Equipment Mistakes

[2dogs]

Recently I have bought a couple of pieces of gear that don't work as well as I had hoped. The first is a frame pack from Cabela's. The frame and harness fit me very well and are comfortable however the bag is attached to the frame with velcro loops instead of pins. I don't like that feature at all and plan to return the pack. Now I need tobuy another frame and bag. I suppose I'll end up with a Kelty 5600, the first pack I tried on. I haven't seen the Camp Trails in person and I don't care fot the Jansport. A CSM modded ALICE pack is an option since I already have a large model in near new shape. I like the Camelbak/Mystery Ranch but I can't afford $500.00 on a pack.

The second piece of gear is a Catoma 1 person combat shelter. I intended to use this backpacking but it is way too heavy for a 1 man shelter. I am guessing it will work very well in heavy rain and snow but those hikes are usually in the 10-20 mile range where weight isn't the major concern. The shelter is very well made with Easton aluminum poles and pegs, but the fly wieghs a ton. OK I haven't actally weighed the shelter but it is way more then the less than 4lbs I was hoping for. The Eureka Zeus or Spitfire seem to fit the bill.

My son and I have a 67 mile pack trip planned for this August and that is why I bought these two pieces of gear. I need to find replacements now so I can find out any problems. If you all have any suggestions I would appreciate hearing from you.

 

[DaleW]

Camp Trails packs are junk-- run and hide!

A Kelty 5600 (Redcloud) is a large internal frame pack-- is that what you meant? The Kelty 5500 is the Tioga external frame rig. Model numbers change and are confusing too.

External frame packs have fallen out of fashion, but they still work well, especially for bulky or heavy loads-- bear cans come to mind. While I heartily recommend getting into ultralight gear, an external frame pack is actually pretty light for it's size. My ultralight pack is only a pound, but it will carry 30 pounds MAX and 3200 cubic inches. The external frame pack will carry more than your knees and back can handle and 5000+ cubic inches of gear and possibly more strapped on the outside. Now, if you use ultralight gear with an external frame pack, it hardly feels like you have anything in it.

Kelty makes a good pack. IIRC, REI's packs were made by Kelty too. If you have the time, check out some garage sales, Craig's List, Ebay, etc. Because the packs aren't as popular, I've been paying $8-$10 for used external frame packs in excellent condition.

I wouldn't let the Velcro on the Cabela's pack bother me if the other features fit the bill. Jansport has used Velcro too and I haven't had any problems at all. I'd fill that baby up with gear and food and GET OUT OF TOWN

For a good light shelter, checkout the GoLite Hut1 and Hut2 models. They are really tailored tarps-- very light, easy to pitch, and 360 degree coverage. You can leave the door open in the summer. If bugs are a problem, you can use bug netting draped inside.

Check out Six Moon Designs for ultralight tents with floors and bug screens. I use the Gatewood Cape shelter, but that's pretty radical-- my shelter and rain gear are 11 ounces