Backpacks

[Plakespear]

Okay, I am a total backpacking JONG. But my sister wants a new backpack for Christmas, and since she's completely clueless about technical stuff, I thought maybe the collective could help me out.

Basically, she wants a pack for multi-day backpacking trips. That's all I can tell you. What size pack should I be looking for, what features are useful, are chinstraps essential or just a nice option, etc.

[Will]

As with most stuff like this, fit is the most important thing. Drag her to a store and have her try stuff on. Carrying an overloaded pack around the store can be a quick way to find out if there are any wierd pressure points.

For your basic run through of pack features and whatnot you might want to check out this:
http://www.backpacker.com/gear/backp...,4029,,00.html

I'm sure their "reviews" are about as trusworthy as your average ski magazine review, but there's probably some good info in there about what features to look for and such.

I'm sure folks will chime in here with their favorite brands and whatnot.

[wrinkledpants]

A lot of companies make women specific bags. you will have to find a bag for the volume she needs, torso length (small, med, large), and usually the hip belt comes in different sizes as well.

For volume: an avid packer with good compact gear can get away with a 3500-4000 cubic inch pack for a 2-4 day trip. That means carrying everything yourself. 5 days or longer and you will want to look at 4000-5000 or up to 7500 cubic inch. If she has a walmart tent and sleeping bag go with 4000-5000 regardless of trip length.

each bag comes in small, med or large for the different torso lengths. Remember....a 4000 CI bag in large will not be 4000 CI in small.

As far as features....i personally DON'T like sleeping bag compartments. people have a tendency to JUST put sleeping bags in there when they could pack a lot more. Most bags come with a water bladder holder of some sort which is nice. For me, the less external pockets the better. Again, just space that doesn't get used up completely. Marmot, arcteryx, granite gear, gregory are mainstream good bag companies. Stay away from kelty, REI and GoLight. I'm sure there are people out there that have these and they work great. It's just my personal opinion.

I have no idea what a chinstrap is.

[schwerty]

I am partial to Arcteryx, mostly because I get to test some of their packs for free etc..... They do make a great pack, at least for my build. They come with a hefty retail tag but can be worth it. For multiday use check out the Bora 75 or 80 for her. If she is heading out for a week + with winter gear on a regular basis, try the Bora 95. PM me with any questions....(pricing, sizing, etc....)

Arcteryx or not, don't get her something with a shitload of bells and whistles. All tons of features do is add weight and make the pack confusing.

[seldon]

I absolutely love arc'teryx packs. However, after 5 years of beating one to shit and loving it, I bought a Mountain Hardwear pack - one of the new ones with the weird suspension thinger, on the basis of a couple recommendations. While it is all about fit, and arc'teryx was the fit for me, the new Mountain Hardwear packs are just not figured out yet. While the idea is a cool concept, wait a couple generations before you spring for it, even if it "fits" you.
Cheers

[wrinkledpants]

I absolutely love arc'teryx packs. However, after 5 years of beating one to shit and loving it, I bought a Mountain Hardwear pack - one of the new ones with the weird suspension thinger, on the basis of a couple recommendations. While it is all about fit, and arc'teryx was the fit for me, the new Mountain Hardwear packs are just not figured out yet. While the idea is a cool concept, wait a couple generations before you spring for it, even if it "fits" you.
Cheers

shoulda bought the arcteryx naos.

[summit]

+1 on the go to the store and try it on

that said, Osprey rules and they make some womens specific stuff... so does mountainsmith

[MeatPuppet]

As others have said, have her go to the store and try on several different packs. Fit is everything.

A girl I was dating several years ago bought an Osprey Ariel, which is part of Osprey's women specific line of packs. She said that it fit her like a glove compared to the unisex packs she tried on. So that might be a place to start.

I have always used Osprey and have loved them, they make great packs. But in the future arc'teryx will be getting my money. All their newer packs are waterproof. Most packs are rain resistant, but they will get soaked if left uncovered in multi-hour/multi-day downpours. Arc'teryx are rain proof(some of them are even dry-bag type waterproof), sealed zippers, the whole shabang, which means you don't have to carry a raincover for your pack. You will pay through the nose for them though.

I agree with schwerty, avoid bells and whistles. Simple is good.

[pechelman]

2nd the mountainsmith backpacks

STP had some realatively inexpensive mountainsmith mountainlight packs a while back. Got one for the GF for a present and she digs it. Ive had one of the mens version of that pack and love it. Fits great and pretty adjustable.
They still have a couple womens models left, although neither of the packs we have. scroll to the bottom
http://www.sierratradingpost.com/eui...d=10F20DCF49A8

[summit]

2nd the mountainsmith backpacks

STP had some realatively inexpensive mountainsmith mountainlight packs a while back. Got one for the GF for a present and she digs it. Ive had one of the mens version of that pack and love it. Fits great and pretty adjustable.
They still have a couple womens models left, although neither of the packs we have. scroll to the bottom
http://www.sierratradingpost.com/eui...d=10F20DCF49A8

I have the Ghost... I'm so tempted to buy another off STP for when the one I have wears out... AWESOME PACK

The Seraph is the women's version of the Ghost. Be aware that these mountainlight packs are for UL or at least lightweight... the Ghost is not comfortable above 25-30lb (mine is usually 18-24lbs depending on camera gear)... same would go for the Seraph. OTOH people do the AT with these packs all the time. If I didn't bring my camera gear I could get 5 days out of my Ghost without difficulty in the summer.

If UL isn't her thing, the Chimera would be awesome. The mens version of the Chimera is the Auspex and it has a remarkable suspension for the lightweight pack and can comfortably haul 30-40lbs. My buddy runs an Auspex.

I have 7 backpacks of various types... Lowe Alpine, Black Diamond, Outdoor Producs, JanSport, BCA, Osprey, and Mountainsmith. The only ones I actually love are the Osprey Eclipse 42 and the Mountainsmith Ghost.

Osprey has their own equivelent to the Mountainlight series the Ariel and Aura series packs for women.

[kellen]

Go with Osprey. I have personally tried packs on 3-5 day trips from Arcteryx, Gregory, Mountain Hardwear, and Marmot. Marmot's bags are close, but Osprey is the full package. You get the durability of Arcteryx and Gregory without the associated extra weight. I don't care how good the suspension may be, with a women's pack you want to get as light of a pack that still carries well.

I personally am an ultralighter carrying a frameless pack, but for framed packs, ospreys are well ahead of everyone else.

[bryanthebold]

I am a huge fan of my Arcteryx Bora 65...

I tried a Marmot pack (wore it for a week), and also tried several Osprey packs (weighed at the store). Neither of them came close to the comfort that my Bora has. The Bora hands down carries better, and is a burlier pack. Yeah they cost a lot, but ebay and store sales can get you one for a decent price, mine came for a little over $200 on sale on some random website.

[Plakespear]

I'll probably get her an EMS gift cert and let her try & buy.

[Chainsaw_Willie]

That's probably the best idea. Fit is super important, of course, but so are features. Some people really like packs that have all kinds of little organizing compartments & such in them.

I have an Osprey pack that's about 9 years old now and it has seen some heavy use. Finally had to take it in last year because the zipper on the top compartment wore out and the frame stay finally wore through the nylon at the bottom of it's sleeve. It's a smaller pack, really designed as a climber's pack for overnights or 2 nights max but I have stuffed it full and added on external compartments and carried 55 lbs in it for a week and it was still really comfortable.