Need help with pack....

[Brian321]

Ok i am looking for a light pack for long hikes but i want it to be really durable. I am looking for a pack the can hold up to limbs hitting it while im walking through the woods.(If i go off trail to get water,use the bathroom,etc.) I want light weight but most of all durable.And preferably cheap,but i dont mind spending money for a good pack. Any recommendations? Thanks.

[10-K]

ULA Catalyst - www.ula-equipment.com.

[Mountain Wildman]

Mystery Ranch Trance
http://www.mysteryranch.com/s.nl/it....11&category=19

[Pacific Tortuga]

Love my ULA Catalyst but after 500 miles wore a small hole in it, easy to repair.
I would think a Gregory Baltoro (sp?) or an Osprey in the size that fits you and your needs would be more durable and a few ponds more than the ULA

[Pacific Tortuga]

just read here on WB's, Osprey Aether 60 is on, 'steep & cheap' for 114.00, today only.

[Deadeye]

Granite Gear

[Doooglas]

You want a REAL backpack ? Light and bomb proof. No cover or trash compactor bag required ?
Custom made for under $300 ?
Rivendell Mountain works.

[scope]

Granite Gear

I've had a couple of GG packs, they are built well, but they use a lot of silnylon along with cordura. Had one bust on me. They are known for wonderful service and I can vouch for it. They are durable packs, but not the most durable and not what I would suggest if that is your priority.

For that very reason, I got a Golite Quest. Much more substantial material at basically the same weight. I routinely see them for a little over $100. Its not a pack that you can lash much of anything to on the outside, but I love the large pocket to have access to my tarp in order to put up to get out of the rain. Would hold a tent rain fly similarly - might hold all of a small solo tent.

[frisbeefreek]

Granite Gear isn't durable. I've worn 2 Nimbus Ozones out. They are very vulnerable to brush and rock abrasion. Excellent packs for trail hiking, though.

[Spirit Walker]

One suggestion - don't take your pack with you when you go into the woods to go to the bathroom or get water. That way if you should get hurt/lost etc. searchers have some clue where to look for you. Also, if you are hiking with somebody, they will know that you are temporarily off trail and won't be running to catch up with you.

[Brian321]

One suggestion - don't take your pack with you when you go into the woods to go to the bathroom or get water. That way if you should get hurt/lost etc. searchers have some clue where to look for you. Also, if you are hiking with somebody, they will know that you are temporarily off trail and won't be running to catch up with you.

Thats a good idea but what if somebody steals it? Or if i do get hurt and my first aid is in my pack? Then what? Im just wondering because i am new to hiking.

[FamilyGuy]

Gregory has a new line of Fusion packs that are made out of extremely durable fabrics. However the largest is 45L.

http://www.gregorypacks.com/fusion-lts

[Mountain Wildman]

I am new to this also, I would want my pack with me especially if I get lost.
Food, Shelter, Water, Clothing, Everything I need to survive, in my pack.

[skinewmexico]

Thats a good idea but what if somebody steals it? Or if i do get hurt and my first aid is in my pack? Then what? Im just wondering because i am new to hiking.

It would be truly, truly strange to have someone steal your pack, unless you're in the parking lot. Back east. Light, durable, cheap - pick any 2! I've been happy with the durability of my ULA packs.

[BrianLe]

Durability is quite a subjective term. The O.P. talked about "... limbs hitting it while im walking through the woods.(If i go off trail to get water,use the bathroom,etc.)"
From that I infer not a lot of actual bushwhacking, maybe walking on some not-super-well maintained trails. Generally if I'm going not too far off trail to get water or use the bathroom I don't carry my pack a long ways off-trail, FWIW, of course depending on the situation.

I found with the "other GG" company --- Gossamer Gear --- that their stuff holds up fine over a long period of time so long as a person is a bit careful with it. So if by "durable" a person just means "lasts a long time with some reasonable precautions", I think a ULA or even a Gossamer Gear pack can be a fine choice. If instead, durable means "I can drag it for miles on the road tied by a long rope to the back bumper of my pickup truck" ... well, you get my meaning that there are different degrees of "tough", and you don't get to the higher degrees without a fairly heavy pack.

[FamilyGuy]

I had durability issues with a Circuit and Relay from ULA. Mostly the exterior pockets which are not made whatsoever for bushwacking.

[trailangelbronco]

Deuter ACT Lite 65+10

I am very fond of this pack. I have put it thru hell and back, no issues whatsoever. It is 3.8 pounds and has an adjustable torso for perfect fit. Also uses a system that pushes warm air out from under your back. My back is always the dri-est on the trails.
Check it out. Deuter is the oldest pack builder in the world and the #1 pack seller in Europe for a very good reason.

[Toolshed]

That's a good idea but what if somebody steals it? Or if i do get hurt and my first aid is in my pack? Then what? I'm just wondering because i am new to hiking.

Brian, Here's the rationale - None are absolutes, but tend to mesh with common sense....
1. Theives are usually motivated by easy jobs - It is doubtful, that they would travel long distances from trailheads to find a backpack full of smelly gear.
2. The odds are nobody is going to want to carry MORE weight out of the woods. Since it would take too long to rifle through your pack and increase the chances of getting caught, someone would have to grab the whole thing.
3. The odds are low that a thief or thieving hiker will come by in those 4-5 minutes you are crouching behind a bush are pretty low.

With that said, I usually carry my pack with me to overlooks off side trails and drop it within site of my viewing spot (Usually I also take a break then and want water, snacks and maps with me).

As far as making #2, I noticed something years ago, when you are group camping in primitive sites (No Shelter or privy) and you go off to do #2, nobody is watching you - every body's attention is usually focused around the fire, meals, talking about gear, etc... People usually never looking around out in the puckerbrush to see who is pooping. You can sit there and watch them, but the reverse doesn't usually occur.

Same with on the trail, many times I find myself lost in thought and can pass by whole sections of forests, noticing variations of tree types and growth type, but nothing else more than 30 yards off the trail. I could have easily passed 100 folks making #2 50 yards off the trail. The point being, you don't really have to get that far out of site of your pack to go #2.

[verber]

The core question is how much weight / volume do you want to carry. Knowing this will narrow the field and be the most useful first criteria. I would note that while durability is important factor, I have found backpackers tend to worry to much about it. Even light materials can shrug off branch scrapes, and a bit of tape can repair the occasional damage. [Climbers or people who are spending significant time bushwacking in environments are justified is worrying about durability.]

If you are planning to carrying a really compact and light load (<20lb), you could go with something like the 4oz! Zpacks Blast pack made from 1.5oz cuben which looks to be quite robust as does the Dyneema X packs from Mountain Laurel Designs which are less than 1lb.

A bit more load (say to 30lbs) you are going light weight then you will want a light weight frame then there is the Granite Gear Vapor Trail, The GG Alpine Vapor (a bit heavier than the vapor trail made completely of cordora rather than the silnylon / cordora mix typical on GG light packs), ULA previously mention, Six Moon Designs, and the slightly less durable but very interesting Gossamer Gear Gorilla. I don't know about durability, but the new Osprey Exos packs have been popular with some people. If you want the most bombproof and are willing to pay, there are the custom packs from McHale made from 100% spectra. I think only climbers need this sort of durability.

There are multiple options for packs carrying heavier loads, but these fall outside of what I think of as light packs.

Other thoughts on my recommended packs page.

--mark

[Brian321]

Deuter ACT Lite 65+10

I am very fond of this pack. I have put it thru hell and back, no issues whatsoever. It is 3.8 pounds and has an adjustable torso for perfect fit. Also uses a system that pushes warm air out from under your back. My back is always the dri-est on the trails.
Check it out. Deuter is the oldest pack builder in the world and the #1 pack seller in Europe for a very good reason.

Thank you for posting this pack. Altough it is about a pound heavier than i was looking for it looks like exactly what i want. Im going to do some research on it and then decide, But i do know germans make some good stuff.