packs

[ridgeviewer]

my son and i are going to do the 72 miles on the at thru the smokies in sept. am looking at the external frame jansport carson pack. any insight or suggestions on other packs. went hiking out this summer in glacier basin colorado and used a small day pack as we came back to camp each night. this will be totally different.

[Mountain Wildman]

If you prefer an external frame then your options are limited, Jansport is an excellent company, I received the Jansport Ranier as a gift around 20 years ago, I recently sent it to Jansport to repair a broken zipper and stretched bottle holder and they repaired and returned it at no charge(lifetime warranty), You can't go wrong with a Jansport. Kelty also has a nice offering of externals such as the Trekker or the Tioga if you want a larger capacity, Kelty is a very well made pack, I have not seen the Carson up close but the Kelty packs are definitely a thicker material compared to my old Jansport Ranier.
Outdoor Products, Alps and Mountainsmith also have Externals but I am not familiar with them.

[grayfox]

I still use my '80's Jansport D series pack when I have a lot of stuff(like for the kids)to carry. The temptation is to fill it up, so if you can get by with something smaller you might be happier with your pack weight if you buy a smaller pack.

The pack is very adjustable so you should be able to fit it comfortably no matter what your shape is. It is also cool on hot days and comfortable with heavy loads. It is a bargain at 120 or so regular price but look for a deal--I've seen this pack in the 70 dollar range quite often.

Think about renting or borrowing a pack before you buy one. That will tell you a lot about what you really need and want. REI rents, possibly by mail but I'm not sure. Try a local college or club or ask all your friends if they have a pack to lend or know someone who does.

This is a very good pack but we need to know more about you and how you want to use it to tell if it is good for you--even then-- we won't be carrying it.