[Philmont] Pack Frames and Sleeping Gear

It's good seeing posts on pack frames and sleeping gear. These two
can make a big difference in enjoying a Philmont trek.

Pack Frames: I've used both external and internal frames. Both
worked well for me. Two factors I've found to be important regardless
of frame type:

1) Wide pads on the shoulder straps help keep your shoulders from getting sore.
A pack belt which allows your pack to "ride" on the belt and takes
weight off your shoulders can make a big difference also.

2) Getting the pack load balanced and near your center of gravity can
make a difference. If you pack the heavy stuff toward the bottom of
the pack and/or near your back you can avoid the feeling of the pack
"pulling" you backwards. It also helps to pack in such a way that you
don't feel pulled to either side.

Get a frame that fits you and experiment with packing it until you are
sure it will be comfortable for you during the high altitude miles you
will experience at Philmont.
Remember you will be adding food and (maybe) gear at Philmont; include
something to simulate this when you do your packing experiments.

Sleeping gear:
A pad with lots of foam air bubbles will insulate better than one with
fewer. Same for a sleeping bag - the more air is trapped in crevices
and bubbles the better it will insulate you. Try any pad and bag you
are thinking of taking to Philmont in your backyard on a cold night
for a few hours to see if they keep you comfortable.

Emergency blankets/shelter wrapped in foil:
Never have used this but would advise getting two, opening one and
trying it out to see what protection you are going to get.

Your step may vary, but whatever step you take try it out before Philmont.

Joe Jansen
JAJansenJr@gmail.com
Philmont 1965; 1978
(who especially recommends getting the best possible ground foam pad as keeping
yourself off the ground at night will contribute in a major way to
keeping you warm)

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Received on Thu Aug 16 21:23:33 2007