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

[elee at microsoft.com (Eric Lee (GAMES))]

Shane wrote:
>
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.
>

I guess other people have said all the important things, but I'll chime
in anyway.

I agree with several other posters who said that a good suspension
system with a hip belt is important.  Some people get by without a hip
belt, but I'm not one of them.  To me, the harness is the most important
part of a backpack.  The rest of it can be a plain old bag, for all I
care.

The Granite Gear Vapor Trail seems to be a popular pack for thru-hikers
who want a full suspension system.  I just got one recently and I really
like it.  It weighs two pounds and carries very nicely.  It dispenses
with everything that isn't important (like a top lid) and focuses on
stuff that is important (like the harness).

You didn't say how many miles a day your 5 day trips were.  The daily
mileage makes a big difference in how much your overall weight affects
you.  A 22 or 25 mile day is a _lot_ more strenuous than, say, a 12 or
15 mile day (at least for me), and you're going to be doing 20+ mile
days as a matter of course for a long time.  When extrapolating from
your previous experience, be sure to account for the unique
circumstances of thru-hiking.  I think a lot of people go into a PCT
thru-hike imagining that it will be like their previous weekend strolls
in the woods, only for a longer period of time.  It's not.  It's all
about transforming yourself into an ultra-efficient mile-machine.

When making these kinds of decisions, remember that the thru-hiking goal
is to build a gear system that allows you to travel the most miles over
a long period of time.  Too little weight won't get you very far (even
the most rabid ultralighters carry _some_ stuff!), and likewise too much
weight will slow you down also.  You want to find that magic balance
point where either adding or removing weight from your gear system would
make you a less efficient mile-machine.  But here's the trick - that
magic balance point is different for everyone.  So in the end, go with
what works for _you_.

Eric (who hasn't thru-hiked yet but will someday, by God!)