backpacking backpack

[BOORADLEY]

any suggestions for a roughly 6month trip. want something big, but not too big as i will be on foot the whole time. nothing too fancy though!

[Frey]

burton bagpack ?

[HEWSINATOR]

So I just lost a long post with links and all by searching for more links in the same window. Smart. Cole's notes:

Assumed you are travelling not in the bush for 6 mos.

travelpunk.com

bootsnall.com

I have a North Face Backtrack 70L. Nice size.

Get a panel loader and detachable daypack.

Asolo is nice too. Eagle Creek has some good stuff.

I would never go above 70L, but if you need winter clothes, maybe. You can cut a bunch of room by getting good, very small sleeping bag and towels and such. If you are travelling in hostels and such, bring a small microfiber hand towel, we were never give one at all.

[BOORADLEY]

im goign to australia in the summer. no winter! thanks hews!

[DJ2xTech]

Internal frame.

[Kasper]

Arc Teryx makes the best bag out there

[deedotceedot]

Yeah, if you can afford Arc'teryx go for it. Otherwise Eagle Creek or Gregory are good alternatives.

The most important thing about backpacking is how you pack and wear your bag. The suspension around the waist is there for a reason and it'll save you a lot of pain down the line if you learn how to properly distribute the weight of your pack. You want to wear the bag primarily on your hips, NOT your shoulders.

[champagne_bubblebath]

I highly recommend Osprey. Top notch construction, great suspension. I also recommend that you don't try to carry everything everywhere. Carry a pack big enough to get you through a week or so, everything else should be somewhat disposable or can be shipped.

[youngluc]

gregory is great. golite makes a nice pack. check out www.mgear.com

[englandmj7]

Be careful; some people spend WAY too much on packs when there really are excellent, cheaper alternatives.

I bought this exact backpack off of e-bay two years ago and it has lasted me across Europe, Japan, Mexico and a slew of other places.

http://cgi.ebay.com/KATHMANDU-INTERNAL-FRAME-BACKPACKING-BACKPACK-HIKING_W0QQitemZ130124929352QQihZ003QQcategoryZ36111QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

It's extremely comfortable, spacious, and about 1/4 of the cost of alot of the 'top' packs on the market.

[sybaritical]

I do a lot of travelling and I have a Macpac in excellent condition that I was about to put on Ebay. Excellent quality and fantastic workmanship, it did me aorund Australia until I downsized ( to another Macpac) after I had a motobike crash. if you're interested PM me and I can send you some pics.

[beatle]

Try www.haglofs.se

They have really great construction - way better than Jack Wolfskin or Mammut

[fix.]

I have a gregory internal and would recommend getting something similar to it. I feel like if I were to drop all the money to get an arcteryx, I would be afraid to use it to it's full potential in fear of it getting damaged.

[HEWSINATOR]

Does Arcteryx do a travel bag?

I saw a bunch of Kiwis out and about with MacPacs. They look good, but IDK about getting your hands on one in NA.

Osprey may well be ok too, but I did not like the design. I can not qualify that, but just did not suit my fancy.

PS, about the Asolos with the detachable shave kit/fanny pack (waist bag ). It may be a PITA if you are stuffing it into train/bus overhead.

[Tyro1]

I have one similar to this, they are half price at the moment about AUD250

Longhaul Travel Pack v3 - x-Pac™

Large capacity, dual compartment pack for hassle free travel. Lockable front opening provides safe & convenient access to your gear. Gluon® Trek Daypack included for day tripping or as carry-on. KSA™ Harness provides comfortable load carrying in a clean & simple design.

Base & side compression straps

Two internal document pouches & large internal mesh pocket

Internal shockcord compression system

Mesh laundry bag

Detachable shoulder strap

Carry handles

Gluon® Module System compatible

Packaway harness cover

Colours: Graphite

Material: x-Pac™ VX51 fabric

Size: Standard 60L + 15L Gluon® Trek Daypack

Long 65L + 15L Gluon® Trek Daypack

Weight: Standard: 2980gm

Long: 3110gm

[upandcoming]

osprey has LIGHT bags, i recommend one of those

[poly800rock]

i have an EMS backpack that has seen most of the world now. through europe and asia multiple times and still holds up like a champion, no problems. If i plan another long trip (more than a month) i'll probably retire this badboy, just because. I reccommend EMS bags, but whatever you buy, don't skimp, a great backpack will save your shoulders, especially the longer you go away.

make sure you get one with a daypack, duh. I found the mini backpack daypacks a bit bulky when zipped up, i prefer the sling type

[the wit of the staircase]

the osprey waypoint series is great.

eagle creek has a similar series called the voyage. i went with it because it was cheaper.

both have detatchable daypacks, which is handy as hell.

with the eagle creek you can zip away the straps which makes airline and train travel much easier. i don't think you can do that on the osprey.

i would get a travel pack rather than a backpacking pack. you don't have to contend with a lot of useless features and the bags are all panel loading. there are also multiple carry points on them.

[b i z z y]

I have a Gregory pack (with a detachable daypack). A friend of mine also bought a Gregory pack.... both excellent packs.

Hopefully mine will see some travel soon...

If you actually see yourself spending a lot of time with it actually on your back, then make sure you get something with a good suspension/strappage system for you. It makes a huge difference... some packs just don't fit certain people.... others are a perfect fit......

It makes a big difference for me, but I am sort of a tiny weakling... so heavy stuff is hard to handle.... uncomfortable.... hurts everywhere..... I have to do everything I can to make it work... and after some adjustments it usually does........

Go to a store where the employees know how to measure and adjust properly. Also, make sure you know how to pack it properly... the weight distribution makes a huge difference....

Every generation of packs is lighter than the previous, as the ultralight backpacking trend has been taking over for some time..... so either you can get a really light pack or get one a tiny bit heavier and save a bunch of money because it is previous generation....

[canice]

i have a gregory z-pack with 65L capacity (i think these went out of production recently though). it's great, did a few months around europe with it. wouldn't recommend it for actual backcountry activities though. it's classified as an ultra-light, and as a result, the frame has started to wear through the bottom of the pack... so two things i'd probably recommend for anything 6+ months: internal frames, and durable fabric. i think when it comes to camping gear, durability trumps weight savings every time.

if you're going to be on foot, for the love of god do not buy a travel pack. those are made mostly to withstand being thrown around by baggage handlers and train attendants. they lack all the exterior zippers and pockets that make an expedition pack useful.

limit your bag to something reasonable in size. i found buying a smaller bag forced me to downsize and carefully consider what i brought, and your shoulders/hips/body will thank you in the long run for not making it carry 90L or something.

bizzy's right about fit as well. i tried on vaude, north face, arcteryx, mec (rei equivalent) and all sorts of others before settling on my pack.

[jake snake]

...........................

[chantheman]

bringing this thread up from the dead

backpacking for 11 days in australia so i dont need anything fancy as this is my first time doing this so i dont even know if i will do it again. any recommendations?

the stuff already posted seem good choices but geared more for veteran trekkers. am i wrong?

[dismalfuture]

3.5' Raf Simons X Outdoor Products. Can't go wrong.

[vamks]

bringing this thread up from the dead

backpacking for 11 days in australia so i dont need anything fancy as this is my first time doing this so i dont even know if i will do it again. any recommendations?

the stuff already posted seem good choices but geared more for veteran trekkers. am i wrong?

I got an awesome pack off ebay. Search vintage mountaineering and you'll find some great options.

[chantheman]

is Kelty a good brand?

[eatbiscuits]

one more vote for the Gregory pack

[mydenvermax]

is Kelty a good brand?

Kelty's okay, I have a friend who has a kelty pack that he uses for overnights...I think he's had it for 7 years, maybe longer. I've always considered Kelty to be on the lower end of the totem pole in brand quality/tech (meaning heavier material that might not be as water-resistant, cheaper buckles maybe), but if you're only doing this once, honestly, you can solve that problem with a large garbage bag for that one time that it might rain during your travels.

I have an Osprey internal frame day pack, the Stratos 32. For something reasonably priced, I think it's a decent brand. I've taken it all over the place, from backcountry snowboarding in Wyoming to beach camping on Oahu, and nothing on it has broken or torn (in 18 months, probably 15 short trips with it). You'd obviously want something a little bigger for 11 days, so I'm telling you this because I'd imagine the rest of the Osprey line is similar (if not better) in build quality.

Where are you currently? If you live in the US near an REI just go ask them when their next garage sale is and during that you can grab a pack for really cheap. You mentioned that you may never do this again, so obviously don't go all out, just shop by price range and size, not brand.

[chantheman]

any place in the US sell berghaus? i saw a lot of people with berghaus backpacks during my travels. anyone own one that recommends them?

[sybaritical]

Fuck all this shit off and buy a modular 3 day Molle pack off of Ebay.

Mil Spec, unbranded and 3x the construction quality for less than retail?

WIN.