From the Dutch word knapzak. Every dungeoneer wore a knapsack, a leather or fabric bag slung over his or her shoulder. They would place items of food in it during their quest in order to restore their Life Force status to green. Just prior to sending Team 1 of Series 4 on their quest, Treguard discovered that Pickle had tried to sneak a banana into the knapsack. Giles of Team 8 of Series 4 almost put a key into his knapsack. Alex of Team 6 of Series 5 was permitted (by Hordriss) to carry an enchanted book in his knapsack, having reached his carrying limit of two clue objects.

For Series 8, in a break with tradition, the dungeoneer would carry clue objects and the Reach Wand in his or her knapsack in addition to food. Alan Boyd, an advisor from Team 6 of Series 8, revealed in 2013 that 'between rooms the knapsack was emptied and the contents were stored separately. Food never reappeared once it had been placed in the knapsack, i.e. it was "used up" immediately. When the dungeoneer was kitted back up for each room, the knapsack was re-filled. At least some of the food was real.'

During Can You Beat The Challenge? (novella), Folly carries a knapsack while braving the Dungeon with Treguard.

Some of the episodes of Fun House shown prior to Knightmare on Challenge in 2013 included knapsacks as prizes.

The knapsack is one of the Knightmare staples recreated in the Knightmare Live stage shows to repeated audience approval. This led Stewart Lee to describe Knightmare Live as 'like being in an alternate reality where people clapped a satchel'.

[Originally posted on 2004-10-27 18:42:02]

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