Posted: 8/22/2010 1:42:31 PM EDT
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I'm moving into a new place soon and as hurricane season here in FL is approaching I'm looking forward to starting food/water storage preps. In the mean time, I'm re-building our BOBs for myself and my wife. I have tried large CamelBaks and military style frame rucks...in conclusion both of those are AWFUL. I'm going with a civilian style hiking pack. I have a smaller CamelBak for her loaded with 100oz of water, MRE's, and all the small stuff that goes in a BOB. I want a larger one for myself for more food and water, shelter, ammo, and clothing. So my BOB will not be a full 2 person kit because she will have some of it in hers as well. I live in FL and the temp never drops below freezing so deep winter gear is unneeded. I would basically like to get some recommendations of what size liter pack you guys would recommend since I have zero experience with these types of packs. I was thinking 50 to 60L which should be adequate for clothing, water, and food. What do you guys think? I was thinking maybe even a 40 to 50L pack but the larger 60s seem to have better suspension systems. I'm particuallary looking at Gregory, Arc'Teryx, and Osprey. Any other recommendations? I don't want to have any left over room in the pack if it can be avoided either. Thanks.
- Wes |
| Sorry. Ive tried all the fancy packs and keep coming back to my Med. alice pack. I upgraded the belt and straps and I dont over load it (30-35lbs max). It works for me. The load doesnt shift and it all stays tight. I find that alot of ppl have pack issues cuz they dont know how to pack. It has to be balanced so to speak. |
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I live in FL and the temp never drops below freezing so deep winter gear is unneeded. I would basically like to get some recommendations of what size liter pack you guys would recommend since I have zero experience with these types of packs. I was thinking 50 to 60L which should be adequate for clothing, water, and food. What do you guys think? I was thinking maybe even a 40 to 50L pack but the larger 60s seem to have better suspension systems. I'm particuallary looking at Gregory, Arc'Teryx, and Osprey. Any other recommendations? I don't want to have any left over room in the pack if it can be avoided either. Thanks. Sorry, but you should re think this. It was well into the low 20's and even teens here last winter. Unless your living in the keys and even then it will get into the 50's. with any pack- get your torso sized. set a budget pick a pack style suitable for what you want to do. try a pack on. once purchsed- make sure it is fitted properly,make sure it is packed correctly, and most important , use it,summer,winter for a few times to shake it down. If you want a multi-season do it all ruck, you will have room left over. I use a kelty 4500ci internal and in winter it has no extra room. In summer its almost empty.So my summer packs are smaller rucks, but they cant hold my winter gear. My wife use's a kelty 3900 trekker external framed and also has a smaller summer pack. all of the pack you named are good packs. just need to find one that suits what you wanna do, |
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Quoted: Yes it does. If you Google how to pack a pack you can different information regarding external or internal framed packs. its all the same on either one, externals are more forgiving though imho. internal and non framed rucks need most stuff near your center of gravity or else they'll kill you if you pack em like an external. Sorry google can let you read about it...but thats it.....feet to ground is the only way. 
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Quoted:
I'm moving into a new place soon and as hurricane season here in FL is approaching I'm looking forward to starting food/water storage preps. In the mean time, I'm re-building our BOBs for myself and my wife. I have tried large CamelBaks and military style frame rucks...in conclusion both of those are AWFUL. I'm going with a civilian style hiking pack. I have a smaller CamelBak for her loaded with 100oz of water, MRE's, and all the small stuff that goes in a BOB. I want a larger one for myself for more food and water, shelter, ammo, and clothing. So my BOB will not be a full 2 person kit because she will have some of it in hers as well. I live in FL and the temp never drops below freezing so deep winter gear is unneeded. I would basically like to get some recommendations of what size liter pack you guys would recommend since I have zero experience with these types of packs. I was thinking 50 to 60L which should be adequate for clothing, water, and food. What do you guys think? I was thinking maybe even a 40 to 50L pack but the larger 60s seem to have better suspension systems. I'm particuallary looking at Gregory, Arc'Teryx, and Osprey. Any other recommendations? I don't want to have any left over room in the pack if it can be avoided either. Thanks. - Wes I have an Osprey Aether 70. Extremely comfy pack––especially if you get the belt molded to your hips. Yes, I agree that life begins at 60 when it comes to suspension systems. Make sure not to leave the camelback sitting around filled with water. A nasty surprise could await you. |
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Quoted:
I live in FL and the temp never drops below freezing so deep winter gear is unneeded. I would basically like to get some recommendations of what size liter pack you guys would recommend since I have zero experience with these types of packs. I was thinking 50 to 60L which should be adequate for clothing, water, and food. What do you guys think? I was thinking maybe even a 40 to 50L pack but the larger 60s seem to have better suspension systems. I'm particuallary looking at Gregory, Arc'Teryx, and Osprey. Any other recommendations? I don't want to have any left over room in the pack if it can be avoided either. Thanks.
Sorry, but you should re think this. It was well into the low 20's and even teens here last winter. Unless your living in the keys and even then it will get into the 50's. ................. This. This past winter, we saw temps as low as 16 degrees in our hunt camp. We have no way to know the wind chill temps out there, but take a look at this picture. In the time it took to open the spout on my water jug, wet my toothbrush, close the spout and reach for the toothpaste the water had frozen into a pile ON TOP OF THE BRISTLES! Although this was one of the coldest winters in recent history for the state and camp is located in the panhandle, do not underestimate the possibility of low temps here! 
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I'm moving into a new place soon and as hurricane season here in FL is approaching I'm looking forward to starting food/water storage preps. In the mean time, I'm re-building our BOBs for myself and my wife. I have tried large CamelBaks and military style frame rucks...in conclusion both of those are AWFUL. I'm going with a civilian style hiking pack. I have a smaller CamelBak for her loaded with 100oz of water, MRE's, and all the small stuff that goes in a BOB. I want a larger one for myself for more food and water, shelter, ammo, and clothing. So my BOB will not be a full 2 person kit because she will have some of it in hers as well. I live in FL and the temp never drops below freezing so deep winter gear is unneeded. I would basically like to get some recommendations of what size liter pack you guys would recommend since I have zero experience with these types of packs. I was thinking 50 to 60L which should be adequate for clothing, water, and food. What do you guys think? I was thinking maybe even a 40 to 50L pack but the larger 60s seem to have better suspension systems. I'm particuallary looking at Gregory, Arc'Teryx, and Osprey. Any other recommendations? I don't want to have any left over room in the pack if it can be avoided either. Thanks. - Wes I have an Osprey Aether 70. Extremely comfy pack––especially if you get the belt molded to your hips. Yes, I agree that life begins at 60 when it comes to suspension systems. Make sure not to leave the camelback sitting around filled with water. A nasty surprise could await you. I also have the Aether 70 and it fits my needs perfectly. We have a 2 year old, so this pack lets me carry what I need for him and me. I keep store bought water bottles with it and if I need to bug out I juts dump them into the empty, dy camelbak. |
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Pack selection really depends on application. Being totally honest about anything can be a 3 day pack even a pillow case. Now if you are looking for extended use and application specific like live out of the things for days, possibly months, or go fight a war, what is best can be as different as day and night.
Me, I divide my needs between GHB and BOB. My Get Home Bags are very light weight 3 days of minimalist gear. I have about four GHBs now, one for each car ranging from a small hydration bladder pack to as small as a Maxpedition Fatboy used as much to carry my camera as 3 days of survival gear. Only intended to get me home and last a maximum of 3 days, other than that camera bag I mentioned which will be used a lot more, I haven't spent much money on my packs at all. I buy $30 specials that fit my need. Now my BOB is different. My primary BOL is very far away so if I'm using a BOB depending on the scenario, it needs to be long term oriented, living out of it with the least amount of work, and adaptable to carry almost anything that a person can carry. Now when a person starts looking to adaptability that on the move they can change what gear they carry, the ultimate in that is an external frame pack. Its as simple as that frame allows you to attache all kinds of stuff to the outside of your pack. Sticking a bleeding dead animal down in your pack is not good. Things like that. There's all kinds of external frame packs from inexpensive to very expensive. Unfortunately is you are talking highly compartmentalized so you can use your pack like a pantry (fast access and leave it packed except the gear you need) and torso adjustable to it fits you like glove, then that's going to be expensive. I can't recommend my pack. Like most things in life, I learned a lot of lessons the hard way by using the pack so my pack has been modified quite a bit. Yes, you can do that with good packs. You can buy this or that straps or add on gear etc. Mine is where I want it now so really like it. Its a external frame with anchor points, molle straps, compartmentalized, and a enternal pack frame that I can load it up light as a feather or heavy and it still retains its shape. Taking a drink of water is a simple grab on the go (mine has an external Nalgene holder) and weight distribution is shoulder, chest, and waist. If you want to see what I use, its closest is a Camptrails McKinnley and in current products sold probably the Kelty Treckker is closest. Ten years ago, it took a long time to find my pack. I wanted tent, bag, and ground pad external for fast setup especially in foul weather. That allows for fast take down and up and going again without shifting pack weight from dumping or pulling too much gear out. My problem in finding the pack is most will do two points but not three without the weight being distributed in the wrong places. Of course, this is not a problem on a summer pack but it is on a winter pack. Winter, my pack has tent/bag at the bottom and pad at the top. Now came problem number 2, ten years ago all these packs were bright see me in the dark colors. Its not that way now. Tj |
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I purchased an Arc'Teryx Bora 80 for backpacking with the wife. I'm the pack mule and carry the extra gear to keep a smile on her face. Arc'Teryx makes some good stuff. You'll pay for it though. Others here may disagree since their production is now overseas, but I've been quite satisfied.
Take Protus' advice. Get you totso sized. Set a budget, Go to a camping/sporting goods store and try on all you can. Fill them with sandbags, weights, or tents (most stores already have all this), and walk around. Fiddle with all the straps, buckles, and belts. Only you will know which pack fits you best. |