Highlander TT Bergen Review

Available Models:
TT100 = Olive model
TT100C = Camo model

Official Specs:
120 Litre capacity. (100L in the main bag, 10L each for the day sacks (the side pocket attachment thingys))

900D fabric.

Two large zipped removable side pockets.

Adjustable chest and waist stabilisers.

Padded hip belt.

Airmesh funnel back ventilation system.

From the Highlander website (forgive their grammer):
“These packs has been designed and tested in conjunction with the British soldiers that use them. We drop tested the fully loaded bags onto concrete from ten meters. Strategically placed bar-tacks provide exceptional construction strength. Infra Red Reduction treatment applied to the polyester Kodex fabric and Nylon webbing. Thick Polyurethane lamination adds unparalleled strength and makes the fabric highly waterproof. Designed to allow the easy attachment of accessories and kit.”

My Experience

While I haven’t dropped my bergen from a two storey building to test its strength, I have used it enough to say something about it. Firstly, for people new to bergens, they are not waterproof. They are quite resistant to rain, and it takes a good three hours of torrential Peak District deluge to get through mine, but it will let the water in eventually. If this does happen, don’t expect it to dry too quickly, but this is why people use waterproof bags inside their bergens, or covers over them.

I took this picture of my nearly full bergen with a 2ltr bottle beside it to give you an idea of scale.

One big positive for this piece of kit is the comfort factor while carrying heavy loads. The shoulder straps are a bit wider and more padded than a number of civilian style packs I’ve seen, and it’s easily adjustable to get a good fit. The airmesh system does actually mean your back won’t get as sweaty as you’d expect, as the padding is thick and effectively works by keeping contact between back and bergen to a minimum. The waist strap is also chunky, and far wider than the thin little strips you often find on civi packs. This spreads the weight of what you’re carrying (it should be on your waist and not your shoulders/back) over a wider area, which makes it easier to haul loads.

A partial view of the airmesh system & some of the straps. Not a great picture, but it was 1am on the morning and I was tired. Lets just say the Arctic Circle was under 100 miles away.

All the adjustable parts and buckles are big, and therefore friendly to freezing cold hands, which is important for those using this right around the year.

Airports have a reputation of chewing up and spitting out rucksacks, and the many straps on this bergen mean its vulnerable to being torn apart by a rogue conveyor belt. I bought a massive, thick bag to stick my bergen in when I fly, which means it will arrive in one piece. It can also help to hide your bergen if its in camo, as some people might think you’re some sort of redneck gun nut. If you’re going to certain countries though, I wouldn’t take anything that’s camo - unless you are actually taking part in a military coup, in which case you’ll probably be wanting it.

The place where I got mine from for £55, http://www.theblackpaw.co.uk/ is currently being renovated, so I can’t see if their price is still this low. This site: http://www.campingandmilitary.com/acatalog/IRR_Rucksacks.htmlis selling them for £115 which is quite a lot higher... For a rucksack of this capacity a hundred quid isn’t particularly unusual, but the £55 I spent made it a 100% bargain. I’ve seen this Bergen for between £70 and £90 which I think is reasonable. Also, I so far haven’t actually seen the olive version anywhere, but that’s probably because I’m not looking very hard.

I also bought the Source Hydration System (basically a camelback water carrier) that is designed to fit with this bergen. I fit mine to the side of the bergen, where a day sack would go, but it can go wherever you want really. A review for this is here.

Conclusion:
My overall recommendation on whether or not you want to buy this bergen will largely depend on the price you can buy it for. It will, 90% of the time, be cheaper than the “standard issue” bergen, but then if you’re a cadet it might be exactly what you are after. You should check, if you are buying online, whether the day sacks are included, as these can cost you £15 - £20 to get separately (mine came with them - and the yoke to stick them together). Essentially though, this is a very solid piece of kit that does its job very well, and if you can find it at the lower end of its price range, it offers insane value for money.