Internal Frame Pack

[stanley_white]

Eastern Mountain Sports (EMS) makes a good line of packs for the budget minded person.

http://www.ems.com/catalog/subcategory_simple.jsp?FOLDER<>folder_id=2534374302860911&i=1&n=1000

 

[sketchbag]

I just picked up an MEC Brio 70 for about $125 with tax. I didnt get to compare it to the ArcTeryx Bora pack because that stupid store only has ONE parking spot, so I had to park illegally.

Has a nice design and a pretty comfy fit, I suspect it could be better, but after schlepping hose boxes around through the bush all summer this will be a joy.

Once again, many thanks to my WSS bros.

 

[mckrob]

I just picked up an MEC Brio 70 for about $125 with tax. I didnt get to compare it to the ArcTeryx Bora pack because that stupid store only has ONE parking spot, so I had to park illegally.

Has a nice design and a pretty comfy fit, I suspect it could be better, but after schlepping hose boxes around through the bush all summer this will be a joy.

Once again, many thanks to my WSS bros.

Does this pack have aluminium stays?

 

[sketchbag]

Does this pack have aluminium stays?

Dude, I dont even know what "stays" are.

This is the one I got, the "long" 72L version

http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_...older_id=2534374302699867&bmUID=1221095703946

 

[northern1]

kifaru........$300.00.

 

[Seahawk]

A lot of good packs have been mentioned. If you have the opportunity to go to a store that carries a lot of packs, go there are try them out. Some places will let you bring your gear, so you can make sure it all fits. Start trying packs from quality makers (Osprey, Gregory, Arcterx, and others) and figure out which one fits you the best. Reviews are good for figuring out which packs are quality products, but trying one on is very helpful.

 

[mckrob]

Dude, I dont even know what "stays" are.

Stays are slats that slide into the back of the pack, there are usually two compartments on either side of the pack that they slide into to give the pack ridgidity, this is really an integral part of the internal frame.

In this photo (stolen from the web) you can see them out of the pack being fitted to a soldiers back:

 

[sketchbag]

Ok, yup this one has aluminum stays attached to a semi-rigid contoured sheet of plastic.

 

[MrCoffee]

Got a EMS Blackfoot pack nineteen years ago today for my B-Day from my wife and I still use it every year. Great Quality, not sure what model they replaced it with. I use it mostly for winter camping these days, and it will hold everything including a spare SUV for the ride home

Take a look at EMS' offering well worth the price.

 

[PB Wilson]

I had heard that EMS stuff is often made by some of the big name outfits (could be different now). I've got a lot of their stuff and I found that it's almost always a real bargain and very good quality.