RE: [Philmont]: Backpack size

 From: Tim Tucker
I are smart. I like external. Easier pack. Better ventilation. Handle
crew gear more better. Cleaner, cause it stand up. Not fall in heap on
ground. I no climb upside down on big rocks. Just like trail. I like
external.
>>> smacintyre.asm@attglobal.net 6/23/2004 10:19:46 PM >>>
  Philmont asks for 4000 on external packs, 4300 on internal packs. From
both trips to Philmont and on 1 trip on a part of the AT, it seems the smart
people use internal packs and the rest of us use external packs. Just a
observation of mine.
  From: ROBERT SCHAETTLE
  I'm looking for advice on the size of backpack I should buy for my son --
our trek is August 2005, when he'll be 15 yrs old, and probably 5'10". He
currently has a "beginner" backpack that will clearly be too small for
Philmont, and I want to buy him a new internal frame backpack this summer so
he can get used to it. When I look at the specs, sizes are given in cubic
inches...4500, 5000, 5500, etc. Any recommendations?
To each his own, I guess.
For the first 45 years of my life I used, exclusively, externals. I went to
a lot of places, some for a long time. I was happy.
So what if I can't fit anything big in my pack, like my thermarest, I can
always tie it on the outside, no big. Just because something occasionally
falls off when I don't strap it tight enough, no big inconvenience? Hmm,
seems to happen to the scouts a lot, though...
So what if half the exterior pockets are left empty for lack of anything to
put in them, nice to have, anyway.
So I sweat like a pig, I have the mesh back to help, of course, I still am
soaked back there, no big.
Who needs form fitting or lumbar support, not me.
Besides, I've only gone bushwacking once in all those 45 years, so who needs
it anyway?
Not to mention those infernal internals are heavier than the externals, who
needs the extra weight?
One big pocket? What a pain to organize! Who needs that?

But why are all the manufacturers no longer making externals? Why am I
seeing almost nothing but internals on the trail except for the boy scouts?
What happened?

Then I read all the hype about internals, and a few people in my troop got
them. Not for me, says I, I sweat like a pig, I'll never be happy in one.

Then I found out Alps Mountaineering will sell me their Gregory look-alike
Red Tail for next to nothing, and I'm a rich lawyer anyway, so what's a
little money for a new toy?
So I bought it.
I still sweat like a pig, my back gets just as wet, but, lo and behold, I
don't notice any difference as to ventilation back there.
I suddenly find myself losing my balance far less frequently (not that I did
all that much) than before.
I suddenly find I am much more comfortable leaving the pack on during
breaks, and other than the weight, usually don't notice it's there,
something that never happened with any of my externals.
I got personally fitted by Wayne Gregory, who ought to know how to do this
stuff, and I notice it even less. Hey, that internal is a heck of a lot
easier to adjust to my back than any of the externals ever were, what a
surpise!
I still don't use all my external pockets, but I have fewer empty ones.
I don't have stuff hanging on the outside of my pack to get caught on bushes
sticking out on the trail.
I don't have the pack sticking out on both sides of me making it harder to
go through narrow places.
I can even carry a heavier load without noticing it than I could ever carry
in my externals.
Hey, I don't have to take time strapping things onto my pack, like my
thermarest, tent and sleeping bag, they all just stuff inside...
I seem to always get my gear packed up long before my external compatriots,
cause I don't have to strap anything...
I find I don't carry that much loose stuff that there is any real organizing
to do. All my clothes are together in my stuff sack. All my ten essentials
are together in their bag, all my hygiene/cooking/eating gear is together in
their bag. What's to organize? Big things go in the main bag, little
things go in the top bag. Simple.

I'm permanently converted, thanks. And I do go off in the wilderness for
long times and love my internal for it.
Regards
Don Roberts
Philtrek 05 808-K

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Received on Thu Jun 24 10:16:52 2004