Hiking Back Packs

[ThorTso]

Hi all,

I am going to be going on a 5 day hike in the mountains (Spring - no snow) in South Africa. I already have a nice Billabong 33L Day Pack for Day Hikes.

I am now looking to buy my own Back Pack for longer hikes (2-7 days). I need your input in terms of what experienced hikers here recommend by way of size and type of pack. Price is no object, so it's really coming down to buying the best available once. I do not want to end up with a Back Pack that is either too big or too small.

I thought, after my own research, to get a 75-80L (4,500-5,500 cui)Internal Frame Pack. Probably Osprey, Northern Face, MountainLight, Gregory etc. It should have a detachable day pack.

I really appreciate your thoughts.

Thanks.

 

[Oni]

Thorso

Your best bet is to go to a large outdoor store where they have a large selection of packs. Most have bean bags you can stuff into them so you can see how they feel with weight in them. Lots of packs sound great on the website...but I prefer to try 'em on and see how they feel for ME.

Different packs will feel better or worse depending on your body type. I have several packs. A Dana Bombpack, which is a great pack but a little on the small side ~3200ci, and a Gregory Reality, which is I think around 4500ci. The Gregory has a detachable top which converts into a "buttpack". I typically carry about a 50lb load...and both do okay with that, although it is pretty close to the limit for the Dana.

Both are top loaders. I think a clamshell or front loader type might be my next purchase. It always seems whatever I need...it's always on the bottom of the pack!

Are you going on "flat" hikes, or on any technical terrain? For technical stuff, a slimmer pack can help. You have to balance features/weight/comfort sometimes too.

Check out Dana, Mountainsmith and Arcteryx too. REI has a pretty good website www.rei.com Don't know what kind of outdoor stores you have in S. Africa?

Good luck and have fun!

 

[Dave B]

All of the packs mentioned so far are quality ones. I'm personally partial to Osprey, but have owned and used Mountainsmith, Lowe, North Face, and Jansport as well.

The key is to try on each one that you're interested in with the appropriate amount of weight, and with at least a good attempt to have the pack individually fitted to you. You'll most likely need to visit a proper mountaineering store to do it right.

If you'll ski or climb with it, try some silly walks and positions to get an idea if it still feels ok, or go to an indoor climbing wall and get off the ground. Renting to try out is sometimes an option.

Enjoy the process - there's an awful lot of good gear out there nowadays.

db