climb Snowdon.

No letters please.

If you liked this blog you might also enjoy my book The Last Hillwalker