[pct-l] What size backpack?

[Paul Cronshaw]

Size of your pack depends on how much stuff you carry. The less and more compact your stuff, the smaller the pack size. 


The Bora 80 is approx 7 lbs and 4500+ cuin. With a pack this size, the tendency is to carry to much stuff. 


I would recommend a 3500-2500 cuin pack size.


Several companies demonstrated their packs at this years KO:  


1. Gossamer Gear:  Mariposa Plus or Gorilla
(FWIW The Gorilla will be the pack of choice for my PCT section hikes this year).
2. ULA-Equipment: Circuit or Conduit
3. Six Moons Design:  Starlite


(Note the prices of these packs as compared to the Bora).


At the KO, I talked to a lot of hikers who started from the border with a large pack.  Upon arriving in Lake Morena, they quickly figured out that getting a smaller pack would make the trip more doable and enjoyable. 


Read Lenny’s Trail Journal: http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?trailname=8791


He did a shakedown hike with me in the Los Padres National Forest, and quickly learned that going lighter was the key to his PCT trip.


Warner Springs Monty's saying says it all:  "The fun goes up when the weight goes down".


Happy Trails


Paul “The Beeman” CronshawPhotos: http://picasaweb.google.com/beemancron


--Forwarded Message Attachment--
From: littlevixsin at gmail.com
To: pct-l at backcountry.net
Date: Sat, 9 May 2009 08:21:18 -0700
Subject: [pct-l] What size backpack?

I am planing a thru hike of the pct in 2010 and I was wondering if anyone
could tell me what size backpack I should get. I am not an ultralight hiker
, I was looking at the bora 80, what do you guys think?
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