Looking for Answers about Packs?

When planning to hike the AT you need to figure that you'll be carrying about 5-7 days worth of food at a time between towns where you will reload. You also need to make a list of gear you plan on bringing.

Okay once that is done. you need to listen to the other people. if you dont NEED it then dont plan on bringing it. imaging hiking then 2100+miles with excess weight. so yah when planning to hike the AT the backpack is the last thing you buy. Get all your gear, then package 7 days worth of food up in a stuff sack then head to the gear store and find one that will allow for all your gear and all your food. I know i was able to fit all my gear in the osprey atmos 50 when i hiked the AT

a wise man once told me,
a large pack can hold a small load.
but a little pack will never hold a large load.

MARKUS

the AT? thats several months of hiking...just my two cents worth...go lightly or dont go!! of course you have to hike your own hike and use the gear you are comfortable with, but dont be fooled into thinking that you need a giant 80 litre pack swaggering around on your back...ugh, it will kill you...the standard for backpacking light is a base load of 12-15 pounds, that is your wieght without food and water...you dont need a big pack for that...around 30litres, give or take a few, if you pick your gear carefully...look at some of the sites for backpacking light and the blogs of people who have done the AT (as well as the PCT, people go really light on the PCT as well and this trail goes through alot more varied terrain then the AT) with very little weight...you will enjoy it more with a lighter load...remember that the AT has shelters along the way and you really only have to carry a few days worth of food at a time...good luck! itll be a great trip im sure!

There are a few things to consider when choosing a pack for a trip like that. First, how long are you planning on going for? The longer the trip, the more supplies, the more room you will require. How many people are in the party and what kind of load can you expect each one to bear? If you are to be doing a significant amount of the load-bearing then you will want a larger platform to manage with. Also, to what comfort extent are you packing for? It is possible to hike on very little, as long as you feel comfortable with that. Another great way to save space is through compression sacks and lightweight, "packable" products.

All packs fit differently too. Just because a pack says "70 litres" that does not mean it will hold your gear the same way as another pack of a different brand will.

That being said, 70L is a fairly comfortable size for most average adult males. I certainly wouldn't recommend anything larger than 80.

I hiked the 4-day Inca trail and backpacked Peru for two weeks with a Kelty Redwing 2400, which is a 40L pack. Best of all it is carry-on legal so I didn't have to check it anywhere I flew, but sadly it's now discontinued. Assuming you're going with one of the major organized tour operators (SAS, Llama Path, GAP, etc), the porters will carry all the food, water purification, stoves, fuel, tents, etc. You will only have to carry your sleeping bag (rented or your own), air mattress (rented or your own), clothes, and personal items like your camera, toiletries, snacks, etc, so there's no point going overboard with a huge pack. 30-40L should be perfect for the 4-day hike. Once you reach Machu Pichu they'll take back any rented equipment, so your train ride back to Cuzco will be even lighter. Anything you don't need for the trail can be left back at your hostel/hotel (bring a small duffel bag/daypack and lock for this). You can also pay for an extra porter to carry your backpack, so all you have to carry is a tiny daypack with some water and your camera, but unless you're horribly out of shape I don't think it's worth the money.

I hiked Macchu Picchu last year with only a large day pack to hold my clothes. We travelled to Peru with 70L packs but left them at the hostel while we hiked. The porters will take the food, sleeping bags and tents so there's no need to go overboard with a huge pack.

I'm not sure about Machu Pichu but I used the Jade 50 to do the French Camino. Good luck! Buen Camino.

Hi Anonymous - I'm not sure whether you have already been answered, but I have always only travelled with a backpack whether going to the states or overseas. But then I am very much a minimalist when it comes to travelling.

Travelling with a backpack only which is small enough to stay on the plane with you is very much a personal preference matter. You can get the dimensions you need off the airplane websites - just take those dimensions and go with that. Do that and keep in mind the pockets (outer and inner) that you want. My only advice would be that, if you want inner pockets, make sure that they are attached and zippered rather than simply inadequate, velcroed fabric. In my experience those are very useless.

Flux 2 23 Daypack is the best in my opinion. One of my favorite features is the minimalist strap system. Most backpacks have a bunch of straps that get caught while going through scanners, or into the over head bin. This one is so simple and classy. It's surprising how much you can put in it. I think there may be 2 different versions though, one with a waist strap, and one without a waist strap. I chose the one with the fewest straps possible.

thirty-fourth litres is about as big as you can get away with with out checking, any bigger might be an issue, though not sure thats gonna be big enough for round the world

You can get a really decent Daypack with a high quality suspension system (padded shoulderstraps and decent waistbelt) for as low as $50 you can also spend much much more for a pack with suprisingly similar features.

If you want something sturdy and reliable but are also concerned about price i would suggest checking out MEC branded packs. Because we source the packs ourselves there isnt as many middlemen involved so you can typically get a higher quality pack at a similar price point to other brand name packs.

Some, but not all, of the bags we get very positive feedback on would be :

Spirit Velo 25 Litre (My fave)
Jet ranger 29 Litre
Bookbag and Deluxe bookbag 24/30 Litre
Genie 30 Litre

Features/shape and fit will also vary from pack to pack so it can be handy to come on in and try some out. We even have some rocks we could toss in for you to try it out.

For my uses this pack at just over $100. is a fantastic price considering its about 10 years old. Remember it boards the the plane, bus, train like a suitcase and converts to a backpack on a hike to the station, getting on the speed boat or grass hut down the beach in relative comfort.

Keep in mind most of the budget airlines like Ryanair actually allow two carry-ons, as long as one is either a purse or a laptop bag (check the web site learn the rules). So take full advanage of that as well (ie, don't stuff your laptop into your carry-on). Get a large-enough laptop bag to carry all your electonic and sensitive stuff (like slr cameras), you will have to drag it all out at security anyway, so no sense stuffing it in with your underware. Carry your one zip-lock bag of liquid/gels in this as well. This will make it a lot simpler to get through security.

How much of a backpack you need depends on how much walking you will do with a all your gear, ie, very little walking then a simple duffle will do the job, the more walking the better a backpack you will need.

Personally I fall in the middle and use a large single strap pod/sling pack I picked up from MEC a few years ago. Easy to get on and off, and good to carry for a couple of hours, but I would not want to go all day with it.

I would suggest against compression bags. Remember you also have a weight limit. Also it is much easier to force a soft bag into a small irregular space than one make hard and rigid by compression straps.

I use a LowePro CompuRover AW, which fits my large laptop computer, as well as a dSLR camera and a bunch of other stuff. It fits nicely in most airline overhead compartments, and even on the worst planes on RyanAir and EasyJet etc, I can still jam it in without much hassle even when the bag is really packed full.

My experience with this is Do Not Lock your bag they will cut it open!

tie all the straps together so nothing can get caught in conver belts.

and buy a cheap laundry bag throw the entire pack in the laundry bag

attach your luggage sticker around the top handle of your Pack and pull it through the top of the laundry bag.

Ive used this technique about 80 times now and havent had any problems.

I've had problems locking my bag on flights - security were going to cut it off to search the bag until I offered to remove the lock. Once I had done so they did not actually search the bag. Secure the straps inside the bag if possible or get a cover that you can attach securely into which you can tuck the straps. Last ditch choice is a sturdy plastic or cloth bag that has openings where you can access the handle (and where baggage tags can be affixed).

My daughter just went off to Europe for 2 months with the MEC Pangea 60. She loves it! Lots of great features and a decent price. Only one con: it's not lockable. Other than that GREAT. Have a good time!

If you're definitely going to be in the mountains, I like the Brio series, maybe the 40. I happily used a 50l (I'm 6'2" and ~210#) for a year of mixed tramping and hosteling from NZ through SE Asia and into Europe in winter.

Otherwise, one of the mixed travel packs with wheels. Wheels are often very handy.

Pack small, not necessarily light, but small. Try to get all your stuff into 30-40 liters EASILY.

in the tub or large sink, use warm water with a bit of laundry soap.
Scrub the outside with a nylon bristle brush. Be gentle on the inside, you don't want to rub off the PU coating.

Rinse well with fresh water, hang upside down to dry.

Don't use perfumey soaps, especially if you are using it in the backcountry (be bear aware)

These are some varied requirements and one pack is unlikely to solve both problems.

A) the canoe packs which are large drybags with rudimentary harnesses are, in my opinion, the way to go for canoeing. Fill it with stuff (they're huge) and seal it up. Bring on the rain, whitewater, waves with no fear of wet gear at all. Even if its sitting in the bottom of a canoe in an inch of water all day its dry when you get to camp.

B) Get a travel backpack with a zip in panel that covers the harness. I've seen three incidents of backpack disasters where a thrower has torn off the shoulder harness. Bad way to start a trip.

Since your post is 5 months old, you should be able to answer your own question. What did you take and how did it work out? I was recommended not to take any kind of "Camelback" for Kili, but use 2-4 one litre Nalgene bottles and stop to drink often. Worked for me...