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used gear and apparel by stopping at yard sales and thrift shops and checking
bulletin boards.
Know what you want before you step into the shop. Consider the
following gear needs questions. Have your answers in hand when you enter
the store. They’ll help you, and the salesperson,
figure out what equipment is best.
Packs
Have you been to a big outdoors store lately
If you have, you know that packs come in an
array of shapes, sizes, and configurations, with
designs suited for dayhiking, overnight backpacking,
and expeditions. Some are made for
backcountry skiers, while others boast features
for fastidious climbers. Still others are tailored
just for women, with specially designed shoulder
straps and hipbelts, and some models appeal to
ultralight fanatics. The good news is that somewhere
out there, your ideal pack exists.
PACK NEEDS
■ What’s your price range
■ Do you prefer an internal or external
frame (For more on the advantages of
each, see Pack Types, below.)
■ What’s your torso length (See below, or check the Gear Guide, March
2004, for tips on how to measure your torso.)
■ Do you need a specialty shoulder harness and hip belt (such as one
made specifically for women or a big or tiny waist)
■ How many days is your typical trip
■ Do you frequently participate in overnight winter travel
BUYING A BETTER PACK
1. Measure your torso. To get a proper fit, you must know your torso
length. To find out, drape a soft tape measure from the seventh vertebra
(the bony protrusion at the base of your neck) down along the contour of
your spine to the low point between your hipbones.
2. Check those hips. When trying on packs, make sure you get the hipbelt
positioned properly—that is, directly on the crest of the hips, not
around the waist. The majority of the load will be carried by the hipbelt, so
make sure it’s comfortable
and fits snugly,
without slipping.
3. Practice patience.
Your backpack may be
your most important
piece of gear, so take
your time with the selection
process. Before you
leave for the store, toss
all your usual backpacking
gear into a duffel
bag. Once you narrow
down the options, load
the packs and walk
around the store for 20
minutes to make sure
that the gear all fits
inside and that the
pack carries the load
comfortably.
4. Treat yourself.
Buy the best pack you
can afford as long as it
fits. Durability and quality
rank right behind
fit as important
considerations.
5. Know your load.
Determine what and
how much you’ll be carrying.
Are you planning
to spend, at most, 1 or
2 nights out at a time
Will you be hiking in the
winter For short outings
in the summer, you can
get by with a smaller
pack, but snowy trips
require more capacity,
plus external gearlashing
options.
Pack Types
External frame: For these, the packbag is mounted
to the outside of a rigid frame, often made of aluminum
tubes. Externals hold the pack’s weight higher
than internals do, allowing you to walk in a more
upright position. Externals are generally less expensive
than internal frame packs.
Internal frame: A frame mounted inside the packbag
can be as simple as a pair of aluminum stays bent in
the shape of your back or as complex as a molded
sheet of rigid plastic supported by a carbon-fiber
hoop. The advantages of internal frames include having
a streamlined shape that resists getting hung up
on brush when traveling off trail. They also ride closer
to your torso and therefore resist twisting and turning
when you’re scrambling over rough routes.
Frameless rucksack: Take the frame out of an internal
frame pack, and you have a rucksack. They are
best suited for dayhiking, ski touring, ultralight backpacking,
or climbing when you have little weight in the
pack.
Top-loading: One big opening at the top provides the
only means of access to the main compartment of the
bag, although many packs also have a zipper that
accesses the sleeping bag compartment. Careful
organization before you start loading the pack is
essential so that you can stack your gear inside and
keep the weight balanced properly.
Panel-loading: If organization is important to you,
you might like a panel loader. This type of pack features
a large, horseshoe-shaped zipper that lets you
peel back the front of the pack for fast, easy access
to the entire main compartment. You can then meticulously
organize your gear inside. The drawback: You
won’t be able to cram as much stuff into it as you
would a similar-size top loader.
Hybrid-loading: Taking the best of both worlds and
minimizing most of the drawbacks, hybrid loaders are
increasingly common. You can cram in all your gear
from the top, stuffing the pack completely full. Then,
when you need to get something from the middle of the
load, pull down an access zipper, reach in from the
front (or side), and get what you need.
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