Hi, first post!!! I need a pack that will work for hauling heavy loads in the backcountry. I'll be moving a bunch of rocks in addition to the camping gear and food. I'll probably be out for 5-7 days at a time, possibly shorter.

My current prospects are the arcteryx bora 80 and 95. My big problem with packs is that I have a narrow waist ~32 inches but am 6'2", so alot of packs I try on are too big in the waist since I usually have to get a large. Anyone have any suggestions?

I wouldn't suggest moving rocks with any retail pack, especially one that will cost as much as an Arcteryx. You're asking for quick wear and tear, and I'm not sure warranty would cover the abuse. I'm assuming you'll be doing trail maintenance? Perhaps something like a packboard backpack would be much more beneficial, where you can strap an old duffelbag to the outside of it for rocks and such, and attach a smaller pack for your camping necessities.

I know that when I bought my Gregory pack years back, that the hip belt is removable and that after getting the proper torso fit, that the vender then tried a few different size belts provided by the manufacturer to get the right fit. So it wasn't a "one hip belt size fits all" approach. I don't use my Gregory pack much any more as I've lighted up. But I believe they make one of the sweetest suspensions out there. And since the trend is for lighter smaller packs, I think you might be able to find a close out deal on one of the big packs.

Actually I'll be doing geological research in the Sierra!

thanks for the suggestion about the packboard thing! I'll look into it, but I think i'd rather just stick with a backpack with a great frame. I won't only be moving rocks; most of my stuff will probably still be camping gear, i'll just have a bunch of samples to truck back and forth.

I've tried the gregorys in the past, but I never knew that they had interchangable hipbelts! They were always too big in the hips for me. I'll look at a few.

I would strongly recommend an external frame pack for the kind of abuse you're looking at. An old-school Kelty Tioga would likely fit the bill nicely. Excellent load-hauling capability and organizational options. Balance is not as nice as many internals, but for trail-hiking with a heavy load, it seems to me to be the best option going.

Definitely check out the Mystery Ranch stufff...

Mystery Ranch website

This is the latest company of Dana Gleason, formerly of Dana Design. They can accommodate your specific sizing and I think some of their options might be pretty close to what you're seeking. It's rugged stuff.

What a fantastic job! But, take your rock hammer and bust those samples down to thin section or microprobe size, Captain, or bring a mule/graduate student along <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />.

A possible alternative to the external frame are these NOLS packs which are built to carry a heavy load and take abuse.

http://www.nols.edu/store/product.php?productid=16400&cat=285&page=1

They say slim is available. Not sure of the bag material. You probably would want a heavy inner bag for your samples anyway.

The Kelty 50th Anniversary is my favorite I own for weight (water for me not rocks!). It's as comfortable as I have owned for the big loads. The waste size on mine probably would not go down to 32". I am 6'2" also but haven't experienced that waste for about 20 years.

I picked up one of the Lowe Alpine prior NOLS models for $10 at the end of a sidewalk sale where they were unloading their old gear. It is comfortable, huge, will carry more than I care to very far in weight, and made from cordura which would help with your samples not skinning through the bag. Couldn't pass it up when I bartered the price but I have just used it as suitcase and fluffed up sleeping bag home bag to date. I question the waste size again on this one.

I have seen the Lowe Alpines and a few Kelty 50th on e-bay on occasion.

All excellent advice.

Also consider McHale.

http://www.mchalepacks.com/

Sounds like it may be a business expense.

thanks for all the help guys!!

The majority of my work will be off trail/scrambling, so I'd like something that will be pretty stable. I'm still a bit undecided about the external frame since I've been an internal guy for so long!

I think the mystery ranch and McHale packs are a bit out of my price range, and its not a business expense because I'm still in school. Might get some grants, but that will only cover my transport/camping/scientific expenses. I could get a big phat one, but then I'd have to be in school another year.

I will have a mule (field assistant or two) along to help carry stuff, but here in california, so few people have actually been backpacking I'm planning on doing the majority myself. They are there more for safety purposes. Plus I have to get big samples for some geochronology....... Glad to see there is a fellow geologist here!!!

On weeklong trips would you guys recommend a 80L pack or a 95L? Or bigger? I've only been mentioning the arcteryx packs because they actually fit me!!! Plus they are usually on ebay for pretty cheap. They are sooooo expensive new though...

The Bora 80 is really well made, but very heavy. Also, the belt is really stiff. I sold mine after one trip because it was too heavy and didn't really fit right.

You might look at something like the Luxury Lite. An external frame with interchangeable bags that stack on it like tubes. It is a very different design, but the few owners here seem to like it a lot.

You may want to also look at the type of packs hunters use to pack out deer and so on. Those packs have few frills, but are designed for heavy loads. Stores like Cabela's carry them.

Depending on where you are going and the weather, an 80L pack should be more than big enough for a week. People here use much smaller packs than that for longer trips. A 95 L pack is either an expedition pack or a winter pack. I can't think of a good reason to carry one that big for three season conditions in the Sierra for anything less than a winter trip.

The only way I'd use a LuxuryLite for this purpose is to make certain you have a large enough volume of (soft) supplies to fill the packbags. I'd wrap the samples in your soft clothing, etc. first before putting in the packbag. The load would ride extremely poorly and the integrity of the packbag may be compromised if you just have the samples riding loose in a bag. If you are putting the samples in cotton or canvas sampling bags the packbag material will be OK, but you'll still want enough volume to fill up the bag so they don't shift when hiking.

If it's heavy loads you're looking at carrying, you might look into military surplus or hunting packs; both types are often designed to carry loads of 300+ lbs. We sometimes use heavy-duty packs like those for carrying cedarbark or seaweed back on the reservation, and of course deer or mountaingoat meat. My advice is to skip past anything offered at normal camping outfitters, or you might end up with a pack that falls apart.

Think of it this way: soldiers and hunters aren't as concerned about light weight as regular hikers. They use their camping gear as part of their job or hobby, and they want packs that won't fail. My dad's been using the same military pack for hunting & beachcombing for about 20 years, and it's even outlasted his overbuilt Kelty outer frame pack.

I agree with Wolfeye. Take a look at Cabela's Alaska model frames and bags. Their made for hauling out elk quarters. They are external frames though so it might not be what you like.

T

Well, if you plan on moving rocks, I myself wouldn't want to go and use a nice pack for that at all. If you plan on doing that and don't mind strapping something extra to your pack, go buy a military ruck sakc and frame for that. They aren't quite as comfortable as your average pack, but they can handle the weight and beating.

For me, a normal pack for a 5-7 day trip should only be carrying around 45 lbs. That's what mine usually weighs in around if I'm going out for that long. I'm sure they can carry more weight thatn that, but I have no idea how long their life would be carrying around rocks.

Captain,

If your going to be doing a lot of scrambling, I caution lugging around any of these big motha packs loaded up which I mentioned (safety first). You may want to think about staging somehow with your cargo system centralized and a more mobile pack to reach various sampling locations.

However, I must stress that you have the right people for the right job on your project. If you are a student, this could be an opportunity to show your true leadership skills as well as scientific approach.

Try to come up with some appropriate assistants you can really lead. Think strong back and weak something or other, as I recall. I have been involved with similar sampling projects and we convinced some youngsters they would have a great summer in the wilds (with food, equipment and transportation supplied) only if they wouldn't mind carrying some stuff. Wait..... did I fall for that myself?

You might check out kifaru.net. Their packs are made to fit you and the available cargo chair makes carrying odd cargo a lot easier. The packs are also designed for heavy loads.