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nerdishgrrl
06-24-2005, 00:08
So, in my quest to find a way to outfit myself for a backpacking trip without spending too much money (I am in college), i found a pack made by Nebo Sports that is mighty cheap. I have looked all over the internet, but I can't seem to find any sort of review of this kind of pack. Does anyone have any experience with one of these? I want cheap, but I don't want junk, yunno.

Also, its capacity is 4,576 cubic inches. Exactly how large is that?? How much will something that big hold? I don't have any idea how big is big enough.

btw...here's a link to the packhttp://www.escapeoutdoors.com/page/nb_4149.htm

LIhikers
06-24-2005, 08:01
I've never heard of the brand you mentioned, but let me suggest an alternative. Go to the Campmor web site and at the top of the page search under brand names for Outdoor Products. I've got a pack by them that is pretty good and I only paid $49 for it from Campmor. If I remember correctly it was listed as being 4750 cubic inches. I've been using it for about 3 years, with no problems, and am happy with it.

LIhikers
06-24-2005, 08:05
Let me make another suggestion. Don't overlook second hand stores and thrift shops when looking for gear and clothing for backpacking. I've gotten some amazing buys from places like that. People think they want to get into backpacking and buy all sorts of high quality equipment. Then when their interests change they need the closet space for their new interest and the camping gear has to go.

kyhipo
06-24-2005, 08:50
well girl i would agree with LIhikers on that case check around places personally like external frames and the second hand stores for clothes ect your shoes should come in a top priorty also dont cheat your feet packs are easy to find are you tenting,tarping to me the big three are shoes,pack,tent ect shelter :dance ky

Big Dawg
06-24-2005, 09:28
I've never heard of Nebo before. For the price, this may be a good beginner pack. I started out w/ a $99 Jansport backpack (5500 cu), & it's held up great for 5+ years,,, now retired as the "extra pack" in my closet.

As far as capacity in pack, 4576 cu is pretty big,,, but of course it really depends on what you have to pack inside. How big & bulky is your gear? The best thing to do is bring all of your gear to a local outfitter & stuff it into several different size packs,, that way you'll know approximately what size pack you need based on your specific gear. If you don't have all of your gear yet, borrow it from dad or take it off the shelf at the outfitter & use it as an example of what you will be packing. One last thing..... when considering gear,, "lightweight" options are your friend,, your body will thank you!! :banana

trippclark
06-24-2005, 11:16
When I first looked at this pack at the link provided I immediately saw 5.5 lbs and thought that was VERY heavy. To compare it, I then checked a few other sites and see that 5.5 lbs is pretty typical for a traditional pack of that capacity. I guess I am getting spoiled by the 2 - 3 lb packs I have been using. All that said, I'd suggest keeping the pack weight in mind when comparing packs.

Deb
06-24-2005, 14:17
Off-brand backpacks can be a bargain or a bust. So can name brands!
You won't know until you've used it awhile.
I bought an Outdoor Products internal frame pack for $29 last year. It is servicable and light - 2 lbs., 12 oz. without the aluminum stays, 3 1/4 lbs with the stays. Campmor offers 3 Outdoor Product backpacks in their current catalogue. Very good features for the money ($39-$49).
I have a short torso and the pack I bought is really comfortable.

alpinist
06-26-2005, 20:52
I sent Nerdishgrrl an e-mail to hopefully catch her before she ordered one of these packs, but wanted to post for the beneft of anyone else who might be considering buying one. A couple of buddies of mine who wanted to do the Smokies with me last year showed up with Nebo packs that they'd gotten from a website called 2-for-1sports.com or something -- I think the model was Nebo Fox 75+10 maybe. Those things were the biggest pieces of junk I'd ever seen passed off as hiking gear. Fastex knock-off buckles broke on both before the trip was over, the construction (particularly of the top flap) allowed for virtually no adjustment and their loads were shifted WAY BACK from where they needed to be. It wasn't that they didn't know how to pack a load -- I repacked their gear for them and it was just in the way the things are built. 3 days out of Fontana and my friends wished they had never heard of Nebo Sports. They're medieval torture devices more than actual packs ...

DLFrost
06-27-2005, 00:34
So, in my quest to find a way to outfit myself for a backpacking trip without spending too much money (I am in college), i found a pack made by Nebo Sports that is mighty cheap. I have looked all over the internet, but I can't seem to find any sort of review of this kind of pack. Does anyone have any experience with one of these? I want cheap, but I don't want junk, yunno.

Also, its capacity is 4,576 cubic inches. Exactly how large is that?? How much will something that big hold? I don't have any idea how big is big enough.

That's about 75 liters. These days that is considered large--it'd be in the lower-end range for winter use, snow camping, that sort of thing. For all 4 seasons I use an Ospery Aether 60 that provides 3700cu. in / 60 liters. The top pocket stays home in summer, extends for stowing underneith in winter. The Aether/Arieal 60 packs are reasonably priced ($190ish), flexible, very well made, and have gotten top marks everywhere.

If you want something larger or cheaper just keep looking, both locally and online. Here's some places to watch for discounts...
http://www.backcountrystore.com/
http://www.www.campmor.com/
http://www.sierratradingpost.com/

Search packs in the topmost link above. Anything in the 3000-4000 size range will work for 3-seasons or for ultralight winter camping. (Add about 200-300 cu.in. for a synthetic sleeping bag.)

Can you give us a gear list of your larger/heavier items? And where and when you intend to hit the trail?

Doug Frost

anneandbenhike
06-27-2005, 09:29
I think the fact that you have searched for a review of this pack and could not find one tells you more than you want to know. The experiences of hikers who have had broken buckles and poor load carrying abilities should tell you MORE than you need to know that cheap is not necessarily better. Don't skimp on one of THE most important pieces of equipment you will own. Yes, it is more expensive to buy another pack but then you have it for a long while. I use a Granite Gear 3# pack and can't imagine going back to my external frame 5 1/2# pack. The company has been VERY supportive and if you buy a name brand (for a larger price) you can be assured of service and help for the years to come. There is definitely an advantage to that. Saving weight is always a good investment over the long haul. Good luck.

nerdishgrrl
06-27-2005, 12:06
Thanks for all the advice, you guys. I definitely won't be buying this pack.

Doug, I'm still in the collecting stages of getting gear. I'm planning on going out for a few days this summer, a week next spring break, etc. etc. I'm trying to test myself out to see if i could handle a thru hike. I'd love to thru when i finish college. However, I'm not very experienced, and I don't know a lot. You guys on whiteblaze are so helpful, though. Hopefully I'll see some of you guys in person on the trail. :-)

Ford Prefect
06-27-2005, 12:47
... I'm still in the collecting stages of getting gear ...
As mentioned before, second-hand stores are places to look. Also, see if there is an LLBean (or similar) outlet around you. You MIGHT luck out and find a returned pack for a small amount of cash.

Check EMS and REI out locally, as well. You might be able to rent gear from them to try out.

Good luck,
FP

DLFrost
06-28-2005, 12:14
Doug, I'm still in the collecting stages of getting gear. I'm planning on going out for a few days this summer, a week next spring break, etc. etc. I'm trying to test myself out to see if i could handle a thru hike. I'd love to thru when i finish college. However, I'm not very experienced, and I don't know a lot.
You might want to join one of the local hiking/backpacking clubs in your area. They'll know the local trails and expected weather. You can look at (and talk about) gear with members--someone might even loan you something to try out. And you can go with experienced folks on overnighters or weekend trips to see if all this running-about-in-the-woods business suits ya. :)

Doug Frost

anneandbenhike
06-28-2005, 15:28
DLFrost's post is right on. If you go to a hiking club, you can meet people like me and my husband who hike and who had three sons who camped and hiked and outgrew equipment. We have all sorts of stuff that we lend to people who want to try it. We are active in the Boy/Venture Scouts and they use lots of our stuff...a hiking group is usually full of people with GEAR stashes in their closets! (oh, I think I will try this new sleeping pad, new pack, bag or whatever....) and before they know it they have a closet full of unused gear!!

LIhikers
06-28-2005, 17:25
Another idea to get a descent quality pack for not too many dollars. If there are any outfitters near you that rent gear ask them if they have any of their rental packs for sale. A couple of years back I got a 5500 cubic inch EMS pack for $28 dollars. It has one small rip that I sewed up but is otherwise useable.