Choosing a Pack

WHAT DO YOU NEED IT FOR?

The major consideration in choosing a pack is what you intend to use it for will help you decide on the type of suspension system and the amount of carrying capacity you should look for.

 

What kind of trips will you be taking? Will you be climbing, trekking, backpacking? What type of terrain do you expect? Paved roads, city streets or trails? Will there be long hikes, and if yes, will the terrain be steep, or flat, rocky or sandy? Will you be dealing with ice?

 

How long will the trips be or how much will you need to carry? If a pack for traveling, do you need to keep it as carry-on luggage, or check it in baggage?

 

What will you carry? Will you be carrying camp equipment, tent and sleeping bag? Will you need to carryt lots of clothes for widely changing conditions? Will you need to carry your water and food?

 

TYPES OF PACKS

TRAVEL PACKS: These blend the functional ruggedness and technical advances from the pack industry with the fashion and compartmentalization from the luggage industry. They all have a concealed suspension system in an outside zippered compartment. Those with no frame structure are generally smaller, fit under an airplane seat, and are meant to be luggage first and a pack second. Those that are larger and intended for use mainly as a pack generally have an internal frame structure for support and are suitable for light, backcountry travel or two-to-three weeks of touring.  (Shop Travel Packs)

 

DAY PACKS: These packs are small, frameless, and are available with some pretty nifty features such as computer sleeves, iPod pockets or hydration systems built right in. Great for a day at the beach, short hikes, and sporting events and such, these are also handy to stash in a suitcase for day trips while on vacation. Day packs are also pretty popular for carry-on luggage as your hands are free to hold your childrens hands or for tickets, passes, drinks, and dealing with other luggage.

 (Shop Day Packs) (Shop Hydration Packs) (Shop Computer Packs)

 

BACKPACKS: These are available with either an external or internal frame and intended to carry a larger load for extended periods of time. Internal frame packs are meant for more technical climbing, backcountry skiing, and on- or off-trail backpacking. External frame packs are for backpacking on established trails and have a frame or support system outside of the packbag.  (Shop All Backpacks)

 

INTERNAL FRAME: These packs are designed to ride close to the back with a lower center of gravity, providing better balance and upper body mobility on difficult terrain. They have a variety of straps, harnesses and adjustments that contour the pack closely to your body and give you a custom fit. Though not everyone finds them comfortable on trails, they will give you a load that is stabilized on your back, allowing the freedom of movement and the balance needed for climbing and skiing. The usually have some straps for tying on bulky gear such as sleeping bags, trekking poles and tents. They are somewhat limited in the volume of gear they carry and strap on externally.  (Shop Internal Frame Packs)

 

EXTERNAL FRAME: These packs provide excellent weight distribution and allow you to carry even the heaviest loads comfortably. The frame gives the load a higher center of gravity, putting more weight over the hips and, as long as you're traveling mostly on trails, this may be the most satisfactory method of carrying your gear. The frame also creates an airspace between you and the load so there is some ventilation, which is appreciated on hot days. Generally these packs are less expensive than the internal frame models. External frame packs also have lots of options when it comes to strapping on really bulky gear such as larger pots, pans, stoves and tents. This can be an especially handy option when camping with a group and not packing in too far.  (Shop External Frame Packs)

 

WOMEN: Packs made specifically for women are proportioned to their build. They have an enlarged bend in the frame to hug the back, and the shoulder straps are narrower to accommodate a woman's chest and narrower shoulders. The hip belt has a deeper curve to better fit the hip's contours. Extra adjustment holes, on external frame packs, give women the option of placing the packbag lower on the frame which many women prefer. It lowers the center of gravity to a position more closely in line with their own and allows them to carry more of the weight on their hips, rather than on their shoulders.  (Shop Women's Packs)

 

CHILDREN: Aside from being smaller, look for maximum padding in the hip belt and the shoulder straps to protect the developing bone structures. There should be a number of height adjustments available to accommodate growth. Buy packs made specifically for children for the best fit. Often Women's packs work well for older children who are between kids packs and larger, adult men's packs.  (Shop Kid's Packs)

 

DESIGN AND FEATURES

Regardless of the type, a pack should fit your needs of function and comfort. The more adjustments that can be made to the suspension system, the better and more customized the fit will be. A better fit means greater comfort. Since the hipbelt bears all or part of the load weight, its size and padding are essential to your comfort. In general, the bigger the pack, the wider the hipbelt should be. It should fit closely to your hips, or have straps that allow you to contour it for a custom fit. The more pockets, compartments, zippers and straps there are, the more weight will be added. You must therefore, balance your need for lightweight, carrying capacity against the convenience of these features.  (Shop Osprey Packs)  (Shop the North Face Packs)  (Shop Camelbak Packs)  (Shop JanSport Packs)

 

On very handy feature is the zipper that runs down the full length of the pack. Packs are like a vertical tube, and invariably, whatever it is you need always seems to be at the very bottom of the pack. The long zipper down the side of the pack gives you access to all the packed layers without having to dig through everything else on the way down.

 

FITTING A PACK

Most packs are sized to fit a range of torso lengths. This is the measurement from your shoulder (top vertebrae) to your hip bone. Manufacturers provide fit instructions specific to their models, but the following are some general guidelines to use when shopping.

 

Start by loosening all straps and loading it with 20-30 pounds. Most stores have weighted bags just for this purpose. Put the pack on and buckle/adjust the hip belt so it rides snugly on your hip bones.

 

On those packs with adjustable suspension, the shoulder straps should attach to the pack:

 

INTERNAL FRAME: 3-4 inches below the top of the shoulders Internal frame packs have load-lifter straps on top of the shoulder straps. Adjust and tighten them so they leave the strap at the collar bone and join the pack at a 45 angle. This transfers the weight from your shoulders to your hips. Now position, adjust and buckle the sternum strap. It should be about 2 inches below your collarbone.

 

EXTERNAL FRAME: level with the top of the shoulders Once adjusted, tighten the shoulder straps snugly and then ease up a little.

 

TIPS FOR PACKING

ZONE METHOD OF PACKING:

• A. Greatest Weight - The area closest to your back and center of gravity should carry equipment of greatest weight.
• B. Medium Weight - This area should be packed with medium weight objects.
• C. Lightest Weight - The area farthest away from the body's center of gravity should carry equipment of lightest weight.

GENERAL PACKING ADVICE:

• Use nylon or mesh stuff sacks and ditty bags to organize gear. Some stuff sacks are coated to contain moisture, but are not completely waterproof.
• Keep rain gear and other frequently used items in easily accessible locations, such as outside pockets.
• Lash long objects like tent poles and fishing poles to the sides of the pack. On external frame packs, if the pack has a divider with pass-through corners, store them inside.
• Keep fuel bottles away from food stuff sacks.

TIPS FOR PACKING

CARE: Hand wash with a sponge, using mild soap (never detergent). Use common sense when packing to keep liquids from spilling or leaking. Don't put pack down on pitch, tar and other sticky substances.

 

STORAGE: Store packs in a dry, cool place, but never on or against concrete as the moisture and chemicals can damage the nylon. Leave all zippers open and remove flashlights and batteries, as the battery acid will damage the pack fabric. Remove all food, lotions, aspirin etc. that small animals (mice and raccoons in particular) would chew through your pack to get.

 

SEAM SEALING: Most packs are made of coated fabric to help repel water, but moisture can still manage to get through the seams and zippers to saturate your gear. You can seam seal your pack seams (from the inside) using a nylon seam sealant, but most people don't bother. A waterproof pack cover is probably the best way to keep your gear dry, but a large garbage bag also works. It helps to pack your gear in plastic bags inside your pack for extra protection.

 

 

 

 

 

RULES OF THE TRAIL

• Carry out all garbage.
• Hike on marked trails, not across fragile alpine growth.
• Use existing campsites or sites away from water and trails.
• Respect and protect the wilderness.
• Tread lightly and only carry home photographs and memories.