Bags for Fieldcraft

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Bags for Fieldcraft: From Haversacks to Bergen Beasts (and Everything in Between)


Let’s talk about bags — the humble carriers of snacks, plasters, and the occasional life decision. Beginners often assume they need something enormous, covered in straps, and capable of hauling a small family across the Andes. In reality, your bag just needs to hold your lunch and not make you swear at it.

You don’t need a tactical rucksack with more clips than sense. And not everyone’s luggage is made from sapient pearwood and capable of chasing them down a hillside or across dimensional plains, so your bag needs to be something you can actually carry.

Here’s the simple, honest guide to choosing the right one.

🪶 The Haversack — The Classic Minimalist Option


The humble haversack or bread bag





A haversack is the outdoor equivalent of turning up with just your keys and wallet. It’s light, simple, and charmingly old‑school.

Perfect for:

  • short walks

  • park rambles

  • carrying a brew kit, a snack, and your first aid margarine tub

Pros:

  • weighs nothing

  • looks effortlessly practical

  • makes you feel like you’re in a 1950s scouting manual

Cons:

  • not great for heavy loads

  • not waterproof unless you believe hard enough

  • may result in strangers assuming you’re a hipster who forages for artisanal moss

If your walk is more “stroll” than “expedition,” a haversack is all you need.

🎒 The Day Sack (10–20L) — The Goldilocks Bag

An example of a 20L bag


This is the sweet spot for most beginners. Not too big, not too small, and not likely to make you look like you’re fleeing civilisation.

Ideal for:

  • countryside walks

  • carrying layers, water, snacks, and a small first aid kit

  • people who want to be prepared without looking like they’re moving house

Pros:

  • comfortable

  • cheap options everywhere

  • fits everything you actually need

Cons:

  • none, unless you fill it with unnecessary “just in case” items

If you only buy one bag, make it this.

🏔️ The 30L Pack — The ‘I Might Be Out All Day’ Bag

A 30L bag


This is for the longer days — the ones where you’re not sure if you’ll be home for tea or still wandering around looking for a stile that definitely existed on the map.

Great for:

  • unpredictable weather

  • carrying extra layers, lunch, and emergency chocolate

  • longer walks where you want options

Pros:

  • loads of space

  • still manageable

  • perfect for British weather, which has commitment issues

Cons:

  • beginners often overpack them with things they’ll never use

If you’re out for hours rather than minutes, this is your friend.

🐉 The Bergen — The Multi‑Day Monster

Ah yes, the bergen. The bag that s


ays: “I’m either doing a multi‑day hike or I’ve wildly misunderstood the assignment.”

Used for:

  • camping trips

  • multi‑day treks

  • carrying everything including the kitchen sink, the taps, and possibly the plumbing

Pros:

  • enormous

  • built for serious use

  • makes you feel like you’re in the SAS

Cons:

  • absolutely unnecessary for 99% of beginner fieldcraft

  • may cause strangers to ask if you’re “training for something”

✨ The Magical Modular Option: Yokes and Side Pouches



If you are berganing — properly, not just carrying one because it looks cool — you may discover the mysterious world of yokes and side pouches. This is the modular system that lets you unclip the bergen’s side pockets, attach them to a yoke, and suddenly you have a small daypack for exploring from camp.

To the uninitiated, it looks like wizardry. To the initiated, it is wizardry — the sort of practical magic that turns one giant bag into two smaller ones without summoning extradimensional luggage.

It’s clever, it’s useful, and it’s absolutely not something beginners need to worry about unless they’re genuinely doing multi‑day trips. Think of it as optional spellcasting: powerful, but not required to pass your first quest.

💷 A Note on Price (Because This Always Surprises People)

A good second‑hand bergen can often be found for under £30 — which is roughly the same price as a brand‑new 20–30L day sack. The difference is that the bergen will outlive you, your children, and possibly your house.

🧭 How to Choose the Right One

A simple rule of thumb:

  • Park walk: haversack

  • Country walk: day sack

  • Long day out: 30L pack

  • Multi‑day trip: bergen (with optional magical attachments)

And the golden rule: Your bag should fit the walk — not your insecurities.

If you’re carrying so much gear that you need a rest before you’ve left the car park, something has gone wrong.

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