Carrying your 10 Essentials: How do you pack it (Pictures of packs only!)

batosai117 said:
Okay guys, I borrowed my fiance's phone and got a pic or two of my pack. It's a Tan Camelbak Mule:

It's a neat little pack, and I'm able to fit everything I need in it.

This is what it looks like when it's all suited up. Let me know what you guys think, J
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I'm liking the Camelback Mule. It has a lot of good qualities to it that I like. It's sheeple friendly and doesn't have that Military Surplus look to it. In hot environment or summer time the narrow pack should help your back breath better (my current backpack does not). And being narrow it looks to be able to cinch tight against your back and preserve your arms freedom of motion. Would be useful for me as I do mountain biking and dirt bike riding excursions. I may update my rig and buy a mule. Can it hold a long knife/machete or a folding .22LR rifle? This is great thread.
 
I just browsed through all the pictures and seems (maybe it is just me looking at them from a alpine enviroment related spanish guy) that most folks here focus into military oriented gear. I am pretty sure that it is the most bombproof stuff you can get but they feature a lot of stuff I am not sure if they are that handy.

EXTERNAL POUCHES/WEBBINGS/BUCLES: Seems like most of you hike in forrest/jungle areas, don't do all those webbings, buckles, external pouches and alike tangle into debrish, low branches and alike? Seems to me that packs with cleaner lines may be more "forrest friendly". I also hate tangling gear. I can see the point where guys in the military have the need to reach some of their gear right now. Doesn't make much sense to carry spare mags in the backpack, does it? The only thing I carry on the outside are usually my crampons after using them, so I don't get everything wet. If we have been into a snow storm and everything is wet already, I don't give a damn and stash them inside anyway.

COLOR: I like camo/green/black stuff myself but between that and the high visibility orange there is a vast arrange of different colors that could help locating you in the event of getting hurt. Or even to find your pack if you somehow loose ir or something.

WEIGHT/DURABILITY: This is all about tradeoffs. The stronger built it is, the longer it should last (at least it should be that way) but the heavier it will be when empty. Same goes for internal pockets, the more there are, the easier it should be to keep everything organized but the heavier is going to be (plus you will loose room inside). Today space age materials allows us to make very lightweight packs that give a great support and last longer than you expect (kevlar, dinema, etc). I am all out for big zippers that work even when frozen up with mitten friendly zipper pulls, boombproof stitching but I try to stay away from multiple pockets and heavy reinforcements. Single compartment, with narrow compression straps for me! So far I haven't broken any of my packs. When I get a new one is just for the hell of it or because it is ligther than my other ones or maybe better suited.

That said I still use a 40l Magic Rock pack from Vaude that has endured lots of alpine climbs, dragging on rock, rock falls, freezings and all shorts of dissasters. It is still going strong and I bet that now there is ligther and stronger packs out there. I also have a Decathlon 60l pack I got as a gift. It is not as light as I wanted and I could do without the full length zipper. Not a bad pack but I had to cut and sew longer compression straps to hold my sleeping pad. I also cut the bladder tube holders made of plastic and sew some rubber loops. The velcro holders for the ice axes also suck big time, so I cut them off and fitted something better. I usually mod anything I buy. Seems like nothing is perfect right out of the box!

Mikel

PD: I really like the packs shown here, seriously. I don't intend to critizice anyone or anything, this is just my point of view! I just think that given the stuff some of you carry and the intended use, maybe it is worth having a look at not so military oriented gear... even if they come in pink!
 
I have to agree with Mikel_24 on the point about dangling gear--it's swaying and slapping and clinking drives me nuts. Easy access is one thing, but in my experience it's not a biggie to drop the pack and access whatever I need to get in a pocket on a pack lid or side (or mounted on a waist belt).
 
Depends on what you're doing, too. When I go rockhounding (which isn't in thick woods), I like to keep my tools hanging from the pack. Reason being, I put my pack down and I can grab tools with ease, and put them back with ease (so I don't be stoopid, and leave them behind when I leave).
 
That is a valid point. If I'm in the alpine my pack is usually a top loader with one big compartment and a top lid. It has to have a way to attach crampons and snowshoes and fit my cold weather gear. All of my alpine packs are in the 2 to 3 pound weight range. I won't carry a pack over 4 pounds.

But if I'm just bumming around for the day, taking pictures, practicing skills and such it is easier to have all of my guidebooks and other gear organized in a pack versus everything stuffed in one cavernous bag.

Another feature I dislike on packs is dark interiors. I have an old Camelbak that is yellow inside and I love it. I can't stand digging through a giant black hole searching for something.

I can't begin to count how many packs I've had through the years in search of "the one". But I'm pretty happy with the 10 or so I have now.
 
I like to pack with bright colored stuff sacks. I take one out to narrow down what I'm looking for, and then it's easier to see in the sack.
 
I like the mole system as I have many items that work with it. So i tend to lean toward military packs. I also hook things off of he straps and loops as mentioned. i have a diffeent pack for hunting that is more streamlined with nothing to snag. I have different packs for different things. I like the front straps on my pygmey as my lensatic compas clips nicely to it so its one less thing in my pack.

I understand folks wanting more streamlined, i guess it just depends on what your doing and where you plan to go.
 
I agree with a lot Mikel 24 says. Many European style packs look streamlined compared to American military packs. I think they are also lighter.

My old Alice pack had the exterior compartments. Useful for packing in a specific way so that when looking for something in the middle of a dark, dark night where one does not want to use a flashlight, the items can be found by touch.

I don't like bright colors. Maybe its okay for the speed hikers in their blinding Olympic swimmer Speedo's but I try to blend in with the foliage - green, browns, khaki tan. Same with my packs.
 
DrivebyTrucker said:
I'm liking the Camelback Mule. It has a lot of good qualities to it that I like. It's sheeple friendly and doesn't have that Military Surplus look to it. In hot environment or summer time the narrow pack should help your back breath better (my current backpack does not). And being narrow it looks to be able to cinch tight against your back and preserve your arms freedom of motion. Would be useful for me as I do mountain biking and dirt bike riding excursions. I may update my rig and buy a mule. Can it hold a long knife/machete or a folding .22LR rifle? This is great thread.
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It can hold a large knife, but I think a machete would be pushing it unless you have the handle sticking out of the top of the main zipper. As for the folding .22LR, I don't have one to test it out, but I have carried .22LR bullets in the small pouch. I'm pretty sure it could hold one, I just don't have one to stick in there.
 
Fraser said:
I don't like bright colors. Maybe its okay for the speed hikers in their blinding Olympic swimmer Speedo's but I try to blend in with the foliage - green, browns, khaki tan. Same with my packs.
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Ilbruche was talking about a bright interior, not the whole thing. My packs are OD, but I like bright stuff sacks inside it really is easier to find things, but you're not a blazing blob walking through the wilderness, either. Best of both worlds.
 
k_estela said:
Here is what I used for a long time, the Eagle Butt Pack

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The pack looks nice - but MAN - I have seen better heads on a boil! ;)

Lovin' these threads - this one is timely I need to start getting all my stuff in one place.

TF
 
My dog looked just like me. I had to teach him to walk backwards.
 
My new ultralight dayhike pack

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Contents: Katadyn bottle filter, Mora 711, LMF ferro rod, fatwood, Vic Farmer, cheap plastic rain poncho
 
This is what I wear on day hikes. My wife wears a hydration pack. If we go longer I add more stuff. There's more pockets to fill. It weighs 5.5# as you see it, but feels like nothing with it on.

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The vest idea is a great and low key option.
 
Speaking of Kifaru, Kevin, I do have a Scout pack, to which I added 4 bottle holders and some pouches. It rocks!

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Of course around here I normally just carry this Mountainsmith

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Robert,

Which pouch is that on the exterior of your pack between the bottle holders? looks line the admin pouch, but wasn't sure. I have a few maxpedition pouches hanging off my scout, but your bottle holder extravaganza looks interesting. I am also thinking about the mini long pockets.
 
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