While looking for more data on Ronron's pack, I stumbled across something called hardshelled back packs at ebags. The only time I'd ever seen anything like this was in movies, like the survival packs in the origional Planet of the Apes, but they don't sound like a horrible idea from a gear protection perspective.

Obvious questions/potential downsides are comfort, weight and robustness. Has anyone worked with them? I might not use one for a full-time BOB or as a woodsbag, but as a car kit, they intrique.

Do you have a link?

http://www.ebags.com/backpacks/hardshell_backpacks/category_search/index.cfm?N=20014207
http://www.aspengear.com/

Sounds like a great idea for a car kit. I ended up putting my car kit bag in a cardboard box to protect it already.

i own the boblbee Megalopolis Executive and its a great pack for lugging my laptop around. but as a backpack to store car gear i would discourage that. it will barely hold my climbing harness and shoes. i have the side bags that attach to it as well, while those increase the storage its impossible to keep anything organized. as for the comfort and weight issue, it is one of the best fitting bags i own but it weighs ALOT empty. it is pretty water resistant though (kept my laptop dry when i sunk my jeep in a small "pond". <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> hope this helps out

I've gotten away from hard storage containers as much as possible, just seems that I'm always having to squeeze things in them to make stuff fit. Even my vehicle kits are soft sided so when I add something new I don't have to repack I can just stick it in and the bag conforms.

I like tupperware/ rubbermaid to pack in. Rigid, water-resist and some you can see through. Not super leight weight, but good for car kits, re-supply, etc

TRO