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I am attempting the AT next year with one other person and I decided to go with my old boy scout roots and stick with an external frame backpack. Since my previous one was made for a 16 year old doing weekend hikes I will be upgrading. I want to stick with kelty because even though I'm not going to use my old pack, it's still very useable and durable. I found and old kelty at a used gear store for $50 and will buy that one unless someone wants to suggest a different brand.
Fetter
CrumbSnatcher
03-03-2012, 18:41
externals are not for everyone, but to me the external frame pack was, and still is the best pack for the job(AT hiking)
the pack wears higher and distributes the weights more on the hips and legs and not on the shoulders!
CrumbSnatcher
03-03-2012, 18:44
I am attempting the AT next year with one other person and I decided to go with my old boy scout roots and stick with an external frame backpack. Since my previous one was made for a 16 year old doing weekend hikes I will be upgrading. I want to stick with kelty because even though I'm not going to use my old pack, it's still very useable and durable. I found and old kelty at a used gear store for $50 and will buy that one unless someone wants to suggest a different brand.
Fetter
welcome to WB
HiKen2011
03-03-2012, 18:44
I was gunna say talk to crumbsnatcher but you already chimed in.
CrumbSnatcher
03-03-2012, 18:54
2 kelty external super tioga packs
1 kelty external 50th year anniversary pack
1 kelty external 40th year anniversary pack(super tioga)
1 dana design external k2 shortbed pack
1 brand new ULA internal pack, givin' to me to try out----sold on WB ;)
HiKen2011
03-03-2012, 18:58
2 kelty external super tioga packs
1 kelty external 50th year anniversary pack
1 kelty external 40th year anniversary pack(super tioga)
1 dana design external k2 shortbed pack
1 brand new ULA internal pack, givin' to me to try out----sold on WB ;)
Which one is your favorite?
HiKen2011
03-03-2012, 19:02
A lot of older literature said that external was a better choice for the AT. Seems to have changed over the years.
CrumbSnatcher
03-03-2012, 19:18
most hikers use internals and thats fine, whatever floats your boat :-) :cool: HYOH and enjoy it!
to me the external weighs 5-7 pounds but makes a 40 pound load feel like 25 pounds (transfers the weight to the hips and legs and very little weight on the shoulders)
my ULA internal weighed like 1 pound and made a 30 pound load feel like a 30 pound load ( i always felt like all the weight was on the shoulders)
SouthMark
03-03-2012, 19:57
At times I kinda miss my ole Colin Fletcher inspired Trailwise. Wish I still had it. I keep searching for one on Ebay, etc.
CrumbSnatcher
03-03-2012, 20:14
I am attempting the AT next year with one other person and I decided to go with my old boy scout roots and stick with an external frame backpack. Since my previous one was made for a 16 year old doing weekend hikes I will be upgrading. I want to stick with kelty because even though I'm not going to use my old pack, it's still very useable and durable. I found and old kelty at a used gear store for $50 and will buy that one unless someone wants to suggest a different brand.
Fetter99 out of 100 hikers are wearing internals, alot of accomplished hikers at that! all im saying is don't be scared away from trying one if thats what you want to do :-) have a great hike
shelterbuilder
03-03-2012, 21:44
W-A-Y back when, externals were considered to be the only way to go. Of course, way back when, the equipment weighed a lot more, too!
And then, equipment started getting lighter, and companies started marketing internals...and that's fine - HYOH. But I seem to remember that when internals started to really gain a foothold, one of the marketing stratagies was to say that internals were great for climbers and off-trail hikers, because there was no external frame to catch on rocks or brush.
One thing that I ABSOLUTELY LOVE about my externals is that there are so many pockets! I'm a "neat-freak", and all of those pockets really make organizing your stuff easy. And Crumbsnatcher is right - the weight carries on your hips, not your shoulders. The pack can be packed with the heaviest items toward the bottom, and the lighter stuff above. (And for guys like me who sweat like crazy, they offer superior ventilation for the back.)
Remember - just because the pack can hold 6500 cu. in., doesn't mean that you have to fill it!
CrumbSnatcher
03-03-2012, 22:23
my dogs gear and food fit real good in my super tioga :-)
Check out Campmor for a new retro D2--in orange no less!
k2basecamp
03-04-2012, 10:05
I still use my Alpenlite 30 year old external. Did Katahdin to Washington with it this past summer.
Simply the best fitting and carrying pack for me !
Tuckahoe
03-04-2012, 10:20
Kelty Trekker 3950 here. Like many grew up using an external frame. When I got back into backpacking I tried out the internal framed packs, simply because that was what everyone else was using. Internals just werent for me and I happily went and bought and external. I think it carries the load better.
LockJaww
03-04-2012, 10:27
I began last year with a Kelty external frame and I was very happy with it. I have always prefered an external( hiked for years with a Jansport D5 I believe it was ) . As the weather warmed up and I fined tuned my load I downsized to a smaller pack ( an internal frame Dueter ). The only reason I got the internal was because nobody had a smaller external.
The Dueter was my first experience with an internal frame pack . Its a nice pack and did the job expected of it but it did take me a bit of getting used to the way it carried as opposed to an external frame. I prefer an external.
4eyedbuzzard
03-04-2012, 11:06
...1 kelty external 40th year anniversary pack(super tioga)
my dogs gear and food fit real good in my super tioga :-)
I do miss that puppy from time to time - glad that it has found a good home :)
CrumbSnatcher
03-04-2012, 11:15
buzzard, i know gear is made to be used! but i have never used the pack you sold me, it hangs on the wall.
4eyedbuzzard
03-04-2012, 11:24
buzzard, i know gear is made to be used! but i have never used the pack you sold me, it hangs on the wall.I only used it about half a dozen times, and then only for a few weekends with the kids when they were young - hence the almost brand new condition. Honestly, my current "big four" weighs about what that pack weighs empty. But it could haul a Tipi Walter size load when needed (like hiking with a 3 and 5 year old and carrying most of their stuff)! A nice collector's item if nothing else though.
CrumbSnatcher
03-04-2012, 11:50
it might weigh a little more than the one i used from 98'
honestly the pack weight never bothered me, super tioga 6-7 pounds, 3 pound sleeping bag, water filter, dogs gear food,2 sleeping pads(air matress for the dog z-rest for me)30-45 pounds on avg. but even after a thru i weigh around 215. me and my pooch would hike 12-15 miles a day usually, sometimes more. my dog would let me know :-) she did a few 20,s.
later on in 2002-2003 she was getting older,we had friends along the trail, so she took some zeros why i hiked like miss j, bob peoples,rob-birdcage, many more
i would lighten the pack of dog food and gear but usually would still carry my pack. people can and have hiked some very big days with externals including me :-)
CrumbSnatcher
03-04-2012, 12:06
i used to get weird stares from others when i would pull things from my pack like jars of salsa,a big can or 2 of parmesan cheese,six pack of pepsi or things like that :-)
my first thru tent was a quest praying mantis
i used to joke that you needed a tent big enough to "host in" was great on rainy days :-)
Hawkwind61
03-05-2012, 22:37
I grew up with externals...tried really hard to get a comfortable internal...but due to my very short torso I cannot get a comfortable pack with the volume I need to carry beyond three days worth of food and gear...so I just bought myself the small/medium Kelty Trekker. Already I am happier with the fit. Weekend test hike at Mt Greylock in May...then the Long Trail later this summer. I am also a bit of a neat freak and am very happy with the pockets to keep my gear sorted. Especially my gravity filter kit. I am in the process of making some small modifications to the pack.
springerfever
02-19-2014, 23:31
I haven't used an external frame pack since a trip down to Havasupi Falls back in '86. Recently scored on a sweet deal on a Trailwise Model 74 in excellent condition. Looking forward to puttin' some miles on her before too long on the AT around Standing Indian.
Couple of questions.
Some of the externals have the u-shaped upper extension added (like mine), while others just have caps on the top of the vertical tubes. Other than the ability to add a tent, sleeping bag, etc...are there other advantages to using this add-on ?
I see a lot of these early externals with an upgraded hipbelt. Can anyone recommend a particular manufacturer for an improved hipbelt. The TW belt/buckle is pretty cool. I like its operation. Its a medium and I really need a large. Might as well find one thats got a little more padding and preferably a small pocket for a camera and other doodads.
HooKooDooKu
02-20-2014, 00:02
I didn't realize the 'U' on top of an external pack was optional. I've seen many where it's adjustable so that you can make sure it's higher than your head.
I always hung my tent from the 'U', otherwise, used it as a handle.
Zippy Morocco
02-20-2014, 00:26
I will be using the Zpacks Arc Blast this year. It is an external and pretty light too.
ottercreek_hiker
02-20-2014, 00:44
I will be attempting a thru hike this year and I will be using my Newco Mercury 1090 external frame pack, it's about a 40 yr pack. It weighs 4lb.
oldwetherman
02-20-2014, 20:27
Here's a link to a new line of external frame packs. http://paradoxpacks.com/design/. They had a great review about them on Backpacking light. They are pricey though.
I haven't used an external frame pack since a trip down to Havasupi Falls back in '86. Recently scored on a sweet deal on a Trailwise Model 74 in excellent condition. Looking forward to puttin' some miles on her before too long on the AT around Standing Indian.
Couple of questions.
Some of the externals have the u-shaped upper extension added (like mine), while others just have caps on the top of the vertical tubes. Other than the ability to add a tent, sleeping bag, etc...are there other advantages to using this add-on ?
I see a lot of these early externals with an upgraded hipbelt. Can anyone recommend a particular manufacturer for an improved hipbelt. The TW belt/buckle is pretty cool. I like its operation. Its a medium and I really need a large. Might as well find one thats got a little more padding and preferably a small pocket for a camera and other doodads.
I still have the matching Trailwise burnt orange stuff sack. Coulda, shoulda, woulda bought that pack when I bought the stuff sack. The stuff sack still holds my REI Summer Lite bag. Vintage mid-1970's. Down bags and quality stuff sacks do last a long time.
Wayne
MDSection12
02-21-2014, 15:29
I'm loading up for an easy overnight now... Decided I wanted to go 'stupid heavy' so I'm trying out the external frame pack I picked up at a pawn shop a few months ago. It's a Mountain Smith and has all the bells and whistles of a modern pack, aside from the internal frame. If it's comfy it'll start seeing some winter use. :)
Feral Bill
02-21-2014, 18:33
When my son borrows a pack, he always goes for my Mountain Master external, which is from the early seventies. The kids no fool.
My mid 70's Camp Trails Ponderosa has the extendable upper frame. It has seen many miles in recent decades hauling gear and food for myself and 4 kids. Weighs about 4 and a half pounds, and will carry 65 easy. Won't be carrying it on any thru attempts, but with a five year old granddaughter, and a 2 month old niece's son, I can see it coming in handy again. Have 2 north Face Mummies of the same vintage....heavy yeah, still very warm at 20 degrees.
rmitchell
02-24-2014, 22:03
springerfever
I will try to attach pictures of the mods that I've made to my Trailwise.260912609326092
I'm a late convert to internals, but it was a long, hard sell. Up until 2006 I never could find an internal-frame pack that agreed with me. Then I did the last 600 miles with a GG Nimbus Ozone and loved it. It was nice not to have the creaking and squeaking of the Camp Trails pack, and I liked the way the load just felt more snug to the body. (Mostly it was nice just to go lighter.) On the plus side, the Camp Trails with its mesh back was a bit cooler on hot days.
I stuck with a late 80's vintage REI Wonderland external frame pack for way too long. My ears still ring with the cacophany of squeeks and rattles which were constant when that pack was in motion. The sounds of nature are much more accessible since I relegated that pack to the back of the gear closet. My regret is that I didn't make the switch sooner.
Good Luck
I have over 1500 miles on a Kelty Super Toga. Got a Osprey Atmos 65 and haven't looked back. The Kelty weighted like 7 lbs more. The ride took alittle getting used to but I've had fewer spills with the Osprey because there is no frame to hit branches,
Nothing wrong with an external frame backpack. My daughter 23 years old completed her thru hike of the AT last year with a Coleman Conquest external frame backpack. You would not believe home many people poked fun at her antique pack saying how heavy it was. Well I need to post a picture of the pack on a postal scale, a WHOOPING 2.5lbs. All those folks carried a pound of sweat with their 3.8 lbs internal frame Osprey backpacks, but I guess that did not count. The external only touch's your back with webbing so it cannot soak up sweat. I would like to weigh an internal frame pack in July to see its real weight. We did add turn buckles to the webbing of the external frame making it tight as a drum. My wife is carrying the same pack on a thru this year. It is panel loading so you can open get what you want without pulling everything out. Just like a suit case. It was funny when others picked up her pack they would say wow I wish my pack was this light!! I wish you great success with your hike, enjoy it cus your are doing what us desk jockeys are dreaming of.
misterfloyd
02-26-2014, 19:59
I had a external when I was a Boyscout, and when I got back to backpacking many years later I had it still had it. I toook it out for a few hikes.
I had no problem with comfort and I liked the seperation of things. Makes life easier.
One problem, no hip belt............ I have no idea where it went to. I have no idea of the model, I got it from my Uncle. The trampoline back was one of the reasons I got an Osprey. It just felt right. Wouldn't mind trying an external one more time......
Floyd