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Thread: PackSize

  1. #1

    Default PackSize

    What is the appropriate size pack to carry 4500-5000 ? any comments would be great thanks!!

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    Thru-hiker Wanna-be Fiddler's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Floatero2
    What is the appropriate size pack to carry 4500-5000 ? any comments would be great thanks!!
    Carry 4500-5000 of what?
    Remember this - - Even the best of friends cannot attend each other's funerals.

  3. #3
    Donating Member/AT Class of 2003 - The WET year
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    Only if you're carrying 4500 to 5000 cu in of stuff.

    In reality it is more than possible to hike with something in the 3500 to 4000 cu in range.


    'Slogger
    The more I learn ...the more I realize I don't know.

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    Hopeful Hiker QHShowoman's Avatar
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    If you are looking to carry 4500-5000 cubic inches of stuff, I'd suggest going with pack that can fit 4500-5000 cubic inches of stuff.
    you left to walk the appalachian trail
    you can feel your heart as smooth as a snail
    the mountains your darlings
    but better to love than have something to scale


    -Girlyman, "Hold It All At Bay"

  5. #5
    Peakbagger Extraordinaire The Solemates's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by QHShowoman
    If you are looking to carry 4500-5000 cubic inches of stuff, I'd suggest going with pack that can fit 4500-5000 cubic inches of stuff.
    you beat me to it...
    The only thing better than mountains, is mountains where you haven't been.

    amongnature.blogspot.com

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    Hopeful Hiker QHShowoman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by The Solemates
    you beat me to it...
    Sorry, I have a boring job.
    you left to walk the appalachian trail
    you can feel your heart as smooth as a snail
    the mountains your darlings
    but better to love than have something to scale


    -Girlyman, "Hold It All At Bay"

  7. #7
    Thru-hiker Wanna-be Fiddler's Avatar
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    On the serious side. Get all your other stuff before you worry about pack size. Nobody but you knows what all you want to carry. Get your sleeping bag, tent (if it is to be carried inside the pack), clothing, kitchen stuff, everything. Determine how many days food you will carry, maybe even get that much food together so you know how much volume it is, then take it all to an outfitter if there is one near you and try packing it in some packs and walk around the store a while. You really should try on any pack you think about buying to be sure it fits well. If you must order a pack try to determine the volume of all the gear you will be putting in. Be sure you can return the pack if it isn't the right size or doesn't fit well.
    Remember this - - Even the best of friends cannot attend each other's funerals.

  8. #8
    Thru' hiker one weekend at a time... vipahman's Avatar
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    I think he needs an equation to help him along. Calculate the volume of each of your stuff sacks as (pi * r * r * l) where pi = 3.14, r is the radius and l is the length of the stuff sack. Then sum up the volumes. That's your minimum volume. If that number is 4500 - 5000ci, buy a pack that's 5000 - 5500ci.
    -Avi
    AT completed: NJ6-1, NY13-2, CT5-2

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    Thru' hiker one weekend at a time... vipahman's Avatar
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    Floatero, first get all your other gear together. I just went over your post history and it seems like you have not bought anything yet. Pack size is dependent on your other gear.

    Edit: And stop all the double posts.
    -Avi
    AT completed: NJ6-1, NY13-2, CT5-2

  10. #10

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    Thanks to everyone who pointed out my stupdity

  11. #11

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    That was just good natured ribbing Floatero.

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    Donating Member/AT Class of 2003 - The WET year
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    Quote Originally Posted by MOWGLI16
    That was just good natured ribbing Floatero.
    ===================================
    Absolutely Floatero ...no offense intended.

    'Slogger
    The more I learn ...the more I realize I don't know.

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    Thru-hiker Wanna-be Fiddler's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Floatero2
    Thanks to everyone who pointed out my stupdity
    Stupidity is when you repeatedly try to put 5 pounds of s**t in a 4 pound bag and wonder why the bag keeps breaking.

    You are never stupid because you don't know about something and ask questions about it.
    Remember this - - Even the best of friends cannot attend each other's funerals.

  14. #14

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    Thanks everybody I hope to see many of you on the trail. I have never attepted a journey to this extent. and I think I just made that painfully obvious. any comments about S*&t to Fill my pack with would be great. I would like to know worked well for you and what did not. thanks for your input you guys/gals rock

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    Hopeful Hiker QHShowoman's Avatar
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    Try reading some of the gear lists in the Articles section ... they are really helpful to me in deciding what to pack.
    you left to walk the appalachian trail
    you can feel your heart as smooth as a snail
    the mountains your darlings
    but better to love than have something to scale


    -Girlyman, "Hold It All At Bay"

  16. #16
    Thru-hiker Wanna-be Fiddler's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Floatero2
    any comments about S*&t to Fill my pack with would be great. I would like to know worked well for you and what did not.
    Another good bit of reading to help decide on some of your gear will be the journals of some who have made the hike. Some tell of gear they started with, what they used, and (more interesting in my opinion) what they didn't use and what they replaced it with (and why) once they were on the trail. Also the journals are just simply fascinating. Reading those will really get you hooked. An excellent way to learn from others and help decide what to start with even though you will probably swap out a few things sometime after your start. But the more informed you are at the beginning the less you will have to replace on the trail.
    Remember this - - Even the best of friends cannot attend each other's funerals.

  17. #17

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    Take a look at this site. http://www.mybackpackinggear.com/ Pack your virtual backpack!! You pick the pack, and the gear and get an idea of how it works together.

  18. #18
    Registered User Animal Man's Avatar
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    I was wondering, would most of you guys recomend, putting all of your gear together then buying a pack that fits it? or buying a pack first and fitting your gear to it? I know alot of people think if you have a large capacity pack you are tempted to fill it, and a smaller pack makes you question your gear selection more. I was just wondering how some of you guys did it

    Happy Trails

  19. #19
    Hopeful Hiker QHShowoman's Avatar
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    Get all your gear together first and then buy a pack that fits it. If you simply follow the guidelines for capacity stated by most pack manufacturers or outfitters, you'll end up with what they consider to be an "Expedition" sized pack -- which is WAY too big.

    I am getting all my other gear together first and leaving my pack until the very end.
    you left to walk the appalachian trail
    you can feel your heart as smooth as a snail
    the mountains your darlings
    but better to love than have something to scale


    -Girlyman, "Hold It All At Bay"

  20. #20
    Thru-hiker Wanna-be Fiddler's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Animal Man
    I was wondering, would most of you guys recomend, putting all of your gear together then buying a pack that fits it? or buying a pack first and fitting your gear to it? I know alot of people think if you have a large capacity pack you are tempted to fill it, and a smaller pack makes you question your gear selection more. I was just wondering how some of you guys did it

    Happy Trails
    Gear first, then pack. As long as you have a pretty good idea of the gear. I learned the hard way several years back. I've only been on short ones, from overnite to a couple weeks, gradually getting ready for THE BIG ONE. I made mistakes, but I think I learned from them.
    Remember this - - Even the best of friends cannot attend each other's funerals.

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