Gearing up for next spring....am looking at a High Sierra internal frame pack. Any experience/opinions with gear from them?

None with that company specifically. However, like boots, the first criteria with a backpack is fit. The second and third criteria are fit and fit. After that, the pack needs to be able to hold the gear you're going to put in it. So, if you don't have the rest of your gear yet, I'd recommend waiting until you have it. Then take it all to the store (along with the food and water you'll be walking away from the trailhead with) with you and load it into the pack you're thinking of buying, then wear the loaded pack around the store for a while. If the store won't let you do that, go somewhere else. Fast.

Loading the pack with the stuff you'll actually carry is much better than the sandbags or other weights the store will have for you to use. Those weights are concentrated, and so you don't get the same weight distribution you will with an actual load. Also, sandbags don't let you investigate small but critical details: will your camera (phone?) really fit in the waistbelt pocket? Will your water bottle actually fit in the side pocket (a recent answer for me was "No") or your hydration bladder fit into the hydration sleeve? Stuff like that.

Good luck.

how much are you willing to spend?

A test series was just completed on one of the High Sierra packs.

http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/...065%20backpack/

You need the pack to fit and carry your gear. +1 to Glenn's suggestions. You don't need to spend a ton of money to get a good pack, but you do need to figure out your measurements, which can be done with a friend - there's lots of instructions for the googling, some good directions on McHale custom backpack page - or at REI or some other store that sells a lot of backpacks.

I'd figure out gear first, if you haven't done it. If you want to take everything including the dutch oven, it's got to be a pack for hauling a load. If you want to be light as you can go and shave off bulk with the pounds, that's a different setup.

The advertising message and the replies to it have been moved to a moderator-only section for Deleted Messages. Sorry, but when we move one message the replies automatically go with it. The replies really weren't relevant without the advertising message, nor (as you all pointed out!) are they relevant to the OP.

If you suspect it's advertising, it probably is--best to report it so the moderators can decide. Thanks!

Thank you for cleaning up this thread!

Thanks for cleaning it up OM. But, I did have at least part of my comments directed towards the OP. Any chance of those getting moved back?

From OM--copying and pasting relevant part of your post here:

Thanks OM.