Packing a Frameless Ruck: Heavy High or Low?

[Phoenix7]

What's the best way to pack a frameless ruck? Majority of the weight high or low?

[Ridge Rat]

I tend to put the weight in the middle toward my back like packing an internal frame pack on my 2 frameless packs.

[reddenbacher]

the bestway to pack a rucksac is the shove it to the bottom of your trash can

[hoz]

I like it high.

Here's my "ruck"

http://rivendellmountainworks.com/

You will never find one of these "in the trash can" .

[garlic08]

The best way to pack a frameless pack is to put nothing heavy in it at all!

Seriously though, I usually keep my food bag, my heaviest item, on the top because I'm pulling it out most often. If I need to carry water, it'll go against my back in the middle of the load, above the sleeping bag and below the food, held in place by the tarp and extra clothing. If the food bag is huge, say over 10 pounds, I will put it in the middle, just above the sleeping bag, until it lightens up.

[JAK]

I load blue foam pad in first, around like a cylinder, but starting at one back corner and going around towards the front to give the pack a better shape. Then I stuff in my sleeping bag and bivy, then my food bag, then additional layers, and finally a small clear plastic ziploc box that fits just insise the blue foam cylinder to give it a rectangular shape. In the box is miscelaneous stuff like first aid repair firemaking and cooking stuff and any navigational or camera or other items that aren't currently out in a pocket someplace. The pouch on the 'front' of the pack I try and leave empty until I peel some layers off. I would like to make it a larger mesh pouch to hold my Kelly Kettle and spare layers and any wet clothing that needs to dry.

Then I stomp on the pack to give it the shape I want.

[JAK]

My last trip was different as I took my daypack and went ultralight.
It is a 1650ci patagonia light travel pack. 10oz with the back pad removed.

I loaded it by rolling up 2 wool blankets and popping them in vertically, like cylinders, then stuffing in the small amount of food and extra layers. I picked up a 1 litre aluminum pot at a yard sale on the way that slid perfectly over one of the wool blanket cylinders. My regular mug and two polypropylene water bottles went on the sides. One of the bottles was filled with water or milk. The other I could have used for water but most of the time contained all my miscellaneous stuff like lighter, camera, knife, spoon, which would normally go in the top pouch. I could have put food in it also. My poncho tarp I slid into the place on my back where the back pad would normally go. I went without a ground pad. Next time I will at least take a sitting pad. Total weight was 10 pounds, not counting clothing worn. Sometimes I prefer draping one blanket over one shoulder so it was across my back and front and tucked in the waist strap. I also carried it once rolled up and tucked across my belly under the shoulder straps. That worked well. Hung from the shoulder straps would be even better. With some changes I think the 1650ci 10oz pack will work very well for me this summer. I will put a rear rack on my bike though, for the trip to the trail, as even 10 pounds is an unneccessary grind on the lower vertebrae while biking.

http://www.patagonia.com/web/us/prod...&p=48816-0-254

10oz with back pad removed, weighed at home. I might slide in a 10"x16.5" sitting pad, maybe 2 for shoulders and butt while sleeping. I might make a DIY quilt to extend this into the Fall, but I am having fun so far making the wool blankets work, and would like to try combo clothing/sleeping systems like capes, ponchos, kilts. If the wool can be worn loose so as not to be too warm when hiking, it can dry out, and it doesn't have to be packed, making more room for food and stuff. I know a proper sleeping back would be less weight and less weight, but I am having alot of fun with this so far. Its also kind of cool to be able to get totally soaked and trashed and just squeeze and dry stuff out and keep going. Easier to DIY than a bag or quilt also.

[cwayman1]

that website above for jensen packs has a page on how to stow your gear. i could imagine that these principles would apply to most any frameless... like my GoLite ion

http://rivendellmountainworks.com/stow.html

[Phoenix7]

Wow! Information fest. Thank you! I'm using a Granite Gear Virga with foam sleeping pad coiled on inside. Pack weight should be no more than 20 lb.

[Downhill Trucker]

Have you had a problem getting your foam pad to uncoil with the Virga's real sticky interior?

[Serial 07]

try just stuffing your sleeping bag in the bottom loose...that will give you some cushioning against your back...

[Phoenix7]

Serial, thanks for the advice. I might try that on a trial run. Zdank, I find I have to coil it to the right diameter to begin with.