EISPIRATEN

By now you folks are aware of my tradition-minded bent with regard to gear, the most famous example hereabouts being my photogenic teak ice axe. But it doesn't stop at Italian ice axes. This last weekend I went on my first backpacking outing in about nine or ten years, using the REI external frame pack (probably made by Kelty on their Tioga pattern) I bought (on sale) in 1982:



Those boots were bought at about the same time, from the Holubar store in Santa Ana. They have been resoled twice.

Anyway, I love my old pack, it has literally hundreds of miles on it, and though I do need to get a new internal frame pack for winter use, I will never willingly part with my REI e-frame. However, while it's a great and serviceable pack, the suspension is teh suck, especially when I see everyone else gamboling across the ridges in their luxurious foam hipbelts, etc. Today my hips hurt and the rifle shooting date I had planned for next weekend is out of the question. As a frame pack, it would be easy to swap out the old suspension for a new one, if only a new one was available.

Back in the day, places like REI and Holubar sold suspension components such as belts and shoulder straps (this was before REI became a clothing store). Now I can't find anything like that, even on-line. This weekend a couple of my fellow hikers had relatively new Kelty Tioga packs, and their lovely suspension systems could have easily been fitted to my packframe. If only I could get one without having to buy the pack.

Anyone have any suggestions as to how to do this? I will probably call Kelty customer service tomorrow, but mebbe the San Gabriel Mountains Brain Trust has some ideas in the meantime.

Kelty sounds like a good bet. You might talk to REI. Couldn't hurt.

Jansport still supports e-frame packs too. I recently got new shoulder straps for my 1986 classic Jansport D2. Haven't used it since '01, but keeping it serviceable "just in case." I understand for really heavy loads on trail, that the e-frames work better than i-frames. The typical person can carry more weight with an e-frame than an i-frame. Having said that, I'm not about to trade in my i-frame. WAY more comfortable than those old e-frames!

I'll have to take a picture of my '70's vintage orange A16 ice axe and post it some time. I still have my 1970's Lowa Norwegian Welt hiking boot with Vibram Montagnabloc soles. Too small for me now, but I've kept 'em for laughs. I also have my dad's old Tempco Quilter's (Seattle, Washington) down bag from the late 50's/early 60's. It's 45+ years old and still in good shape. Probably pretty good down quality; it was made in an era prior to the time when backcountry activity and down were popular. It comes from the pre stuff sack era. It has an extended flap of nylon at the foot that you roll it up in and then tie it off with some cord. What a crack up.

Dang! The 50's and 60's would have been a great time to hike locally and in the Sierra: a lot of the old trails were still open, no permits or fire restrictions, hardly any people, not nearly as many private property restrictions, and not a lot of environmental degradation. Places like the Condor Refuge were still in the future. My dad before he died told me about some of his adventures in the Sespe Creek/Condor Refuge area in the early 60's.

OK, I'm going off on nostalgia, but it's good to see I'm not the only one.

my friend got the kelty tioga on ebay for $60
that thing is rad.

external frames hold so much more and are easier to tie stuff to the outside.

BTW Mitch, moved to Gear section. 8)

Try Sport Chalet. I got a new belt for my Camp Trails external frame pack two years ago at the Huntington Beach store. Also try online at Campmor.com

My external frame pack is my pack-of-choice; if I can get away with using it, even in winter, I will! While an internal frame is more stable for off-trail scrambling, the external is easier to adjust, keeps my back cooler, and is just a lot more comfortable! And yes, they are inexpensive, too.