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[at-l] Backpacks, the good, the bad, the useless...?
At 11:25 PM 7/30/01 -0700, Joni Haas wrote:
>Thanks to some wonderful advice by you all, I got on ebay and am currently
>looking at some packs that seem like a great deal to me.
******hey gang....I have to admit...since I 've slipped into light weight
and "alternative" packs, I've lost touch with normal gear stuff...Is my
recommendation below of 4000 cu in at around 4 lbs practical for a
newbee?******
STOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <grin> Ebay is a good place to find good deals but
there is no way
to return a lemon and no offense, but especially with your lack of experience,
you are likely to make a mistake. It's really tempting to go out and buy gear
right away. But the odds that you will be able to make a smart selection on
a pack that will take you to Maine are slim. Your pack will be your house for
a couple months and you wouldn't buy a house without seeing it in person
would you? Your best bet is to go to a gear store but leave your money and
credit cards at home so you won't be tempted. If it's a good gear store, they
will be glad to let you play with the gear and will have weight-bags available
to allow you to see what a pack feels like with some weight in it. Find
the three
lightest packs (under 4 lbs) that are under 4000 cu in and try them on
loaded with about
30lbs of sand or what ever the shop uses for weight, and then wear them for
at least an hour as you oogle other gear. If you are lucky, they will have
a rental
program that will let you take it out for a loong walk with weight in it. I
Know....
believe me, I know how much you want to get started. But an impulse now will
likely haunt you later.
Can I ask where you live..generally? Maybe someone can point you to a good
gear store.
And I'm sorry, but I've forgotten if you said you had any camping experience?
I'm not being particularly nosey, but there is so much to consider before you
buy a pack...especially how big it is..... Also the internal/external
issue. Most
like internals which are normally a lighter weight pack. Me, I don't like
the way they make me lean forward as I walk and I find the contact with my back
unbelievable sweaty. Plus, for me, i find weight carries "lighter" with
an external
frame. Also there is the pocket issue. Do you carry a pocketbook? Is
your favorite
style a basic bag and you dump everything into it? Or do you like a bag
with compartments.
That may also translate into your pack preference and you should look for a
pack
with pockets or compartments. How are you shaped? Some hipbelts work better
on hips with natural padding than others. What about your boobies. I'm
learning,
thru a survey I'm running that a lot of women like an S-curve on there
shoulder straps
and a LOT of adjustment room in the sternum strap placement. It would be great
if I could tell you to trust the guy at the gear store to steer you
straight, but the
odds of you getting good advice there is slim unless the person has hiked
the AT
and has a lot of experience in pack fitting. Sad to say, too many of them
are just
there to sell whatever the store has in stock and that stock is generally from
major manufacturers who make packs that are built to last a lifetime, and
therefore
waaay heavy, rather than built to last to Maine and light enough to carry
there.
Course, if you are just looking to score a cheapie starter pack to see if
ya like
hiking, ebay is a fine way to do it. And you can lessen your chances of error
if you find out how much the pack weighs and what the cu ins are before you
bid. If the seller doesn't list it, email and ask. Good names to look for
would
be kelty and mountainsmith. North face and dana are also good names but
are heavy packs. Camptrails and Jansport make good starter packs as well. I
still like my camptrails external and watch ebay for another lighter
camptarail pack.
I'd be glad to help anyway I can.
Just remember that any lightly used pack on ebay is there because someone made
a mistake when they bought it......
And don't forget to figure on extra for shipping....
>Then again, I've
>already stated, I know nothing. There are several dozen that are in the 25
>to 50 dollar range, lightly used, that all look to be in good shape. Most of
>them have internal frames, can adjust to various torso lengths, and are
>between two and four pounds. Are there some brands I should avoid? Is an
>external frame more advantageous? Should I even consider buying a pack I
>cant try on first? I am saving substantially over what I would pay buying a
>new backpack, right? What do you guys think the most widely trusted brand
>names are? Thank you for putting up with all my silly questions.
>Love, Joni
>
>
>
>
>
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