Crumpler Karachi Goes for a Ride

wxwax · March 6, 2006

My occasionaly grumpy friend Gus mentioned something about how the Crumpler Karachi, their largest backpack, fits on a motorcyle. What better way to find out, I says to myself, than to actually show him?

In the wilderness if downtown Atlanta, renowned wildlife photographer Patch29 patiently set his blind and waited for an unsuspecting Karachi-wearing motorcyclist to happen by. Patch29's years of stalki... er, observation of wildlife patterns, paid off: he caught this unsuspecting MIF (motorcyclist in flight.)

A careful study later in the lab reveals that this specimen is 6' with an inseam of 32".

Our patch29 is nothing, if not determined. Unwilling to settle for a MIF shot of the Karachi, he gunned the MIF down (in the interests of science, of course) and seized the backpack. With nothing left alive in his immediate vicinity, Patch29 decided to model the thing himself. The results are predictably gory and not for the weak of stomach.

Andy · March 6, 2006

But there's no room for the motorcyle babe?

wxwax · March 6, 2006

Andy wrote:

But there's no room for the motorcyle babe?

Thanks to my advanced degree in origami, I have learned how to fold the motorcyle babe and carry her in the Karachi. But then there's no room for a laptop, so it's a difficult choice.

DoctorIt · March 6, 2006

Lookin' good boys!

I see the Karachi has sprouted quite a beefy waist stabilization belt. The previous gen backpacks had a thin one that was better removed altogether.

Now does Patch, the great wildlife photog have the stomach to gut the thing and show us the innards???

wxwax · March 6, 2006

I'll eventually get around to that. The short conclusion is that I thought it would hold more that it does.

I put everything from my shorter but broader Tenba into the Karachi. It baaaarely fit. Whereas I still had room for more junk in the Tenba.

So a disappointment there. On the plus side, it feel more confortable. The padding on the back makes a difference. The shorter Tenba rides higher and is distinctly uncomfortable.

To be fair, I never used the belt on the Tenba, and it's a wide one. I wouldn't call the belt on the Karachi beefy, quite the opposite, at least compared to the Tenba. I think the Karachi scores on comfort because it's padded and it's longer, distributing the load further down the back.

I had complained earlier that the zip on the Karachi was not easy to open. Already, I see it easing up. So scratch that issue.

USAIR · March 6, 2006

If you can read this the Babe fell off
Or something like that

Fred

wxwax · March 6, 2006

USAIR wrote:

If you can read this the Babe fell off
Or something like that

Fred

DoctorIt · March 6, 2006

wxwax wrote:

To be fair, I never used the belt on the Tenba, and it's a wide one. I wouldn't call the belt on the Karachi beefy, quite the opposite, at least compared to the Tenba. I think the Karachi scores on comfort because it's padded and it's longer, distributing the load further down the back.

It's beefy compared to the Schrinkle/Farmers Double. And for me, this is actually a negative - the belt (just a strap) on the Schrinkle was easy to remove because it was practically useless. As you say, these packs carry so well, there's not much need for a waist strap - so to clarify what I meant, I do not like that the Karachi seems to have a padded waist strap... unless it can be fully removed.

wxwax · March 6, 2006

DoctorIt wrote:

It's beefy compared to the Schrinkle/Farmers Double. And for me, this is actually a negative - the belt (just a strap) on the Schrinkle was easy to remove because it was practically useless. As you say, these packs carry so well, there's not much need for a waist strap - so to clarify what I meant, I do not like that the Karachi seems to have a padded waist strap... unless it can be fully removed.

It's not a padded waiststrap, it's a thin belt. I think you're confusing the belt with the Darien jacket. Look at the Patch piccie, made bigger here. You can see how insubstantial is the belt.

DoctorIt · March 6, 2006

wxwax wrote:

It's not a padded waiststrap, it's a thin belt. I think you're confusing the belt with the Darien jacket. Look at the Patch piccie, made bigger here. You can see how insubstantial is the belt.

Ah, now I see. So it should come right off then. Excellent!

Thusie · March 6, 2006

6' and 32 inseam

Most interesting specimen.

gus · March 6, 2006

My god you are a handsome man waxy. My beef with the karachi was not tested mate. It was that the karachi has the tripod holder in the middle of the pack thus the legs will hit the seat. With my brians-hot-tub it is on the side & thus clears the seat & juuust misses the pannier.

But i am aware that you have a 'little' tripod....

DoctorIt · March 6, 2006

Humungus wrote:

But i am aware that you have a 'little' tripod....

Oh snap!

wxwax · March 6, 2006

Humungus wrote:

My god you are a handsome man waxy. My beef with the karachi was not tested mate. It was that the karachi has the tripod holder in the middle of the pack thus the legs will hit the seat. With my brians-hot-tub it is on the side & thus clears the seat & juuust misses the pannier.

But i am aware that you have a 'little' tripod....

Ah, I misunderstood you. Well, you can probably eyeball the probabilities just by looking at the shots.

wxwax · March 6, 2006

Thusie wrote:

6' and 32 inseam Most interesting specimen.

32"... and to be clear, that's a leg measurement.

Thusie · March 6, 2006

wxwax wrote:

32"... and to be clear, that's a leg measurement.

So so glad you clarified that minor detail Sid

Crumpler Karachi Goes for a Ride

Comments