[pct-l] Re: ultralight packs

[canuck013 at yahoo.com (Patrick Shannon)]

My opinion on the ultralight pack is this: if there is one item of gear you should not go ultralight on, it is this. Regardless of what your pack weight is, if it is supported properly it is going to feel better hiking long distances (even if it weighs a few extra ounces). Obviously the heavier your pack weight is the more true this becomes, but I believe this philosophy at any pack weight. This does not mean I am suggesting you go out and get the 14000 cu in capacity bag with 47 pockets and gadgets attached, there are still light backpacks out there that still give good support. I personally hike with the ULA-P2 which I love and would recommend to anyone. I hiked the majority of the PCT with it in '03 and it performed wonderfully. I had started with a GoLite Gust but it just didn't feel comfortable. My packweight w/o food and water was 18 lbs., so I'm certainly not ultralight, but the Gust lacked any kind of back support what-so-ever, which becomes important over long distances.
 What ever you choose, don't make my mistake by not hiking a bit with your pack before you start a big hike. I could have avoided a few weeks of pain and discomfort from a pack that did not work for me, by finding this out ahead of time. Just my two cents.

The Northerner (PCT03)

			
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