View Full Version : Is a 48 Liter Pack Doable?
So I have a 48 liter pack, and up until now i've been pretty confident I can use it on the trail. I have gotten very well versed in packing it. The longest trip i've done with it was 5 days, and everything fit fine, including winter gear. I will have a little extra for the AT though, like rain pants, an extra platy, etc.
Anyone that has done the AT or an extended hike with a smaller pack? My budget leading up to the trail doesn't necessarily include buying another one. : (
In the summer I can get by with a 30L, but for the AT I'm using a windrider 2400 which I believe is about 48 liters. All the room I need and more.
(I suck at math, forgive the guess...)
Like you, I've used a 48L pack for multi-day section hikes and haven't had a problem with not having enough room. If you're planning on going antiquing while on the trail or buying large souvenirs, perhaps you'll want to go up to 60L. Otherwise, stick with what you have.
soumodeler
01-20-2015, 14:58
I use a 45 liter pack, and I will be using it for my thru hike this year. It has enough room for me for 4-5 days no problem.
yerbyray
01-20-2015, 15:03
So I have a 48 liter pack, and up until now i've been pretty confident I can use it on the trail. I have gotten very well versed in packing it. The longest trip i've done with it was 5 days, and everything fit fine, including winter gear. I will have a little extra for the AT though, like rain pants, an extra platy, etc.
Anyone that has done the AT or an extended hike with a smaller pack? My budget leading up to the trail doesn't necessarily include buying another one. : (
Sounds like you have plenty of room but most importantly is that it fits you right as that thing is going to be with you ten hours a day for 160+/- days. Go by what is comfortable that can handle 5-6 days of food and I think you said your pack will do that.
I used a 60L pack on my thru BUT I very seldom filled it up more then 3/4s of the way. So I think you'll be fine.
Dochartaigh
01-20-2015, 15:47
Is everyone utilizing every square inch of the outside pockets on their packs, and/or strapping stuff to the outside of the pack as well?
I ask because I'm at ~9.5 pounds base weight, and it doesn't matter if I go with my tent or hammock setup, I fill up the ENTIRE inside of a 60L pack every single time – and that's only with a couple days of food!
Side pockets have smart water bottles, and mostly just a map, guide, or wet gear in front mesh pocket. Other then that it's all inside. (Well sometimes I'll strap a torso length thinlight to the top, but only so I can easily get to it without opening my whole pack up.)
Base weight tends to stay between 8 and 11 pounds.
Is everyone utilizing every square inch of the outside pockets on their packs, and/or strapping stuff to the outside of the pack as well?
I think it depends on your gear. For a 48L pack, the only thing outside are my tent poles strapped to the side, my rain gear in the mesh back and a water bottle. Everything else is inside. Of course, if I had a zero degree, synthetic bag and a self inflating pad and other such larger gear, it wouldn't work. So, it all depends on your gear. For the OP, clearly everything she carries works for her.
I have a 40-liter pack that has a roll-down top that extends.
My base weight isn't over 10 lbs.
I select low-weight and low-volume when packed items.
I am no longer using a compression sack for a sleeping bag, because I went over to an 850-fill Hammock Gear Burrow 20 top quilt for ground and a Titanium Goat "bathtub" Bug Net Bivy. I will purchase the Hammock Gear Diamond Tarp (cuben) very soon.
These three items reduced the volume used in my backpack more than anything.
I am looking at the lightweight and low-volume packed tents, as well.
I repackage all food. That helps.
For example, I remove the cardboard box: keeping only the instructions.
My HMG Summit Pack is 30-liters, with zigzaged elastic cords for adding items.
I will insert and tie in my Bug Baffler headnet there for tucking in the diamond pitch cuben tarp so it will not fall out.
I have been making "practice" SUL/UL lists.
I do not "plan" to use the 30-liter HMG Summit Pack for long hikes. Maybe I could because I got the "Big Three" both low volume and and low weight?
My "first choice" is a 40-45 liter backpack for trail comfort and convenience.
http://www.geargrams.com/list?id=22273
I have SUL (http://www.geargrams.com/list?id=22143), UL (http://www.geargrams.com/list?id=22144), and LW (http://www.geargrams.com/list?id=22273) lists in addition to my Gear Library at geargrans (http://www.geargrams.com).
Starchild
01-20-2015, 17:15
I used a 62L and rarely filled it, and even when I did I could have repackaged food and perhaps scrunched other stuff to make it 'fit' in a 48. However I did enjoy not having to have to do that, 'double however' some times I cinched down my pack so much that I think I could have packed it in a 31L and still had room.
Part of it is as soon as I tried out my pack in the store, the exact instant I put it on, I knew that was my pack for the AT thru. Can't beat that. But it proved itself as the external frame on tha pack, and it's design proved that 'knowing' very well as it was able to be modified (with the addition of 1 additional strap), to totally negate pain I had from every other backpack I had to wear for more then a few days.
As for if 48 is too small, well you may need to carry things externally at times, but those times should be short.
Sprout78
01-20-2015, 21:18
I have a 48, and it works for me when I use compression sacks for clothing and my sleeping bag. I find that if I have a larger backpack, I fill it. Is there a way for you to pack the 48 you are thinking of with your gear to see if everything fits before committing?
MuddyWaters
01-20-2015, 22:22
It doesnt matter if anyone else can do it. Your gear must fit in your pack, and everyones gear is different. There is no standard pack size either. Some will be rated on main compartment only, and be much larger in reality, some will be rated including all pockets, etc.
I can manage it fine personally.
Starchild
01-20-2015, 22:44
.... I find that if I have a larger backpack, I fill it....
Heard that one many times but never understood it. I pack what I need, and if there is extra room I cinch it down the best I can, if there is not enough room I will add it externally. Perhaps in a resupply situation if I knew I had very little room I would go for things like wraps instead of other bread choices or like things, but mainly that is air, not weight.
I understand the AT isn't more than 5-days between resupplies.
Is that correct?
If so, you are "good-to-go".
Feral Bill
01-21-2015, 00:13
Mostly I use a 40 liter pack for trips up to a week and down to a hair below freezing. I am not an ultralighter, nor am I small. My plan is to pack it with an AT thru load and see if it works, someday. If I go bigger it will be to hold camera gear.
It's doable, it really depends on your resupply plans. I preferred to carry less and stop more.
fastfoxengineering
01-21-2015, 01:11
A 48L pack is "doable" ... But it has a lot more to do with your gear, and how the layout of the pack is setup. I was using a 60L Blaze AC for a while and never remotely filled it close full. However, I kept a fair amount of my gear in the stretchy pockets outside the big main compartment.
After going to a simpler setup pack (one big pouch with a drawstring closure, 2x side water bottle pockets, and 1 mesh front pocket) I'll never go back to anything different. If you look around at lightweight pack companies, you'll see most of them make their packs similar to this configuration.
I'm going to be downsizing to a Zpacks 52L arc blast in the near future. I still won't fill it to the brim. But I want that little extra space for a souvenir or 6 pack of beer on the trail.
My advice would be to refine your gear as much as you can. Repackaging your stuff a million times leads to more efficient/less bulk in volume. If all your winter gear fits, then you'll be fine during the summer. Just go for it.
It's doable, it really depends on your resupply plans. I preferred to carry less and stop more.
My plan as well, i don't plan to go extended periods without resupplying.
I have a 48, and it works for me when I use compression sacks for clothing and my sleeping bag. I find that if I have a larger backpack, I fill it. Is there a way for you to pack the 48 you are thinking of with your gear to see if everything fits before committing?
That's what I am hoping to do, i don't have my gear list finalized (and honestly I dont know if I will even when i put my first foot on the trail lol), but I plan on going on a few practice-run trips with all my gear to get packing and storing down. I use compression sacks for almost everything, all color-coded. : )
I'm reading all these low base weights thinking...uh oh. Mine is at 18lbs (may drop, i'm trading out some heavier clothing for lighter options) and I thought that was decent.
I'm planning to use my Zpacks "Arc Slim" 35l pack for a thru hike this year. With pockets on the waist belt + chest straps it is more like 38l, and it takes all of my gear comfortably, and some spare room for extra clothes & extra food if I end up needing it.
bigcranky
01-21-2015, 13:39
Ignore other people's base weights. First, they are either mistaken, or lying :), or they will be freezing their butts off the first week. (In a few cases they are very experienced long distance hikers with everything already dialed in -- ignore them, too. You need to do your own dialing-in.)
"Can you do a thru-hike with XXX piece of gear" is a common question. The answer is almost always yes, someone can do/has done a thru-hike with that gear. That is NOT the same as saying that a specific, individual hiker (you) can do it. So, for a pack, many hikers have used a 48L pack, but that doesn't mean you can -- it all depends on what you are trying to put inside :)
All that said, it sounds like you'll be fine. An 18 pound base weight is well within reason for a late winter hike in the Southern Appalachians.
Happy trails.
colorado_rob
01-21-2015, 13:53
Ignore other people's base weights. First, they are either mistaken, or lying :), or they will be freezing their butts off the first week.OR they have top-quality UL gear. My base for late winter/early spring is right around 13-14 pounds (drops to 10-11 in May), call me a liar if you must, and yes, I am toasty and comfy and safe at that base.
But 18# base is not bad, and should work, if you have, say, a top-quality 800+ fill down bag and UL down jacket, those compress incredibly small and 48 liters is plenty. For the brief periods when you are really full of food for between long resupplies, there is always the option of lashing, say, your tent on the outside for a day or two until your food volume drops.
earlyriser26
01-21-2015, 14:27
I use a 40L pack and it is good for up to 5 days. A 48L should cover you for a week.
If you have used your pack for 4-5 day hikes, then it will definitely work! Thru-hiking is not this mysterious thing that requires more gear. It is nothing more than a bunch of 3-5 day sections, all connected :) In fact, I believe you need less gear on a thru hike because you care more about making miles and less about spending time in camp. If I'm out for a day or two, I will definitely bring a camp chair for example. But definitely not on a thru hike!
If you are interested in lightening up you can post your gear list for advice. But I agree you shouldn't worry, 18 lbs is not too bad. And once the weather warms up you can get rid of some stuff to lighten the load.
I used a 46L on my 2012 thru-hike and had no problems fitting everything in it.
You should have no problems.
bigcranky
01-22-2015, 13:26
OR they have top-quality UL gear. My base for late winter/early spring is right around 13-14 pounds (drops to 10-11 in May), call me a liar if you must, and yes, I am toasty and comfy and safe at that base.
Did you not read the parenthetical immediately following your quote of my post? Methinks this applies to you:
(In a few cases they are very experienced long distance hikers with everything already dialed in -- ignore them, too. You need to do your own dialing-in.)