[Philmont] Pack Size

Would you please advise on the proper internal frame packing techniques.

Either on or off forum is ok.

Steve R
spreadett@hotmail.com<mailto:spreadett@hotmail.com>
  ----- Original Message -----
  From: Terry Pogue<mailto:terrencepogue@yahoo.com>
  To: Philmont List Member<mailto:Philmont@troop47.com>
  Sent: Friday, September 15, 2006 12:24 PM
  Subject: [Philmont] Pack Size

  I have been watching, and staying out of, the internal vs external discussion. Went to PSR in 64 with the old packboards and our Yucca packs - and we still loved it. I own several internals and a couple of generations of Kelty Tiogas and loved the newest one in 05. Someone mentioned that externals weren't sold much and with good reason. There is a reason they aren't sold, not necessarily good. All sales people follow the axiom "SWAT" - Sell What's Available Today. Hardly anyone makes externals anymore and Kelty sells less of them than in the past. If the store aint got it they don't sell it. I worked for a major external pack and tent maker for years and used to travel the country doing clinics for reps and retailers. PSR and all the groomed trails of the world are perfect for ext. frames. Some of the change from external to the preponderance of internals has to do with ease of sewing materials vs having a metal shop for tube bending or molds for plastic frames. Kids in retailers get excited about what is "hot" and sell that, if you did clinics for the folks working in specialty stores you would pick up on how to push their buttons; the average ranger is that same demographic. The manufacturers also make what sells and what's hot or they don't stay in biz for long.

  If there is a good reason not to use externals on groomed trails and trips of long duration I've not heard it. In preping for 05 I spent lots of time showing the internal pack kids how to load and carry their packs. On the trail we sort of kept count of how many scouts and adults had properly loaded internals; I had enough fingers to keep count. Each kind of pack has its proper use, most folks don't know how to use and pack internals, they take more time and work. Many internals are now are adopting many of the features of externals and many outweigh externals because of multiple poly sheets used for stiffeners, etc. Regardless of what you use remember its the trail and the experience not the equipment that is most important (in the outdoor biz we called them EJ's-equipment junkies or Gear Geeks). The trouble with most of the great gear out there is that it lasts forever and styles come and go.

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Received on Fri Sep 15 12:03:24 2006