Another Pack Question.

[Indigo Hawk]

I was bouncing around the store today checking some prices and sizes on other gear when I decided to try on some packs.

I've got wide hips and out of the bags I tried (three different brands and several sizes) I felt most comfortable with the Kelty Redstone 60 W.

My question is does this pack seem too big (it's 60L)? And is Kelty a good choice? Honestly, I look hysterical in it because I'm also only 5 foot tall (you only see the top of my head) but it really did fit.

[Maineiac64]

1. What are you going to use it for?
2. What other gear do you have?

[Indigo Hawk]

1. What are you going to use it for?
2. What other gear do you have?

NOBO thru-hike next year.

[Indigo Hawk]

NOBO thru-hike next year.

Okay, I'm on my computer now so I can post what I have gear-wise. As follows:

North Face Stormbreak 1 Tent (with footprint)
REI Co-op Trail Pod 29 Sleeping Bag Bag - Men's (Short) in REI Co-op Lightweight Compression Stuff Sack
Therm-a-Rest Trail Scout Sleeping Pad
GSI Outdoors Pinnacle Soloist Cookset
MSR PocketRocket and small fuel canister.
Spork
Small bottle Dr.Bronner's (in almond)
Small bottle of sunscreen
Two bandanas
Small Frankenstein first aid kit.

I still have a lot to go purchase wise. I did try a similar sized bag and tent with the pack and it fit nicely.

[egilbe]

Just a suggestion, but that sleeping bag is designed for car camping. Not sure you will want to carry it over any mountains. With that bag, your backpack may not be big enough.

Buy the pack last. Plan on replacing most of your REI purchased gear for smaller, lighter-weight alternatives.

[MtDoraDave]

60 liters isn't "too big" .
I haven't thru hiked, but have spent a few hundred miles on the AT and have seen lots of thru hikers; some use a pack a little larger than that and some use a pack a little smaller than that.
What matters is if it fits you, your gear, and is comfortable to you.
.
What does not matter is how you think you look wearing it because only the top of your head is visible.
Some packs people use are 2 pounds (empty) while others are 5 pounds. While 3 pounds is a lot of extra weight to carry if not necessary, if the lighter pack isn't comfortable, the extra weight may be worth it... It really boils down to personal preference.

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

[cmoulder]

Just a suggestion, but that sleeping bag is designed for car camping. Not sure you will want to carry it over any mountains. With that bag, your backpack may not be big enough.

Buy the pack last. Plan on replacing most of your REI purchased gear for smaller, lighter-weight alternatives.

+1000

Best advice you will get. Look at some experienced folks' gear lists before buying a bunch of heavy crap.

[DownEaster]

60L is about right for your through-hike, I think. This gives you room for heavier clothing at the start, and a full week's supply of food for the 100 miles at the end. Just resist the temptation to fill up the space other times with stuff you want rather than stuff you need. I'm also planning a 2018 NoBo, and I haven't bought my pack yet. Top contender right now is the Granite Gear Crown 2 (http://www.backcountrygear.com/crown2-60-men-s.html), also a 60 liter pack..

39407

[capehiker]

It appears you're going for budget gear. Nothing wrong with that but it comes at the cost of more weight. More weight can be justified when sitting at home but when you're climbing up Rocky Mountain with a 45 pound backpack and you realize you still have 2,100 miles to go, I promise you, you will regret your purchases.

Here's my recommendation, which you can take it or leave it but considering I'm currently Thru hiking and have seen dozens of people quit due to heavy packs, I'm asking you to consider my thoughts:

First- read and watch post hike videos/blogs about what gear was used. You will find there's a common theme among finishers (avoid pre-hike lists as they almost never remain throughout the hike).

Next- create a top of line dream list of gear you want. Then create an alternative list.

Finally- be patient and scour the various buy/sell forums for the gear in your dream list. I can 96.4% guarantee you will find what you need at a cheaper price and in as good as new condition. It may take till winter, but there will be steals on gear if you're patient. Remember those quitters- they're never going back and will want to offload gear at a deal of a price to fund their next dream. Even the heavy pack hikers will have some UL gear in the mix (I saw a guy with a 10lb canvas tent but had a 20oz sleeping quilt).

Just some food for thought

[Indigo Hawk]

I'm definitely looking at budget gear.

My sleeping bag choice is a bit heavy and I'm looking at options but the issue is my height. I really don't want a sleeping bag a foot bigger than me and I'm having trouble finding a bag I won't be swimming in. Any suggestions on that? It might be that I'm picky on colors too. I really dislike the purples and pinks that bags my size come in.

Thank you for the suggestion on looking for used gear. I'll keep my eyes out for what I want and the hikers in my family are doing the same (we've got Boy Scout leaders and avid hikers abound). I'm a YouTube junkie so I'm surprised I never thought to look up post-hike videos.

[Slo-go'en]

A thru hike costs a lot of money. Buying cheap gear is not going to save you any and in the long run will cost you more.

It might be worth getting a custom bag made. It will cost you $300 or more, but will be worth it. There are several places which do this.

A 60L pack is pretty common for an AT thru, but given your smaller then average size, you might get away with something a little smaller, like 50L. But means a good selection of clothes which aren't too bulky but give you enough warmth.

[sfdoc]

Check out new Sierra Designs 40-60L pack. Reviewed in SectionHiker. Small weighs 2lb 9oz. Available at Moosejaw for $150. Has some shortcomings, but they just add to the weight. Worth a look.

[Indigo Hawk]

A thru hike costs a lot of money. Buying cheap gear is not going to save you any and in the long run will cost you more.

It might be worth getting a custom bag made. It will cost you $300 or more, but will be worth it. There are several places which do this.

A 60L pack is pretty common for an AT thru, but given your smaller then average size, you might get away with something a little smaller, like 50L. But means a good selection of clothes which aren't too bulky but give you enough warmth.

I'm trying to stick in a range of $150.00 - $200.00 on shelter, pack, and sleeping each. So about $600.00 on them total but will spend more if needed. With that, I found a Big Anges bag that I like. It's a bit lighter (by about a pound). I would be fine with a used tent but I'm not sure about packs and sleeping bags used. What's the average price on those three? Would getting a cooler bag but warmer clothes (switching them out later as the need arises) be an option? And I am getting a liner too.

My best friend has taken to calling me a dwarf like from Lord of the Rings because of my build. I'm small but sturdy; broader shoulders, wide hips, a lot of muscle that I've gotten either from running (legs) or just have always had (arms). I did try on two 50L but the hip belts were not my friends. There was a 55 but I'm not sure it'd make much of a difference.

[egilbe]

I'm assuming you are femaie and as such, most men's packs aren't goint to fit you. Packs will be too long in the torso, hip belts wont be curved correctly and shoulder straps are going to rub across your boobs. Female specific packs by ULA will probably work better than anything you can find at REI.

Have you thought about using a quilt? A Prodigy by Enlightened Equipment in a short size will probably be perfect for you. Mate it with a good quality insulated air mattress designed for women.

[DownEaster]

You've got time to wait for sales. REI has their "garage sales" for members. Massdrop (http://www.massdrop.com) has decent prices on a rotating selection of gear in their "Ultralight" and "Outdoors" communities. Steep & Cheap (http://www.steepandcheap.com) is always worth a look. Some online sources have special deals for first-time buyers; see the link for the Granite Gear Crown 2 (http://www.backcountrygear.com/crown2-60-men-s.html) as an example. If you don't find good buys before then, Black Friday (after Thanksgiving) is when pretty much everything is available somewhere at a significant discount.

[Huntmog]

EBay. EBay. EBay.

Most recent savings??? New in box xlite LARGE for 65.

Before that? New with tags fly creek 2 for 150 .

Ghost w hisperer jacket new with tags for 115....

These allowed me to splurge on a custom quilt.

When I first went from hiking and camping to backpacking I made a lot of purchases too quickly and paid for it with weight. I have now spent more replacing that gear than of I'd just been smarter and more patient up front.

Do the above recommendation..find out ur dream gear and start hunting!!

[BuckeyeBill]

After thinking about your situation, I noticed that in your original post you said the Kelty pack felt the most comfortable. Did you have any weight in it, if so how much? Kelty packs are well made. I use to use a large Kelty external frame similar to the Trekker 65. Have you checked out any of the cottage industry packs?

I feel the same as egilbe as far as using a quilt instead of a sleeping bag.

Good luck in your search.

[Indigo Hawk]

After thinking about your situation, I noticed that in your original post you said the Kelty pack felt the most comfortable. Did you have any weight in it, if so how much? Kelty packs are well made. I use to use a large Kelty external frame similar to the Trekker 65. Have you checked out any of the cottage industry packs?

I feel the same as egilbe as far as using a quilt instead of a sleeping bag.

Good luck in your search.

I had some weight in it (tent, bag, stove, cannister, campset, and a second larger bag.). So maybe 10 or so pounds.

I will definitely be testing whatever pack I decide on before hand.

I will look into a both cottage industry packs and quilts.

And thank you all for being patient with me. I appreciate the links and advice.

[Maineiac64]

You might be able to get an idea of how your gear will work at the show room but nothing will be more helpful than carrying it, setting it up, and using it out on the trail. It is common for folks to switch out gear multiple times to get things dialed-in. If you are going e-bay/used route You might want to work fast to give yourself time to re-sell and re-buy if needed.

It is easy to tell yourself that it is not worth the extra cost to drop a few ounces but they add up and you have a long way to carry it. In packs for example, many people carrya packs 4-5lbs plus and spend $200-$300, is it worth going to $350 to get to 1.5lbs? In tents, you can get a barely used 1.2lb tent for $450 or a new 3.7lb tent for $300. If you look at the incremental cost for weight savings it may be a worthwhile investment. That's 6lbs savings for $200 extra.

[bigcranky]

I understand the budget issues, though as noted above, a thru-hike is an expensive endeavor. If the overall hike will cost $5 grand, then a few hundred extra for quality lightweight gear isn't that much of the total. I too will suggest looking at cottage gear makers, simply because they are making gear specifically for long distance hiking. You can carry anything for a weekend, but a one, two, or six month hike is better with optimized gear.

Some suggestions:

Tent: Six Moons Designs makes a 34 ounce tent that costs about $125, the Skyscape Scout. SMD makes well designed and well made gear - we've owned a tent and a pack and liked them both. This is a modern single wall tent that uses a trekking pole for support. There are lighter tents out there but nothing of this quality at this price point.

Pack: It's worth spending a little extra on something like a ULA Circuit. If you are short and female, get the Short Torso and the S-curved shoulder straps. This will weigh ~40 ounces and costs $235. There are a LOT of Circuit packs on the trail, and for good reason, they are specifically designed for long distance hikers.

Sleeping bag: This is tougher, and depends on when you want to leave. But it's really worth finding something great to sleep in, and on. You'll need a 20F or warmer bag for a March start, especially as you are from Florida :) . I like quilts, too, and you can get a custom short length quilt from Enlightened Equipment (https://enlightenedequipment.com/enigma/) for less than $300 -- though in your case I'd get the regular length so it can wrap around your head if needed. Lots of hikers use the Neoair pads, also for good reason, though you'll likely need the XTherm for the insulation -- which is crucial to have under your body.

If you want to leave in February, then the bag and pad are much more important and much more expensive (as is the whole hike). Leaving in mid April gives you better weather and the 20F quilt will be fine the whole way.

Those three add up to about $700, which is not that much of a stretch, again given the total cost of a thru.

Good luck with the planning. :)

[Mugthumper]

I haven't thru hiked so my recommendations are based on trips of up to a week in length. But I will easily agree that the best two pieces of advice is to not go cheap on your pack, shelter, sleeping bag/quilt/insulation. And to purchase your pack last. I've used some of Kelty's gear. Its pretty bombproof. 60L capacity should be plenty with reasonable gear. But Kelty does not offer a pack that I would consider using on a thruhike. Most packs that I've seen them offer are too heavy and have too many pockets and zippers for my liking.

I personally purchased 4 packs along the way, 3 sleeping bags (before moving to quilts), multiple cook sets, clothes, sleeping pads and so on. Over the past few years I have for some reason or other become unsatisfied with nearly every piece of gear I purchased at the start and upgraded. What I realize now is that if in the beginning I had purchased the gear that matched my goals I would have likely saved at least $1,500. But on the flipside, I may have never figured out exactly what it was that I wanted except through trial and error.

I would weigh every piece of gear that you plan to carry and figure out what volume of pack will be needed. Find a pack that will carry at least 30 lbs comfortably. You won't be able to tell much from loading a pack with 10 lbs if your normal load with food and water will exceed 25 lbs. Its best to actually fill up a bag with your actual gear, including a full food bag and a couple liters of water to see how it carries. A bag can be awesome at 15 lbs but became really uncomfortable over 30 lbs. It can also be surprising how much volume a tent with poles, 20 degree bag and sleeping pad can take up. The sleeping bag you have looks like it would occupy a lot of real estate.

Once you choose a pack get out as much as you can over the next year and see what gear works for you and what doesn't. You'll have plenty a time to fine tune before you leave next year.

[Mugthumper]

Also, use Ebay or other forums where people are selling used gear or gear that they purchased and never even had the chance to use. Some of the deals that I have found have been incredible. I picked up a brand new 2017 Zpacks Arc Blast with every add on I desired for $180 less than retail price. It was something I wanted but could never convince myself to spend the money on. At the price I couldn't pass it up. Another Ebay find is a Tarptent Notch with about 10 nights of use for $140 off. I primarily hammock camp and I picked up a brand new Hammock Gear Cuben Hex with $80 less than it would have cost me to purchase from the manufacturer when you add in things like shipping and tax since they are local to me. Be patient over the next year, set alerts on items you have your eye on and check daily.

There are also many retailers that will often have decent quality gear for sale at bargain prices; sierra trading post, mountain steals, moosejaw. For example a couple months back I picked up a new neoair xlite for $78 by stacking a promo code with a sale they were having. Nearly all of my clothing has come from STP.

There are deals to be had if you are patient and are diligent about checking for online sales and promotions. Once I figured out exactly what my goals were and the gear necessary(I enjoy high mileage days with minimal time in camp), I decided to drop my base weight, got it to 10lbs and was able to do it for less than $1,000 without skimping on comfort.