With so many diverse
brands and styles of packs available, each designed for a different type of
use, each appealing to various needs, wants, and fashion trends, it’s no wonder
I own so many.
The first backpack I
called my own lasted about four years before I upgraded to a much better one.
That second pack, heavily used but well maintained, served me well for over
thirty five years. I hated to part with my second pack. It was like an old
hiking buddy who had been on many memorable trips with me but could no
longer keep up or negotiate the terrain. I have also gone through two or three frame-less day packs that eventually wore out or no longer met my needs.
I currently own
several packs, some specialized, ranging from a fanny pack that converts into a
day pack, a few frame-less day packs, and two internal frame backpacks.
Because I have been hiking and backpacking for over forty years, I did not
acquire all of these packs at once. The oldest dates back at least forty
years. A couple I obtained in just the past two years. I am not as emotionally
attached to any of them as I was to that thirty five year old rigid framed
friend I have since discarded. My variety offers me the ability to
choose the right pack for the right hike.
The four
packs in my go to inventory range from a slim and trim 12 oz. day
pack to a 6 lb., 4 oz. behemoth of an expedition pack.
Day Hikes
I use my limited
edition REI “Member” Flash 18 for day hikes in warm weather to carry the
ten essentials, rain gear, a first aid kit, food, water, and perhaps a few
other items. This top loading pack offers 18 liters or 1,100 cubic
inches of internal space and weighs a mere 12 oz. It is equipped to hold a
bladder and offers daisy chain loops on the back through which I wove a
bungee cord for quick attachment.
Day Hikes and Overnights
During colder weather,
I ditch the Flash 18 and opt for my front opening Kelty Redwing Classic (2003 Model) to carry what I would
have stowed in the Flash, plus a stove with some fuel, and a Therm-a-Rest seat cushion. The extra room in the pack
allows me to throw in clothing that I might shed as either I or the day warms
up. It offers a back pocket with two compartments for smaller items and two
sleeved side pockets I can use to quickly attach XC skis to the pack.
I use this
Redwing for overnight trips in warmer weather when I don’t need to carry a lot
of gear; however with a three season, two person tent, sleeping bag, stove,
pot, and food, I pretty much max out its 40 liters or 2,400 cubic inch
capacity, with my closed cell sleeping pad lashed outside to the bottom. It
weighs 3 lbs., 1 oz., over three times the weight of the Flash 18, but barely
doubles the internal capacity. On the other hand, it offers lashing
possibilities and three pockets that the Flash doesn’t. In addition, the
ability to zip open the front allows me to see all its contents and find
what I need without taking out gear or feeling around in a top
loading Flash.
Overnight to Week Long Trips
My top loading Osprey Volt 75, with a 75 liter or 4,577 cubic inch capacity
and weighing in at 3lbs., 12 oz., doesn’t qualify as a minimalist lightweight
backpack, but it comes close. I use it for short winter trips or longer warm
weather trips of up to six days and five nights and have not yet filled it to
capacity. Its compression straps allow me to adjust it to fit the load I am
carrying, and I can strap my closed cell sleeping pad and a tent under the bottom
if I need to. The small pockets built into the waist belt are great places to
store some GORP and other small
items I can access without taking the pack off. A lower zipper entry into
an adjustable lower part of the bag compensates for sometimes having to feel
around or remove gear to find what I need. My Volt is the pack I would carry if
I were headed out on the AT for a weekend trip or a through hike with resupply.
For the Expedition I May Never Take
I used my LOWE NOLS Expedition
Pack only once when I was taking a Leave No Trace Master
Educator Course in Shenandoah National Park and needed to carry course material
as well as personal and some group gear. The Volt wasn’t in my inventory
back then and the pack I did have was aged, deteriorating, and may not have
held up. When I had the opportunity to buy this workhorse, new, and at a
reduced price, I took advantage of the offer. I didn’t even come close to
filling it up on that trip.
This internal frame
expedition pack, offering 115 liters or 7,000 cubic inches of capacity and
weighing 6lbs., 4 oz. is not be my first choice for a weekend trip. If I
were headed out on the trail for more than a week from mid-fall to mid-spring,
or needed to carry additional gear like climbing gear, this is the pack I would
take. It is also the pack I would use if I ever get the chance to return
to the Winds for a week of climbing or a couple weeks of backpacking without
resupply.
When is Enough Enough?
These four packs
currently meet all my hiking and backpacking needs. I do not foresee
acquiring any more packs in the future. They offer me the opportunity
to carry whatever I need, be it for a eight or ten mile day hike in warm
weather or that dreamed of unsupported, two week long expedition into the
Winds.
How many packs do you
own? How many do you really use? When is enough enough?
This post originally appeared on The Trek.
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