EISPIRATEN

This week, after 26 years with my old frame pack, I will probably buy a new backpack at REI. I have pretty much settled on the Osprey Argon 85 or Argon 110 (settling on a single manufacturer and model early makes shopping easier, since all the major manufacturers make good stuff anyway).

What I am having a difficult time deciding is which of the two sizes to get. Part of me reckons the bigger the better, you can never have too much pack. The biggest problem with my current pack is it just doesn't have much internal space, especially after I have packed the wine and Usack and other such stuff, though I thought it was supposed to be a large pack when I bought it. I am not an ultralight hiker by any means.

Aside from weight and price (though it's 20% off at REI this week), what are the downsides to a 110 liter pack vs an 85 liter pack?

i really cant think of any downsides
the extra weight isnt much
and its nice to have the extra room

I had my eye on an Osprey last year but ended up buying a Gregory instead (after fitting the two packs in the store with weight/bulk stuffers).
The Gregory fit my tall frame better with weight bearing nicely on my hips.

The Osprey has a very comfortable and customizable belt, but was too top shifty for me and weighed a couple lbs more.
Selecting a good extended backpack is like fitting for a good boot and I suggest trying out all the options.

I'll report back whenever I actually use it for what I purchased it for.
8)

Cheers simonov, and good hunting for your new pack!

He219 wrote: Cheers simonov, and good hunting for your new pack!

Thanks a lot, now you got me thinking about Gregorys.

I bought a GoLite Quest last summer. Very comfortable, but a bit smaller than what you're looking for. However, their Tempest model at 90L is about what you're looking for size wise. They make, from what I've experienced, a pretty good product. I bought GoLite since they make pretty solid yet lightweight gear. Their Tempest is about 3.5 lbs empty, whereas a Gregory Whitney (95 L size) weighs about 6.5 lbs empty.

Just another factor in the mix.

I got one of these EMS packs last year . you cant try them on because they are on the east coast (unless you want to pay return shipping), but for the $$$ you cant beat it. They are basically Greggory knock offs.


http://www.ems.com/catalog/subcategory_ ... 0044420899

friendowl wrote:i really cant think of any downsides
the extra weight isnt much
and its nice to have the extra room

yep!

In the end, I think you'll just NEED to buy a pack of nearly each general size. I'd go big if you could afford it.

I bought a Gregory Whitney 95 last year. Used it twice and hated it (it's for sale now, if anyone wants one).



So over the weekend I ordered an Osprey Aether 85 (I had a 25% discount coupon from REI).



I'm just loving my little Osprey Stratos day pack more and more, and continue to be very impressed with Osprey's intelligent design and excellent workmanship.



I wanted a big pack, but the Osprey Argon I discussed last year is over six pounds empty. I think one of the problems I have with the Gregory is how big and heavy it is empty. I decided on the Aether because it's a lot lighter. It also has few (none?) outside pockets, which is a bit of an issue for me, but I decided to get a little day pack that Osprey sells that can be fastened to the "mother pack." If this isn't too bulky, it might be the best compromise between a lightweight, streamlined pack and a full-featured pack with all the bells, whistles and pockets. I need a little day pack anyway because on a lot of my overnights I drop the big pack to do a summit.

Sweet. Osprey is good stuff.

Out of curiosity, what exactly does one put in a 95 liter pack? My pack is 40L and it fits everything necessary for a 3 day winter burl-fest. That includes a bunch of wintery objects that would be smaller/non-existent on a summer trip. If you were doing Denali or something, maybe I could see 95L being cool. Just seems like overkill for short overnights.
And who wants to carry 95L of stuff around? If you have the space, you might be tempted to use it!

You don't carry much booze, do you?

yoskolo wrote:Out of curiosity, what exactly does one put in a 95 liter pack?

What I pack (bold face notes stuff I also carry on day hikes):

o Food and toiletries (toothpaste and toothbrush, soap, etc) in an Ursack.

o Clothing: fleece jacket, windbreaker, spare socks (2 pairs), spare underwear, cold weather stuff (glove liners, fleece cap, fingerless gloves). Owing mostly to the fleece jacket, this is my bulkiest bag after the Ursack.

o Hand towel

o Two ponchos (one for sitting on that also serves as a ground cloth, one for if it rains)

o Shelter (usually a tarp and some stakes; sometimes an old two-man dome tent with poles and a rain fly)

o Bag with my "ten essentials" (Leatherman, compass, spare cord and straps, headlamp, spare batteries, etc)

o Sun protection

o Pack cover

o Sanitation kit including trowel and toilet paper

o Two liters of water in Nalgene bottles

o Camp water bladder

o Cookware: one pot, one plastic cup, one spork and a set of "bulldog" grips for hot pots.

o Mummy bag

o Mummy bag liner

o Therm-a-Rest mattress

o Stove

o Stove fuel

o First aid kit

o Maps

o Paperback book

o Notebook and pencil

o Two liters of wine and/or four bottles of beer if there is a cool stream at camp

o Camp shoes if I have room

o Sometimes a camera tripod

o Ice axe and crampons if it's going to be one of those hikes

o Dog food and poo bags if my dog is coming along


I honestly can't imagine doing with less. A lot of the stuff that never gets used ought to be kept handy for emergencies in any case.

TacoDelRio wrote:You don't carry much booze, do you?

Pre-game my friend, pre-game.

I also have the Aether 85 which I used on Denali last year. That's a fairly light pack for its size which is why I got it. It worked well for me as have all the Osprey packs I have. Not all Osprey's packs have the lightweight I'm looking for but some like the Aether are just right.