View Full Version : pack advice
Hoop Time
03-01-2009, 22:59
I am in need of a new pack and have a couple hundred in Bass Pro Shop gift cards from the holidays. Since I don't really need a lot of new fly fishing stuff, I was thinking maybe I'd use them on a pack. The problem is, they have a relatively limited selection -- mostly Kelty -- and I can't recall seeing Kelty, or any of the other lines they carry, mentioned much here.
Not planning to use this on any through-hike. Just overnights and perhaps a section hike of a week in duration max. Also, I will need something a little bigger than I might look for otherwise because Cookie Monster will be with me sometimes, and at 13, and on the petite side, so I will prob. need something with enough room to carry all our food and maybe some other gear for her, depending on the length of the hike.
Any feedback and advice on what way to go would be appreciated.
mtnkngxt
03-01-2009, 23:03
they carry gregory and the north face packs.
Feral Bill
03-02-2009, 00:37
Even a quite petite 13 year old can carry her fair share, based on size and strength.
An 80 pound kid should be able to carry 20 lbs.
the only items I can see at bass pro of a reasonable weight for distance hiking is a -20 down bag w800 fill and exsos 2 person tent, all of the packs are step back to the 1980's you could stock up on beef jerky and mountain house freeze dry- standard price and selection
hoop time. i see you'll be going to the east mall. not much of a pack selection there. do you know any hicks who shop there frequently who may trade you straight up for cash???
mustangpwr98
03-02-2009, 10:30
People that shop at bass pro are hicks? I hunt fish and camp and I shop there and I am sure not a hick.
don't be so sensitive. let's be real. have you ever walked around and looked at the people there?
Hoop Time
03-02-2009, 22:06
Sounds like maybe I will be getting another fly rod after all. What are your thoughts on Wildware Wags?
Even a quite petite 13 year old can carry her fair share, based on size and strength.
An 80 pound kid should be able to carry 20 lbs.
Ha! You'd like to think so. She just started lifting for basketball and could not even curl the bar with no weight on it. It was funny as hell. But yeah, she should be able to carry enough to sustain herself for an overnighter, or a short section. She has a beautiful little pack that Lone Wolf sent her last year (further testament to what a great guy he is).
SGT Rock
03-02-2009, 22:19
People that shop at bass pro are hicks? I hunt fish and camp and I shop there and I am sure not a hick.
I went to one for the first time the other day - they carry Frogg Toggs. Most hicks I know cannot afford to shop there. Looked to me like a suburbanite hunting and fishing store.
hootyhoo
03-02-2009, 22:25
Kelty has made bomber gear since the 50's. They back their products 100%. I love my Kelty pack. External packs are great, if you can get past the stigma that your pack is supposed to make you look like you are trying to climb Everest. Get a Trekker and it will last you a lifetime. And for hauling your gear and someone elses (heavy)- there is no better loadhauler than a Tioga.
Hoop Time
03-02-2009, 22:47
I went to one for the first time the other day - they carry Frogg Toggs. Most hicks I know cannot afford to shop there. Looked to me like a suburbanite hunting and fishing store.
Depends on what you are shopping for. They do carry some more expensive stuff, but their private labels are pretty decent and well priced. Their in store flyfishing shop is very reasonable compared to a lot of the fancy stand alone fly shops. I bought two fly rods there -- one their private label -- and got what I felt were good deals. Since I am not one of those guys who feels everything has to be Orvis, I was quite happy. Maybe more expensive rods are better, but to me it is like golf -- give me Tiger Woods' clubs and I am still gonna struggle to break 100. Give him my hand-me-down second-hand bag and he will still break par.
wildware is pretty nice and the 2 people i see there all the time (boy and girl) are very friendly. they have your usual suspects:
osprey packs
sierra designs tents
patagonia/MH/marmot clothes
garmont/merrell shoes
a couple different sleeping bags
thermarests
some stoves and filters
stuff sacks (GG and OR)
all their stuff is priced very high :( i still go in there from time to time just to torture myself
I live in the town with the original Bass Pro.The mother-ship. The sales staff knows zero about packing or backpacks here and the main store won't knock down on price at all, even if the gear is damaged. Insist on loading up and trying it out if you buy it there. They are heavy on Kelty's which are heavy. Their fishing stuff is excellent and the outlet has some good deals if you are willing to dig around, but it is hit or miss. The best deal was on Frogg Toggs. Bass Pro caters to tourists doing a weekend in Branson fishing off the dock. We go to Arkansas to buy our backpack gear...!
Hoop Time
03-03-2009, 07:47
I live in the town with the original Bass Pro.The mother-ship. The sales staff knows zero about packing or backpacks here and the main store won't knock down on price at all, even if the gear is damaged. Insist on loading up and trying it out if you buy it there. They are heavy on Kelty's which are heavy. Their fishing stuff is excellent and the outlet has some good deals if you are willing to dig around, but it is hit or miss. The best deal was on Frogg Toggs. Bass Pro caters to tourists doing a weekend in Branson fishing off the dock. We go to Arkansas to buy our backpack gear...!
When I did the story about Bass Pro putting a story here, I was told that original store is the most visited tourist attraction in the state.
You are right about their staff knowing zip. Despite some odd mural on one of the wall's in the local store heralding "Pennsylvania's Appalachian Trail," they really emphasize car camping type gear in their camping section (and oddly, that mural is not even on the same floor as the camping gear, it is downstairs near their NASCAR and golfing stuff). It is a good place to buy things like smartwool type socks -- their store brand is a buck or two less a pair than the name brand -- and some of the clothing they sell for fishing works well for hiking, like guide shirts. Their store brand is almost identical to Columbia except for the pricetag.
Hey Hoops, if your not sold on the fly fishing stuff, I like the idea of trading the cards for cash.
I can't believe they put Bass Pro in the East Mall. Talk about mis-location. Anyone not within 20 miles east is going to Cabelas. Shoulda put it on the West Shore. Somewhere along the Carlisle Pike. Nothing comparable on that side of the river.
Wildware is my home store and I still pick up a trinket or two there, but it is way expensive and very hard to justify the cost at this point when you can get nearly a 30-40% discount at some online retailers.
Gander Mt. doesn't seem to know what they are doing and that is a good thing. If you ever head to their hiking/camping section you can sometimes catch something that is ridiculously priced.
You writing any articles on the trail this year?
Hoop Time
03-03-2009, 21:31
I actually broke the story when Bass Pro was coming. They were trying to keep it all secret at the township level when they were getting some approvals. All they would say was "sporting goods." But they were talking about taking over a two-floor space that used to be a Wanamakers, and with Gaylans having been bought out by Dicks, there were not too many possibilities. Then when I did some research, I found the architects BPS uses for their stores. When I called them, the architect I talked to happened to be from Schuylkill County and gave me the scoop. Almost cost him his job.
But you are right, they didn't take Cabelas into proper account. Most of Bass Pro's stores draw from at least a 100 mile radius, but really from Lebanon east, Cabelas is closer. Personally, I prefer Cabelas fly fishing gear over Bass Pro, but it is right here, so I make due.
As for Wildware, I have not been overly impressed. They have good stuff, but it is pricey and the selection is not great. Seems like they are more interested in the canoe/kayak end of their business. And talk about somebody that ought be on the Carlisle Pike. If I were them, I'd find a spot out close to where the AT crosses. Locals will drive to wherever they are because they are the only store in town. But proximity for hikers to resupply would be good for business, both in sales to hikers on the trail, and in the added atmosphere of authenticity.
freakflyer9999
03-04-2009, 13:23
I am in need of a new pack and have a couple hundred in Bass Pro Shop gift cards from the holidays. Since I don't really need a lot of new fly fishing stuff, I was thinking maybe I'd use them on a pack. The problem is, they have a relatively limited selection -- mostly Kelty -- and I can't recall seeing Kelty, or any of the other lines they carry, mentioned much here.
Not planning to use this on any through-hike. Just overnights and perhaps a section hike of a week in duration max. Also, I will need something a little bigger than I might look for otherwise because Cookie Monster will be with me sometimes, and at 13, and on the petite side, so I will prob. need something with enough room to carry all our food and maybe some other gear for her, depending on the length of the hike.
Any feedback and advice on what way to go would be appreciated.
I have a slightly used (3 or 4 days total) Cabelas Ridgeline pack (http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0064262518789a&type=product&cmCat=SEARCH_all&returnPage=search-results1.jsp&Ntk=Products&QueryText=ridgeline+pack&sort=all&_D%3AhasJS=+&N=0&Nty=1&hasJS=true&_DARGS=%2Fcabelas%2Fen%2Fcommon%2Fsearch%2Fsearch-box.jsp.form23&_dyncharset=ISO-8859-1) or a very similar off brand pack (from Ebay) that I would trade for $75 in Bass Pro Gift Cards. If interested email me at freakflyer9999 at gmail dot com.
I'm going to a much lighter pack. Probably an Osprey Exos 58.
See if Bass Pro has or can order the Agile 4200 or the model just below it ( I believe it is 3500 cu inch but not sure ). Anyways, it is a bit lighter material but still rugged. One size fits most. The 4200 is about 3 lbs 12 oz which is in the ball park for the likes of Osprey, Granite Gear . Good pack, only one color, rust ( ugh ) , certainly not the trendiest but it gets the job done. Not ultralight but light weight.
Up here a hick is just someone who lives in more rural areas. They tend to be pretty capable.
The also still have small hardware stores where you can find alot of very useful stuff.
When I go to the woods I consider myself a hick in training.
But you are right, they didn't take Cabelas into proper account. Most of Bass Pro's stores draw from at least a 100 mile radius, but really from Lebanon east, Cabelas is closer. Personally, I prefer Cabelas fly fishing gear over Bass Pro, but it is right here, so I make due.
The relative proximity seems to be a draw from the areas in our state that one presidential candidate called "bitter" last year. Since Bass Pro is closer to many of those areas and in proximity to Hersheypark they seem to do ok on sloppy seconds. It was packed in there for their Christmas Santa Claus celebration, and as my daughter pointed out, their Santa (on that shift at least) had a real beard!
As for Wildware, I have not been overly impressed. They have good stuff, but it is pricey and the selection is not great. Seems like they are more interested in the canoe/kayak end of their business. And talk about somebody that ought be on the Carlisle Pike. If I were them, I'd find a spot out close to where the AT crosses. Locals will drive to wherever they are because they are the only store in town. But proximity for hikers to resupply would be good for business, both in sales to hikers on the trail, and in the added atmosphere of authenticity.
Well the sign for the other formerly affiliated location is still there on the Carlisle Pike. I can remember when they had a two-story store in the Camp Hill Mall and a location in Ithaca as well. Although I am loath to pile on local outfitters that get the job done, what we need now here is an REI. We do barely meet their real estate department's posted criteria http://www.rei.com/aboutrei/realestate.html , and I happened to be able to make that point to some of their executives personally last year.
I've also been buying gear here: http://www.wildasaphoutfitters.com/ which is conveniently close to where I tend to be using it!
freakflyer9999
03-04-2009, 15:42
The relative proximity seems to be a draw from the areas in our state that one presidential candidate called "bitter" last year. Since Bass Pro is closer to many of those areas and in proximity to Hersheypark they seem to do ok on sloppy seconds. It was packed in there for their Christmas Santa Claus celebration, and as my daughter pointed out, their Santa (on that shift at least) had a real beard!
Well the sign for the other formerly affiliated location is still there on the Carlisle Pike. I can remember when they had a two-story store in the Camp Hill Mall and a location in Ithaca as well. Although I am loath to pile on local outfitters that get the job done, what we need now here is an REI. We do barely meet their real estate department's posted criteria http://www.rei.com/aboutrei/realestate.html , and I happened to be able to make that point to some of their executives personally last year.
I've also been buying gear here: http://www.wildasaphoutfitters.com/ which is conveniently close to where I tend to be using it!
Here in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, we are lucky enough to have a wide choice of outdoor retailers. Bass Pro Shops, Cabelas, Dicks, Back Woods and REI as well as a couple of great local retailers.