RE: [Philmont]: Pack Weight

Most pack manufactures design the doodads (excess straps) to be cut off with
a razor blade/sharp knife. A lot of them are extra long so you can also
shorten them. However they also recommend not cutting anything off until you
have used the pack at least once so that you know what you use and don't
use. An example is there are usually two ways to attach the pack hood/top
pocket to most packs. Two straps right below the pocket or two straps far
down the pack body. If you always use the pack to the maximum then the
longer straps probably won't be of value. However, if you carry different
loads, then some times you may pull the top down several inches below the
top straps. The longer straps support that.

Same may be with compression straps, etc. I am always a leery of cutting
compression straps. I like them long because I run the strap around any
outside pocket which keeps the pocket tight against the pack and keeps the
pocket from flapping.

I have one pack with all straps cut off that I use high. But most of my
packs I keep all the straps on. I have found that I never know where or what
I am doing with the pack and as such, might use, have used all the straps.

For some reason, which I have not determined why, they are afraid of
putting the "cut off" information on the information that goes with the
pack. Probably fear of having someone cut off too much then coming back.

Jim
 
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-----Original Message-----
From: owner-philmont@troop47.com [mailto:owner-philmont@troop47.com] On
Behalf Of R Fisher
Sent: Tuesday, September 28, 2004 5:49 PM
To: Multiple recipients of list philmont
Subject: RE: [Philmont]: Pack Weight

> When I got home, I checked and the pack weighs 9 pounds empty, with
> nothing at all in it.

Take a looooong hard look at all the doodads on your pack - things like
crampon patches, ice axe loops, lash-on points, extra compression straps,
that sort of thing. I realized some time ago, that I was carrying a *lot*
of accessories that I was never, ever going to use. So I very carefully
removed them from the bag. To my surprise, when I weighed the pile of stuff
I'd taken off, it was over half a pound!
There are still some things that I can probably do without, and may very
well find out soon ;>) Madison Avenue is wonderful about selling us stuff
we don't really need. (If I get really gung-ho, the label will go
too.)

And those big packs somehow "miraculously" seem to fill up with all the
stuff the crew can't find a place for.

Happy Trails,

Roy Fisher

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Received on Thu Sep 30 15:12:27 2004