I'm starting to get the itch to save for a new pack. I went to a local outfitter and the new packs fits me way better than what I'm using. I was flipping through May issue of Backpacker and read the field test on weekend packs. I like the Black Diamond Epic 45 and the Mountain Hardwear Kanza 55. I especially like the swivel hipbelt feature on the Black Diamond, but I'm not sure if this is the kind of pack for me. The Kanza seems to be more my style. I'm looking for a 3-4 day pack that can hold at most 45 pounds. I have yet to carry more than 40 pounds on a trip and I'm going pull the trigger on a new sleeping bag this fall when I can. So, that will shed some pounds and free up some spaces. (My current sleeping bag is huge!) I do like the Granite Gear Blaze A.C. pack that was at my local outfitter, but I don't think it can hold enough gears. My sleeping bag could probably take up almost the entire main storage pack. Could the Granite Gear Vapor or Escape hold 40-45 pounds?

I'm pretty much looking for a pack I can take on overnighter to maybe 4 days at most.

A gentle suggestion: tackle the rest of your gear first, starting with the baggus sleepus gigantus, and only then go pack shopping. If you nose around here enough you can slash your 1 to 3-night load by 15-20 pounds along with critical bulk. Then you can look at smaller, lighter, cheaper and more comfortable backpacks.

Otherwise you'll buy a new pack, then replace other gear, then buy yet another pack.

Ask me how I know!

Cheers,

+2 on waiting for the new pack until you have the rest of your gear where you want it. Buy the pack to fit your new gear rather than your old.

Have you checked out the articles on the home page of this site, left-hand column?

I just saw a review of the Mountain Hardware Kanza pack today. It sounds good, especially with the various removable features, but very likely will be too big and heavy once you replace your sleeping bag.

What pack are you using now? (I think you've said before; I just can't remember.) Knowing that might help us give recommendations.

I've used both the Granite Gear Vapor Trail and the Escape; I wouldn't want to carry more than 25 pounds in the VT or 30 in the Escape. (Granite Gear's website rates them at 30 and 35, respectively.) Both are nice packs, if they fit you. The VT is a fixed suspension, so if one of the 3 sizes doesn't fit you, you're better off with something else. The Escape is an adjustable suspension, but I could never quite get it to fit quite right.

I'm currently waffling between an Osprey Kestrel 58 and Deuter ACT Zero 60+10 - I thought the Kestrel would be "it," but then gave the Deuter a final shot, and found that the ability to move the attachment point for the load lifters let me tweak it to an even better fit than the Kestrel. The Kestrel should carry 30 or perhaps 35 pounds comfortably; I've carried about 32 in it (6 of those pounds were extra water), and wouldn't want to carry it with that weight day-in and day-out. The Deuter feels like it might handle 40; with the same 32 pound load, it was extremely comfortable. Both packs weigh just over 3 pounds.

You might want to look at the current version of the Deuter, the ACT Zero 50+15 (replaced the 60+10); a friend has one, and really likes it. Make sure the salesman knows how to fit it, and takes the time to do so - otherwise, it will ride like a 500 pound hyperactive gorilla.

I've had 40 in it and it was very comfortable and easy to carry. This is a very nice pack.

The recommendation of buying gears before a new pack is a great idea! I can't buy down sleeping bag since I'm allergic to feathers. I passed out on a friend's couch once and unknown to me I slept on a down pillow and woke up with stuffy nose. So with that being said, is there certain brands of synthetic sleeping bags matched with a good stuff sack that could be compressed smaller than the manufacture's spec?

Far as the rest of my gears go, all I really need is a new cook set and maybe some compression sacks. Currently I just take freeze dried and dehydrated food and use the GSI Minimalist cook set for those types of food. I thought about getting a cook set for when I don't want to take dehydrated or freeze dried food. Everything else I have is pretty lightweight and good enough for me. My tent can be more space saving if I pack the poles on the outside in a slot (assuming a new pack would have one) and compress my tent smaller. The rest of the gears are just miscellaneous and random small items that I don't think about until I see it in store or need it when on the trail.

The backpack I have is a Kelty that was purchased in 2002 if I had to guess. I'm unsure of the model. It's not a bad pack, but the ones I tried on at the store fits me a lot better and more comfortable. I felt slight pain on my shoulder along with soreness the next day after the trip last time I went backpacking and the hipbelts on the newer ones are smaller for me. I cannot change the hipbelt on this pack.

I would see about borrowing a high fill power down item from someone and repeating the experiment. Sometimes, what's really going on is a feather allergy. Feathers aren't down/down isn't feathers, and some folks who think they are allergic to down have tried higher quality down and discovered it's really the feathers in lower quality items.

+1 on that - I *am* allergic to feathers - I am *not* allergic to good modern high fill power down - it's actually the "stuff" in the feathers that bugs my allergies modern high fill down tends to not have that, or enough of it to bother.

Seriously, find a place you can rent or borrow a 700 or better fill powere down bag.. sleep in it at home for a night - see how you do.

Plus, the bag fabric will be quite dustproof compared to typical pillow ticking.

Cheers,

Well, those high end downs are way out of my price range. Maybe a few years after college.