Berghaus Vulcan II backpack review

Facts & Figures: 
 Weight: 2.9kg measured
 Capacity: 100l (80l in the main body and 2 x removable 10l side pockets)
 Durability: Pretty sure it would withstand a nuclear blast


I very affectionately refer to my Vulcan as "The Beast" and wow! What a beast it's been over the last four years. I got the bag after a lot of research in winter 2010. This was long before I caught the "lightweight" bug and I had been looking for something that would be absolutely bombproof and hopefully last me 10+ years of hauling my gear and tools around.

It's made of reinforced nylon with an aluminium alloy frame, with plenty of external attachment points and more straps than you could shake a stick at. You can easily carry skis, axes, walking poles, ice axes, sleeping mats, tent poles, fishing gear etc. all strapped securely to the outside without ever touching the cavernous 80 litre main compartment.

The top pocket is absolutely enormous and will easily swallow maps, guidebooks, first aid kit, headtorch, snacks, gloves, hats etc. all at once. With a bit of squishing you can even fit your waterproof in there too, if you didn't feel like lashing it to the top straps.  instead. The two MMPS (multi mission pack system - what a load of bollocks) pockets zip on very securely to the main body, and can be removed and joined together to form a daysack. Can't say it's the comfiest carry but it works and can be a useful feature under the right circumstances. I do appreciate the versatility of the pockets allowing you to opt for either an 80l or a 100l capacity  (or even 90l if you felt like being lopsided all the time).

 

The materials used, combined with the extra reinforcement points and heavy duty stitching mean that this bag can take an absolute kicking and keep on going like nothing happened. I've hurled it around in jeeps and trains, boats and planes in several different countries. It's been my seat on muddy ground, wet ground, on barbed wire, on jagged rock and on scree. It's hauled heavy loads of awkward sharp-edged gear & tools like crowbars, hammers and hatchets without a scratch or dent. The beast has been thoroughly used and abused and it still looks pretty nearly brand new. I've got nothing but respect for Berghaus for manufacturing such a tough bag, and I've got every bit of confidence that it'll keep on going for at least another 5-10 years to come :)

Back in the days when I thought cords made great walking trousers
and a 20kg+ load for a simple overnight camp was no big deal :)

The downside to the bomb-proofness unfortunately is the weight. There's no getting around it, this thing weighs a "hiker's ton" at 2.9kg. It does offer a very comfy carry for loads in excess of 25kg+ but for the weight of the pack itself compared to modern lightweight backpacks that often weigh around 2kg for a similar capacity it just can't compete.

The other downside is that with all that capacity it's always so tempting to fill it with all sorts of just-in-case items that in a smaller bag you would never even dream of bringing along. If you've got the space, you'll use it, always. Especially as this bag doesn't like being cinched down much below 60-70litres.  So when your aim is going lighter it's much better practice to have a smaller bag and go for optimising your kit and making the most efficient use of the available space.

The bags do come in several different back lengths and have good adjustment in the harness, including some very long and useful top-tensioning straps which are vital if you overload the top of the bag.  You should be able to achieve a decent fit no matter what your back length, but as with all size-related things it's always better to try before you buy before you drop nearly £200 on one.

(Heavy as an anvil, and just as indestructible!) 

The beast used to be my go-to hiking rucksack but these days it gets a lot less use just because of the weight issue. Would I buy one again? To be honest I don't expect to have to! Even so, if this one dies I'd be tempted to replace it, but just for those few occasions, particularly when winter camping, when you really need to be able to haul a lot of bulky and heavy gear in relative comfort. Then the reassuring weight of The Beast is a good thing, and I know it will take anything that me or the moors and mountains can dish out at it and keep on going.




TL, DR: 

Pros:
- Comfy and stable carry at heavy (20-25kg+) loads
- Virtually indestructible (so long as you're not actively trying to damage it)
- MMPS pockets zip off to form a handy daysack and mean you have a choice or 80l or 100l capacity
- All of the space, ALL OF IT!


Cons: 
- Weight, oh god the weight! 2.9kg
- It's so huge it can be hard to cinch a rain-cover tight enough around the whole thing (really a minor quibble)

Recommended Kit?
I love mine to bits, and if you have to haul huge, very heavy loads and need a rucksack that is absolutely bomber then there's nothing like the Vulcan II.

However, I would never recommend the Vulcan II to anyone looking for a lightweight solution. There are far, far, far lighter and more appropriate rucksacks out there, and frankly there are very few times when anyone hiking in the UK would ever need to carry 100l of kit!