Pack Survey

[the_camera_poser]

I'm not sure if this has been done before, or if so, if it's been done recently, but out of curiousity, what pack/s do we all have/use?

I have a Camptrails (Like a Blackwolf) internal frame pack bought in 1988 in the US (done a LOT of miles), a horrid older Blackwolf Travel Bag which is useless as it throws it's staves with anything over around 15kg in it, and I will be buying soon a WE Karijini to replace them both.

The wife has an older Jackeroo K-mart Rucksack, which actually is quite good, but only around 40 litres, and a new Vango Sherpa 55 courtesy of the Backpackers Barn.

[the_camera_poser]

I forgot the most important person, who just popped out of bed and said: "I was just wondering what adults do when I'm asleep..." So I rigged her up and made her pose for us. She's got a Tatonka Andro 12 pack. It's sitting high as it is empty.

Here's our little mule.....

[Nuts]

..

[the_camera_poser]

no joke LOL

Jasmine, AKA Puffy Cat. She is the comfort model.

She's not actually THAT big, she's just spread out in front of the fire.

[Tony]

1975 First pack was an external H frame pack that I got from PP.
1988 -2004 Berghaus AB 65 + a Berghaus 30-50l day pack.
2004-2008 Golite Trek.
2008 for spring,summer and Autumn, Golite Jam2 50l pack (this is the most comfortable pack that I have ever used and is my favourite pack).
2008 winter pack Golite Pinnacle 72l.

Tony

[the_camera_poser]

How much do you pack into that golite pack?

[dee_legg]

You should get that cat to be the mule! HUGGGEEE!!!
My first and current pack is a OP McMillan, so good.

[norts]

Wilderness Equipment Expedition 2 - had it for 8 years
Great pack
Starting to show signs of wear but will do me for a few more years yet.

Roger

[Tony]

Hi TCP,

How much do you pack into that golite pack?

I can pack enough in the Golite Jam2 for a comfortable four day trip + fishing gear in the Australian Alps. If I went ultra light in warm weather I could easily do a week plus in it.

In the pinnacle I could pack enough for a two week trip in summer and probably a week+ in winter.

Tony

[corvus]

t_c_p what's with the red eye just as well the rest of your little one makes up for it and puss is looking sooo laid back as they do.
First pack no frame sort of canvassy outside and believe it or not waterproof type lining inside it was in the fifties
Fast forward (bread roll run ,bit like a paper run just really early in the morning ) got enough money to purchase an ex army Bergan external framed pack used for years with comfort .
Imagine my shock when I tried a modern seventies external frame torture device then bought my first WE Pack and have never looked back since then
c

[the_camera_poser]

The red eye- that's courtesy of the Mule's point-and-shoot.

[Son of a Beach]

I started off with an external frame pack (plastic frame with stand and wheels!). I then got an 85 litre Karrimor with an internal frame.

I now have a One Planet Strezlecki which I love. However, in hindsight, I should have got a One Planet McMillan. The only difference is that the Strezlecki has a panel that can be closed to separate the main compartment into two, and has a lower zip for access to the bottom of the main compartment. I have never used either of these features, so they're a waste for me.

[blacksheep]

I've got quite a few

[the_camera_poser]

I've got quite a few

What's your personal favourite Macpac, and why?

[photohiker]

I started off with an H-Frame back whenever. Turned to dust and spider nests during a bushwalk hiatus of 20 years or so.

Currently using Aarn Natural Balance for trips. Just bought the Expedition balance pockets for it, experimenting with them for camera gear. My Daypack is an Osprey Stratos 24 which I find comfortable and manageable for lots of things including carry-on luggage etc.

I'm looking for a really light and compact daypack to take a shell and basics to team up with the Kinesis belt system I like to carry my camera in. I think this might be a good solution for base-camping trips. Carry the daypack and kinesis in/on the aarn and break it out for dawn/day/dusk wanderings. The kinesis can carry water, lenses and camera via accessory pouches, but other gear becomes a mission (too bulky). Tripod in the hand then, but it's pretty light.

[blacksheep]

I've got quite a few

What's your personal favourite Macpac, and why?

Well, currently it is the new kakapo 35, but that is not yet released..
but the packs I use the most are AMP race 40 (either for adventure racing or weekend walks) because it carries so well for a pack of such light weight, and the details (pockets etc) are exactly as I'd want them. The other pack I enjoy the most (probably because it is the most utalised) is my Koru 80. It is our first travel pack that is also wheeled luggage- and it does both tasks really well. It's a shame I travel more than I tramp at the moment, but that's the way thing are right now...

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[Clownfish]

My first pack was an army surplus 'Nam pack that I used for Air Cadet bivouacs. Over time I augmented it with battle webbing, bumpack, canteens & ammo pouches. Mice ate holes in the damn lot, some time in the mid-80s.

Second pack was an 80l Caribee Pedder, bought for $5 at a garage sale. It cost another $25 to have the straps and buckles repaired by that saddlemaker in King's Way in Launnie a couple of years ago. The lining's gone, now, and one of the straps busted again at WOJ, so it's kind of retired.

Current pack is an 80l DMHO (?something like that - I can't remember the brand offhand).

My eldest has a 60l Roman pack.

The youngest has a 40l One Planet Frog & Toad. Makes a good pack for his size, or as a day pack for the grownups.

[Area54]

no joke LOL

Jasmine, AKA Puffy Cat. She is the comfort model.

She's not actually THAT big, she's just spread out in front of the fire.

700+ loft I'd guess


OP Strezlecki (older Aiking model), a Black Wolf Bugaboo 60+10 for wifey, at least a dozen Camelbaks of varying sizes for riding and daytrips, the odd Vaude daypack.

[the_camera_poser]

Puffy Cat lets us use her as a pillow from time to time. She's pretty good at what she does.

[sthughes]

Karrimor Panther 75 - Not bad but struggles over 15kg, getting a bit buggered now. Still use when traveling lighter.

DMH Ambassador 90 - pretty tough, does the job. Uncomfortable, used to cause hip bruises until I attached extra foam to the hip belt, heavy and I'm highly skeptical of the 90l claim.

One Planet McMillan 85l - arrived yesterday so no review as yet, but seems well built and comfy. Definitely bigger than my DMH 90l pack!

All internal frames - gen Y missed the external frame era, oh what a shame

Puffy Cat lets us use her as a pillow from time to time. She's pretty good at what she does.

Hmm - a walking pillow for hiking - you might be on to something there. Shame I'm allergic to cats

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[Penguin]

On these surverys you almost feel like writing "I lik emy pack becuase I chose it". Otherwise you can look lile a looser for not choosign the right pack.

I have and old Macpac Glissade 70l. Loced the pack to death and the 70l is a bit small for longer trips for me. Trying to keep weight down but love to be able to stuff things in quickly wihtout having to carefully pack; so went for one of teh 80L Macpac Torre's with a size 2 back. I have a little back despit being about 177cm tall and most of the other packs just did not feel right on my back.

As other have said - love single compartment packs - only used the dual compartment on the glidssade a couple of times. Now use a pack liner and put the tent ontop near my shoulders outside the liner. That way the tent comes out first and goes in last.

Like other comments - I was not as impressed with the new Cascade, as the older Torre with the quantum harness. Sorry Brett - the Quantum harness is comfortable for my build. I also like the double layer Aztec material on the bottom. Scaparia can really give a pack a hard time.

Still use the old glissade - next to the front door with 15kg of weights/old towls in it. I use it as a training pack.

Hopefully I will not have to buy another pack for a while, but would like to look at one of the light wieght ones for on track hikes.

P

Now about all that crap equipment I have bought......

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[blacksheep]

Like other comments - I was not as impressed with the new Cascade, as the older Torre with the quantum harness. Sorry Brett - the Quantum harness is comfortable for my build. I also like the double layer Aztec material on the bottom. Scaparia can really give a pack a hard time.

The Quantum harness would likely be great but my pack came with the Dynamic Harness but was labelled Quantum Harness If Macpac ever sold cars I then I suppose that the turbo badges would be for show not for fact Meet the new Macpac reworked Porche GT turbo with a two stroke naturally aspirated motor swiped from a old Trabant, hey the motor is made in Germany so what are you complaining about! Still amazed that a company with Macpac's reputation and history would do this and even more puzzled why they did not remedy it with "sorry sir very confusing (got that far with them) we will swap it for one with the Quantum harness (that is where that ran and hid) Still they are supposedly making money and to borrow from Randy Newman's song "It's money that matters in Macpac".

Cheers Brett

that above is not true and I'm getting extremely tired of it Brett...so tired of this conversation