Hope I didn't make a mistake

[skinnbones]

Starting to think I may have made a mistake with my pack selection. I bought the Gregory Baltoro 65 and the reviews are great, but I have since learned this is a heavy pack that was designed to handle heavy loads. The pack is over 5 pounds empty. I now pay closer attention to everybody's posts and hope to learn more when it comes to buying equipment.34664

[nsherry61]

What is your overall gear weight most of the time when you are backpacking?
If you are often carrying 35 lbs or more, the extra weight of the Baltoro is nothing compared to how much comfort it can provide.
How far/long are you hiking. If you are not doing high mileage, the extra two pounds on your pack isn't a big deal. If you are doing back to back 20 mile days, it is.

Did you buy your pack from an outfitter that offers a satisfaction guarantee (like REI or LLBean)? If so, and you truly are unhappy with your purchase, exchange it for an alternative that is more along the lines of what you need/want.

[skinnbones]

I'm leaving next spring (April 2017) for my NOBO thru hike. I'm new to backpacking. Once my gear list is completed I will do some local hiking and make the necessary adjustments. I'm hoping to have pack around 25-28 lbs before water & food. I love all the reviews about this Gregory pack, just was unsure about the weight of this pack. Thanks, nsherry61.

[1azarus]

If you can easily afford to say you've made a mistake, I would suggest you do... you might even be able to sell your pack to someone else. I wouldn't feel badly about it -- most of us buy things three or four times before we are satisfied! If you can't afford it -- just use your new pack for a while, and plan on your next generation of gear as you get more familiar with hiking and see more gear in the field on other hiker's backs. ...and don't be afraid of the cottage industry manufacturers and small gear shops. I would argue that the best selection is on the internet, not in a big box outfitter shop.

[bigcranky]

I'm leaving next spring (April 2017) for my NOBO thru hike. I'm new to backpacking. Once my gear list is completed I will do some local hiking and make the necessary adjustments. I'm hoping to have pack around 25-28 lbs before water & food. I love all the reviews about this Gregory pack, just was unsure about the weight of this pack. Thanks, nsherry61.

28 pounds *before* food and water means pushing 40+ pounds with a full load of 5-6 days of food and 2 liters of water. The Baltoro will be a good pack for that load. But didn't you say elsewhere you have a very light body weight? I think you'll feel 40 pounds on the hills, especially coming from Florida.

Plenty of first time hikers start with 40 pound packs (I started with 65 pounds on our first 3-night hike in moderate early summer weather). But these days it's pretty easy to have a sub-30 pound total weight with all your food and water, and without spending a ton of money on cuben fiber and titanium gear.

[MuddyWaters]

I
Starting to think I may have made a mistake with my pack selection. I bought the Gregory Baltoro 65 and the reviews are great, but I have since learned this is a heavy pack that was designed to handle heavy loads. The pack is over 5 pounds empty. I now pay closer attention to everybody's posts and hope to learn more when it comes to buying equipment.34664

Yep, you made a mistake.
Live and learn.
Learning now is better than on trail like most.

10 min after you start up your first hill, you will realize the single most important issue at hand, is the weight of your pack. By the end of the first few days most realize, too late, that the next most important thing is their footwear.

[Don H]

Your pack should be the last thing you choose, it needs to fit the gear you intend to carry.
I'd shoot for a total gear weight of under 20 pounds, this is easily done with an April start date.
There are many sub 3 pound packs that will comfortably carry 30 pounds total.

Sleeping bag, tent and pack are the places you can save weight.

Many hikers weigh and keep a spreadsheet on what they pack and its weight. This helps you whittle down the ounces.

[rafe]

If you just bought it and haven't used it, see if you can return it. Most reasonable retailers accept returns.

Seriously, these days there's no need for a typical AT thru- or section-hiking pack to weigh five pounds. Three pounds is easily achievable with absolutely no compromise. Half that, once you really know your stuff.

Or you can be like Tipi Walter and just shrug it off.

[Rain Man]

Starting to think I may have made a mistake with my pack selection. I bought the Gregory Baltoro 65 and the reviews are great, but I have since learned this is a heavy pack that was designed to handle heavy loads. The pack is over 5 pounds empty.

I did something similar when I started years ago. Bought a Gregory Shasta. It sat in my closet for a couple of weeks as I had buyer's remorse. Fortunately I had purchased it at REI. Took it right back and got a lighter Gregory Reality. Good decision. I still have that pack, though rarely hike with it. Have gone through two or three light-weight packs in meantime, but mostly have settled on a 58-liter Gregory no longer made. Not light-weight, but still not nearly as heavy as you describe.

There's a saying: If you buy a big pack, you WILL fill it up, so buy a small pack.

I'd describe the Baltoro as a big pack.

[skinnbones]

I have almost a year to fine tune everything. Many thanks for all the tips and info!

[lonehiker]

...and don't be afraid of the cottage industry manufacturers and small gear shops. I would argue that the best selection is on the internet, not in a big box outfitter shop.

To make another point about cottage industry gear; The ULA Catalyst is only $260.00 which is a bit cheaper than the Gregory, at around $300.00, yet is 2 pounds lighter. You will find that many, if not most, times the lighter gear is actually cheaper.

All this being said, you did not give yourself a death sentence by buying the Baltaro. If you can't return it for whatever reasons you can use it with success (many others have) on your hike. If you make lighter gear choices on your other items and get your pack weight reasonable the Baltaro should handle it quite well. So what I am saying is spend your money on lightweight purchases for gear that you have yet to purchase before replacing the pack. Unless funds are not a consideration...

[HooKooDooKu]

I've never used a Gregory, but that's what I hear all the time... that they heavy, but very comfortable.

I spent the 1st 15 years of back-packing using an old Kelty External frame pack that weighed the same. Because I was carrying heavy loads then, it wasn't a big deal. But I also wasn't doing huge mileage... back then I limited my trips to 5 to 8 mpd.

And I can vouch for what a difference comfort can make. I've since lightened my load and now use an REI Flash internal frame pack. The pack is SOOOO much more comfortable than my old Kelty... especially with the lighter loads I try to carry today. But I'm currently training for a JMT hike this summer. I've been using the old Kelty loaded with ballast to walk around the neighborhood each night, and I (or my back) notices the huge difference in the modern REI Flash compared to the very old Kelty.

[Greenlight]

skinnbones: If you get a moment, will you answer whether you bought the pack at a retailer with a liberal return policy? Additionally, perhaps you bought it with a Visa card? Visa and Mastercard have purchase protection up to $250 if a retailer won't accept the return. I think Visa's purchase protection is 90 days, and Mastercard's might be a bit longer. We all get buyer's remorse, avid consumers that we are. Return the d@mn thing. Get something lighter. REI and other good outfitters hire experienced people and train them to fit people to gear. Go! Let them work their magic with their fitting templates, weights, and brands. You should walk out with the pack you need as opposed to the one you thought you wanted. Don't go in married to a brand. Try on ten packs. Make them earn the sale. Secretly they love it! 8^)

[rafe]

Many years ago I foolishly bought a massive MountainSmith pack at REI. I dunno what I was thinking. I used it on one AT hike and hated it. It sat in my closet for years, collecting dust. I eventually returned it. Since it was no longer in the REI catalog or database, and the clerks had no idea what it was worth, I settled for a credit equivalent to about half the purchase price. Seemed fair to me. I don't think their return policies are quite as generous any more.

[DuneElliot]

You've had a lot of good advise here, and I will echo lonehiker's comment re. the ULA Catalyst, or even the Circuit. Pay less for more. ULA packs come highly recommended from so many people, and I would have bought one if they'd had the exact features I wanted (I went with ZPacks for the customization and light weight).

I would also list your gear here, or if you haven't got it yet, look for the lightest you can find on sale or used. As someone else mentioned, a 25-28lb pack BEFORE food and water is gonna be tough. You're gonna be looking for things to ditch by end of your first few days.

[skinnbones]

Well, I just called my outfitter and asked about returning my pack to go lighter. They only have a 30 day return policy. I bought the pack 5 months ago. I assumed the first gear you purchased was the pack, now I'm learning it should be the last. Growing pains for someone brand new to the world of backpacking.

[Greenlight]

No sweat, skinnbones, go to the gear forum and list it here. You should be able to get a lot of your money back out of it. Or keep it in dry storage for when a friend wants to go hiking with you but doesn't have the gear.


Well, I just called my outfitter and asked about returning my pack to go lighter. They only have a 30 day return policy. I bought the pack 5 months ago. I assumed the first gear you purchased was the pack, now I'm learning it should be the last. Growing pains for someone brand new to the world of backpacking.

[RockDoc]

You'll see a lot of these moderately heavy Gregory or Arcteryx packs on the AT, I mean like a majority. It's because they are comfortable and work really well.
I remember seeing them all hanging in a Smokies shelter, not an ultralight pack in the bunch.

The idea that everyone is going ultralight is a figment of the internet. It's not reality. Maybe one out of ten on the AT. A tiny minority (mainly because it's uncomfortable, often grading into dangerous). Do you want to risk your life to save carrying 5-10 lbs?

[illabelle]

I have two packs that I use. One is a comfortable Deuter that weights a little shy of 6 pounds. The other is an Osprey Kestrel that weighs a little more than 3. I like both of them.
If I were planning for a thru-hike, I might choose to start and finish with the Deuter, which has much more capacity for extra clothing in cool weather, or more food between resupplies, and use the Kestrel in the middle part of the season. But either pack would work just fine. There's no rule that says only those with light packs can finish.

[DuneElliot]

If you can't return it and it is comfortable, and you don't have the money to buy a different pack, then just go about cutting weight elsewhere...sleeping bag and pad, cooking set-up, tent etc.

[garlic08]

I like to maximize a pack's payload-to-weight ratio. The pack I used on the AT was an 8 ounce silnylon Gossamer Gear pack (the discontinued G5), and I comfortably carried 20 pounds in it, a 40:1 ratio. I amused myself by thinking of someone carrying that same ratio with a four- or five-pound pack.

That ratio caused me to rethink my packing strategy on a subsequent bike tour. I ditched my handlebar bag because of its lousy weight-to-payload ratio.

Of course, comfort is important. Thirty pounds in a heavy suspension system may work better for some than a lesser weight on a thin nylon strap.

I wish I'd found that perfect pack the first time, but I sold quite a few mistakes before I found it. At least finding the right pack wasn't as painful as the shoes.

[bigcranky]

You'll see a lot of these moderately heavy Gregory or Arcteryx packs on the AT, I mean like a majority. It's because they are comfortable and work really well.

Perhaps it's also because those are the only kind of pack available at most outfitter stores?

[MyFeetHurt]

I'd recommend actually using the Baltoro on several hikes before deciding you want to get rid of it. As another poster mentioned upthread the idea that you need to be 'ultralight' to be comfortable on the AT (or anywhere) is not only incorrect, you'll find the majority of folks you're hiking with are not by any stretch 'ultralight'. The Baltoro is a trusted pack for many years, the quality of Gregroy Packs is really high and they stand by their gear (to the tune of fixing a 10-year old pack for free for me several months ago), and it may just prove to be as comfortable carrying a 40+lb load as any 'ultralight' pack would be carrying half that.

So just don't read Whiteblaze and immediately think you're making poor gear choices. This place is loaded to the gills with great advice, but it tends to be way more into the 'ultralight' religion than what you'll actually see out in the world. If you try the pack and feel like it's too heavy, that's one thing. But I guess I'd just warn against thinking it's too heavy only because you read it on Whiteblaze. Good luck.

[Hikingjim]

You'll see a lot of these moderately heavy Gregory or Arcteryx packs on the AT, I mean like a majority. It's because they are comfortable and work really well.
I remember seeing them all hanging in a Smokies shelter, not an ultralight pack in the bunch.

The idea that everyone is going ultralight is a figment of the internet. It's not reality. Maybe one out of ten on the AT. A tiny minority (mainly because it's uncomfortable, often grading into dangerous). Do you want to risk your life to save carrying 5-10 lbs?

You do not need to go "ultra-light" and/or risk your life to have a low pack weight.
I have noticed more AT hikers that went to a big retailer end up with something like an osprey exos, because it's half the weight.

I think there's a middle ground where you have a lighter pack and still bring what you need.

I 100% agree with whoever above noted that the pack is what you buy when you know what all of your other components are. I have more than one pack, and I size up my gear & maximum weight I'll be carrying, and then I know which one is my best bet.

[dudeijuststarted]

I section hiked for years with a Baltoro and my back always hurt. Once I switched to a ULA I could hike 20 miles without dropping my pack. I'm not sure if it was the Baltoro's fault, but it's definitely a heavier pack and I will be cautious of those from here on out.

[MuddyWaters]

The idea that everyone is going ultralight is a figment of the internet. It's not reality. Maybe one out of ten on the AT. A tiny minority (mainly because it's uncomfortable, often grading into dangerous). Do you want to risk your life to save carrying 5-10 lbs?

Very very few are indeed ultralight. Maybe 1 in a hundred on the trail. Maybe one in ten are lightweight. Vast majority start too heavy, hindering chances for success. They shed weight for the first 1000 miles.

But a 5 lb pack is heavy, theres no shortage of 2.5-4 lb packs that carry long distance hiking weights fine. Every lb the OP avoids adds to chances of success.

Good target for most AT thruhikers is a ~ 15 lb baseweight. With (5 day) 10 lb food and 2 L water = .....29 lb max the vast majority of time.

The last part of the statement is simply ignorant.

[lonehiker]

Cyber hikers will beat this thread to death but one last thought. You could ditch the lid, remove hydration sleeve (if you don't use a bladder), and cut some straps to reduce the weight of the pack a bit. As I mentioned earlier, you don't have to panic because you bought this pack as it will work fine for you. I agree with several posts that the majority of the hikers you will see on the AT, especially early, will be far from ultralight.

[alnitak]

I'm of the group that thinks people need more than one pack. Will you ever go on a fishing/camping trip? Do you have kids and will need to haul their stuff? Spouse and his/her stuff? Will you go on weekend trips and like creature comforts, like a chair, other than hydrated food, etc.? For years I hiked with an Osprey Argon 70L (but not thru-hike). It was great and carried 40 pound loads like nobody's business. That was 6 lbs, 6 oz. I now have a 1.5 pound lighter Aether 70L. It's great as well. At some point, I will get a 2-2.5 pound pack (or even 3 pounds like the Exos 58) for weekend and thru-hikes, and when I really go ultralight with my gear (e.g., a $400, 20 degree, one pound quilt). But for now, the Aether meets my needs and, along with other choices, like a lighter tent, I have gotten my base weight below 20 pounds (around 18). Another 3-6 pounds will easily come off when the time is right. For now, I wouldn't sweat it. As others said, use it until next year (and for the above types of hikes), focus on reducing weight of your other gear, and if you eventually want to sell, a few hikes under its belt (no pun intended) will not diminish its value much.

[earlyriser26]

I downsized my pack about 10 years ago when I realized I didn't need a 60 L pack. Also, it weighed 6.5 lbs. My 40 L pack is good for 5 days in warm weather, but still is not "light" at 3.5 Lbs. I would recommend getting a smaller, but still comfortable pack.

[nsherry61]

FWIW: I was on a day hike with a bunch of experienced hikers (16) from the Appalachian Mountain Club a couple months ago. It was a 4-6 mile winter day hike in a local park, never more than about 1/2 mile from a major road. There was no doubt that I had the smallest and lightest pack of the bunch, BUT what surprised me was that several of them were carrying Gregory Baltoro (or Diva - the women's Baltoro) packs with compression traps sinched down. They loved their packs and the couple extra pounds was a non-issue to them.

To each their own. Don't get too wrapped up in gear details. Go out and use what you have and have fun.

[rocketsocks]

Starting to think I may have made a mistake with my pack selection. I bought the Gregory Baltoro 65 and the reviews are great, but I have since learned this is a heavy pack that was designed to handle heavy loads. The pack is over 5 pounds empty. I now pay closer attention to everybody's posts and hope to learn more when it comes to buying equipment.34664no mistake, cut weight where else you can if that's your thing and wear it proudly, great pack...I imagine you could sell it as its a desirable pack for many.

[Sarcasm the elf]

Gregory Baltoro is overkill for three season hiking on the A.T., but it's still a great pack. I have an older 70liter model that I use as a winter weight hauler, I've also met a number of thru hikers using the one you have, and I met them all around the 1500 mile mark, so it's fair to say it was working for them. I'd say give it a try and if you love it the keep it, if not then try to either return it or sell it used online, someone will have an interest in it.

Edit to Add: I now use a ULA Circuit for 3 season hiking, but I still happily use my Baltoro in winter.

[Gambit McCrae]

If you can easily afford to say you've made a mistake, I would suggest you do... you might even be able to sell your pack to someone else. I wouldn't feel badly about it -- most of us buy things three or four times before we are satisfied! If you can't afford it -- just use your new pack for a while, and plan on your next generation of gear as you get more familiar with hiking and see more gear in the field on other hiker's backs. ...and don't be afraid of the cottage industry manufacturers and small gear shops. I would argue that the best selection is on the internet, not in a big box outfitter shop.

I agree, if you can sell it and afford a second pack, I would look at ULA or zpacks. I would follow suit with as much gear as I could as far as looking in to cottage companies before the big name box stores

[left52side]

Honestly IMO it is A common mistake for beginners,myself included as most people I am sure.
I have an array of packs for different things and all be it this is A wonderful pack ,for myself it would just be to heavy and to much space considering it is well over a third of my total base weight. (12lbs)
But I to have A five pound large liter volume pack That one day might be needed for say winter camping or remote back country excursions(which I use it for now) when I need to pack more water and lots more food etc...
The pack I am using for my thru hike next year is going to be A six moons designs fusion 50 pack that is last years model and can be bought on there web page for 100.00 with free shipping(mine was here in 3 days).
Depending on the volume you need this might be a great pack for you as well.It weighs 2.2 pounds or 36 ounces.
Granted the main compartment is 2300 ci(40 liters and the other 10 liters is side pockets and front mesh pocket.
I have heard reviews about the undersize of this pack but honestly I think there is more than enough room for a three season light weight set up....
I have no trouble packing mine for three season with five days of food and extra luxury items and still have plenty of room,but I also have cut down my weight by switching to lighter weight options that tent to compress more and take up less space.
This pack is also know for having one of the best suspension systems out there and being able to carry them heavier loads just fine.
I can say from experience with 100 miles on my pack thus far with total load out weight at 25 lbs this pack road like a dream and I am buying another one before they are gone in the mix for good.
Just my .02 and hope it helps.
Hope to see ya on the trail next year.

[Dogwood]

How could anyone make a mistake not taking Backpacker's Editor's Choice Gold Award recommendations? :-? ;) :D

[Another Kevin]

My daughter loves her Gregory Deva (women's counterpart to the Baltoro), because it is extremely comfortable and she's willing to spend a couple of pounds for the comfort. Most of us carry a few pounds of luxuries. If a really cushy pack is one of your luxuries, by all means take it. You'll see a lot of the heavy Gregory packs out there. The Baltoro is really popular. (My choice is more middle-of-the-road. My current pack in three seasons is a Granite Gear Crown VC60.)

[Don H]

skinnbones, don't feel bad the first pack I bought for the AT was a Gregory Palisades 80 that weighed 6.5 pounds! Today I use a Granite Gear Crown vc 60 which weighs 2.2 pounds.

[Dogwood]

I like to maximize a pack's payload-to-weight ratio. The pack I used on the AT was an 8 ounce silnylon Gossamer Gear pack (the discontinued G5), and I comfortably carried 20 pounds in it, a 40:1 ratio. I amused myself by thinking of someone carrying that same ratio with a four- or five-pound pack.

That ratio caused me to rethink my packing strategy on a subsequent bike tour. I ditched my handlebar bag because of its lousy weight-to-payload ratio.

Of course, comfort is important. Thirty pounds in a heavy suspension system may work better for some than a lesser weight on a thin nylon strap.

I wish I'd found that perfect pack the first time, but I sold quite a few mistakes before I found it. At least finding the right pack wasn't as painful as the shoes.


I like to maximize a pack's payload-to-weight ratio…while minimizing the packs wt(just the pack) against the pack volume.

[Jeronimo!]

I thru hiked with a baltoro 65 last year , and loved it .
Granted it fit me extremely well and I customized it as I went ( removed the brain, trimmed all straps that weren't necessary for my gear , and added different buckles etc.) It carries a load extremely well and sometimes that is helpful when coming out of town with a big food bag . I carried roughly 30-40 lbs the whole time and I didn't have any complaints about this pack. The AT isn't as ultralight as it may appear to be on this site

[nsherry61]

I like to maximize a pack's payload-to-weight ratio…while minimizing the packs wt(just the pack) against the pack volume.
Now Dogwood, by that logic, a large lawn leaf bag would probably be your perfect backpack. I think you guys are overlooking some important backpack features in your reasoning. :rolleyes:

[One Half]

I truly believe it's impossible, in most things, to learn from others mistakes. Don't be afraid to make mistakes. It is truly how people learn best.


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[LIhikers]

I too have a Gregory Baltoro, but mine is larger at 75 liters. I got it to use as a winter pack because I was usually carrying multiple sleeping bags and needed the space. As it turns out I use the pack all year round. It's very comfortable and I can spend all day with it my back with no pains or problems. It carries loads both large and small very comfortably. Maybe you should use your Baltoro until you know if it's comfortable enough for you to use it for a thru hike, or not.

[saltysack]

Perhaps it's also because those are the only kind of pack available at most outfitter stores?

+1.....years ago while shopping for my first pack at REI the experienced sales guy suggested I save my money and try a much lighter pack from ULA....glad I listened...

[nsherry61]

+1.....years ago while shopping for my first pack at REI the experienced sales guy suggested I save my money and try a much lighter pack from ULA....glad I listened...
To be fair, that was years ago. And, not to cast any dispersion on our sacred cottage industries, BUT, there are many more good quality, light weight, packs available now from reputable outfitters than there were even five years ago. And, there is a lot to be said about touching and trying out a pack before you buy, even if that touching and trying helps you figure out what you do and don't want from a special-order cottage bag.

[Heliotrope]

From your other post about being underweight keeping your total kit on the light (and yes, safe and functional side) is very important. Sell the damn thing! Get a day pack and do lots of training hikes while you take your time to research gear. Check out ULA and gossamer gear packs. Get your other gear sorted out before you commit to a certain volume. Don't be hasty!


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[MuddyWaters]

And, there is a lot to be said about touching and trying out a pack before you buy, even if that touching and trying helps you figure out what you do and don't want from a special-order cottage bag.

Theres a whole lot to be said for trying out packs in comfort of own home, with your gear, and walking around house for 30 min or so. Courtesy of internet and UPS and cottage vendors.

Why so many are reluctant to spend a few $ in selecting a good pack is beyond me. Youd think $60 for some shipping charges to return a couple packs was an insurmountable financial obstacle, and buying a new pack for $300 in hot springs wont be.

[JLorenzo77]

A buddy of mine told me once as I was getting into hiking that if you had to spend good money on two things, make sure it is footwear and your pack. I'm still experimenting with the footwear but I love my Osprey pack. Part of the fun is using trial and error for your gear. Good luck!

[Greenlight]

I was lucky to get good advice from the start of my second tango with hiking. The gear has changed so much since I took my last pack off and laid it down for thirty years. I have two packs. The first is a Kelty Trekker 65 external frame weighing in at just over five pounds. It is my nod back to my youth when externals were ubiquitous. It is a very comfortable and adjustable pack. And heavy. My other pack is an REI Flash 65 which is a couple of pounds lighter and seems to fit like a hug. The shoes are Merrell Moab Ventilators with green Superfeet inserts. With a single pair of FITS brand merino wool socks, they've performed flawlessly.


A buddy of mine told me once as I was getting into hiking that if you had to spend good money on two things, make sure it is footwear and your pack. I'm still experimenting with the footwear but I love my Osprey pack. Part of the fun is using trial and error for your gear. Good luck!

[El Gallo]

Skinnbones,

Welcome to the " I made a mistake" club. I have had good luck selling my mistakes on Ebay with minimal loses. My first pack was an USMC ILBE pack at 9 lbs. I think REI hates me as I have returned almost all of the tents I bought from them. Try using the 15-20% of body weight for total pack weight as a starting point for your pack weight. Try different pack weights on a 10 mile hikes to see if you feel ok. Then do it again the next day. If you can get out of bed the third day then do Sugarloaf Mtn in Mt Dora. If you can still walk on the fourth day maybe the weight is ok. Once you get your ideal pack weight in range you can enter the wonderful world of best tent, best sleeping bag and of course best pack for your needs. (I forgot to mention cooksets, stoves, rain suits, shoes and clothes and .....) For me at 165 lbs 25-27 lbs is my sweet spot. Do not shy away from cottage mfgs such as ULA, Tarptent and Lightheart Gear. Their equipment is excellent and competitive in price to the more widely known brands.

[mitch]

For me that pack would be a mistake. My last pack is a Deuter 65L @ 3lbs.(a Cadillac) I like it a lot. My current pack a Arc haul @26 oz. I love it, It does it all for me. At 62 getting my base weight down is a priority. If it is for you, I'd start with the pack. Good luck.

[Jake2c]

For me an equal concern to weight was the fact that I sweat a lot. Really more than most people do. I tried lots of packs and own 4. Not a lot by what I have heard others say they have but more than I wanted. Only pack that was really comfortable for me during warmer months was a Kelty external 65. Heavy but externals not only carry well, they keep the pack off your back and for people who sweat like me, that is a consideration. I also landed on the Arc Haul from Zpac. It was one of the only very light packs I found that had an external frame, of sorts, that allowed air to travel between the pack and me. Also liked the fact that they are waterproof and so do not absorb my sweat that does get on it. I did two section hikes in prep for the thru hike I am in the middle of doing now. On both of those I carried the Kelty and would be carrying it now if I had not found the Arc Haul. Only concern for me with the Arc is that after about 850 miles the pack is showing signs of wear on straps and attachment points, not the main pack itself. So far the company has been very responsive and has stood behind their product with great support. I have not needed it much but nice to know they are happy to work with me. Though Zpac is sort of an external frame, it isn't really and I would say you need to be under 35 lbs and closer to 30lbs. At those weights I find it very comfortable. Do not underrate comfort when you have your final decision.

[Huli]

My pack is 5.5 lbs empty. I know most of the weight is in suspension system. The comfort I gain through the comfort is worth it to me, and really that is what matters. 32 lbs fully loaded with everything to last a week of any weather.

[Venchka]

I have almost a year to fine tune everything. Many thanks for all the tips and info!

Don't wait. Load up a pack. Any pack. Start hiking.
You have a year to hike. A month to plan your first month on the trail. After that, if you're still hiking, you repeat the first month.
Start hiking with a load. Increase the load gradually.
I'm old and slow. I walked 12,858 steps today. You can too.
Stop planning. Start hiking.

Wayne

[cycle003]

Just try it. If you don't like it, sell it used. As many have stated, most of us have more than one pack. Since your gear is not dialed in and since you might be carrying heavy loads, it would be good to have a sturdy hauler. In the meantime, keep working on dialing in your gear and keep an eye out for used packs.