[pct-l] packs

[reynolds@iLAN.com (Reynolds, WT)]

Well let me confuse you still more.

Your suspension needs to be capable of carrying the TOTAL pack weight [base
weight, food, water]. 

Based on the Kelty Cloud I designed a pack that I showed at ADZPCTKO 2001
and tested this summer. My idea was to suspend the heavier items [either the
water bag, bear canister or food bag] from a horozinal stay located at the
extreme top of the pack and supported by two vertical stays based on the
Kelty Cloud design. On the southern PCT I tested this pack carrying 2 gal of
water [16 pounds] and later I tested it carrying a bear canister [16 pounds
w/ food]. In packing I was careful to maintain a separation between the
heavy item [water bag or bear canister] so that the heavy item would not
push down on the rest of the load [About 16 pounds]. I found the difference
in the apparant weight amazing. Carrying the heavy items across the
shoulders and not transferring weight to the rest of the load made a 32
pound pack feel like a 22 pound pack.

You can adapt a Cloud to do this simply by rigging a horozinal stay between
the two vertical stays. I used a MSR Dromedary [rather heavy actually] bag
and wrapped the end over the horizonal stay to get the water weight as high
as possible. I did not try a bear canister in the Kelty. In fact my new
design pack is somewhat larger than the Kelty to allow room between the bear
canister and the rest of the load and includes a vertical strap to support
the pack bag from the horozinal stay. You may want to rig one on the Kelty.