The Humble Haversack

Call them whatever you wish: Rucksack; Haversack; Backpack; Daypack. I usually vary their name. At any rate, I decided to treat myself to a new one.

I have three backpacks: an old one which I take on holiday because it is very light and can fold easily into the suit-case; a bigger one for more serious hikes in the Mournes; and a third one, which I use for National Trust volunteer days.

It's the volunteer haversack I wish to replace, so I paid a visit to Millet's store in Cornmarket, Belfast, yesterday morning with this purchase in mind. They have a fair - not huge - selection. I wanted a slightly roomier one, large enough to carry a first-aid kit; whistle and pen-knife; Peter Storm anorak and leggings; gloves; hat; lunch-box; Thermos flask; and a miscellany of smaller things.

One haversack, the Karrimor Zodiak 20 in navy blue, caught my eye. The colour was perfectly acceptable; and the little rucksack seemed to be well put together. So I noted down the details, left the store and crossed the street, where Graham Tiso's store is located. They had a bigger selection, though not the Karrimor Zodiak. They sold an own-label rucksack, though I felt that the Karrimor simply looked better.

I revisited Millet's to have a final look, then drove home to search on the Web. It's about the same price online - including delivery - as in-store, so I decided to go ahead and buy it.