[Philmont] Pack Size

We preach to our parents that good gear should last forever, so don't balk
simply because of price. Cheaper isn't necessarily better. Look more at
what you are getting. When I went to Philmont in 2002, I used the same
Kelty external backpack and pack cover I had used at Philmont in 1976, with
no problems. I upgraded in 2004 simply to gain more room. On most
campouts, I use the same down sleeping bag that was my ONLY Christmas
present in 1974 because of the cost. When backpacking, I still use the
SVEA stove and cookset that I bought in 1975 with some of my hard-earned
lawn mowing money. Of course, technology has usurped much of my gear. I
now take a 3 lb sleeping bag backpacking and wouldn't go anywhere without
my Marmot Pre-Cip Plus raingear <g>! My 2 cents, your mileage will vary
<g>! YIS. Mike Conkey ('76, '02, '04 and '07)

|---------+---------------------------->
| | Terry Pogue |
| | <terrencepogue@ya|
| | hoo.com> |
| | Sent by: |
| | Philmont@troop47.|
| | com |
| | |
| | |
| | 09/15/2006 10:24 |
| | AM |
| | Please respond to|
| | philmont |
| | |
|---------+---------------------------->
>------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
  | |
  | To: "Philmont List Member" <Philmont@troop47.com> |
  | cc: |
  | 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 12:32:06 2006