Help with Backpack

[traildust]

Son is 28 - 6 ft 5 inches has a 36 inch waist. Wants to come with me for a few days on some section hikes. Any recommendations for pack for the long tall drink of water son?

[Ironbelly]

One of the best packs in my opinion for the price is a Kelty Coyote 4750. That is the pack I use, and I absolutely love it. Amazing quality, durability(absolutely bombproof, this also causes the weight to be a tad higher) and functionality for the low price tag. Kelty has a lifetime warranty on their packs as well.

Depending on the gear situation the Coyote may be too big. I use it for my solo trips. Kelty makes a bunch of different models that are smaller than the Coyote. If your on a budget, or even if your not I highly sugggest you check out Kelty packs.

You can also rent packs from places like REI, EMS etc

[BigHodag]

Rather than spend a lot of money, why not try the $30 Outdoor Products Arrowhead 8.0 from Walmart. I used the 2 lb, 3100 cu. in. pack for a two week section hike recently and saw two others on the trail as well. My gear list (http://trailjournals.com/gear.cfm?trailname=10727) for this pack is on TrailJournals.com. My pack weighed 23 pounds at ATC Boiling Springs. I also used a $30 GI poncho liner to save weight and space as well as a $17 Grand Trunk hammock.

Holds one set of clothes, a $19 3lb sleeping bag, food, & water. Three pockets hold small FA kit, head lamp and hygiene kit. My 21 y/o daughter carried just that on a weekender with the pack. Strapped a foam pad to the gear loops/daisy chain on back.

My only complaint is the straps are thin and need extra padding. Pick up 1-2 auto seat belt pads to beef up the shoulder pads. Also, the matching 2-liter hydro bag is just $9 at Walmart. Get a spare bite valve for $2 while you're at it.

[skinewmexico]

You need his torso length to size a pack.

[Marta]

I took my older son, "Slim," to Mount Rogers Outfitters to get a pack. He's 6'5" and weighs about 180. He ended up with one of the ULA packs, their largest size, with an XS waist belt.

What you're looking for is shoulder straps that have padding that reaches up over his shoulders and down around the front of his body to around his armpits. When the shoulder straps fit like that, the bottom of the pack should reach at least his lower back.

The padding on the hip belt should cover his hip bones. The belt should be tight enough to give him some support.

A pack that's too small looks like a small child taking a piggy-back ride. It just perches on your back but you have to expend a lot of energy to keep it in place. Okay for a short distance, but painful after a while.

[traildust]

Thanks for the suggestions. Defintely don't want him to look like he is giving a child a ride.

[Ironbelly]

I would imagine a 30$ pack from walmart is about as comfortable as getting a boot shoved up your ***. Hey I may be wrong and it may somehow be comfortable, cut it probally wont last long. I have seen way too many people buy crap gear, and a few months or so later and they are buying new gear.

Shell out a little more, and buy a quality pack/ other gear from the gitgo. Not saying you have to drop 300$+ or anything, but i think you get my point.

[Cool AT Breeze]

Call ULA, they will ask you for some measurments and build him a custom pack for about 200.00. Same price as off the shelf.