30 years of the Macpac Cascade

I’m about to do a serious bushwalk for the first time in a while, and I have been upgrading some of my gear. Most of it is well over 20 years old but still functioning, because it was good quality in its time. However, some items are getting a little too worn or are just a little too heavy, and I have decided to replace them. After extensive contemplation, my faithful 30 year old backpack was added to the list, despite its considerable nostalgia value as a well-loved, hard-working 21st birthday present from my parents. They chose wisely all those years ago, getting me a state-of-the-art Macpac Cascade, but it is now a little the worse for wear (not unlike its owner!).

Having made the decision to replace it, I had to find a worthy candidate and after looking around I ended up settling on … the current model of the Macpac Cascade! The Cascade has transformed a bit over the years but its current incarnation is remarkably similar to the 1985 version. The material isn’t quite as heavy, which means it may not be quite so robust, but if I’m still using it in 30 years’ time, that will be more of a miracle of my own robustness rather than the pack’s! (The second photo is of a rather younger pack and owner, taken in 1986 in the Western Arthur range in Tasmania.)