Hello i am a new user on these forums and have just began my hobby of backpacking. I am in Fairbanks, AK currently. I plan to purchase an osprey aether 60 or an arcteryx altra 65. I want to take a test run with my potential gear list this weekend to see what i like and do not like (keeping in mind it wont be an overnight trip and therefore i will not bring a lot of supplies). I will be hiking in nearby forested area with bike trails and the like. My projected gear list is as follows...

-60-75L pack
-Polyester and wool underclothing with no cotton layers
-Raincoat and warm jacket
-Solamon 4D quest hiking boots
-Gloves, hat and balaclave if needed
(Any suggestions for brands or models for jackets socks or any clothing are very welcome!)
-Benchmade Adamas fixed blade
-Whistle and Single mirror
-Map of the area and 2 compasses
-Waterproof notebook and multiple pencils
-striker and magnesium block
-cotton balls with petroleum jelly
-zippo lighter, waterproof matches,
-(Looking for suggestions on a tent)
- Assorted nuts, meal bars and dried fruits
-2 life straws ( looking for suggestions for water filtration, are life straws by themselves fine? or do i need purifying tablets as well?)
-1 water bottle, 1 bladder
-Headlamp
-Medical kit(tourniquets,combat gauze,tylenol,bandaids,antibiotic ointment)
-Emergency kit (fishing line,hooks,5050 cord,)
-Toliet paper

Thank you for your time! if you see anything missing please let me know or just general advice would be great!

Not sure what your load weighs, but if it's under 30 pounds, take a look at the Osprey Volt 60, I've used the Aether, about 10 years ago, and it's a great pack - I've also used the Volt 60, found it equally comfortable and functional, and it's a pound lighter.

I'm not trying to talk you out of the Aether, exactly, but if you like it, then the Volt is worth a look. (I didn't look up the prices, but the Volt may save a few dollars, too.)

Thank you for the reply! I'm trying to start with a pack that is big enough for 5-10 day trips. That way once i work my way up to those big trips i wont have to purchase a new pack. Carrying the larger pack for light and short trips wont bother me too much.

There are some excellent articles on gear selection on on the home page of this site, left hand column. Also, look at the "sticky" article by phat at the beginning of this Backcountry Beginners section. He lives in Edmonton, Canada which is a bit closer to your climate than the gear lists on this site's home page.

The most important aspects of a pack are fit, fit and fit. The pack must fit your body, it must fit your gear and it must be comfortable for you with your gear in it (which will ride a lot differently from the weights and sandbags in the store). That's why it's recommended to acquire all your gear first and the pack last. Box up the gear and take it to the store with you to try on packs.

You won't take anything more for a long trip than for a short trip except more food and fuel. The basic gear is the same. By including the equivalent of weight and bulk of a week's food with your gear when you try on the pack, you'll be allowing enough room. I bought/prepared food for a two day menu, weighed each day's food (to get an average per day) and then used crumpled paper and weights to approximate 8 days of food.

There are two problems with a too-big pack: First, it tempts you to fill it up with stuff you don't need. Second, and more important, the load will shift around in your pack, unless it has really good compression straps. That will throw you off balance and will become uncomfortable after several hours.

Awesome reply! Thanks for the information. I read into a water cleaning forum and i didnt really get a clear answer if a lifestraw by itself was enough to keep me healthy. Any thoughts?

PurpleHaze, You'll be good with just a lifestraw, they remove over 99% of all that nasty bacteria like salmonella, giardia and cryptosporidium. But, it's a good idea to pack a few purifying tablets in your first aid kit just in case something happens to the lifestraw. Tablets are cheap and don't weigh anything, so it's worth bringing them along.

Thank you for your response. I planned to just have a water bottle to fill then drink from with the life straw. The only real problem i've heard is that they tend to clog if you are drinking from heavily sedimented water sources or very dirty water sources. I purchased some Chlorine Dioxide tabs for a back up.