Buying a new pack

Going on a week long backpacking trip. I am looking at buying a High Sierra Tech Series 59405 Titan 65 does any one know if this is a good beginner backpack? Looking for a reasonably priced back pack. Any help would be appreciated

The most important part of a backpack is fit, fit, fit. Backpack fit is almost as individual as shoe fit. You can't just order something and assume it will work for you. The pack has to fit your gear (don't get it until you have all your gear, or at least all the major pieces) and has to fit you with your gear in it. Once you get the pack home, load it up with your gear, a couple quarts of water and the equivalent in weight/bulk of a week's food and "hike" around the house with it for several hours--do this while you can still return the pack.

Have you read the articles on gear selection on the home page of this site?

OM is absolutely correct. Fit is essential.

But so is size. These are large packs, capable of carrying a lot of equipment and weight. Which means that you will probabaly fill them up, and end up carrying a lot of equipment and weight.

Most of us on the backpacking LIGHT boards choose to avoid this, and use smaller packs and carry less. And we have more fun!

Just for comparison, my wife and I now use 50L packs for eight day trips....and they are not maxed out. Our total pack weight is about 60-65 pounds between the two of us, including all food and water.

"And we have more fun."

To attempt to short-circuit a huge war about whether lightweight hiking, in and of itself, is more fun than traditional hiking, I think that balzaccom was merely trying to say that the trips he (and other light hikers he knows) take now with lighter packs are more fun, for them, than the trips he used to take with a heavier pack.

Anyhow, based on my own experience, that's how I interpret it. I used to carry large packs and lots of gear. It was do-able, and I had fun. But I definitely find carrying a smaller, lighter pack to be more enjoyable on the same trip (I still revisit many of the places I used to go.) As an example, my first trip to Isle Royale had me carrying a 45-pound load; my second trip was with a 22 pound load. Both trips lasted 5 days, both took me over the same trails, and both trips were truly memorable. But I have to say that I was more comfortable on the trail and less tired at the end of the day on the second trip; in short, it was the more enjoyable.

Do I think lighter packs automatically make trips more fun, across the board? No. Fun is a function of planning and attitude, not just gear weight.

I always recommend an external frame for beginners on a budget. You have a better chance of it fitting properly, and fitting all your gear. Look at Kelty or Jansport.

Here is a shameless plug for myself.

youtube buying a backpack

The specific models are for youth, but the theory applies to anyone.

It agree with all. Fit is essential to getting a pack that will work with you. As I've found through endless (seemingly) research, nothing beats trying on a pack with weight in it and walking around with it. (That is modified advice from motorcycling. Try a helmet on in the store for a while before buying it). If you've got an REI near you, they'll happily load one up with up to 30 pounds of weight. Walking around with it will tell you how comfortably you can carry that much in the pack of choice.

Another thing about the pack too, is, can it be adjusted if needed. That is, can you make changes to either the hipbelt or shoulder straps that will enable it to ride better on your frame if the fit isn't quite perfect, but you really like the pack's features.

One final thing is, the bigger the pack the more tempted you are to carry more things. This means you'll end up with either "nice-to-have-but-not-necessary", or "just-in-case" items that aren't. If you've got your gear, look at the smaller items and ask yourself, do I really need it for this trip, or will it be just nice-to-have? That helps alot in determining how big a pack to buy.