Buying a backpack

“Any comments on the Gregory Deva backpack/ Any ladies out there have that pack? What do you think of it. I have narrowed it down to that pack and one other. But I think I am going with the Deva...”

“I looked at the Deva and I thought it was too small for me....I carry bulky stuff in the winter, so I got a Jansport H2O small.....and I can cinch it down in the summer....wooohoooo.......it sure has alot of buckles tho :0”

“yeah I thought so too. I am short.....realllly short so I need a very short torso pack. Deva seems to fit the best, but your right theres not enoght room in it.”

“Ask Bitpusher...he knows everything.”

“How do you ask people stuff other then putting it on a thread?”

“LOL --

Now we need three things:
1) A photo of the Dalai Lama (or similar) sitting in the Lotus Position on a mountaintop in Tibet,
2) A photo of Bitpusher's head, and
3) Someone with PhotoShop skills.”

“Sounds like another job for....Bitpusher (He probably already has one framed in his house already).”

“Hey Tilt. Be serious. What's any of that gotta do with buying a backpack?”

“AK - Check their profile and send them an email. Also, most of the male tt'ers that hike in your area have their names and phone numbers posted in public restrooms.”

“What's a backpack?”

“Oh that's scarry! I guess I should find another way to meet other hikers?”

“What is your torso length? I have seen folks that were vertically challenged, but with rather long torsos.

I have also seen guys over 6' with 17" torsos.”

“My torso about 15 1/2”

“Iam only 5 foot”

“Munchkin wearing backpack = Quasi Moto.”

“good things come in small packages”

“YEAH. I am outta here. Off work”

“How ya all have fun. I'll be checkin for more info on the packs!”

“I'm only 4' 11"”

“OMG Snake Eyes.....you are sure full of it tonight!!!!”

“"What's that gotta do with buying a backpack?"

Ab-so-lut-ly Nuttin'... sorry! <G>


I'm sure in a day or so a whole troop of lady hikers will come by to toss in their 2¢ .... Although I can guess most will recommend a light-to-ultralight pack (~3 lbs or less).

It's good to rent one if you can, for an overnight at least. I've tried the routine of tromping around in the store with sandbags a few times, but it doesn't really give me a good idea of how a pack will actually feel until I've been out on the trail with it for at least a few hours.”

“OK, your short...but as long as your feet touch the ground everything is good.


I may have a pack for you.a friend thats selling an older Gregory...it's in the Adventure series. They don't make this particular pack anymore, but it's very similar to the Lassen, but the whole back panel is a large pocket with bag access....no lower sleeping bag compartment though. It's a xs, so torso size is 14' to 15 1/2'. The shoulder straps and waist belt are small.

Its like brand new. The only damage is a small hole in the top pocket where a mouse chewed its way in to get a snack. This is one of the larger packs its size, around 5,000cu in if I recall correctly. It is a tad heavy. She may sell it for as little as $75.00.

She also has a pair of brand new Asolo Snowfields, 3 pin, size 5 if any of you ladies are into Tele or back country skiing.”

“"I'm only 4' 11""
Snake Eyes
08:31:40 PM
06/29/04

Let's see..I am 5'3", so that would put your face right.....”

“Div, Div, Div...ya naughty girl...LOL be carefull you don't put poor Snakey's eyes out....”

“Super Troll...



are you talking to me????”

“I tried on the Deva once but it made my butt look fat. Scratch that one.”

“We want pics Buck......”

“Whadda ya mean 'We'?”

“ok..ok....I admit it....I want pics......a thrill for an old lady.....”

“For the money (~$230) you can get another pack that is...?
A. Just as comfortable
B. Similar size/volume
C. Lighter in weight, or
D. All the above.”

“LOL”

“('LOL' for previous post)”

“At least you know what to look for in a pack, AK. I'm so green at this....



(I don't know, Tilt, what's a good finish for that sentence?)


so I need to measure my torso. from where to where? nape of the neck to waist? Ok, I see I'll have to go visit Sportsman's wharehouse or hey, we have a REI store here. I'll go there!”

“Measure from your 7th vertebra (the bump on the back of your neck) to the top of your hip bone (Iliac crest ?) Use a cloth tape and follow the contours of your back.”

“check here this is for a Gregory, but most are similar.”

“I don't know, MM. I've got some of this red-green colorblindness going on, so I can't be sure --”

“thanks, mtnsteve!”

“I just got the Granite Gear Vapor Trail. I love it. Whatever you get, if you get it from REI, you can try it out for awhile.”

“And take it back if it doesn't feel good loaded for awhile.”

“REI can usually be counted on to do a good fit.....but be careful of one thing, you fit the body, not the gender.

I have seen sales people automatically grab a womans pack, even though they had a torso length that was more in line with a mens. Most womens packs are for a torso length of 15 to 16", with a couple going out to 17". I have seem women with 18" torsos.”

“Red/Green? you're not talking about that show from Canada are you? Just so happens I'm watching "Duct Tape Forever" right now! LOL”

“Well I have enjoyed the happy hour tonight. Alot of good stuff from ya all. I have done the whole sandbad around the store too. And I have rented a Shasta but didn't like it. I gotta get to Adventure16...”

“Mountainsmith Chimera is a good, light, ladies pack. Some places (can't remember where) have them on sale now for $100 off.”

“My head is flat too.”

“Seriously, I looked at the specs and for ~$230, not including tax or S&H, that 3500 cu in pack is about >5lbs. you easily could spend less and get a pack that is just as big or bigger and is just as comfortable.

However, considering it's a Gregory, you can be assured that the Deva will be comfortable.”

“3500 in.³ and >5 lbs.? Hmmmm. That does sound a mite hefty.

I've got the guy's version of the Mountainsmith Chimera -- the Auspex (2002), and it's 4200 in.³ and weighs just under 3½ lbs.

Checking the 2004 version... it's 200 in.³ smaller and a half pound heavier. WTF?”

“We just bought a pack for my wife, in fact, we bought a pack for Jim (8), and Ciera (13) also. Everyone got a new pack but me! For Tuckie's pack we ended up with a Gregory, a woman's model, but I forget the name. We took all her gear into the store: sleeping bag, down coat, stove, cook set, tent and poles, full set of clothes, and sleeping pad, and loaded up various packs. They said they had never seen that approach before. Then we adjusted the packs for torso length, looked at capacity, and walked around the store with them fully loaded. I liked that the Gregory has a divided compartment in the bottom. It had tough material on the bottom of the pack. The top flap adjusts so it can always be placed over the top center of the pack, no matter how hight the pack is. It also had a pocket for a hydration bladder. The shoulder straps and belt were well padded, and the belt had room for additional tightening, which some packs don't have for Tuckie. I didn't like that the top flap doesn't convert to a waist pack or day pack, but I think that could be jerry rigged. So her 30 year old Kelty frame pack is now retired.

If you want to go deluxe with packs, and make a long term investment, go to Mchale.com, and check out his custom made packs. They are pricy, but I'm told worth it. That might be my next pack.”

“Check out the Kelty Tornado Womens version. Good size pack, I've seen a couple of short chicks carrying it, they seem to like it.”

“what about used packs? I'm checking out the pawn shops for some deals. What should I stay away from? I probably am only going to do 2-3 day hikes to begin with.

checked out REI, Man, I would go broke fast in that store. Is a water filter a must in the west? I'm thinking so given the places I've already ventured to for day hiking.”

“Just remind me about getting my first backpack in REI. It's pretty cool plus on sale. I like it very much.”