ok…so…is 4,000 cubic inches capacity good? Too much? Too small? i have no idea. What about 3.5 lbs? Average/heavy/light? What’s the deal with a “water bladder pocket?” Is that like a hydration pack feature? Can i take it out if i don’t want to use it? And are there any particular backpack features i may want to be sure my pack has for a thru-hike? Thanks!
C-Giddy
C-giddy–
You definately want something to hold your nalgenes or gatorade bottles or whatever you have. Mine (Osprey Luna 75) doesn’t have any bottle holders, so I’m going with a 100oz Camelbak Unbottle as my hydration system(because the backpack comes with that). I think it’s more of a preference thing.
Check out Osprey. GREAT packs!
joy
CG, if it works for you is the real question? I have a golite speed pack now that i love…loads of stuff pockets on the outside and it still carries 3700 cubes. under 2#. loads of room if you can do away with needless weight. SUBMAN tech’d me out of several things at the Florida Ruck.
thruhiking is diferent. you’re gonna not be a boyscout after 100 miles, anything you will not use is gonna go anyways.
on the water solution, I am partial to water bottles bu8t will carry the camelback(i think) that is built into my system for a while. If i don’t like it, it will be shipped home. I do get aweful thirsty.
burn
my pack was 4800 cu. in. and weighed upwards of six pounds. But the hipbelt was amazing, and I wouldn’t swap it out for that reason. I got rid of the top halfway through, and it was rarely completely full on the trip. so 4000 and 3.5 is fine. water bottle holders are nice, even though I scrapped my nalgenes. My holders were stuffed with snacks, deet, sunglasses, whatever. I’m a fan of the hose hydration system, so you don’t have to stop to drink. But they freeze fast, so stick with bottles in the snow.
The only other thing to consider is your sleeping pad. Ridgerests are common and don’t fit easily inside all packs (there are exceptions) If you carry one, make sure you can lash it.
Burn is right. What works for you, works. I personally like it simple. Bells and whistles will ad weight in zippers and straps. But whatever floats your boat.
Tang
It depends on what you will be taking with you. A down sleeping bag compresses smaller than synthetic, a thermarest pad is more compact than a ridgerest(though heavier), tarp or tent, etc… Before I updated most of my stuff with smaller/lighter things I used every bit of 5500 ci for bag, tent, winter clothes, and food mainly because of how bulky everything was. My pack was a Lowe Alpine Contour IV(7lbs?) and I carried a 38 lbs load. Now I have a 4200 ci MountainSmith Auspex(3 lbs 7 oz) that is stuffed full when winter hiking at 30 lbs. During the summer I can get by with the MountainSmith Ghost at 3000 ci due to no winter clothing and fleece blanket instead of a sleeping bag. I like water bladders because it’s much easier to drink while on the move. You will end up drinking more water, which is good. To keep from becoming dehydrated take a sip every now and then even if you dont feel thirsty. During the winter blow the water out of the tube, back into the bladder after drinking, to keep the tube from freezing.
Nooga
my first pack was a behemoth; 7200 cubic inch; over 7 lbs that fit me like a glove and made my 80 lbs starting load feel like a peanut (ok; until about 2 miles and 2000 feet of vertical in). i loved that pack. but due to manufacturer error; it started tearing and i had to send it back. unfixable. and they didnt have anymore of that model. i literally wept. the store refunded my money; but then i was packless. luckily; i was also done with hiking that year.
I spent literally another year looking for packs. i drove hundreds of miles; cause we dont have an REI near us. It pained me after a while to try on packs. i finally found one a month before i started hiking last year; a kelty markdown that is just under 5000 cubic inches. MY story had a point a minute ago. what was it.
OH yeah. Don;t get too hung up on cubic inches. if they are there; and u dont fill your pack; no big deal. if u dont have them; though; u might wish for them at some point. as long as the pack is comfy under a load; thats all that counts. a good fit is better than a bad fitting light pack. i sewed a camera bag and a waterbottle holder onto my waist strap; for convenience. its nice to have those 2 things right there. i also like having the water bladder; i carry koolaid in the waterbottle; and water in the bladder. its a good system for me. wish u luck in finding something that works for you.
Big Boy
You can figure out what you are going to take, get it all together and do the box thing. That is pack it all down nice and tight in a box, measure the box (inches by inches by inches), then multiply inches times inches times inches. This will give you cubic inches required.
I’d go will a little bit bigger size rather than smaller. You can always stuff the extra room (if any) full of popcorn from Walmart, weighs very little and very yummy on the trail and you’ll make lots of hiker friends with it.
Go with shoulder straps and waist belt and something a little durable. Heavier packs are more solid and carry the weight a lot better and you will hike more confortably with them.
Water bottle holders on packs are great. If not used, you can stuff them full of snickers bars, more friends on the trail for sure. Also those hydration systems freeze up and tend to spring leaks out there sometimes. I’d have a back up water bottle for sure.
See you out there. :cheers
Maintain