Bushwalk Australia

Though it's clearly had some modern additions (ie waist straps & foam!): http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Paddy-Pallin ... SwjDZYgt92

Not mine, but I'd almost be tempted to pick it up to take walking just for kicks. I'm sure a couple of forum members must've used or made similar packs, how do they go with having a flat piece on your lower back?

Mods, please feel free to move this to the Specials forum if you think that is the proper place for this topic.

It looks like an Explorer model, most probably 1960s as claimed given the type of canvas and cotton lacing. The leno mesh back strips have been retrofitted as these didn't appear to the best of my knowledge until the mid/late 1970's. The "flat piece" on the lower back is actually a thick chrome tanned leather so it has some give.

All the weight got taken on the shoulders. Worth buying for interests sake if you keep the load below 12 kilos but i'd not be tempted at that price, $30- maybe
I have however bookmarked it to watch

Thanks Mark & MD. I certainly don't need to start collecting vintage gear but it's always interesting to see what people were using at certain times.

Thanks too for the heads up about the tanned leather, I imagine that like a leather bicycle seat, it'd slowly mold to your body and actually become reasonably comfortable. When were these type of external frame packs phased out?

They were phased out in the latter half of the 70s. They were replaced with packs based on narrower, cut down Karrimor frames curved and in aluminium with hip belts.