Day packs?

[desdemona]

You guys/gals are full of great ideas!

Anyway, I am about to be looking for a day pack. Right now I have been hiking with a small bookbag. Seems that the longer I do this, the more I want more decent stuff. I got this bag in the first place as it was small, and I could put it in luggage and pack use it on vacations. I think I could cut out a little weight and also I would like the bag to take weight off my shoulders and have some straps over the chest. I need to be able to get water easily.

I am short (5'1") and not really looking for a Camelpack. I hate the taste of water held in soft plastic. I carry water, snacks, first aid kit, that sort of thing.


--des

[Tennessee Viking]

Walmart has some really cheap hydration packs and day packs. Around $15-30. Mine has a bladder pouch and a pouch for a CD player in the main compartment. A small and large outside pouch. The a bottle pocket on one side. And another pocket pouch on the other.

I can fit my camp shovel, TP, flashlight, and emergency supplies in the large pouch

Usually on my longer day hikes, I will carry my frame pack, just in case I get stuck or if I need to carry extra food and water.

Its real easy to get the plastic taste out of a water bladder. Some use lemon juice and vinegar. On one of my bladders, I put mine in the dishwasher a couple times, and it got the plastic taste out fast. On my other, I ran hot soapy water through it, rinsed, filled again, stashed in the refrigator, and repeated about 3 times. Only had the plastic tast for about 3 hikes.

[Peaks]

After the seams gave out on my basic backpack, I bought an Osprey day pack. Thus far, very happy with it.

[Cabin Fever]

Large Camelbaks are great for daypacks. I also love the large lumbar packs from Mountainsmith if you can don't want a hydration pack.

[Mags]

I never liked Cambelbacks. YMMV.

Having said that,

REI OUTLET (http://www.rei.com/REI-Outlet/search?vcat=OUTLET_SEARCH&query=day+packs&x=0&y=0) usually has some good deals.

For a day pack, a hip belt is always good.

[ScottP]

My favorite backpack (so far) for thru-hiking is just a bookbag--nothing wrong with it. Don't get suckered into spending lots of money on some overbuilt junk.

[Cuffs]

I'll second Mags thoughts on having a hip belt!

I had a Kelty day pack, no hip belt, and after several miles I could feel the weight in my shoulders... not a good feeling either!

I recently bought a Osprey Talon (33) and cant say enough good things about this pack! Has room for all the necessities and then some. Plus a great hip belt with pockets! And its sooo light! They have this pack in smaller sizes too...

[tazie]

Hi des, I'm with Mags, rei has some good deals and nice selection. I have a "life is good" cinch-top daypack, but right now my hikes are short (2-4hrs) so I don't carry much. And I'll agree a hip belt sounds good! Cuffs, I'm going to check out your bag. I'm due for something new, too.
Des, when we lived in NM, the rei in duke city was off mercantile. Have you been there? Good luck and good hikes.

[Mags]

My favorite backpack (so far) for thru-hiking is just a bookbag--nothing wrong with it. Don't get suckered into spending lots of money on some overbuilt junk.

While I agree with that sentiment (my daypack until recently (http://www.pmags.com/gearpics/pack_front.JPG)was $25 in 1996 and I used it HARD for 11 yrs. Day hiking, ski touring, canyoneering, etc. I replaced it with a $30 pack (ah..inflation. ;) ), a bookbag w/o a hipbelt is not an ideal solution for most people.


Women esp. tend to do better with more weight on the hips and less on the shoulders.

I just noticed the original poster is in NM. You can probably find a good used (or discount pack) for ~$30 locally as well.

[margo]

Just because it's a camelbak doesn't mean you have to use the bladder. Sometimes I just put flat things and the bladder compartment and use bottles. Of course if it's very heavy you will want a hipbelt.

I have a mountainsmith approach II for women that has become my favorite daypack. The hipbelt is a little flimsey though but fine for just dayhiking stuff.

I also have a deuter 48 futura backpack which is probably large for a daypack but they make smaller volumes. They have lots of pockets and organizational features which add some weight kind of defeats the "daypack" title. Gregory has a couple of smaller ones as well.

[mudhead]

I, too, need a new daypack. I bought a sale EMS item that just does not ride happily. My oldie has started to blow out. Everything I look at has junk hanging off it, or you would not want to toss it ahead of you.

Get something semi-rugged. Rocks and spines in your neck of the woods would mess up alot of fussy packs.

Anyone know what became of "Wilderness Experience?"

[desdemona]

I'm not so concerned about the idea of carrying a bookbag, as I think it seems well-made. I like the side mesh bags that easily hold two bottles of water. My main concern is hours carrying stuff solely on the shoulders. I know of other "older" women who developed neck pain (and not even by hiking) so I was interested in redistributing the weight. It may not be a lot of weight, but after 3 hours or so, it gets pretty old. Not much of a problem, imo, for 1-2 hour little jaunt, but I am talking actual day hike.

I agree that the extra pockets, little carriers, etc. on the bookbag add some extra weight, though I don't think it is adding all that much, when every little bit isn't mattering that much (unlike a real backpack).

I go to the REI on Mercantile, nice store. I can check it out. There are a couple of stores that sell discount stuff that I haven't checked out. I haven't actually looked for one btw. I thought I'd ask the opinion of the group here. You might not all agree, but it usually provides a nice list of options and I can go from there. I think it is the beauty of an active group.




--des