What backpacking backpack should I get?

[mercanucaribe]

I don't know anything about those huge backpacks big enough for a child. Any recommendations? I'd like something in an earth tone like brown or olive green-- I don't want to look like a granola hippy so no bright red and blue stuff.

This is $30 but is it crap?

 

[SpunkyJones]

I always liked North Face for my backpacks, I used it year round, and abused it pretty badly, but it never failed me. If your going to do real backpacking, you need to go somewhere and try on the packs, so you can be sure they fit you well. You don't want to just throw some cheap bag on your back, and hike a couple thousand feet up a mountain to only discover that its not sitting on your hips approprialty.

 

[funkymatt]

what you pictured looks really heavy.

go to a sports store near you and try them out. go by comfort not by looks! I have a kelty internal frame, a lot of people i know prefer external frames.

 

[mercanucaribe]

Originally posted by: funkymatt
what you pictured looks really heavy.

go to a sports store near you and try them out. go by comfort not by looks! I have a kelty internal frame, a lot of people i know prefer external frames.

Don't external frames hold the stuff further away from you? What's the advantage?

 

[PhoenixOrion]

look at oakley backpacks.

<----oakley snob.

 

[kami333]

Originally posted by: mercanucaribe

Originally posted by: funkymatt
what you pictured looks really heavy.

go to a sports store near you and try them out. go by comfort not by looks! I have a kelty internal frame, a lot of people i know prefer external frames.

Don't external frames hold the stuff further away from you? What's the advantage?

Lighter, better airflow to the back, you can hook other bags to the frame.

Internal frames are a little heavier but are easier to handle on your back

 

[Jawo]

IMHO, I would go for an internal frame. I used one for a week hike in Norther New Mexico and could not have been happier!

 

[NTB]

Originally posted by: Jawo
IMHO, I would go for an internal frame. I used one for a week hike in Norther New Mexico and could not have been happier!

On the other hand, I used an external pack on a week-long hike through Colorado. Worked beautifully.

An external pack allows you to carry a little more, because you can lash stuff to the frame itself. I did exactly that - I carried my sleeping lashed to the frame beneath the pack itself. The external frame also puts a little air space between you & what you're carrying; this might be a consideration if you're going to be hiking in hot weather.

An internal frame pack, on the other hand, holds everything closer to your body. Might make things a little hotter, but it can also help with your balance, by keeping the weight closer to center. This might help if you're going to be hiking steep trails.

One thing to keep in mind when choosing a pack is that, for a given size, an internal frame pack *usually* has less useable space than an external frame - mostly for the reasons I just stated.

Nate

 

[ViviTheMage]

internal frames are smaller, nearly liek a backpack.

the external ones have the 'brace' kind of thing that allows the weight to be supported on your hips, not just your shoulders.

 

[NTB]

Originally posted by: ViviTheMage
internal frames are smaller, nearly liek a backpack.

the external ones have the 'brace' kind of thing that allows the weight to be supported on your hips, not just your shoulders.

Good internal frame packs should have a belt like that, too; carrying all that weight on your shoulders, regardless of the kind of pack, is going to wear you out long before the hike is over.

EDIT: two good places to look for packs: Campmor (I got my pack here years ago, but either it's no longer made, or they just don't carry it any more.) and REI

Nate

 

[Babbles]

It seems to be much more difficult to find external frame packs nowadays; most seem to be internal. I haven't gone backpacking in a long while and I preferred external frames because you could strap so much crap to them more easily than an internal (in my opinion). However I would say that internal frames do seem to fit a bit better. I would look at Kelty, Northface, and REI. Decent packs, unfortunately, do cost a pretty penny.

 

[Babbles]

Also I would not recommend ordering a pack online or via a catalog without first physically trying it on and adjusting it. Most packs have tons of straps and so forth so you can "customize" it, but you still need to wear it in a store to make sure you got a good fit.

 

[NTB]

Originally posted by: Babbles
It seems to be much more difficult to find external frame packs nowadays; most seem to be internal. I haven't gone backpacking in a long while and I preferred external frames because you could strap so much crap to them more easily than an internal (in my opinion). However I would say that internal frames do seem to fit a bit better. I would look at Kelty, Northface, and REI. Decent packs, unfortunately, do cost a pretty penny.

You're not kidding Click on the Campmor link in my other post, and you'll find maybe half a dozen externals. Compare that to a whole page full of internals.

EDIT: 9 vs. 70, to be exact :Q

Nate

 

[funkymatt]

Originally posted by: Jawo
IMHO, I would go for an internal frame. I used one for a week hike in Norther New Mexico and could not have been happier!

was that outside cimmarron perchance? I think i've hiked there too!

 

[tennisflip]

Just head to the nearest REI and try some out. I have a Kelty but I do like my brother's North Face very much.

 

[mercanucaribe]

I'll just try some I guess. I don't trust that hip weight redistribution stuff.. I have a Deuter AC Lite 45 backpack and the hip things don't do much no matter how I adjust them.

 

[NTB]

Originally posted by: Babbles
Also I would not recommend ordering a pack online or via a catalog without first physically trying it on and adjusting it. Most packs have tons of straps and so forth so you can "customize" it, but you still need to wear it in a store to make sure you got a good fit.

I'll vouch for this one. IMO, if there isn't much difference between the online and local in-store price, spend the couple extra bucks to get it locally. It's always good to support places like this. If the price difference is considerable, go to the local place and find a pack that you like (and that fits), write down or remember the maker and model name, and order it online.

I have no idea if there are a lot of places like this around, but here in St. Louis there is a small chain of army-surplus stores called "Uncle Sams" that also carry quite a bit of hiking and camping gear from all different makers. A place like this would be another good spot to look.

Nate

 

[tomt4535]

Originally posted by: funkymatt

Originally posted by: Jawo
IMHO, I would go for an internal frame. I used one for a week hike in Norther New Mexico and could not have been happier!

was that outside cimmarron perchance? I think i've hiked there too!

me too :thumbsup: 80 miles over 10 days. Lots of fun

 

[NTB]

Originally posted by: mercanucaribe
I'll just try some I guess. I don't trust that hip weight redistribution stuff.. I have a Deuter AC Lite 45 backpack and the hip things don't do much no matter how I adjust them.

If it's like the belt on this pack, it probably doesn't do a whole lot. Gimme a second and I'll get a pic of my pack. The belt on that thing helps tremendously.

Nate

 

[Babbles]

Originally posted by: mercanucaribe
I'll just try some I guess. I don't trust that hip weight redistribution stuff.. I have a Deuter AC Lite 45 backpack and the hip things don't do much no matter how I adjust them.

You need to get a good pack, and when you do the hip belt makes a huge difference. So does a good sternum strap. In the past sometimes I would undo the hip belt and/or sternum strap just to "feel different" for a bit, but when you get down to it the hip belt is completely essential.

 

[tomt4535]

Originally posted by: mercanucaribe
I'll just try some I guess. I don't trust that hip weight redistribution stuff.. I have a Deuter AC Lite 45 backpack and the hip things don't do much no matter how I adjust them.

You will not have a great time if you cant get the weight on your hips. Its such a huge diffrence. I remember my first hike when I was like 12 years old, my pack was like twice my size, and I overpacked. All that weight on my shoulders, all I had to go was 2 miles, and it was the longest 2 miles Ive ever hiked. The hip belt is the only way to do it, especially if you are going on a long hike.

 

[NTB]

Pics, as promised. Sorry about all the dust; this thing's been burried under the stairs for a year

front of pack
rear of pack


The big long padded thing on the bottom is the hipbelt.

Nate

 

[drinkmorejava]

Don't buy anything w/o trying first, fill it up to 50ish lbs and walk with it for a couple of minutes to make sure nothing digs in. I personally like internal frames best, but I'm sure a lot of people will say external.

 

[The Batt?sai]

if its water proof mayb enot bad

 

[NTB]

Originally posted by: quasarsky
if its water proof mayb enot bad

I wouldn't count on that. Mine looks like it would be waterproof, but it's not. That said, it would take a pretty good soak to get through it. Regardless of what the tags on the pack say, it's always a good idea to carry a rain cover.

Nate