looking for a BIG pack

[Pete_Hickey]

Pete- I've never even seen aluminum pack boards, are those yours or part of the trail crews gear? Even when I've seen the DEC fellow from the outpost hauling it's always been those wooden ones that look as if they were last made 50 years ago or came out of someone shop.

The DEC also has aluminium ones. The ADK pro trail crew uses aluminium ones (but they still have some of the older ones), the 46ers have them as well. Google on freighter packs. Campmor stopped selling them a few years ago.

Oh, I would never carry 80lbs of gear. I would sled, or choose another trip. Ok, if I ever do start doing trail work maybe I will eat those words...

My son tells me that 80 pounds isn't that heavy. I find a tremendous difference between 60 and 80 pounds. Much more than between 40 and 60. A good pack/frame means that the back does not take the weight, but the legs sure do.

Very few people doing trailwork carry loads like that. Only the young (eg my son) and the foolish (eg me). I did it once, because I wanted to see what it would be like hauling a pack like that up a mountain.

 

[bobmak]

I can assure you that with today's emphasis on smaller and lighter gear, I would be hardpressed to fill up the Astralplane unless it was with 3 weeks of food - It is even difficult to pack it full in winter, unless I am solo with no one to split gear with.

I have to second Ricks statement... I still have the 2 Qt cook set, XGK stove, 5 lb tent, etc and I would be hard pressed to fill the Astralplane. I originally bought it many years ago for some longer extended trips where I was also carrying some technical gear and have not really used it much in the last 4 or 5 years. I use a 60 liter Osprey pack for 3 season trips, which is what I am doing now, and find that even traveling solo with my antiquated gear that I can carry enough for a 5 day trip.

 

[bunchberry]

vtlukekultv,
I will also endorse the Dana packs...I've had one for about 8 years that is still going strong. It distributes weight evenly, and it is extremely durable. I've made changes to the pack as my needs/uses have changed, for example replacing the shoulder straps as when I first bought the pack the straps were VERY thin and uncomfortable, and I know that you can buy pockets/compartments to strap onto the outside of the pack as well. By the way, which hut are you working at this summer?

 

[Pete_Hickey]

I can assure you that with today's emphasis on smaller and lighter gear, I would be hardpressed to fill up the Astralplane unless it was with 3 weeks of food -

Well, it depends on the kind of food you pack, doesn't it? Put a couple growlers of beer in there... then if you carry fresh things. The tomatoes need to be in a large-ish container so they don't get squished. I think I filled a 7000 in**3 pack with three days worth of food.

 

[John Graham]

I had a Dana Astralplane and there were occasions when it was overfilled on winter multi-day climbing trips. I now own a three custom made McHale Packs http://www.mchalepacks.com/index.htm The one I started with was the 8000 ci super inex. It is so much more comfortable than the other monster packs I have owned (I also had a Gregory and a Kelty external frame). These packs have stays exactly the length of your torso, with an innovative rermovable bayonet extention for when the pack is fully loaded. They also have double buckle hipbelts which eliminate the pressure points I have encountered on other packs when carrying extreme loads. This pack ran about $750 and I had to wait several months for my custom pack to be made, but he sent me a demo model to try out on the trail while I waited for my pack to be made. I have carried 80 lbs loads in relative comfort, it is really useful for those trips when the approach is too rugged to manage a sled. It is hard to explain how much more comfortable a custom made pack is and there are too many innovations in his packs for me to explain here, I will just say that once I had such a pack I realized what true pack comfort was and ordered two more smaller packs for my everyday uses.

 

[afka_bob]

At the other end of the price scale (no slight intended to Dana and McHale useres, they are wonderful pieces of gear) I've gotten yeoman service from my (then) sub-$200 EMS 7000. I think I have benefitted from the fact that it seems to fit me particularly well, which most likely wouldn't happen for most other folks unless you share my dimensions (in which case, I might ask you to leave, or, at least, take a step back).

the various removable pockets are quite usable and fit both the 7000 and my 2800LT, as well as other packs in their line.

This is pure Jeep, not a Land Rover or G55 AMG -- e.i., I won't make any claims that it is a Dana, just that it has served me well. Nor will I say that it makes 80 lbs. comfortable. I think only a hired porter or pack animal could do that for me.

 

[bobmak]

Well, it depends on the kind of food you pack, doesn't it? Put a couple growlers of beer in there... then if you carry fresh things. The tomatoes need to be in a large-ish container so they don't get squished. I think I filled a 7000 in**3 pack with three days worth of food.

You do have a point there Mr. Hickey. A few years back several of us went on a mid-October hiking trip during which we celebrated my friend Tony's birthday. I carted in a couple of bottles of wine and a dozen mixed Italian pastries along with assorted other goodies. Everyone kept wondering why I had such a big pack for a 3 day trip