View Full Version : 3100 cu.in. pack for 4 days/3 nights?
What are your thoughts on this? I'm new to hiking and thought I might get a medium sized pack for my hike and strap the sleeping bag and pad to the bottom using the strap points on the bag. It's a summer trip so I don't need a lot of bulky cold gear either.
totally depends on what you try to carry in that pack. This is the kind of backpacking I do. I have a ray-way pack that is 3100cc, and is more than enough. I travel lean, but always have plenty to eat, and sleep comfortable. If you carry stuff outside your pack, make sure you are prepared for rain.
Homer&Marje
07-26-2009, 08:22
I carry tent or tarps outside the pack vs the sleeping bag. If your tent gets wet it's less of a big deal than your sleeping bag getting wet. Should keep that at the bottom inside a trash bag with your clothes.
Nasty Dog Virus
07-26-2009, 10:24
totally depends on what you try to carry in that pack.
Agreed. I recently did a 4 day / 3 night hike with a 2900 cu. in. pack.
My Gear List for that trip is here....
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=52121&highlight=gear+list
My pad was on the outside of the pack but everything else was inside.
SmokeEater
07-26-2009, 12:26
My First section hike I used a Kelty 3100 for 5 days. I had no probs with keeping everything in my pack including tent, pad and sleeping bag. But I did buy a larger pack for my next trip and enjoyed the extra space. ULE are great packs and light!
mister krabs
07-26-2009, 12:27
Definately doable in the summer, even if your gear is not the best you won't be bringing much insulation. It all depends on how bulky your shelter and sleeping system are. If all your stuff fits in a tall kitchen garbage bag, (13 gallons 3000 cu. in.) you should be good to go.
My First section hike I used a Kelty 3100 for 5 days. I had no probs with keeping everything in my pack including tent, pad and sleeping bag. But I did buy a larger pack for my next trip and enjoyed the extra space. ULE are great packs and light!
I think you mean't ULA? (http://www.ula-equipment.com/)
Where are you going ED?
anarky321
07-26-2009, 13:45
i have a 3500cu external frame, a Dicks-exclusive model apparently (which is on sale right now at Dick's for only 79.99 =D ) that allows tons of stuff to be strapped onto the outside and has such large front and side pockets that 3500 is hardly a space-constraint; i find it much more comfortable and useful to have as much stuff as possible strapped to the back - tent, pad, sleeping bag, bush camo + boots + rain coat in a stuffsack, etc. ; since the external has a special curved area on the bottom under the pack for strapping on things, the small size of the main compartment is not an issue
i used to hike with internals and could never have this much organization and carrying capacity with that small of a pack (3500cu); i would say in the summer 3100 is perfectly doable for a 4-day hike
It is all in what you think you need. My thru was with a 3000 ci pack, albeit crammed at times.
SmokeEater
07-26-2009, 15:00
[quote=Austexs;872645]I think you mean't ULA? (http://www.ula-equipment.com/)
Thats what I said. lol.
We're going to the Watuaga/Damascus area.
I'm looking at the Kelty Redwing 3100 because it would be a multi-purpose pack for me after this trip. I do a lot of hunting and it would be great for that too.
I have my bag and it is a 2# bag that gets pretty small and my brother is bringing the tent in a larger pack. :)
Nasty Dog Virus
07-26-2009, 15:51
I'm looking at the Kelty Redwing 3100 because it would be a multi-purpose pack for me after this trip. I do a lot of hunting and it would be great for that too.
I have one of these packs and only use it as a travel bag. I tried to hike a few days with 25-30 lbs in the pack and it was brutally uncomfortable. There is very little support provided by the 1in support bar. The torso length is not adjustable in any way...and this may have been my problem as I am 6'1"/22in torso. I like the pack for travel and its comfortable with less than 20lbs but I'll never take it on a multiday backpacking trip again...
Ox97GaMe
07-26-2009, 18:16
my pack is 3200cc. It works well for every hiking trip I take, wheter an overnighter, or out for several weeks at a time. As was mentioned, it depends on your gear. You want a pack that will hold the gear adaquately without having to strap a lot of things on the outside.
As you become more experienced, you realized that you want things are not only lighter, but more compact. For example.. sometimes it is an advantage to buy a compression sack for your sleeping bag rather than just ball it up in a garbage bag. Space is at a premium, especially at 3100cc.
Suggestion: Instead of strapping the sleeping bag on the outside, look at putting things on the outside that wont matter too much if they get wet/damp. ALWAYS try to keep the sleeping bag inside the pack and dry. Outside gear could include tent/tarp/rainfly, cookpot, fuel bottle, rain jacket, camp shoes. Basically everything IN the pack you want to stay dry. Anything that doesnt matter if it gets wet, or already is wet, can go on the outside.
Happy hiking.
anarky321
07-26-2009, 18:38
put a plastic bag inside the compression sack before putting in the sleeping bag, that way you can strap it on the outside without it getting wet
skinewmexico
07-26-2009, 23:24
I bet compression sacks have ruined more sleeping bags than ...........just about anything else.
I have one of these packs and only use it as a travel bag. I tried to hike a few days with 25-30 lbs in the pack and it was brutally uncomfortable. There is very little support provided by the 1in support bar. The torso length is not adjustable in any way...and this may have been my problem as I am 6'1"/22in torso. I like the pack for travel and its comfortable with less than 20lbs but I'll never take it on a multiday backpacking trip again...
Thanks for the feedback.
I was fitted for one and it seemed to fit and I am right under 6'1".
I'll double check. Any other recommendations in this size range?
[quote=Austexs;872645]I think you mean't ULA? (http://www.ula-equipment.com/)
Thats what I said. lol.
Maybe so, but you wrote:
"ULE are great packs and light!"
;)
I have several packs. Sometimes I use a GG mariposa Plus. keep tarp, stove, tyvek on the outside.
But sometimes I wonder if it would not be better to have slightly larger pack and put everything inside where is is protected from thorns, cactus, mesquite bushes, etc.
Of course, the AT is quite different, I'm sure.
Just my two cents.
I bought the Redwing 3100 yesterday and packed all the gear I have so far into it and added some extra weight to simulate what it will be like.
Sleeping bag in the bottom
Uggg... no way to edit a post?
I bought the Redwing 3100 yesterday and packed all the gear I have so far into it and added some extra weight to simulate what it will be like.
Sleeping bag in the bottom and stuff sacks with rain gear and clothes on top of that. Put a big coleman propane tank in there for weight (will use smaller butane tank) my first aid kit, toiletries, cook pot (minus pocket rocket stove I haven't bought yet) a pair of really heavy boots for weight (simulate food?) and one 750ml Nalgene in a side pocket full of water. Strapped my 80's vintage therma-rest on the bottom and then weighed it all.
20 lbs.
I know I'll need more water and will need to replace the boots with food. I have a few very small things to add to the first aid kit like bandages and I'll be carrying half a 2-man tent.
I think I should be in at around 25-30 lbs.
I think it will be a snug fit but doable, especially if I take the warm clothes out of a stuff sack and push them in the crevices.
What do you guys think?
What are your thoughts on this? I'm new to hiking and thought I might get a medium sized pack for my hike and strap the sleeping bag and pad to the bottom using the strap points on the bag. It's a summer trip so I don't need a lot of bulky cold gear either.
Even though you are new to hiking you are hiking in summer when gear tends to be less bulky or necessary, you are carrying your sleeping bag and pad on the outside, and you are only going for 4 days. You should find 3100 Cubes plenty volumous enough for your trip. Now, try to choose a pack under 3 lbs, which is easily doable. You may even find a pack to your liking that has those cubes and weighs less than 2 lbs.
Welcome, to backpacking and hiking.
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/golite_dawn_review.html
I hiked the Hundred Mile Wilderness with this pack in September last year. I used a Supercat Stove, a sleeping bag rated for 40 degrees (which has actually kept me warm in a hammock tent at 5 degrees) which weighs 1.5 lbs., very minimal clothing (basically 1 set of hiking clothes, one set of long underwear, one poncho, one windbreaker, one fleece jacket, and three pair of socks). At the start, the food bag was sticking about 8" above the top of my pack, making it a little uncomfortable, but after two days it was manageable, after 5 it disappeared, figuratively. The entire trip took 9 days (plus 2 more to climb Katahdin). I never weighed my full pack but estimate it to have been around 34 lbs. at the start.
Sure, you can do it, just pack thoughtfully and carefully.
waywardfool
07-29-2009, 13:55
I bought the Redwing 3100 yesterday and packed all the gear
I bought myself a Redwing 3100 last year. I use it dayhiking, as 1) my wife takes a waistpack, and I usually end up carrying her raingear or fleece, and lunch for both of us, and 2) I'm a photo nut, and on many trips will have a couple of extra lenses, etc. Pack weight for a dayhike (now, this is usually 10-12 hours out, not just a couple of hours) runs 14 to 16 pounds typically. (yeah, yeah, I know, some of you could do a week on that) :)
I think it would carry very comfortably with up to 25 pounds or so. You'll like it. Did you get the current version? STP had some deals on last year's version.
I got the 09 version at the local REI. Behind the curve on getting ready since work had me traveling for the last 6 weeks and I did not want to mail order something I hadn't tried so I'll pay the premium for it being on a shelf.
I like the design of the outside pockets and everything fits inside except the water bottles and the therma-rest. I bought a snap buckle webbing strap for the sleeping pad. I'll do some 2-3 mile walks around here before we go to make sure it all fits right, etc.
Berserker
07-30-2009, 12:47
Definitely do things how you want to do them. For me, I don't like having anything strapped to the outside of my pack except for a small foam pad I use to sit on, and my Crocs. Everything else goes inside, or is secured in the outside mesh pockets (depending on which pack I am using). Typically the only things that go in the outside pockets are my water bladders, potty trowel, tent parts (stakes and poles) and water filter (for easy access to fill up).
Definitely do things how you want to do them. For me, I don't like having anything strapped to the outside of my pack except for a small foam pad I use to sit on, and my Crocs. Everything else goes inside, or is secured in the outside mesh pockets (depending on which pack I am using). Typically the only things that go in the outside pockets are my water bladders, potty trowel, tent parts (stakes and poles) and water filter (for easy access to fill up).
That's they way mine is shaping up now. The only thing in addition to what you listed is my thermarest strapped on the bottom.
Uggg... no way to edit a post?
I bought the Redwing 3100 yesterday and packed all the gear I have so far into it and added some extra weight to simulate what it will be like.
Sleeping bag in the bottom and stuff sacks with rain gear and clothes on top of that. Put a big coleman propane tank in there for weight (will use smaller butane tank) my first aid kit, toiletries, cook pot (minus pocket rocket stove I haven't bought yet) a pair of really heavy boots for weight (simulate food?) and one 750ml Nalgene in a side pocket full of water. Strapped my 80's vintage therma-rest on the bottom and then weighed it all.
20 lbs.
I know I'll need more water and will need to replace the boots with food. I have a few very small things to add to the first aid kit like bandages and I'll be carrying half a 2-man tent.
I think I should be in at around 25-30 lbs.
I think it will be a snug fit but doable, especially if I take the warm clothes out of a stuff sack and push them in the crevices.
What do you guys think?
Definitely doable. Especially if you use up all the crevices. Overstuffed stuff sacks pack like bowling balls. Better to get stuffsacks larger than you need and understuff them so they conform to the shape of the inside of your pack. My sleep clothes go in with my sleeping bag, food sack on top of that, stove and cookset on top of that, warm up clothing for rest stops on top of that, and raingear and water treatment at the very top.