backpack size/volume help

[jalbright79]

I will be section hiking the AT starting next year around October. I will be hiking for about a week. But I am not sure what volume backpack I will need. I am trying to go ultralight I am thinking of getting the golite jam 50 50l 3050 in. Do you think this will be big enough or should i move up to a 70l...Golite pack address below
http://www.golite.com/Jam-50L-Pack-Unisex-P46812.aspx

[swjohnsey]

Make yourself a cardboard box the dimensions of the pack and see if your stuff will fit with 3/4 days of food.

[MuddyWaters]

You need a pack just big enough to hold all your gear, all your food, and your water.

Your pack should be the last thing you buy generally. If you own ultralight gear already, you will know it. If not then realize that if you attempt to carry heavy conventional gear in a UL pack, you will be setting yourself up for a poor experience.

Forget what vendor websites say the max wt it can carry is. You generaly really dont want to be anywhere near that with most UL packs. Think 15 lbs comfort for a frameless pack, 20 max if it has a hipbelt. Think 20 lbs or less to be sweet spot for light framed packs, 25-30 max depending on stays and hipbelt design. If you cant meet these 90% of the time, you probably really will be happier in a slightly heavier pack.

[leaftye]

Since you seem to be inexperienced enough not to know that we'd need to know what you'll be packing, I'm going to assume that the 50L isn't big enough. 50L is on the small side. I could probably do it, but it took a while to get my gear and experience to the point where I could backpack with a small volume pack. If you aren't going to post a comprehensive gear list, then do the box thing that swjohnsey recommended.

[fredmugs]

If you intend to hike when the weather is generally colder that you will probably need a larger pack. I never care about pack weight - fit is way more important.

[barf_jay]

I use a 65 liter Gregory Baltoro pack, very comfortable, and has lots of room. I like the flexability or having extra room, like for colder weather or needing to carry extra food if going longer than 3-4 days.

[yellowsirocco]

It is one of those things that if you have to ask, then you are not ready for a 50L pack.

anyway, for October 70 liters. and in the summer how are you going to carry all your gear and a six pack in a 50L bag? and on top of that the Go-Lite junk is probably miserable for carrying beer. Carry all the cuban fibre you want, but skimping on the pack is a horrible way to save weight.

[Huber]

It can be an expensive learning process of finding out what works for you. I started out with a 70L and I keep working my way down as I get lighter and smaller gear or as I decide to take less of it. It might be a good idea to rent a pack to see how you like it.

[rich5665]

Create a gear list on the geargrams website. Post the list on this site and let this group rip through it. Then decide what pack will fit your needs. I also suggest having some one measure your torso length.

[Darwin13]

Honestly one of the better packs I own is the REI Flash 62. Its got a ton of room if you have some bulkier gear, is decently light at jsut under 3 lbs and the kangeroo pocket fits a lot of stuff inside aswell. You have two large mesh side pockets and lid you can remove and a huge pocket in the back on top of the kangeroo. Its a great pack for someone in your situation I think. It's what worked for me!

[Another Kevin]

Someone earlier in the thread is right. If you need to ask, you probably won't be happy with a 50 litre pack. You didn't say where on the AT you'll be sectioning: October in New England is a totally different beast from October in Georgia!

Everyone above is right. Buy your pack once you know what you're putting in it. And have someone measure your torso, because your pack has got to fit your back.

To the guy who recommended the REI Flash 62 - yeah, it's a great pack for the price. I'd need the 65 for torso length, though. I happen to be fairly happy with my ALPS Orizaba 3900 - which has an adjustable torso and is also tall for its volume. And I got it for a song, at an REI 'garage sale'. I use it as a three-season pack. It's getting generous for me in warm weather - I could step down easily to 50 if I moved to a smaller tent, used a summer weight bag, dispensed with the puffy layer, and put some sort of foam pad on the outside instead of the Thermarest in a stuff sack on the inside. But it's comfortable enough, so I'm not eager to spend the money yet to replace it with anything smaller. Maybe if the right UL sleeping/shelter arrangement were to suddenly drop in my lap. I'd still want the 65 litre pack in chilly weather. Here in upstate New York, October is "expect snow at higher elevations, be prepared for it even in the valleys."

Take what I say with a grain of salt. I'm just a clueless weekender (albeit with a lot of clueless weekends behind me).

[joshuasdad]

+1 on the REI Flash 62. Very much worth the price I paid.

[bear bag hanger]

One of the recommendations I'd make is the AARN packs. You can balance some of the weight to your front so it's not as hard on your back. I think with your lack of experience, a 50l may be a bit small, but if your thinking ultra light, may be OK. A 60l makes more sense, but if you get a 50l and it won't hold all your stuff, you can usually hang some of it off the top, bottom or front of the pack with straps and a water proof bag for more gear. As you become more experience, you'll learn what to leave behind and the 50l will work fine.

[Drybones]

You need a pack just big enough to hold all your gear, all your food, and your water.

Your pack should be the last thing you buy generally. If you own ultralight gear already, you will know it. If not then realize that if you attempt to carry heavy conventional gear in a UL pack, you will be setting yourself up for a poor experience.

Forget what vendor websites say the max wt it can carry is. You generaly really dont want to be anywhere near that with most UL packs. Think 15 lbs comfort for a frameless pack, 20 max if it has a hipbelt. Think 20 lbs or less to be sweet spot for light framed packs, 25-30 max depending on stays and hipbelt design. If you cant meet these 90% of the time, you probably really will be happier in a slightly heavier pack.

Good advise from Muddy. The way packs are sized may be misleading, they normally only give the main compartment capacity. I have a 50L REI Flash 50 that probably will hold as much gear as the 65L Deuter I have.

[drbone]

Is there a good place to get your pack sized/fitted in Atlanta?