External Frame Packs - Are they right for you?

[RockDoc]

Good comments here. I'm an old-school hiker who began hiking life with a 1000 mile AT hike in 1974 with a trusty Kelty frame pack loaded with about 50 lbs. Yeah, we knew it was heavy at the time, but that's just what the gear weighed then. You could do that without much trouble because the weight was transferred to the hips (not so much with today's ultralight packs, and I've owned about 6 different ones). Also we used heavy dedicated leather hiking boots which were a good foundation for carrying a lot of weight (don't try this with trail running shoes). Still, we did similar miles (15-25 miles/day) to many modern AT hikers carrying much lighter loads.

I must say, it was a workout but after a few weeks you could get extremely fit, and didn't notice the weight. And if you got in some kind of bind you probably had enough gear to stay warm/dry, moreso than if you are trying to squeek through a hike with minimal light gear; that CAN be a risky proposition out there in the world IMO. I've hiked on the "stupid side of light" and survived, but suffered.

[Sleepy the Arab]

I use and external frame pack on the AT. It keeps cougars from biting my neck. Carrying a gorget is just too heavy.

[Feral Bill]

My son uses my Mountain Master pack from 1972 or so. Works fine for him. I think he may enjoy the retro look. He certainly likes all those pockets.

[Dogwood]

"I am also a big guy - standing 6'2", 205 lbs, with broad shoulders and a 22" torso. As such, I need bigger clothes, bigger sleeping pads, bigger sleeping bags or quilts, etc. Consequently, the things that I pack tend to weigh more than an average person's gear and take up more space. Which means that I need a slightly bigger pack with a higher weight carrying capacity to carry the extra weight plus extra water so that I don't dehydrate. And my pack needs to carry the weight well, transferring most of the weight to my hips and lower body rather than my back."

6'4" 205 lbs 23" torso 34" waist. That's not Skywalker size but it's similar to your body. Typical 3 season(I know it's generalized) base wt is sub 10 lbs. Big 4 is sub 4 lbs. I reduce gear wt and volume in several important ways which include lighter wt and lower volume piece options that fit my backpacking style and personal needs integrating pieces(multi use as much as I know how). I don't unduly sacrifice durability and functionality to accomplish it either. Keen performance goals are always part of the equation. I do throw some do re mi at it but that's not the preferred or only approach to all solutions. It's a combined effort to get overall kit wt and volume down to acceptable big guy size levels. Perhaps my biggest wt and volume savings is in managing wt and and volume of consumables through wiser food choices and consumables resupplying logistics including on hot weather LD desert treks where resupply options are fewer and water wt hauls can get excessive.

Now, I'm not packing out a butchered elk but I share this to pt out your personal size dimensions and added medical water wt needs does not have to be perceived as an absolute need for external framed packs or "heavy" wt and bulky kits. Consider an external framed Arc Haul or Blast is temporarily capable of 50 lb loads in a very light wt external frame package. Many internal framed packs are capable of 70-80 or more lb bulky loads on a more regular basis. Some of these do offer greater venerability on the back through mesh or curved pack designs. Some internals offer in the field comfort adjustments like torso length, hip belt, etc for variable loads.

Please consider none of my post is shared with a pejorative perspective on external frame packs. Like you said there are different ways to reach goals... possibly without having to resort to one pack design - external or internal or no frame. Personally, I have all three of those types for different situations and all the selections are UL.

[Shaker]

Dogwood,

Great points and well written. Thanks for friendly discussion.

Shaker

[Time Zone]

6'4" 205 lbs 23" torso 34" waist. That's not Skywalker size but it's similar to your body. Typical 3 season(I know it's generalized) base wt is sub 10 lbs. Big 4 is sub 4 lbs. I reduce gear wt and volume in several important ways which include lighter wt and lower volume piece options that fit my backpacking style and personal needs integrating pieces(multi use as much as I know how). I don't unduly sacrifice durability and functionality to accomplish it either. Keen performance goals are always part of the equation. I do throw some do re mi at it but that's not the preferred or only approach to all solutions.

First, that's simply amazing about your big 4. I'm guessing we're looking at tarp (DCF probably), torso pad, light quilt ... and a very light frameless pack. Am I close? I can see how one's constraints can really affect the solutions considered. For instance, as I am nearly your size, I take it for granted to use a 25x77 pad. And I use CCF, since I don't trust inflatables. I even prefer CCF, frankly. They're not so heavy, but they are indeed bulky. Being averse to bugs, spiders, etc., I'd only tarp with a bivy. And I'm a cold sleeper - a ~1 lb quilt is not going to do it for me, not even to low 60s (I've tried). Haven't been willing to shell out DCF money. So because of all these self-imposed constraints, I can't get near your 4 lbs. But I'm OK with that, I'm not trying to minimize weight, but maximize enjoyment of my time outdoors. That means I don't want to go too light or too heavy - either extreme is going to make me uncomfortable and unhappy. I have to strike that balance.

Still, I'd love to see your gear list if you have one up somewhere. The other day I saw someone who posted that they have 2 UL gear lists: 1) ultra-light, and 2) ultra-luxury. I think the former is a nice mental challenge, see "how low can you go" etc., good to find your limits or extend them, esp if you have to make big mile days.

The latter - well, I don't mean bringing in a cast iron skillet and a camp futon, but more like a 30sf double-wall tent, pad of full length and width, insulation with margin for error, or greater precip, saw for processing downed wood for campfire, etc.

BTW, what do you mean by "throw some do re mi at it" ? Curious.

TZ

[ant]

My first pack was a Camp Trails. Pretty sure I was 14. Had that pack for a number of years.

I don't have anything to offer to the discussion really. Just wanted to share. Hike your own hike and all that.e8b8a027bb25444da9a2275948801b29.jpg

[Dogwood]

"First, that's simply amazing about your big 4. I'm guessing we're looking at tarp (DCF probably), torso pad, light quilt ... and a very light frameless pack. Am I close?"

@Time Zone Yes, pretty much sums it up. A might use a very UL sleeping bag or Womans Xlite Neo Air though. It was achieved only through many yrs of diverse experiences, making many mistakes. AND, perhaps, most importantly because the skill set, knowledge, and hiking savvy was jointly developed as my kits developed into lighter options. It's been an evolving journey, a road always under construction bringing different aspects together.

@Shaker I mention consumables also because big guys typically have big food needs. Big guys or super big eaters and drinkers even more so can benefit from wise(includes safe) consumable wt and volume reduction. Getting my trail appetite and energy dialed in on hikes played into those big consumable wt and volume reducing dividends.

[Maineiac64]

You tried one internal frame pack and determined that the entire class wasn’t your thing?

[Dogwood]

"But I'm OK with that, I'm not trying to minimize weight, but maximize enjoyment of my time outdoors. That means I don't want to go too light or too heavy - either extreme is going to make me uncomfortable and unhappy. I have to strike that balance. "

That's fine. Why? You know thyself.

Reminder. Your kit wt, wt you carry, includes consumables. You can still possibly go light even UL OVERALL if, as you say, you balance out ALL your wt categories to achieve the wt goal desired.

[Shaker]

Speaking of the horizontal hydration sleeve in the Kelty Trekker: https://www.rei.com/product/144021/o...voir-15-liters