New pack ?

[brancher]

REI Flash 45 works well for a great price at 50L for a large size - Once in awhile last year's model will show up on REI clearance site for about $65-$85 bucks. Decent stays and suspension but must be packed correctly for UL stuff at just over 2 lbs. Also ULA Ohm is a great pack as is the ULA Circuit. Try Elemental Designs Kalais or Aduro for the best suspension/weight ratio. The Kalais is only about 27 oz and is widely regarded as one of the best ul pack/suspension combos.

[Drybones]

Has anyone given the new REI FLASH 52 or 62 a look or a try? 2lb 14oz for 59 liters of capacity.

I have an earlier version of both packs, the Flash 65 band Flash 50. They're okay packs but can't compare with the Granite Gear Crown 60 I now use. I do still use the REI packs for shorter hikes to save the GG for long hikes.

[Drybones]

I have gone from a 2lb zimmerbuilt to a Deuter 65 +10 ACT and I am happier for it. Yes it weights more but feels better everywhere it hugs my core and supports my poor back and transfers the load more comfortably to the hips that my zimmer ever did. Oh, and at half the price too!

Lightweight doesn't neccessarily mean less comfort, and a lot of it depends on the individual. I also have the Deuter 65 + 10 but find the GG Crown 60 much more comfortable with the loads I carry (< 35 lbs). If I were carrying loads > 35 lbs for several days the Deuter might work better, I started with 42 lbs for a week in the Rockies and the Deuter was pretty comfortable.

[Mountain Springs]

Is the marine corp's ILBE pack a good pack for thru hiking the entire AT

I have an IBLE pack, but is overkill in every way for thru hiking. Huge and deadly strong though. I can carry my four children in it at once (ages 2-6.)

[kennyxedge]

Echoing the ULA suggestions. Great packs, and great people to deal with.

[Biggie Master]

Another vote for ULA. Love my Ohm2

[G2outdoors]

I LOVE my osprey Exos 58. It's a bit overkill for summer so I'm thinking of picking up an Ohm for hotter weather.

Sent from my Hammock.

[Vthiker77]

Another ULA endorsement here. Great, user friendly, rugged packs. And light too

[kunzman]

Another vote for ULA. Love my Ohm2

I second that!

[Weather-man]

I just switched from a ULA Circuit, which I really like, to a Zpack 52L blast. I made the switch due to an injury that's driving me to go as light as practical. I haven't yet had a chance to shake the Zpack out on the trail yet but am hoping to to get to Ocala for few days in a week or so. I will say that it's absolutely comfortable loaded with 20 lbs which is my avg pack weight, with food, for a 4-5 trip. Looking forward to putting some miles in with this pack.

[bamboo bob]

http://www.mountainlaureldesigns.com...x.php?cPath=25 My favorite.

[bfayer]

...if your baseweight is 35 lbs (seems to be about average from what I've been reading, could be wrong)

A base weight of 35 lbs is actually on the heavy side. I would call that an average for fully loaded, but not base. If your base weight is 35, and you add 4 lbs of water (2qt), 6 pounds of food (3 days @ 2 lbs a day), and another 1 lb of fuel and other expendables, you are at 46 lbs. Add more food, or water and...

If I were you I would try to get my base down to as close to 20 as you can, or less if possible.

I am not a thru hiker, but I hike in VA, and see a lot of thrus every summer, it is fairly rare for me to see a thru in VA that has a pack that is that heavy. I would say it is also fairly rare to see any true ultralight thru hikers in VA. I guess it could be the ultralighter's are so fast I miss seeing them however

[DocMahns]

A base weight of 35 lbs is actually on the heavy side. I would call that an average for fully loaded, but not base. If your base weight is 35, and you add 4 lbs of water (2qt), 6 pounds of food (3 days @ 2 lbs a day), and another 1 lb of fuel and other expendables, you are at 46 lbs. Add more food, or water and...

If I were you I would try to get my base down to as close to 20 as you can, or less if possible.

I am not a thru hiker, but I hike in VA, and see a lot of thrus every summer, it is fairly rare for me to see a thru in VA that has a pack that is that heavy. I would say it is also fairly rare to see any true ultralight thru hikers in VA. I guess it could be the ultralighter's are so fast I miss seeing them however

Haha, I posted this before learning. I have my actual baseweight less food and water down to 17.8 lbs and now realize that 35 lbs would have been ridiculous.

[bfayer]

Haha, I posted this before learning. I have my actual baseweight less food and water down to 17.8 lbs and now realize that 35 lbs would have been ridiculous.

Sounds better

A base weight like that is normal, pretty good actually. I know, I just made the ultralighters scream.

[DocMahns]

Sounds better

A base weight like that is normal, pretty good actually. I know, I just made the ultralighters scream.

I am super comfortable with that weight, so much so I'm looking at ways (at a great cost to my wallet) to lower my base weight so that I'm not carrying around so much when I do have to add the food and water.

[marjirob]

We just got the new Osprey Exos packs, a 48 for me and a 58 for my husband. We've been carrying them loaded up all week on our training hikes and are quite pleased with them. They seemed well designed and fit us comfortably. We head out on the AT on March 14th with these new packs and we think they will serve us well. Good luck with your search!

[daddytwosticks]

We just got the new Osprey Exos packs, a 48 for me and a 58 for my husband. We've been carrying them loaded up all week on our training hikes and are quite pleased with them. They seemed well designed and fit us comfortably. We head out on the AT on March 14th with these new packs and we think they will serve us well. Good luck with your search!

Can you give us more info on these new packs? I'm looking to get the 48 soon. How is the new style hip belts and shoulder belts?

[winger]

I have a ULA catalyst and ohm and a mystery ranch trance, and a gregory savant 38. I'm anxiously awaiting the release of the six moon designs new pack, the fusion. Comfort in carrying a pack takes precedence over the actual empty pack weight and I'm glad to see SMD pursuing that thought in the Fusion concept. I shave unnecessary weight from my gear, and for me a 2-4 lb pack is worth the extra weight if it supports and transfers it's contents comfortably.

[LibertyBell]

I am also looking for a new pack and currently have a Gregory Whitney 95 which is way too big and way to heavy, 7+ pounds. I went to REI and looked at several pack in the 3 to 4 pound area and around 4000 cubic inches. The Osprey Volt is under 4 lbs and fits a medium sized guy pretty good. I did not like that it only had top access though. The Gregory Contour series is also under 4 lbs and has lots of options. Both are very adjustable but I think I like the Gregory better. Go and look at them and try them on before you buy. It is like the cereal isle though, so many to choose from and hard to make a decision.