I still use a huge 70l backpack with a solid frame and giant hip belts. I don't care if its half empty, that pack is so f-ing comfortable to carry. I think it's worth being aware of the differences in anatomy for this too, particularly between women and men. Womens packs tend to have huge hip straps that are super padded and firm and hold on really well. Mens packs tend to have much less support there because their hip bone shape doesn't give as much surface are for the straps to hold on to. Obviously that's going to be different between individuals but I have massive hips and those thick af claws on my pack are well worth it since they completely offload my shoulders and make me feel like I'm barely even carrying anything. Smaller pack isn't always the way to go.
Completely agree! I tend to go the frameless route, but I always tell friends that are new to backpacking to start with a large pack. If its made of lighter materials, the bit of extra fabric makes virtually no difference in the overall weight and can usually be compressed down pretty small if you aren't taking much with you. Thanks for the comment!
I match the pack to the trek. The longer the travel, the larger the pack. I buy the lightest gear (stove, tent, etc.) I can find. Food takes the most space for me.
Thanks for the comment! Totally agree! When I'm by myself during the warmer months I'll typically take my MLD Burn, and I take my Exodus when it's either colder or when I'm carrying a larger shelter.
I have grown fond of my ULA PCT, and have done two 275 mile section hikes of the Appalachian Trail in the past two years, and am 800 miles into a thruhike of the same trail this year. I use a makeshift frame of a 25" wide Walmart 1/2" thick closed cell foam pad which is cut to length so that it forms a tube the same diameter as the pack body. I use a pack liner, installed first, followed by the tubular foam "frame", and then stuff the contents into the foam tube, which makes the pack more stable, pads the back, protects the contents against damage from pokey things, and functions as a torso length emergency shelter sleep pad for this habitual hammock hanger. It's pretty bomb proof, but could use larger side and hip belt pockets, imo.
Oh nice! I'm glad its working out for you. I've seen the "tube method", as I guess we'll call it here, but it doesn't seem to work great with most of my sleeping pads. Sounds like it's perfect with a torso length non-foldy (?) CCF pad. Definitely a good tip for me to keep in mind for the future. Good luck with the rest of your thru!
With a BV500 I do wish I'd gone slightly larger than my 40l. For winter camping (stove, tent instead of tarp, insulation), I'll really need to get myself a 50-55l too.
Thanks for the comment! A BV 500 fits really well in the Exodus, if you're interested. The only time I want more room in it is winter when I want to use stuffsacks (gasp) to compartmentalize things a bit and make it easier to pack up in my shelter. If I'm packing things mostly loose, its massive.
I just purchased a Mountainsmith Scream 55 that’s a great pack in the 2lb range at about $100, it’s the old style with the double barrel pockets but It’s extremely comfortable and price friendly.
I just checked it out - that's a good find! I always have friends asking me about lightweight gear so I'll need to add that to the list. Thanks for the comment!
I don't like ultralight packs they're just so uncomfortable for thruhiking. I love my Osprey Atmos Ag 50, all my gear is Ultralight but it's so comfortable to wear that back for longer hikes.
I'm new to backpacking and still acquiring everything I need but so far it seems like it's easy to stay light on a small budget as long as you have the extra space!
Large packs are really noisy, especially as you eat your food so they become less full. I think 50l is perfectly manageable when you start out for most hikes and now that more of my stuff is lightweight and smaller I'm thinking of going down to 40
Thanks for the comment! Agreed, large framed packs tend to have things jostle around in them quite a bit. The nice thing about the Exodus is I can crank all the straps down to keep even a small loadout in place. I'm typically around the 40 mark as well - I think its just about perfect for 3 seasons, unless you need a bear can or larger shelter.
Thanks for the comment! Totally - I actually wanted to include that but I ran out of time haha. My 55 feels similar to my 38 most of the time, just happens to be a bit wider.
I need a larger pack for winter as I use a huge synthetic sleeping bag but not in summer so I found one that changes capacity and love it. Flex capacitor (the name sold it 😂)
@@timbschwartz I love it bud, the flex comes in 3 different sizes I got the biggest one as I winter hammock camp and take a lot of insulation. It’s lightweight the hip belt is really well padded and reinforced and even if you pack it to capacity you can synch down the straps which really makes the load stable. I can’t say enough good stuff about it. Looks cool too
I was going to get the MLD 48l ultralight frameless pack but I couldn’t find much info on the difference in the fabrics ($250-$325). Do you know any info that could help me out? Thanks!
Hi! I don't own any packs in the new fabrics, but my understanding is that ultra 100/200 is a laminated material, similar to DCF in terms of water-resistance while being significantly more durable, whereas the ultragrid is a PU coated so its somewhat similar to older coated nylons like dyneema x and may hold a a bit of water. With packs you won't notice a huge weight difference with different materials (assuming they are "ultralight" and not like 1000D cordura or something) since most of the weight is in the hip belt and shoulder strap materials. Personally I'd try the Ultra 100/200 because it seems (based on what I've seen) more rigid in the sense that it will keep it's shape better when packing, which is what I like about DCF - I get annoyed with a floppy pack - but I doubt you'd be unhappy with either. Anyone else feel free to jump in here!
Hi there! Wasn't able to find a weight for it, but seems a touch overbuilt for my needs. That said, this is all opinion so go with whatever makes you happy!
Haha! Yeah that does make things a little bit tougher. If you haven't seen them already, Seek Outside makes lightweight gear that caters to the hunting crowd. I haven't used any of it but I hear good things about their tents. seekoutside.com/hunting-backpacks/
Thanks for the comment! A buddy of mine loves his GG pack, but I've never used one. At 34L I think the Kumo would be great for someone with a very dialed in kit, but if they were somewhat new to backpacking or wanted to get out in winter as well I'd probably suggest a Gorilla or Mariposa, depending on how much gear they intend to carry.
👍 .. 'looking cool' aka being cold in the Winter Months .. naah. I'll settle for the 55 litre and work on disciplining myself to rebel against the laws of physics / gas laws that state, inter alia, that 'all of a given volume will be filled' 😁.
Haha! I've found 55 to be a really good all-arounder. It's still small enough that you can't take "everything," but I can carry a full winter setup with some practice. I've honestly never had a huge issue with filling it - for some reason I hate having a full pack. I think I just like the feeling of knowing that I could carry more food if I needed to, etc.
