Quote:
"45L is comparatively small. I have a 40L, it doesn't feel small to me. I know a lot of folks consider 40-45 to be an extended day or one night pack, tho."

Depends on what's being counted here; my pack has capacity of 2400 ci in main body, 500 more if the extension collar is all the way up, but then a whopping 1200 more is counted by the manufacturer if the back & side mesh pockets are included and the sewn-in hipbelt pouches. In liters, that's a nominal 39L for main body or 47L with extension collar but no external mesh.

In any event, if your pack is in the same ballpark, I'd find it a bit alarming to have tent poles so long that they go beyond the height of a normally packed pack. What tent do you have? (manufacturer, model)

Since this question is in the "backcountry beginners" section, I'd not worry too much about this to start with, as I speculate that you'll want to spend your time on established trails (this is typically true of backpackers who aren't beginners too ...). I.e., hopefully not a ton of brush and bushwhacking to worry about. I would definitely strap things on vertically rather than horizontally however.
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Brian Lewis
http://postholer.com/brianle