The last time (quite a while back now) I went through the Maine Wilderness I started with 20 lbs. of food. The weather was miserable (2 hurricanes!) and half a day before I arrived at Monson I had dregs in a tube of peanut butter and some black pepper as my total remaining food. I don't like even like peanut butter, or I'd have scraped the remnants clean.
For my NoBo hike next year I don't anticipate too many pack weight issues except for that last 100 mile stretch. Most UL packs don't go above 35 lbs. as their maximum listed capacity. I'm contemplating overloading my pack after 2000+ miles of (ab)use just to ensure I've got enough supplies to not go hungry. The question is which pack will carry that excess weight best.
I'm trying to decide among the following:
- ULA Circuit
- Granite Gear Crown VC 60
- Gossamer Gear Mariposa
My torso measures 21½", so I need the large versions of each manufacturer's pack.
I'm hoping some of you will have experience loading up one or more of these packs to about 40 lbs. -- maybe with extra gear for winter, or carrying a lot of water on the PCT. Can you tell me if it was just heavier, or did the excess weight overload the supports to make the pack a literal pain in the back to carry?