Thailand Here I Come..... (Berghaus Freeflow IV 35+8L)

Member Name: mythdata

Product:	Berghaus Freeflow IV 35+8L
Date:	05/03/09 (410 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Comfortable to carry even when it it full & heat resistant...

Disadvantages: Nothing to report...

INTRODUCTION

As many of you maybe aware I am currently saving for my six week trip to Thailand in November, I have been before but this time me and my husband are planning to travel around instead of opting for one area in particular.

This time around we are planning to take back packs instead of lugging around massive suitcases, I am still not sure if I can actually go six weeks with all of my possessions in a backpack but I am going to humor my husband and try to get everything into one bag as it will be much easier to travel around with.

We have recently purchased two Berghaus Freeflow IV 35 +8 backpacks for the trip. Upon my first impressions they were very small and there was no way I could put everything I needed into this one bag, but after further inspection I have found it to be rather spacious.

THE BACKPACK

The Berghaus Freeflow IV 35 +8 is a backpack that has a thirty five litre capacity and a further eight litre capacity in the from of two extra expandable space pockets on each side of the back pack.

As far as the freeflow feature is concerned this is something that did not really influence us into buy the backpack, but after inspecting and trying out the pack this actually allows much better airflow, which will eliminate any moisture build up. So while traveling around in very humid conditions this will make carrying the back pack much more comfortable as it will allow the air to circulate in between the pack and your body.

Another cool feature is the EvaBreathe shoulder straps which help to release any heat that may build up between your shoulders and the straps, this is something that has really appealed to me as I will be wearing vest tops and the bag will be sitting directly on to my skin, so if this stops a sweat rash it gets my vote.

The shoulder straps are fully padded and adjustable so this can be adjusted to fit you perfectly, allowing you to travel in comfort.

The back pack is broken down into many different compartments, the largest being the main section that has a pull cord fastening and then a top lid / lip section that pulls over the top and is fastened closed with two heavy duty plastic clips. If this is closed correctly I am sure I will have no problem when it comes to pick pockets as it is very secure.

Within the lip lid it also has a large zipped compartment that spans the width of the rucksack and there is another zipped section on the inner side of the lip lid, I feel that this is like a secret compartment so this is where I will be keeping the passports.

Inside the main section it has a Hydration reservoir pocket, which is designed to house a hydration pack for walkers but this is something I will not be using but I am sure I will find something to fill the empty space. For those interested in the Hydration pack, please be aware this back did not come with the hydration pack, you will need to buy this as an additional extra.

I was worrying about the weight of this pack, but it only weighs 1.4 kilos empty so if I am careful with what I pack I should be able to carry it. If I do over fill it there is a removable chest strap that can adjusted to fit me and this will help even the weight to I can carry it with injuring myself.

This pack also comes with Integral wand pockets, walking pole holders and key clip, all of which don't interest me but for the right person could prove very handy.

Lastly this comes with a rain cover to protect the contents if it was going to get wet, but hopefully I will not need this but I will take it as knowing my lucky it will rain constantly.

PRICE / AVAILABLITY

You can buy this bag from www.berghaus.com for £65.00, I personally bought my backpacks from the Lake District and they cost me £59.99 each so I did manage to get them slightly cheaper than buying from Berghaus themselves.

We bought the plain black and plain navy backpacks, but you can get these in various colours such as green, blue, red and even multi colours.

MY OPINION

The two extra space pockets on each side of the pack are going to be very handy, as I can store stuff that I need to get to quickly easily without having to un-pack the whole of the main compartment. These will store things like sun cream, insect repellant, make up, sunglasses and my mobile phone as these are things that I will need on a daily basis. I am very surprised at how much I can actually get into these two pockets let alone the whole bag, so the only thing I need to careful about in the weight as I will need to bee carrying this at all times.

This back pack is very comfortable to wear as it is padded in the area that penetrate you the most for example the lower back and shoulders, I have filled my backpack up and carried it around the house without any problems so I am confident I will be able to manage it when we go on away.

As far as the space is concerned I am completely happy with what I have got, yes I could do with more but if I don't have it I won't fill it. I just have to keep reminding myself that I have to carry it when I get there so this makes eliminating items very easy indeed.

Overall I am happy with my purchase it will do the job for me, I feel that this would be ideal for any back packer but I think the walker would benefit more as this has many feature that will appeal to them.

Summary: Carrys alot, Comfortable & A great price.