New Backpack!

“Hi all! I guess I'm kinda new to these parts, been looking around a few times and decided to take the plunge and get a user ID.

Here's the deal... I've got an old Osprey Zenith that is absolutely thrashed, I've had is rehabed once, but it didn't take. I hate to do it, but I think I'm going to have to retire that old pack, it just can't cut the mustard anymore.

What I'm looking for is a big sturdy pack. I'm not an ultralite person, and I don't think I ever will be. And I'm an aspiring amature(how do you spell that?) photographer, so I tend to drag along 15 pounds of camera stuff as well (there the ultralite really goes).

I'm 6'2 with a long torso and very broad shoulders.

Any suggestions?”

“I love my new Granite Gear Vapor Trail. It will carry loads of gear and only weighs 2 lbs!”

“Maybe Artex or Buddha Bear can help, they are tall with broad shoulders. I am built like a rather small Hobbit, I'm afraid.”

“Get the Long torso model Vapor Trail. It fit me just fine.”

“The Dana packs and Arc Teryx Boras (on sale now I think) are great for big loads.
If you wanted a really big pack then the Dana Terraplan Ltw 2002 is on sale at northern mountain supply for like 183 instead of $400. Extra-long torso is the only available size though I think.
I think REI outlet had bora 65s on sale.”

“Goodness, this is an active message board, I think I'm going to like it.

Karo,

thanks for the input, but I don't think that that pack will quite do it for me. I have also do a lot of trail work, paid and volunteer, and I need a pack that will tough it out with a pick strapped on one side and a shovel on the other if I get back into it.

Arc Teryx, that's a brand that has only been out a few years, right? How do they hold up? I've seen a few on the trails, but I don't know anybody that has one.

Didn't Dana take their manufacturing to Mexico? What has that done to their quality? I know when Vasque moved most of their production from Italy, they had some problems. I saw a few sundowners more or less explode.”

“I got the Vapor Trail, it's comfy, but I found it does sag a little over 30llbs.
The nimbus ozone is the GG pack with a frame, and I think there's another new one by them too. They may be worth trying, but the space may also be a bit limited.”

“I have a Gregory Palasades pack. It is a heavy f&^$#%^&! but it holds a lot of crap!”

“This place is almost like a chat room.”

“Although I have no direct experience with them, I've never heard anybody complain about the comfort of a Gregory pack.”

“Well that's better than having someone post an answer 3 weeks after asking the question.”

“It is a chat room sometimes.”

“And there is gear reviews too! I think this site has a new fan!

One thing... I'm not going to get another OSprey. I don't liek their new style pakcs.

Okay, so Gregory, Dana, Arc Terex. I need some dirt on these brands. I've been looking at the reviews and people are just saying good things. I want somebody to say something BAD.”

“Check out Vortex Packs. I've got a 5900 and it is bomb proof.

http://www.vortexbackpacks.com/

They are made to be used and come with a lifetime warrentee. You break it, they fix it. I love the suspension system. It's a polycarbonate frame that will flex lateraly, giving you high freedom of movement, yet doesn't flew vertically so you get awsome load transfer. I've had mine up to 70 lbs, and it handled it like a champ. THere are also a ton of little design features that let you know that it has been tested and tweaked. Stupid things like having the top lid straps clip at the bottom instead of at the top lid, so you get better leverage tighnening it down. Anyway, I highly recomend then if you don't mind the extra weight.”

“Im am embarassed to even state my pack, but if there was 24" torso pack out there I would look to buy it. Ive been luggin this external frame w/ sack of 8 lbs for far to long. Could probably fit two of every thing.”

“I'll say something bad. I don't Like Dana. K-2 sold out and I think they are way overpriced for the quality pack you get. Arc Terx is good but I think you pay a ton for the name. Another good brand that didn't make the list is Mountain Smith.”

“Look at Macpacs too, tricky to get hold of here, but loveley packs, tough as old boots.”

“oh yea, the customer service at Vortex is amazing. You have a question, give 'em a call. You'll talk directly with the guys doing the designing. They also swap out parts for life. Your waist belt is too small or too big, they trade it out. This includes if you happen to change. So you lose some weight and need a smaller belt? Swap it out, for free.”

“The damn thing started to sun fade and get some small holes after 10/12 years of constant use. I got so fed up with it I gave it away (Rockman)









I'm now working on my second Gregory....I hope to wear it out in another 10/15 years.


Truth be told...I don't expect my new one to last as long as the old one, in the interest of making it lighter I suspect its not going to prove quite as durable....lighter weight materials and all.......”

“I'll say something both good and bad for Danas. I bought an external frame (Terraframe or Terraplane, I forgot which is which) last year. Couldn't stand it. No matter what adjustments I made, it didn't fit right. A 25 pound load in my Illinois flatlands felt as heavy as a 35 or 40 pound load up the Rockies. I sent it back for an Osprey Aether and am much happier, but that won't fit what you're looking for.

As for the good of Dana, it was a bulletproof pack. Overbuilt for my needs, but strong as can be. One of my friends uses the same pack and loves it. He's about 6'4" and maybe 240.

My advice is to try a bunch of packs. Ordering online is risky as what fits one won't fit another.”

“Hey mtnsteve, Which model do you have? I'm in the market for a new pack, so I went to the Gregory site - they have this "Z" model pack that seems like it might work for me (assuming I like the fit). The price seems about right, too (169).zŸ}œmany packs, how does one choose..........”

“What's the most you are willing to pay?”

“Violin, first you have to ask whether he wants one equipped with a turd or wants the standard, stripped down model.”

“I wish the straps on the Gregory had more padding. I don't think this is the packs fault though. I am one skinny guy. I am the one that needs more padding.”

“I've been using the Denali Pro for the last few years. It carries huge loads with relative ease.....and works great as my work pack (hauling more gear then you would ever carry for yourself)
I LOVE the fit.

I have been looking at the Z Pack to use when I'm not at work. It seems to balance that fine line between comfort, size and light weight.”

“Are you talking about the shoulder straps or the waist belt?”

“The shoulder straps. The waist belt was pretty stiff at the start, but it has broken in.”

“Yeah, I don't need to carry "huge" loads, but when I take my son, I take some of his stuff, like sleeping bag, etc., so the ultralight packs that max out at a 30-pound load are too small. But, at least in reading the specs for the "Z" pack, that one looks about right. Plus, REI carries them, so I can spend my dividend on it! Now I just have to find time to get in there and try one on....”

“Wounded Knee...

How much weight are you carrying on the shoulders? I use to sell Gregory packs and the couple times I heard the complaint about the shoulder straps was when the people had most of the weight there. Some folks do prefer that thought. I have noticed that I actually seem to transfer more weight to my shoulders as the pack gets lighter.....but then, I'm a bit odd, I've been told.”

“mtnsteve

Please forgive my ignorance. You are talking about packing the heavier items up top in the vacinity of the straps right?

If that is the case then yes, most of the weight is high. The heaviest being my tent. I like to pack that near the top in case I have to set up in a rain storm.

If you can suggest a better way to pack this sucker, I am all ears.”

“When have you ever had to set up a tent in a rain storm?”

“Ha Ha!

I will never forget that experience

That is why I pack it at the top!”

“I've heard ALPS gear is da bomb.”

“Wounded Knee...Sorry, I was a little unclear (Thats a word, right?) actually I was thinking about how much weight is carried on your shoulders verses your hips..40% shoulders, 60% hips...that kind of thing. But now that you mention it, I suppose that too much weight up high might put more load on the shoulders, just from the load pull on the straps.

I went through the ritual of digging through my pack for my tent, once....now I carry it on the bottom, lashed just above my pad. One of the things I liked about the Gregory is all the lash points. You can see how it's carried here if your interested. Like I many have mentioned before, I carry way too much stuff.


And yes...Alps gear has been known to explode....be afraid, be very afraid.”

“OK, so the sentiment seems to run towards the big Dana and Gregory packs.

I looked at the Vortex site (parts of it are kinda crashed right now), and they look good, but how much do they cost and where can I buy them?

As far as what I am willing to spend... Whatever it takes. I just pulled the trigger a few months ago on a Western Mountaineering sleeping bag. I live with my camping stuff for literally months each year, so cost doesn't really scare me off.”

“Mtnsteve, pretty decent pics that you posted the link for. Where is Hoodoo? I like the panoramic spot, did you put a bunch of smaller digital pics together to do that? If so what program did you use?”

“O.K. did anyone say troll”

“I think most of us are waiting for Free to say something.....the last guy to ask about packs is still smoking.


Zen, if thats your real name...Hoodoo is near Lassen Park. I used the PhotoStitch program that came with my Cannon.”

“Free, Me?”

“Not a single mention of boiling! I'm proud of ya.


How ya been, hows the knee?”

“its a lot better, backpacking fixed it :)”

“boiling....I prefer to splash acid into the face of trolls now and watch them writher in pain as it eats away their flesh :)”

“Troll? What makes you think that I'm a troll?

If I'm going to get harassed about asking about pack, what is the point of this message board? I was just looking for somebody who had expirience with something else than a 10 year old osprey.”

“zen, i am just kidding. flaming newbies is kind of a tradition around here and a welcoming wagon. :)”

“what's a backpack?”

“Okay, fair enough. You got me, I was actually kinda pissed. I'm laughing right now, that might have been the easist you ever got under a newbie's skin.”

“Mtnsteve!

I guess I have never really thought about how to organize the pack. I usually throw all of the stuff that is not improtant until I reach camp. I never even thought about lashing my tent to the outside of the pack.

I have only been doing this for a little over a year now, I still have a lot to learn.

Thanks for the tips Steve!”

“One word IMHO, Gregory. They are heavier packs but the most comfortable I/we have had. I've got most of the family in them now (cept for the wimpy daughter person who won't give up her little teenie weenie Arc'Tyrex, sp?)”

“Call Dan McHale and order a demo pack to try. Chances are after that you'll want one.”

“I was just kidding about the ALRS gear. ;-)

I just got the new Granite Gear catalog in the mail. Very impressive pack line. The Vapor Trail looks like it was made for me.
For you and heavy loads, take a look at the Granite Gear Stratus Access FZ 4500 or 5500 for 45-60 pounds. I'm very impressed with the 3D Tepex frame. They will fit up to a 22" torso and hip belts up to 46".”