buying a new pack (yea!)

“Hey guys. Just asking for advice. I've got an old Gregory Massif - it's 6500ci which is much much more than I could possibly want on a weekend trip. (even while on sherpa duty) So. . . I'm buying a smaller pack. I'm looking at stuff around 4000ci or 60L for you Canucks up there (I use that slur with all possible affection. I love you guys!) for smaller trips and lightweight summer outings. So far, the front runners are the arcteryx Bora 60LT, the Osprey Aether 60 (for the real minimalist in me) and Crescent 60, and Gregory Gravity and Reality. I'm 6'3" 200lbs (no clue in cms and kilos, sorry my very pale faced friends), very fit (I hope so. . . rowing season starts soon) with a 20.5 inch back and broad shoulders. Thanks for the help”

“Check out Kelty Flight 60 or Kelty Cloud. Both are medium sized, light, and modular. I've got the Flight60 and it rocks!http://www.kelty.com/”

“Forest, I LOVE my Arc'teryx...it's indestructible!! If you're looking for something light though, pick a different pack! Don't worry @ the cm/kgs thing...most of us(30ish) still use in/lbs! ;-) Best of luck in your hunt....”

“thanks thin! I'll check one of those out in person and see how it fits. that's awesome mg. which arcteryx pack do you have? oh, and lightweight isn't the biggest issue. if it carries like the arcteryx bora series, I really couldn't care if the pack is 6lbs! thanks again.”

“I have heard that Arteryx is da bizzomb, ifn ya can afford it. My friend has one and that thing is pretty cool, I must concur. (I don't know which model though...sorry)

I recently did a lot of research of Gregory's Reality, since I have an opportunity to get one barely-used for a good buy. I believe it is close to 4000ci - maybe just under. I have yet to turn up a bad review(and I researched a lot).

I'll let ya know for sure in a couple weeks, when it arrives!
>:D”

“pisgah, you're gonna have sierramel askin' about your shoe size after that self-description!

One litre is aboot 60 cubic inches.

I've sent off for a Macpac Ravine made in New Zealand.
It weighs 3.5 lb./1.6 kg and is 4420 cu. in./72.5 l.
Its a simple sack, kinda like me, and $129....cheap....also like me!
It should arrive within a week!
Oh boy, more stuff!

I, like many here on TT, suffer from G.A.S.......
That'd be Gear Acquisition Syndrome!
My wife will be soooo surprised!

The Dana Terraplane is just too humpin' big.
It makes me carry too much stuff for a stinkin' weekend.”

“Anyone have any first hand experience with the Osprey Aether? It looks nice in the catalog but no one I know has ever seen one.”

“I have a Gregory Reality for for use on the warmer month trips...works for me!”

“Osprey Packs Rule!

www.ospreypacks.com”

“I'm still thinking about the Osprey Mutant and Zealot”

“Wild Child sounds like a mutant AND a zealot”

“I have an older Osprey, called the finesse. It's a small pack with a heavy duty delrin hoop frame. You can load the hell out of it, or put hardly anything in it, either way it works great. I think it's about 3,000 ci.”

“Le Subtil, Are you speaking of the Aether of old or their new line of Aether (60, 75, 90)? The old Aether was a lightweight summit pack (2000 cu. in.)and the new line was just introduced this year. I have an Osprey Xenith Pro and it is awesome, FOR ME. It fits different than some of the other packs. In my opinion, it fits similar to a Dana. They hug you a little more than say, a Gregory. The quality of construction and materials used by any of your leading pack manufaturers is going to be comparable but I feel it is all a matter of individual preference and fit.”

“I was thinking of the "old" Aether Pro. I didn't know that they had re-introduced them. Now I probably won't be able to find the pro in a large - drat! The old one was a nice, simple, light, pack.”

“www.mchale.com
check out McHale packs--it'll cost you but well worth it.

Canada sucks. Bad.”

“sorry. that's www.aa.net/mchalepacks.html

canada still sucks”

“aw hell, that's not it, either.


find it your own damn self, you lazyass!”

“Yeah what Wild Chid said!!!!!”

“oops should have been Wild chiLD”

“I also have a Gregory Reality that I have been very happy with.”

“i just picked up a gregory forester and it's da bomb. same weight as the reality, but 400 ci more space.”

“I have an Arcteryx Bora 80 and like it alot. I'd buy another one in the smaller sizes but I like the Gregory Reality too. I think all the pack makers are making some really nice equipment so you can hardly go wrong with any of them.”

“find out what volume you need, what weight range you're looking for, then just go with what fits.

ignore price, name, etc.”

“Some GREAT deals right now on both Arc'teyrx and Osprey. No need to look further in my book. If you can't get fit with one of those two, quit hiking.”

“well, i guess i should throw all of my sh!t away and give it up.

neither one fit me right.”

“I must recant a bit. Rad I must addmitt I could come up with some complaints. I try to remember no matter what pack you wear or how well it fits, you are "still carrying a pack."
I can't get perfection, but I do try to get more comfort.”

“let me repeat...

find out what volume you need, what weight range you're looking for, then just go with what fits.

ignore price, name, etc.

but there are some good sales on arc'teryx at "reioutlet.com".

and your local osprey dealer should have last years models on sale.

try them all.

try them all.

try them all.”

“Pisgah, I've got the Bora 80 & it rocks! It's gone through hell with me(including getting tossed on the back of a military truck with all the other gear) and I've yet to find anything to complain about! Like Didjfan said, you're still wearing a pack....

As for you Fletch.... go suck a rotten egg! What'd we ever do to you to make you so hostile? Canada rocks!!!”

“Check out Granite Gear's backpacks, just another brand in a long list of great packs to check out.

Granite Gear backpacks[/a]”

“Thanks Medic Girl. You've been one of the more helpful people on this post (Fletch!). Oh, by the way, I'm thinking about going to Vancuver for grad school.”

“I just ordered an Osprey Finesse, $150 from http://www.usoutdoor.com. Man, am I syched! I've heard nothing but great things about this pack! It's replacing my Lowe Alpine Contour IV, which is OK but not always comfortable and definitely bigger than I need. Once I get a chance to use the Finesse, I'll let you guys know how I like it!”

“Forgot to mention that usoutdoor.com has FREE shipping on orders of $25 or more, and no sales tax on any order since they're in Oregon.”

“Pisgah, which University are you looking at, UBC or SFU? UBC is right by the ocean, but housing is SOOOOO expensive in that area!! SFU is also nice, accomodations in Burnaby are cheaper, but it's farther away from the coast. Wherever you end up going I'm positive you'll enjoy it!

Best thing about Vancouver is the opportunity to escape into the coastal mountains so easily!! I'd move back(I grew up in Vancouver) in a heartbeat if it had about a million less people living there!:-)”

“Hey S.S. you'll dig this pack. Trick waist belt adjustment. The pack also forces me to walk with the correct posture. It is the most comfortable that way. Sure will be a big difference from the Contour IV. My old hiking partner carried one and loaded it to the max (75lbs) fully extended. That monster was 4 1/2 ft. tall!”

“pisgah, Gregory makes outstanding packs. No doubt about it.

The only question to consider might be about the fit. My experience has been that if you're looking for the least amount of weight for the most amount of capacity and durability, you might be willing to sacrifice some fit and/or comfort for that.

For me it goes like this...

Winter trips: The North Face Tyrol
(eh, okay)

3 Season trips less than 5 days: Gregory Reality
(Excellent Pack, tough to beat. FWIW, the Reality shoulder strap stitching begins to strain under a weight of over more than 45lbs.)

3 Season trips more than 5 days: Gregory Forester
(An awesome pack.)

Day Hikes: Arc Tery'x Bora 40
(It just looks cool and has a buncha bells and whistles. Who cares about the weight?)

JMT thru-hike '01: Kelty Flight 4500”

“tekapo is a gear head.”

“UBC. I almost applied there for college. Can tell me more about it?”

“Sure, what do you want to know? Did you want to e-mail me, or shall we contribute furhter to the degeneration of your thread? ;-)”

“yeah, i'll email you”

“I meant 'further'.... Sounds good to me! I'd e-mail you, but I haven't got your address.... :-)”

“I have no idea what pack will work best for you, but I got a new pack (WOOOHOOO) and just wanted to tell someone. I went for the pack and wound up with alot of other gear I probably didn't need, but I get gear sickness when I step into the shop.”

“LOL 42, don't we all?? I bought a new sleeping bag the other day & the only thing that stopped me from buying a new tent was the lack of $$ in my bank account!! :-D”

“medic girl - I can relate to the empty bank account. That's exactly what mine is now that I've been gear shopping, but what a great way to spend it. I don't have any time off for a few weeks and I just walk around the house with my pack on telling myself "GREAT GEAR GIRLFRIEND". :)”

“OH my, do I know that phenomena all too well!! I slept in my sleeping bag on the living room floor last night... I gotta' get out hiking!!”

“You guys are too much. I know the feeling though. I almost bivyed in the back yard last night! LoL. Anyway, as far as this thread is concerned. . . I went to the gear store yesterday and checked out the Osprey Aether 60. Pretty sweet pack. It doesn't carry quite as well as the Arc'teryx, but it does weigh half as much, which is great. I think it's narrowed down to either one of those two packs.”

“Couldn't stand it any more. I think I am going to be ill a couple of days in April. I'll be recovering in the Ozarks.”

“Alright. I did it! I went and got the Bora 60LT. I'm sure you guys know the exhiliration that comes with a new piece of gear. I'm getting a serious case of spring fever. I can't wait to get out there. Thanks again for your advice!”

“Good Choice!! :o)”

“what a hoser, eh!”