External Frame

[garlic08]

My take: Internal frame packs were only intended, really, for those who ventured off-trail into brush, or needed the extra stability of a load closer to the core (skiers, climbers), or possibly lower wind resistance above tree line. I've heard many of the old externals are actually lighter than some of the huge seven-pound internals you see. Makes sense--why pay for and carry fabric to carry something that can be lashed as it is to a frame? (Many internal frame packs are filled with stuff sacks, anyway.)

I think what happened in the eighties is that internals got popular among the on-trail crowd because it made you look more "serious". After all, the folks coming down from the summits and couloirs, all scratched up with ice axes and ropes, were using them, so they must be better packs. And they look even sexier with a carabiner or two attached. Your Nalgene looks much better hanging from a carabiner, after all. So the manufacturers started supplying them with more straps, "daisy chains", and two ice axe loops are better than one!

There's nothing "wrong" with an external frame, especially on the AT. Bring the right tool for the job.

[singingpilgrim]

I am hoping to get an internal. But I just dug my dad's thirty year old external out of a closet. He was a serious section hiker in his twenties, and it's in pretty good condition. I'm going to have to modify the hip belt, but I'm thinking I'll use this as a pack for shakedown hikes. Why?

Because I'm really hoping to get my pack for Christmas! (I'm hoping for a 2011 thru). But I want to get out and hike this summer, and you can't really do that without a pack. I want to do at least one week long hike, and maybe a couple weekend hikes.

And I figure, if Dad's external is heavier than my pack, that'll just mean if I can do a week long hike with his pack, hiking with my pack will be easier...

And, who knows, maybe I'll fall in love with Dad's pack and just ask for something else for Christmas and just use it on my thru!

[CrumbSnatcher]

And I figure, if Dad's external is heavier than my pack, that'll just mean if I can do a week long hike with his pack, hiking with my pack will be easier...

It ain't the gear thats going to get you to katahdin or springer, its the determination and maybe a little luck? don't get me wrong, some gear is better than other, but it makes me laugh when i hear thing like this.
a 2 pd. internal with 20 pds. of gear and food, will not ride better than a 5 pd. external with the same payload! The external & load, might weigh 3 xtra pds, but its going to feel 5-7pds. lighter in the external pack. i am not a gram wennie,carried all my dogs gear(happily) food,everything.including beer,jars of salsa and chips,heavy **** some the time, but it never bothered me because the external did not put the weight on my shoulders, and i can hike big days with a external. i am a big ass dude,whos not a puss,i lay brick & block for a living, and IMO am a tough SOB but when jeff at MRO sent me that free ULA pack,i put min. weight in it and TRYED IT OUT, i felt it in the shoulders,right off the bat! I WOULD hate to feel that pain on a 30 mile day, I might as well just carry a school book bag? the external frame is absolutely perfect for tha appalachian trail! you go get your internal thats fine, alot of happy hiker with internals, thats cool as long as were all happy right? did i mention all the cool pocketson the external, i hope you have a great hike!!!

[The Unknown Hiker]

I bought a Jansport external frame pack (D5 or D10, or some number like that) back in 1978 while stationed at Quantico, Virginia. It was a frame with articulated aluminum hip belt "arms" and was made out of aircraft aluminum (pretty light back then).

I used it on a number of local and section hikes. I considered carrying it on a 2003 thru-hike but finally decided not to because of it's weight - 10.5 pounds! Times have changed.

[beakerman]

It ain't the gear thats going to get you to katahdin or springer, its the determination and maybe a little luck? don't get me wrong, some gear is better than other, but it makes me laugh when i hear thing like this......you go get your internal thats fine, alot of happy hiker with internals, thats cool as long as were all happy right? did i mention all the cool pocketson the external, i hope you have a great hike!!!

Come on Crumb' he's not dogging the old external frame...if anything he's approaching it with an open mind. he days if he likes it he'll ask for something different. He's willing to give it a fair shake as I see it.

You are completely right though the weight difference of an internal vs external pack in comparison to the way they ride when adjusted "properly" gives the advantage in my mind to the external frames.

I am strange though my 8.25 pound alice pack works perfect for me...I have that body. I will be even nicer once I loose the 30+ pounds of fat on my belly.

[CrumbSnatcher]

Come on Crumb' he's not dogging the old external frame...if anything he's approaching it with an open mind. he days if he likes it he'll ask for something different. He's willing to give it a fair shake as I see it.

You are completely right though the weight difference of an internal vs external pack in comparison to the way they ride when adjusted "properly" gives the advantage in my mind to the external frames.

I am strange though my 8.25 pound alice pack works perfect for me...I have that body. I will be even nicer once I loose the 30+ pounds of fat on my belly.

sorry if i sounded like a dickhead, wasn't my intention! i absolutely love my externals, and its good to see others enjoying theirs

[Windcatcher]

I hike with a Peak 1 Ocala. The external frame is kevlar reinforced composite material. The pack has 4,325 ci of space and weighs in at 5.63 pounds. It's a large pack, sturdy, rides well even under heavy loads. I could spend $300.00 or $400.00 for a new internal frame pack, but would only save about a pound in weight - I'll keep my Peak 1 instead.

[shelterbuilder]

I inherited an old Boy Scout Cruiser frame and bag back in the 70's in college...still use it...wouldn't trade it for 2 internals! When I was using the feeding tube after the 2007 surgery, I was able to carry a weekend's worth of liquid nutrition (in cans) in the darn thing (in the wintertime!). Heavy? Sure! But try doing THAT with an internal!

BTW, I did finally break down and buy an internal, which is okay for shorter hikes, but there's no ventilation to speak of, and almost no organization (read: POCKETS).

[gtg]

I have used an external for much of my life then switched to internal. I lost a kelty tioga a while ago and i think it was member Scrapes(?) here who saved me and sold me one. I have also used a gregory internal and have the osprey aether. I am really impressed with the ULA packs and think i want to try one of those. I keep thinking that holy grail of a pack is out there. I have done as much as 10 days straight of hard long hiking with both the tioga and and my osprey and will be in the fall doing a through for the long trail. My back sweats big time and for that reason I still like my external. It is to easy to over pack the external because it can hold far more than i need, for that reason i have liked my osprey for how well i can sinch every thing down. I still havent made up my mind between the osprey and the tioga for the through or will i go for yet another pack and get a ULA ? its a tough call what i can say is i do like my tioga it is a tank and i keep an eye out for them just in case i ever have to replace the one Scrapes helped me get.

[BOWSINGER]

I want a two pound Luxury Lite external sooo bad!
But all my latest trips have ULW and I haven’t needed all those cubic ins. Can’t justified the $285.