[pct-l] Pack Design Help

[Lonetrail at aol.com (Lonetrail@aol.com)]

Hi
I use a Suunto watch that has a compass, altitude &  temperature indicators. 
They now have one with GPS. I hate having to be  slowed down by a hand held 
GPS. Being one that don't know my left from my right  or east from west. The 
guide books sometime will read go east at junction. So I  just hold my hand up 
and check my compass. Also when I get on one of those  endless mountains and I 
need to know exactly were I'm at (Peace of Mind)  especially if running out of 
day light for my camp site or water. I can look at  guide book/topo and check 
my elevation and pretty well know were I'm at.. I have  a GPS which stays in 
my closet along with other my other junk. 
 
Hope your home made backpack hold up on the trail
 
Lonetrail
 
On the PCT, you really won't need a compass, GPS, etc. very much, or at  all. 
So, if you carry one, stash it out of the way - emergency use  only.

As for maps, most just use the guidebook sections - no extras. And  they can 
be folded or rolled up.

The data book sections are also  somewhat useful - very small. But, often it 
is difficult to figure out where  you are: 2nd road, big stream, old jeep 
track, etc. are a little cryptic.  Yogi's sections also can be useful. You 
could transcribe data from multiple  sources onto one book.

In easy to reach pocket: camera, maybe  snacks.

Pocket should be waterproof - or contents can be put in plastic  bags.

I normally just rolled up the guide book section, put it in a  plastic bag, 
and stuck it next to my water bottle.

Consider small  pockets on a hip belt - like the ULA or Six Moon Designs  
packs.

Marshall Karon
Portland,  OR
m.karon@comcast.net

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Michael  Lissner" <mlissner@benchpro.com>
To:  <pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
Sent: Wednesday, December 01, 2004  10:47 PM
Subject: [pct-l] Pack Design Help


> Hey. I'm working  on designing a pack that is similar to the Gossamer
> Gear G4, but with a  map pocket of sorts on one side. I was planning on
> making it fit a  regular map and compass, but then I realized that odds
> are good that  those are not what I would be using during the trip.
>
> This  question goes out to past thru-hikers. What did you use as a map
> during  the trek, and was there anything that you kept with it? I'm
> thinking  about making it fit the cut-up guidebook sections, but I am
> not sure if  it should fit them, the databook, and yogi's little book,
> something else  altogether, or just the guidebook sections.
>
> Feel free to think  outside of the box. The real question is, if you
> had one pocket that was  really easy to access with the pack on, what
> would you put in it,  assuming you had another that was much bigger and
> fairly easy to access  with the pack on.
>
> Hope that makes sense. If not, ask me what I  am driving at, and I'll
> be glad to try to explain further what I want  this pocket to be.
>
> Thanks
>
> -mike
>
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