I have a prediciment of sorts. I am 6’4" and weigh 240 pounds. what would be a pack I can actually wear that is a lightweight pack. I have a kelty Redcloud that is over 6000 ci and want something smaller and lighter. I am hoping to get into longer distance hiking soon, so I need something that will last. any suggesyions would be nice.
Hammock PhD
I have a Mountainsmith Auspex (lg) available. 4,300 cu.in.; 3 lb. 15 oz.; very limited milage; great price. I’ve got a short torso and am looking for a better fit. Let me know if it might work for you. Thanks.
mandocat
hammock, i would try the kelty…after hiking nearly 2k, the redcloud that i have works perfect…summer or winter…even when carrying less.
i know, lite wt buffs will say they have the miracle pack that will meet yer needs. but after a min in the woods, i would say an extra lb here is more prefered with the comfort that you get from any better designed pack.
i have the 5400, i carry a hammock, 20 or 0* bag. water, food, spare clothes in winter, a spare pair o socks for when the ones i have on rot off. fuel, wingfoot ( for the AT, on the florida trail or any other, i have just carried a brochure.) oh, and 14 packs o cigs, a 1# camera, and some times a cell phone. this year i didn’t carry the pocketmail. it’s broke and service sucks.
now from what limited experience i have, that is something like 23-35# on any given hike. as much as 45# when i came outta pearisburg.
what happened is…i tried a lighter pack. golite speed, nice, if i was carrying 8 lbs. some do. i would bet you’d carry more too. and that is why i suggest you just stay with yer redcloud. (oh, i gave the golite away…i wouldn’t have sold it to anyone, cause i like to keep my friends.)
i also bought a kelty moraigne…3400cubes…or sometring like that.
i do save pack weight vs load capacity, but yes there are some trips i will use it on, just cause it will carry what i need for the next 3-5 days. i generally don’t like to be as minimalist as the going lighter crowd sell. I actually like to know i have room for anything i am willing to carry, and steak and ale is nice now and then.
at yer size, yer also gonna want to carry a substantial pack because yer just longer, taller, and bigger than the average. for you to carry a pack that weights (my guess) 6.5# is no biggy when compared to bruised hip line, sore neck muscles, and general irritability that yer gonna have after hiking more than 3 days with a lesser pack.
since yer contimplating long distance hiking…and a non-thruhiker like me would say anything over 100+ miles is long distance, realize that, in an atempted thruhike, you do develop into a machine that can carry anything yer willing to carry. i always remember when a new pack broke in, like a saddle…the best day was when i was so physically and mentally in sinc that my pack finally became weightless…it seemingly became a part of my body. so don’t worry about a larger pack…unless yer thinking more day hiking…weekend warrioring. on a long hike, i think yer gonna need and want old faithful.
burn