[pct-l] Right pack for a thru-hike.

[wohlken at geaugaparkdistrict.org (SW)]

Hi all,

I'm right now in the planning stages for a 2005 thru-hike on the PCT, but am getting conflicting views on the type of backpack to use on the trip.  Some people feel that the lighter, the better--and that as long as all the equipment taken is also the lightest, the suspension/padding/waist belt, etc. are all of little concern.  On the other hand, some people claim that the weight of the backpack is not as important as the way it holds the gear, protects and cushions contact point, rides on the hips, and overall distributes the load.  I plan on cutting my weight every place I can (e.g. lighter tent, sleeping bag, clothes, headlamp, water filter, etc.) but must admit that for the shorter trips that I've taken, I really, really like my Osprey Cresent 90 (it handles loads better than any other backpack I've ever owned and feels very nice on my back) and had planned on using that for my PCT trek--unfortunately it come in at 6+ pounds.  Almost everyone I talk to claims that I shouldn't do this trip with any pack heavier than 4 pounds.  Even though my pack is heavy, I never feel like it's weighing me down--in fact, I can easily carry 50 pounds and not feel overly weighted down, but these were for trips of 5 days or less--obviously not quite in the same league as a 5-6 month trip.  Anyway, I'd love to hear from some of you "experts" on this issue.

Thanks in advance for any insights!

Shane