Durability of packs

That depends.

What pack? A 5.11 will probably hold up better than a Walmart.
What are you using it for? Are you hauling heavy gear long distances every day or are you wanting to carry a jacket to work and back.
How well do you take care of it? Are you washing it properly? Are you fixing loose threads before they can tear?

Ultimately, without knowing what pack and how you tend to use it, it's impossible to say

 

My Rush 12 has about 5 years of continued use now to include a bunch of state-side military training and disaster response and a few summers spent teaching at camp/leading trips fully outdoors in Maine, and my Rush 24 about 3 years including a year spent moving all around the Middle East, getting tossed around and not generally cared for at all - both still going strong. I can't find any bare thread spots, weak points, etc. on either.

 

My Rush 24 is old as dirt now used daily no fade no problems looks like day one it's been totally abused still my favourite all time purchase.
Sure I've got other stuff and other bags but nothing is a better all rounder for me

 

I don’t have any experience with the Maxpedition Gyrfalcon, but did carry a Pygmy Falcon daily for 5 years. I bought it used (one small, barely noticeable stain on the pack). After 5 years of regular use, it showed very little, if any, wear. Very durable pack.

 

I have the 5.11 All Hazards Prime and it's dealt with 2 years of rough wear with barely a mark to show for it. I can't fault the durability. The only thing that's damaged is the handle on the bottom from tugging it out of cars by the little handle when it's heavy.
Aside from that, it's bombproof. I imagine the Rush is the same build quality

 

Osprey Quantum 28, a non-tactical and much lighter grade pack, bought in Nov '14, used every day as a work bag (albeit car commute and office job, a fair amount of urban walking (20 mins from building to building), a bit of hiking) with a normal loadout of c. 7.5kg, also used every day as an EDC bag.

Some of the printing on the pack has worn off, the waist buckle broke when I rolled a chair over it and was replaced FoC, a few other scuffs, no other damage, still keeps the rain out.

I've bought another of the same type for when it eventually wears out (they changed the design this year and I don't like the changes, so I grabbed one of the old style while I could) but I'm not expecting to need it in the immediate future.

 

I have a Rush 24 that is about 5 years old. It goes pretty much anywhere I go and it is holding up strong. The only thing I had happen to it is I broke a buckle by closing the car door on it(never got around to fixing it). Anything the gets on it wipes right off. It is a solid pack.

 

Fabrics are usually not the weakest point on a backpack.
Seams, zippers, draw strings and plastic buckles are the weak points in my experience.
If you buy from a reputable company you could be quite confident that your backpack will hold up for many years.
Lemons will appear from time to time, even among these manufacturers, but they usually have you covered by a good warranty.
Example:
My oldest backpack still in use is a Norrøna Para Ranger. I've used it hard and carelessly on military assignments and countless backpacking trips for 20 years, and not a single detail is broken or worn out.
My second oldest is a Norrøna combat pack. Same story. Not a single issue in 18 years, and this one has seen even more use.
The two next Norrøna backpacks I bought each had one less thought out detail that broke within a few months of use, but after these were fixed on warranty, both backpacks have been working flawlessly for about 15 years.
I use my backpacks hard, and I have never worn through the fabric on any of them. I do however buy quality backpacks and I have more than a few to choose from, so I always choose a backpack suitable for the planned activity.


Norrøna para ranger on a mountain skiing trip where we were surprised by some heavy snowfall, approx. 17 years ago.

 

I totally understand your concern about this. But keep in mind: all "things" will fall apart some day.

More important is finding the right bag for your EDC needs. Once you found it and it's within budget.. then ask yourself: is it worth its price?

Then you buy 2 of them.

I got 2 Rush 12 bags (1 spare) and after 5 year of continuous EDC use... in great shape! One minor thing is the zipper pulls. Those might give a bit, but just replace them with paracord and your good to go.

I'm no fanboy of 5.11. But those rush packs seem to be made on a different level.

 

those rush packs seem to be made on a different level
Agreed

 

Also agree. With your non-extreme use requirement, a rush series pack will last as long as you need it to. You'd very highly likely replace it for different features, different use, etc. before anything on it breaks down, and then it'll sit in a closet waiting for it's next use or owner.

 

The elastic will probably be the first thing to go. Over time, it will get brittle and fail but it'll take a good few years.
The velcro I'd wager will hold up a decade, based on my 4 years of wear and no sign of damage.

Are you any good with a sewing kit? Velcro is super easy to replace. Elastic is a little more fiddly since you're working with it under tension but it can be done, if you have the patience. If not, a decent seamstress should be able to do it for you

 

I've got a Spec Ops THE pack that I've been carrying heavily for nearly 7 years, and it's still 100%. No real sign of wear. It's dirty, but no stretched seams or loose threads. It doesn't have any velcro or stretchy stuff, and that's what I like about it. I've always thought of 5.11 bags as "not so good" in terms of durability but a we have been issued some small MOAB's as small gear bags at work and considering our work environment and how they get tossed around, they are holding up exceptionally.

 

Was just thinking about my Rush 24 I got mine in 2009.
I used it for two years hauling books and equipment at University, its since been used to as a carry on several flights, its been my camping and hike bag being covered in Moss,Ash ,mud I used it on canoe trips ,kayaked Fjords,its been on countless road trips ,its been thrown from ,hung from,strapped to my Land rover Camper in so many configurations.
It's been my day bag,my hammock kit ,over the years I've added and removed all kinds of stuff to try or to use dry bags ,pouches,soft and hard panels ,Hex grids,chest and waist band mods,fidlocks you name it .

It's now my work bag it isnt faded, no Seam or zip or pull failures, honestly I can't fathom why it's been maxed out and over filled ,bulging man I've just really yank and pulled on those zippers to close it up.
It's been yanked and pulled dragged out of places it's been by the straps , handles ,compression straps

I dont think I have a more over used reliable item I've ever purchased, I still feel happy when I use it

Talk about return in investment, ive paid for and tried so many bags ,slings,packs I cant even count but I always end up with the Rush as I know it won't fail me

Its sat in my Car now ,its compressed and synched down to the size of a Rush 12 it's got 2x external bottles holders ,a hex grid panel on the exterior ,here's to another 10 years

 

I've hoofed through Asia for about 4 or 5 years using Hill People Gear stuff. My experience is that the bags all hold up fine, except the Hypalon parts of the Prairie belt have torn. Otherwise, even after some Indian Back-country and road trips and jungles and being strapped to my motorcycle for dozens of times in Taiwan and taken over He Huan Shan and tossed in the mud after hiking to Wild Hotsprings and mountain overlooks, my Umlindi looks almost new after tossing in a washing machine. (I actually LIVED in Backcountry Taiwan for most of that time and never wasted time hiking, biking, motorcycling, etc -- my gear got put to use).

Likewise my EDC Tarahumara.

Hill People gear is what? 500D cordura, sewn nicely with very good YKK zippers. I imagine anything made to similar specs would hold up as well.

 

As new not not stretched out at all ,velcro holds as new honestly inside you wont know it from a new one,nothing I've ever purchased as held up as well.
Had loads of packs by all the brands but my R24 just keeps topping them