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J

J_Berg

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Hey guys I'm doing a few small overnight hikes in Colorado this summer. Estes, Rocky Mtn, and outside of Steamboat. Any suggestions on what size pack to get? I was think 35 to 45 L. Nothing overkill. Spending a max 2 nights on the ground. Thanks
 
If you have good gear (ultralight) that won't take up too much pack space you can get away with a 35. If you want something that you can probably take out for a few more days in the future go for a 45.
 
13444652:Nacho_Macho_mod said:
If you have good gear (ultralight) that won't take up too much pack space you can get away with a 35. If you want something that you can probably take out for a few more days in the future go for a 45.
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He asked for hrlp from backpackers, not fudgepackers
 
You could get away with a 35, but I always lean bigger for easier packing and if you want to go longer in the future, you can. Weight difference is usually pretty minimal.
 
Honestly, if you are only going to have one pack I'd get a big one. Like 65ish. It doesn't weigh much more, it's super easy to pack/unpack on small trips, and you'll be set for most trips you ever want to do in the future.

I have a bunch of smaller packs, but find that my 75L gets the brunt of the work. I can go for long backpacks or I end up using it for day trips to the local rock climbing spots with my rope, draws, etc. easily fitting inside/unpacking. It's not noticeably heavier at all if the extra space isn't being utilized.
 
i use a 42L for 1-2 night trips. works for me, enough room and straps to inside a sleeping bag and outside strap a tent and pad.
 
13444691:Dustin. said:
Honestly, if you are only going to have one pack I'd get a big one. Like 65ish.
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I disagree with this. I feel there is no reason for a 65l pack unless you will be out for a week or more with no resupply. In my opinion, 55l is the perfect pack size. My preference is the Gregory Z55 but a pack is not something you should order without trying it on first. In that way a pack is like ski boots. Go to REI or another store with a large selection, put the pack on, and walk around the store in it. Any good store will have sandbags to put in the pack to see how it feels with weight.

While you could get away with 45l, it will be tight for tent, pad, sleeping bag, water filter, food, and extra clothes.

Experience: Over 3,000 miles backpacked.
 
13444719:iFlip said:
I disagree with this. I feel there is no reason for a 65l pack unless you will be out for a week or more with no resupply. In my opinion, 55l is the perfect pack size. My preference is the Gregory Z55 but a pack is not something you should order without trying it on first. In that way a pack is like ski boots. Go to REI or another store with a large selection, put the pack on, and walk around the store in it. Any good store will have sandbags to put in the pack to see how it feels with weight.

While you could get away with 45l, it will be tight for tent, pad, sleeping bag, water filter, food, and extra clothes.

Experience: Over 3,000 miles backpacked.
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Yeah, I'm going to buy a new 70 for the pct. Use a 45 for everything now.
 
13444719:iFlip said:
I disagree with this. I feel there is no reason for a 65l pack unless you will be out for a week or more with no resupply. In my opinion, 55l is the perfect pack size. My preference is the Gregory Z55 but a pack is not something you should order without trying it on first. In that way a pack is like ski boots. Go to REI or another store with a large selection, put the pack on, and walk around the store in it. Any good store will have sandbags to put in the pack to see how it feels with weight.

While you could get away with 45l, it will be tight for tent, pad, sleeping bag, water filter, food, and extra clothes.

Experience: Over 3,000 miles backpacked.
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I have spent a week in the mountains in January with a 50L pack and although it's certainly doable, it was just a pain in the ass. I saved maybe 2 pounds from my pack and dealt with having to carefully pack and repack every single little thing in the pack 100+ times to make it fit. It drives me nuts, and I absolutely think the extra space is worth it if for nothing less than convenience in and out. When it's 10 degrees at 2 am and you want your dry pair of socks, it sucks balls to take out all your shit. It was actually that experience that drove me to sign off of my mid sized pack. Just because you have the space doesn't mean you have to fill it, my ideal pack has extra space for easy rummaging and packing as well as an easy/quick front access to the main compartment. When I go out on long trips, I have something to fill to the brim if I need to.
 
13444807:Dustin. said:
I have spent a week in the mountains in January with a 50L pack and although it's certainly doable, it was just a pain in the ass. I saved maybe 2 pounds from my pack and dealt with having to carefully pack and repack every single little thing in the pack 100+ times to make it fit. It drives me nuts, and I absolutely think the extra space is worth it if for nothing less than convenience in and out. When it's 10 degrees at 2 am and you want your dry pair of socks, it sucks balls to take out all your shit. It was actually that experience that drove me to sign off of my mid sized pack. Just because you have the space doesn't mean you have to fill it, my ideal pack has extra space for easy rummaging and packing as well as an easy/quick front access to the main compartment. When I go out on long trips, I have something to fill to the brim if I need to.
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Also I always end up carrying the climbing rope, tent, and the beer like the group camel. So for friendly outings it's convenient as hell.
 
13444760:byubound said:
Yeah, I'm going to buy a new 70 for the pct. Use a 45 for everything now.
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55l is perfect for the PCT. You could get by with a 45l if you go the UL route. I think you will seriously regret a 70l.
 
13444858:iFlip said:
55l is perfect for the PCT. You could get by with a 45l if you go the UL route. I think you will seriously regret a 70l.
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Have you hiked the whole thing? I'm worried about water on a few of the longer sections , especially cause we are going way late in the season. I'm also a crappy packer and suck and fitting stuff in small spaces. I'm getting a cuben fiber pack, so weights not an issue.
 
13444858:iFlip said:
55l is perfect for the PCT. You could get by with a 45l if you go the UL route. I think you will seriously regret a 70l.
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Why would you "seriously regret" it? It's not made of steel. You buy tons of options for a very slight amount of weight.
 
13445344:Dustin. said:
Why would you "seriously regret" it? It's not made of steel. You buy tons of options for a very slight amount of weight.
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It's not just the weight (which does add up fast). It's also how much the pack "moves" while it's on your back. The slimmer the profile of the pack, the less it will impact your hiking. Think about putting an ironing board on your back. It's going to move all over the place, change your center of balance, and "move" you after each step. Now think about strapping a small 25l pack on your back with 40 lbs in it. Even though it weighs at least 4x what the ironing board does, you will be much more efficient in your hiking.

I've hiked thousands of miles with many different packs. I've experimented with lots of different gear and combinations thereof, as well as discussed these things at length.
 
To the heated discussers. I got a 35 l. All i need is a few meals emergency clothes, sleepin bag, Half a two man tent, camera, first aid, water bottle and my lifestraw
 
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