Packs specifically for women??

[ToeJam]

Sorry if this has been covered before, but curious if there is anything to packs that are supposedly specifically designed for women's bodies? :-?

I have upgraded alot of things, but still have a pretty low-end generic pack, and if my little tax deductions serve me well this year, I might just be on the lookout and willing to upgrade if the price is right.

Any thoughts??? TIA! :)

[minnesotasmith]

(Running for cover after posting this...)

http://www.eveandersson.com/photos/guatemala/atitlan/panajachel/mother-and-son-large.jpg

[ToeJam]

*snort* Yeah but how could I wear my tiara if I was toting THAT?!

Yeah yeah, I am expecting I may well be told there is no real difference besides size (and maybe some purty colors lol) and it's all just a ploy to sell more or more $ packs, but I figured this was the place to ask! I know mine now is pretty darn sucky, so I can only go up from here!

[minnesotasmith]

Are for royalty (which we do not recognize in America), and for wealthy young women to wear at their own formal weddings. That's it. They do not have a legitimate role in life otherwise IMO.

[baseballswthrt]

There are many different packs for women. I never could find one that fit me correctly. You need to go to an outfitters and try several on. I currently have a Gregory Z pack. I tried and bought many before I settled with it. I went to the outfitters and took all of my stuff including food for 3 days and 2 liters of water and packed packs and tried them on until I was happy. I wasn't about to sink almost $200 into something my stuff wouldn't fit into or didn't fit properly.

You should not get this pack if you are carrying over 30 lbs! In November we went backpacking with all of our winter stuff and it weighed 34 lbs with food and water. It didn't carry well. During the winter, I will have to use my old mountainsmith pack. It is heavier in and of itself by about 4 lbs, but carries more weight more comfortably. I used it last winter and didn't have the feeling of too much weight on my shoulders. The Z was great this summer with only 23 lbs in it. It rode like a feather! When I put the winter weight in it, it rode on my shoulders and wore me out!

[Nameless]

Hello,

Knowing what type of pack weight you will be carring is helpfull. Do you plan to carry 30-40 lbs worth of weight, or 15-25?

I used to carry the larger amounts and loved (and still love, but now use for airplane type travel, not backpacking) my Northface WS Stamina 65. Its a wonderful pack, with a unique hipbelt, that is amazingly comfortable. http://www.outek.com/the_north_face_womens_stamina_65_03_backpacks.htm

Now, as my pack gets lighter and lighter (currently at about a 15 lbs base at the moment) I am getting myself a moonbow gearskin for backpacking. There is a review of one by SRG Rock in the reviews section if you want to learn more about it. Each pack is made individually to fit you correctly, nice if you are an odd size like me (102 lbs, 5'1") It is also about half the price of the Northface, at about $150, but the price depends on what you have done to it, extra pockets and such.

But most importantly, find a pack that works for YOU. That may be different then what works for anyone else. If you want to carry more weight, carry it, or you can make the leap that many of us have, and lighten your load considerably, and use a much lighter pack, with less suspension.

[NICKTHEGREEK]

Both Deuter and Gregory make woman specific packs. I'm sure many others do as well. Generally the pack bag is cut a bit slimmer, and the hipbelt and shoulder harness are designed for - well women. Incidentally, I've carried a deuter 60+10 SL pack with a man's harness for several years and I find it very comfortable, if not just a bit heavy.

[Jack Tarlin]

Osprey's women's packs have been getting great reviews (and many awards) for years; check out the Ariel Series and also the Luna. See www.ospreypacks.com for details

[ToeJam]

Thanks, all. :)

I am hoping/thinking I can stay at or below 30 at the max with full waters. I am sure that is do-able, since I think my max last year was 32 carrying two full waters and we are older and wiser even just a year later, plus the newer lighter gear we have upgraded to. The man carries the water most of the time unless we know we are gonna have to carry more than usual due to a longer potential trp to next water.

So my hope at beginning is right around 30 or less (I carry all/most of the food) and it will go down from there as we eat our 7 days/nights worth of food.

Thanks for Osprey link, I have seen a bit about them - I am going to have to cave and go to the nearest city and try a few on. The hard part is I am such a bargain hunter that it would KILL me to pay their full-price. But I truly think the experience of feeling them on will be invaluable!

Thanks again for input! I have to weigh my old pack too but I am betting that is over 5 lbs anyhow. So even the weight savings besides the comfort etc will help I reckon!

[cyclocrosser]

Well I happen to be a guy and I have to use a women's pack because I have high hips. The differences Between men and women's packs that I know of is that women's packs have a smaller frame to compensate for their smaller torso size and women's packs, in my opinion, ride much higher than mens. I have a Lowe Alpine Sirraco Classic, 4300+1500 cu in., which is pretty big and it cost $239.95. On a 2 week hike it handled 50 to 60 lbs. rather well.

[Mother Nature]

I hesitate to be negative but I would like to point out something about Osprey that severely disappointed me. I spent big bucks for one of their Amelia bags before I did a section hike a few years back. When the bag was 3 years old I contacted Osprey to obtain a larger hipbelt as I never was happy with the original. I was informed that they no longer made my pack despite the fact that my pack was purchased new and they no longer supported any of their old lines of gear. It blew me away. I did get him to take my phone number in the event he heard about any old stockpile of hipbelts. I was surprised to get a call back in about a week and was told that a larger hipbelt was found but it would cost me $85!!!!!

The packs are well made and I don't want to influence your decision but just bear in mind that Osprey doesn't have very good gear support.

Mother Nature

[Jack Tarlin]

Sorry you had a bad experience.

I've carried an Osprey for almost 20,000 miles, including my last seven thru-hikes, and on the very few occasions over the years that I had to make use of their Customer Service/Warranty/Repair department, I found them friendly, efficient, and extremely helpful.

Personally, I think their "Gear Support", like their products, is superb.

[ToeJam]

Thanks for all input. :)

After doing some research, I am liking both the Ariel 60 (altho I like some of the extra features of the 75 I don't need that much space since I am always backpacking with my man) and the Gregory Deva.

SIlly but the main thing I don't like about the Ariel is the asthetics - only a brightish blue or a purple? I mean if the eggplant was VERY muted I could maybe take it, but I'd MUCH prefer a sagey or olive green or grey etc... I know, seems not important but HEY your pack says something about you doesnt it? I'm just not a purple kinda person truth be told, lol...

[Hoppy]

I have a Gregory Deva, and while I am moderately happy with it, I think I'm going to go looking for something else before I thru. The pack itself is a tad on the heavy side ( I don't have the exact weight in front of me) and it doesn't carry heavy weight well at all. (But then again, if you can keep it light, it might be fine). Even though I was fitted for it, I have never really liked the weight distribution that I got from it around my shoulders.

Also, the zippers always get caught on the fabric and that really **** annoys me.

[ToeJam]

Ended up going with a small Gregory Z. :D Got too antsy to wait to get to an outfitters (way out in boonies here and none nearby at all) so I read and read and read some more and found a store that has a good return policy (30 days for any reason) and great price and went for it! I can't wait to get it!! Thanks for all the input tho, everyone! Sounds like there are alot of Z's out there, I'll have to be sure to customize mine with the WB patch and whatever else I can find lol!