Do not buy Eagle Creek in Taiwan

[almas john]

I have a 70L travel backpack that I bought in Australia in 1996 for about AUD$300. It's been in and out of planes, buses and trains across Asia and Aust, it's been tied to the roof of a bus for 20+ hours in India and quite a few 12-15 hour journeys. Other than being a bit dirty and dusty, it's still as good as the day I bought it.

Suspicious that you didn't mention the brand. No doubt it's a Macpac (i.e. Made in New Zealand) and you didn't mention it because it would have been praise for a Kiwi product. I know how obsessed you Australians are with all things NZ. Oh yes.

Anyway, the relationship with your bag has lasted longer than many marriages. Well done. I love having old friends along with me on my travels, weather it's an old hat, knife, compass or whatever. Craig, have you thought of taking a pic of your Macpac and sending it in to the company?

[cfimages]

Actually it's not a Macpac. I think it's by Adventure Designs but they merged with or were bought out by another company a few years ago. I don't know their current trading name though.

[the bear]

I have a 70L travel backpack that I bought in Australia in 1996 for about AUD$300. It's been in and out of planes, buses and trains across Asia and Aust, it's been tied to the roof of a bus for 20+ hours in India and quite a few 12-15 hour journeys. Other than being a bit dirty and dusty, it's still as good as the day I bought it.

Suspicious that you didn't mention the brand. No doubt it's a Macpac (i.e. Made in New Zealand) and you didn't mention it because it would have been praise for a Kiwi product. I know how obsessed you Australians are with all things NZ. Oh yes.

Anyway, the relationship with your bag has lasted longer than many marriages. Well done. I love having old friends along with me on my travels, weather it's an old hat, knife, compass or whatever. Craig, have you thought of taking a pic of your Macpac and sending it in to the company?

I bought my MacPac 2nd hand on Cuba Street 12 years ago. Still going strong. That stuff is legend.

[lostinasia]

Actually it's not a Macpac. I think it's by Adventure Designs but they merged with or were bought out by another company a few years ago. I don't know their current trading name though.

I'm surprised a backpack's lasted that long in Taiwan. Mine seem to last five years or so, then the climate here makes the inner linings (whatever the vaguely plastic stuff is on the underside of the canvas) start to peel off and get all over everything in the bag. Nothing ever goes wrong with the integrity of the backpack - and some of them have been through a lot! - but Taiwan's climate does them in. My most recent big backpack is a budget one without that inner lining material, so I hope it'll last longer.

[almas john]

Actually it's not a Macpac. I think it's by Adventure Designs but they merged with or were bought out by another company a few years ago. I don't know their current trading name though.

Not a Macpac! You have hurt the feelings of 4 million New Zealanders. Never heard of Adventure Designs. Perhaps they went out of business because their product was too good.

I have a 70L travel backpack that I bought in Australia in 1996 for about AUD$300. It's been in and out of planes, buses and trains across Asia and Aust, it's been tied to the roof of a bus for 20+ hours in India and quite a few 12-15 hour journeys. Other than being a bit dirty and dusty, it's still as good as the day I bought it.

Suspicious that you didn't mention the brand. No doubt it's a Macpac (i.e. Made in New Zealand) and you didn't mention it because it would have been praise for a Kiwi product. I know how obsessed you Australians are with all things NZ. Oh yes.

Anyway, the relationship with your bag has lasted longer than many marriages. Well done. I love having old friends along with me on my travels, weather it's an old hat, knife, compass or whatever. Craig, have you thought of taking a pic of your Macpac and sending it in to the company?

I bought my MacPac 2nd hand on Cuba Street 12 years ago. Still going strong. That stuff is legend.

Ah, weather/whether,
one of my pet peeves. Damn! Darn! Mothers' and Grandmothers' Thingees! And that's Free Cuba Street unless you're some kind of pinko. Actually, I planted that typo there on purpose. I knew that it would draw you out and force you to write in proper capitals. Ha ha ha. Such evil genius.
Now, where's the bottle... um.. I mean where was I?
Oh yeah. Me old Pa was involved in loading aircraft for 40-odd years (responsible for weight and balance of aircraft). One tip I could pass on is that you don't want to hand in heavy baggage. Hernias are an occupational risk for loaders and they take personal insult to anything weighing more than 22-25kg. Such luggage tends to get dropped a lot and vigorously booted.