What size is right for me??

[dep]

i am torn on what pack to get. I like the Granite Gear ultra-light packs.. At first, I was looking for something at around 3800 cu... but a friend told me that will be too small..

I am 170 lbs. I will be carrying a North Face Particle 13 tent, small termarest, a weeks worth of food, all the typical odds and ends, hoping to stay below 25 lbs...

And it's a section (300 mile) summer hike, so I don't plan on carrying much of a sleeping bag (maybe a marmot summer bag). I was thinking a 3800 cu pack should be big enough... Is 4800 overkill? (I was looking at the Stratus Latitude as a larger alternative to the Nimbus Ozone).

what size would you recommend?

dep

[Kerosene]

If you can keep the weight under 30 pounds with food and water, then you'll be fine with the Granite Gear Nimbus Ozone and a little tight with the Vapor Trail. You would probably lash the tent, or at least its poles, to the back between the buckles. Note that the Granite Gear packs are minimalist, in that they are a big sack on a frame with two side pockets, but they're relatively lighter by volume than many of the "name brand" packs. Consider adding a Top Lid to the pack (2 oz.; $20) which will come in handy for car keys, wallet, and other important stuff.

Note that there aren't too many places on the AT where you really need to carry 7 days of food; you can usually get by with 3-5 days.

If you go with more than 4000 cubes, then by the end of your 300-mile hike you'll wish you had gone smaller. If you go below 3,500 cubes, then you'll probably be wondering how you'll ever get all that stuff into your bag. I'd push you to go small, which will really force you to figure out what you really need (like a lot of extra food or that big clunky camera). Try to get in a shakedown hike before you go to see how things work.

Also, your appetite will likely wane for the first two weeks and then kick in later on. Initially I would try to make sure that you're averaging no more than 1.5 pounds of food per day.

[dep]

Thanks.. Good advice. :)

[dep]

It's so hard to pick a pack.. I think i'm down to the following...

the nimbus ozone:
http://www.backcountrygear.com/catalog/packdetail.cfm/GG343

kelty shadow 4500
http://www.backcountrygear.com/catalog/packdetail.cfm/KE6351

gregory reality:
http://www.backcountrygear.com/catalog/packdetail.cfm/GR1398

kelty tornado 4200
http://www.backcountrygear.com/catalog/packdetail.cfm/KE5314

and stratus latitude:
http://www.backcountrygear.com/catalog/packdetail.cfm/GG3370


Any experience with these packs?

[Kerosene]

Click here (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=3235) for my review of the Nimbus Ozone.

You can find other reviews for the Nimbus Ozone and the Gregory Reality, among others, at: http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Packs/Internal%20and%20External%20Framed%20Backpacks/