Upgrading A Woman's Pack

So SWMBO got a 58 liter Cuscus pack when I got mine. Now we know they aren'y very good quality and have no warranty at all so we'll want to upgrade her pack when we have the coins set aside for such.

I weighed her pack (~4.5 lbs) and looked at what REI has that weighs that or less in a similar capacity. There's a few packs I've heard of but aren't familiar with. Are these quality packs?

Gregory, Millet , Granite Gear, Mammut, and REI branded (I assume they may use several manufacturers)? The REI packs are their Crestrail 65 and Flash 58.

Most of those are pretty reputable brands. If you are serious about this, the way the packs fits is a lot more important that a few dollars (or ounces). Try them all on, with some weight in them, and get a sense of which one feels right.

That's the one to buy.

You really need to fit the pack to the specific person, the specific gear and the total package (specific gear and specific person together). That's what I mean when I say the most important items are fit, fit and fit. Box up the gear she will carry and take it with you. I don't want to hurt any feelings, but IMHO "some weight" won't do the job.

Packs that I would look at for me should my current pack fall apart (no danger of that happening yet) are the Elemental Horizons Kalais and the ULA Ohm 2 or Circuit (the last is heavier than I'd like). I frankly have never found a pack at REI that I would even consider, but that's me. I can't even find a daypack that fits there (nearly all their daypacks are now unisex and therefore way too big for my short torso). And I won't consider a pack that weighs much more than 2 lbs. YMMV, of course!

If you insist on REI, don't eliminate Deuter from the mix. Or Osprey--not everyone has hips like mine (I hope not, anyway)! Try to make an appointment for an uncrowded hour when their most experienced pack fitter is there. If there are any specialty shops (backpacking or mountaineering type) in your area, you'll probably get better service.

You could add Deuter to that list.

If your backs are good and you don't need much frame support you can lighten the pack weight considerably with some light weight packs made by the ultra light small gear suppliers. Keep in mind you sacrifice a bit of durability with some of the lighter fabrics depending on how rough you are on your gear. With care you can get good mileage out of them and reduce your overall load. Lots of links here on the sight or use the search feature here as well.

jimmyb

Except for the recommendations for EH and ULA (because I have zero experience with those brands), I'll heartily second everything Mouse said. And I have no reason to doubt she's spot-on about the EH and ULA packs.

SWMBO trying on the packs for fit is a given. Although I did just such and thought the Deuter pack was a little more comfortable, but for capacity I still chose the Osprey pack. But that's me.

I'm curious why you wouldn't choose a pack offered at REI OM? I see you mention a short torso, which was my problem that narrowed my choices considerably. Another I see i the weight, though I'm not certain what capacity you are looking at with a ~2 lb pack. It seems it would be rather small.

Osprey had 2 packs in the list, but I know they have a great reputation, which is part of why I chose the pack I did (though my choices were quite limited). There weren't any Deuter packs I noticed in the 50-60 liter capacity unless they were over 4.5 lbs.

Down here in Texas (San Antonio) there's not much for camping gear oriented stores. We do have outdoors places such as BassPro and Academy, but they aren't as specialized as REI. It seems our best bet.

I also cannot find much that fits me for my criteria in a pack, at REI. REI sells to the masses and only puts its best sellers in their stores. The masses want low costs and REI wants "sturdy" so they do not get returns on gear that may need some special care when using. Be sure to look at the RIE website- they offer more online than in the store. You can buy it on line and have it shipped to the store. Our REI stores rent packs so maybe you can rent the pack you are considering buying for one trip to try it out. REI also has a liberal return policy. I would buy the pack, take it home, and spend several weeks just packing it loaded, around the house or around the block.

I've actually been talking about going to a park and all of us hiking a couple of miles with our packs.

I weighed my daughter's REI Sprig with pajamas, panties, socks, a little stuffed bear, and her pillow, along with an empty 50 oz water bladder and it was ~2.5 lbs.

My living room floor has camping storage containers everywhere just waiting for my pack to arrive tomorrow! Gotta see how it all comes together and then weigh it all!

It's because REI doesn't have any lightweight packs that fit me. As mentioned, I don't want to go over 2 lbs. There are plenty of "cottage manufacturer" packs that do have the support structure I need without being heavy. I can't say that of any of the brands that REI carries.

I have had a beef against REI since they stopped being a cooperative for climbers and backpackers and went to being a yuppie store with only a small amount of hiking/climbing gear. In the mid-1980's a number of northwestern climbing/hiking organizations (REI was almost all PNW in those days) tried to take control of the board to reverse the trend. It didn't work.

I'd rather pay the extra shipping/return shipping costs from the folks who basically make the truly innovative gear these days, knowing that I'm supporting made in USA small business.

Well, I must say that we much prefer to support small and local business, and now a days made in the US is pretty local too!

Karmen would likely appreciate your pack choices too as she's a gram counter (to a degree). She's the one who got me to consider what I was taking, and what i could leave, and how I could cut weight.

My pack choice has been made for now. She will be needing a better pack than what she has and we'll all need better sleeping bags soon. Maybe I'll hit you up for quality American goods that fit the bill and have a good warranty to boot.

I recommend Granite Gear, if it fits her that is. Osprey is pretty darn sweet too. I have both brands.

So I looked into both of these brands of packs (ULA and EH).

I don't see that the ULA packs are hydration bladder capable. And it appears to me that EH has an odd hydration system that's not compatible with standard hydration bladders (I think hers is a Camelbak). Are these not typical?

Other than that these things are amazingly light for the capacity! I looked at the EH Aquilo and the ULA Ohm 2.0 and CDT.

The prices are fair too.

I don't use a hydration bladder, most of my backpacking being done where I need to carry a liter at the very most, and usually only half a liter. Although this summer on the drought-striken west coast may be a bit different!

I know that ULA has removable hydration bladder holders, because if I got one that would be the first thing I would remove. Both ULA and (especially) Elemental Horizons will do custom alterations, so phone calls to them will elicit a lot more info than their websites!

With EH, I would also suggest the Kalais rather than the Aquilo, which is a really large pack!

Since the CDT is frameless, I wouldn't suggest that unless your wife's total pack weight will be 15 lbs. or less. I was thinking of getting one for me as a winter day pack.

I don't use a hydration bladder, most of my backpacking being done where I need to carry a liter at the very most, and usually only half a liter. Although this summer on the drought-striken west coast may be a bit different!

I know that ULA has removable hydration bladder holders, because if I got one that would be the first thing I would remove. Both ULA and (especially) Elemental Horizons will do custom alterations, so phone calls to them will elicit a lot more info than their websites! They could tell you what would work with your brand of bladders or provide alterations to fit.

With EH, I would also suggest the Kalais rather than the Aquilo, which is a really large pack!

Since the CDT is frameless, I wouldn't suggest that unless your wife's total pack weight will be 15 lbs. or less. I was thinking of getting one for me as a winter day pack.

We go for at least a couple of days, and as many as 5 if possible, but intend on trying to do a 30 day trail hike. So capacity is needed for that to be a possibility. Her current pack is a 58 liter, but I'm not sure that it's ever been stuffed to capacity.

I weighed my new pack with the gear I'd take on an extended trip and it only weighed 34.2 lbs (minus the 3 lit hydration bladder). I carry the camp stuff, as well as the little one's bag and pad. The little one carries her clothes, a small stuffed bear, her pillow, and her 50 oz hydration bladder in a REI Sprig (12 lit) pack.

So SWMBO carries her stuff, the food and the kitchen gear.

I use a hydration bladder all the time in my ULA Circuit. I don't tend to use the hydration sleeve, as I personally prefer to just put the bladder on top of stuff in the pack, but either options works fine. There is a little slot to thread the hose through.

In another entry you expressed a desire to do trips of up to 30 days. ULA is one of the most popular brands among long distance hikers, offering in my opinion a sort of 'sweet spot' balancing between weight, features, and durability. The circuit works well for me for long distance trips. With a heavier base weight and perhaps less experience starting out at least, the Catalyst might be a good choice.

I doubt I could convince her of a pack that size. Not as a sole pack. Maybe with the intentions of it being for long trips.

And quite frankly I would have appreciated something like that! 3 lbs! My 82 lit pack weigh 4 1/2 lbs. And I figured I'd likely want/need the Daylite daypack that attaches to my pack for the additional space, but also as a daypack that would be used for venturing in to resupply. But I'm not sure that 13 lit is enough space.

I'd like to know more about sending yourself stuff to the PO for personal pickup and SWMBO has been dehydrating things to try for backpacking. Might be better to go that route than to go to the store and pick things up. We wouldn't need money and resupplying would be quicker.

But the idea of going into town for the night to shower and wash clothes sounds quite good to me. SWMBO has mentioned hostels a few times, but that just does't sound good to me. I don't care much for sleeping with a bunch of people I don't know. And I've seen the movie!!!

It depends on what you carry and how you carry it. When comparing pack volumes, take care insofar as I think sometimes you'll see just 'internal volume', whereas other times there's an assumption that you'll put things in outside pockets and external mesh, which can add a lot. I personally put a fair bit in external mesh, on longer or colder stretches at any rate.



It's not difficult. Basically you send the package to a post office, and show I.D. when you go to pick it up. There are different mailing options, and some folks use a 'drift' aka 'bounce' box which depending on mailing options can be forwarded on to a next stop for free if unopened.

Most experienced long distance hikers I know (me included) prefer to minimize boxes sent to post offices and prefer to buy locally, except those with specific dietary restrictions. Smaller town post offices are closing and hours are more restricted, and it's not fun to get into a trail town on a Friday afternoon only to find that the p.o. holding your box doesn't open until Monday. And it can be challenging trying to put the right mix and quantity of food and whatever else in the resupply box.



Not sure what movie you have in mind, but hostels can vary quite a bit. Sometimes a place called a 'hostel' can offer inexpensive private rooms. Hostels are good also insofar as they usually "get" long distance hikers. You feel like you fit in better, and sometimes there are other advantages, such as options for rides from or back to the trail, or buying stove fuel by the ounce, or just hanging out perhaps with other hikers or other outdoor folks. Which sometimes in turn gets you info on trail conditions ahead, perhaps alerts to issues like fires burning on the trail, etc.

The other thing about hostels is that if you're tired enough, you'll sleep! :-)

The Osprey Daylite pack seems ideal as a daypack, and quite nice that it attaches easily to the exterior. I'm fairly set on getting one for my pack, and if we get her an Osprey pack, one for her as well just because I like the idea of it, and it would help with her being able to have a smaller, lighter pack for more typical use, and add 13 liters for extended trips. It's a great idea they have, though I'd like to see a bigger option as well, not to mention that capability for their small kid's pack.

SWMBO does have some dietary restrictions as she's allergic to beef and soy, as well as some other things. But she's also concerned over brands and their business practices, as well as GMO's and preservatives and such.

I wasn't aware of small towns and their PO issues. It seems then that stops would be best during the week instead. Calling ahead seems a very good idea!

The movie Hostel. It was gruesome!!!

I hadn't thought about hostels being good places to possibly learn of trail conditions or just being in like company. Along the trail it rob ably would be mostly hikers. I'd probably just make SWMBO mad as I seem to make friends everywhere, and so I'd be neglecting her! She, on the other hand, is much more wary of strangers and such.