Your Backpack..

[Rick]

...why you bought it, why you love it, why you hate it, why you would replace it or why would never have anything else???

Yep....you guessed it...I'm in the market!! I am looking for a 80-85l pack and a 60-65l! Probably leaning toward Osprey!

Thanks
Rick

[dee_legg]

I am madly in love with my One Planet McMillian that i've been using for the last year. Have carried upto 25kg in it and it's handled it beautifully. All the seams, buckles, materials etc look as good as new and the harness fits me like a glove. Same goes for my boyfriend who has the same and has carried over 30kg often.
I'm actually tempted to buy another one just in case they go out of the production or something else horrific happens.

[flatfoot]

...why you bought it, why you love it, why you hate it, why you would replace it or why would never have anything else???

Yep....you guessed it...I'm in the market!! I am looking for a 80-85l pack and a 60-65l! Probably leaning toward Osprey!

I'll be gearing up in a few months and have been doing a bit of research.

My current favourites are:

• Osprey - for the impressive harness and the walking pole stow and go
• One planet - sidetrak - I like the detachable daypack

There are good product video for Osprey packs on their website. http://www.ospreypacks.com/Packs/2010AetherSeriesMens/

[ILUVSWTAS]

I have 2 macpac cascades, a 65L and a 90L
I like them both, though now I can pack for 12 days with my 65 I wonder when the 90 will be used again....

Still, if I was going to buy a new pack i'd go for the OP. I have a 38L OP daypack which I just LOVE!!

[ollster]

I have a Macpac Glissade, which I thought was rather nice, but a bit small. I started looking for a ~90L pack, and basically if you're serious about walking there is either the Macpac Cascade, or the One Planey McMillan and then daylight. I went for the McMillan, and now...

I am madly in love with my One Planet McMillian that i've been using...

It's a brilliant pack. I carried somewhere around 25kgs (plus up to 5l water) along the Southern Range over Christmas, and it's was the best fitting, most stable and comfortable pack experience I've ever had. It felt better than my Macpac with 20kgs in it. Dunno about the newer Macpac harness, I've not used it.

I've seen the Osprey packs. For mine, they have too many wanky fancy bits, and do not look durable.

PS: I'd like to brag and say that I got my McMillan for $269.50, used once.

[Macca81]

Same goes for my boyfriend who has the same and has carried over 30kg often.

he only weighs about 30kg doesnt he dee??



i have just aquired a OP strzeleki, and i still havnt had a chance to use it in anger looking 4ward to the chance tho as it seems like a very well made pack and all acounts i have heard have been great!

[Drifting]

I can tell you why I didn't like Osprey......BUT

I bought a Wilderness Equipment Karajini- very very basic, in fact more basic than I would like, but I bought it for two reasons:
1) I needed the 95+ litres
2) After trying every harness available in Tasmania, that was the only one that really suited me.

I regret only that it doesn't have an external bottle carrier, and I wish it had a bigger external pocket, but it'll carry 25kg like it's nothing, and that's ythe most important factor for me!

My wife bought a Mont Pioneer. This pack just absolutely rocks, period. I love this bag! If I could have gotten it in a 95+ litre, I would have seriously considered it, or another of the Mont brand.

What I have found is that you have to try them all on, with weight (like 18kg) and choose the best fitting one. It's all extremely personal. For instance, most folks seem to love One Planet packs, but they did absolutely nothing for me, or my wife, and we tried on a range in different stores. My wife likes Tatonka packs, they drive me berserk.

[samh]

I have a Tatonka 65L. All I can say is, if I would have another choice I would choose an Osprey. My wife has got one and is very happy with it. They are not too heavy (especially compared with the Tatonka) but at the same time they are though enough for bashing through the bush. If I would get another one I would especially look at the weight. Another thought worth to consider is probably to buy a 70 Litre pack and invest the money for the second on lighter more compact gear. For most trips 70 litre should be plenty, unless you go very often 15 days+ or you if like to carry your fridge of course

[Son of a Beach]

I have a One Planet Strezleki and I think it's a great pack. It carries over 25kg without too much discomfort (although it's not often that I'd carry anywhere near that much weight). The harness and tensioning mechanisms are fantastic (or at least they suit me).

If I had my choice again, I'd go for the One Planet McMillan instead, which is almost identical, but does not have the additional opening at the bottom, or the optional seperator, neither of which I've ever used.

There are a lot of people on these forums that like the Aarn packs (with the front balance pockets).

The Macpacs and WE's are also popular.

The Tatonka's seem to be good value for money and I have a few friends who've bought these recently. From what I've seen from them, the cheaper price is for a reason, but they're still good packs.

[kanangra]

Go Lite Pinnacle. Lightweight but seems to stand up to the rough stuff OK. I still have my old Wilderness Equipment monster. Not used it for a while though.

K.

[Azza]

I've owned both an old style Macpac Cascade and recently just switch over to the one planet mcmillian, which I'm very happy with.
I'm not considering getting a smaller OP day pack..

Its extremely confortable, one of the main selling points of the OP for me was the coarse weave straps, one of the problems I've found after using my Macpac for 8 years the straps rubs against the buckles, clips etc. eventually the pack decides how it wants to be adjusted, even thought you adjust the straps, it just slips back over the course of the day. There are quite a few clever design features in the OP that might not be apparent on a casual inspection.

My macpac had a good run.. fallen down a few cliffs etc.. or may it was pushed.. but it was a bit of a mess.
I'm a bit scheptial of the new macpac designs... why completely redesign, something that was already pretty good to begin with?

Cheers

Aaron

[Ent]

I have collection of packs but One Planet are light years in front of the rest when it comes to the the harness design. Love the Exact Fit Plus systems having used it on a OP Bass (with zip off backpack same as sidetrack) for four months when back packing around Europe. Went for a Macpac Traverse 75 pack and as mentioned on other thread not impressed by Macpac and its harness. Have a One Planet McMillan and simply would replace it tomorrow with another one. This is in my humble opinion the best pack for walking in Tassie if you want to do some of the more scrubby tracks.

On the zip off day pack for the Sidetrack. For the Bass it was brilliant for storing bits that you did not want to leave at the hostel and very comfortable but given the weight penalty for bushwalking and the rare number of times you need to use it a better option could be a Kathmandu or Sea to Summit packable day pack to carry rain gear, firsts aid kit, small camera and litre of water plus few snacks. Also with the Bass day pack it zips flat so has limited storage when on the pack rather than been extra storage space.

In Tassie a hard wearing pack is not a bad thing and worth the weight unless you are mainly on open tracks a lot. A good mid side pack is the One Planet Stiletto that is a bit lighter than the McMillan with minimum bits and pieces so a very clean design but still with the Exact Fit Plus harness. My friend has one and it has proven to-date to be a great pack but not with much use yet.

Strange as it seams but the more you use a pack the less you use the "add on" extras so a simple well thought out design is the go. The hip pocket bottle holders on the Exact fit plus harness are simply brilliant and make a mockery of the ones that get compressed by stuff in a full pack.

Cheers Brett

[Jellybean]

Macpac Ascent (65L expandable to approx. 80L) - bought for possible trips to Island Peak (Nepal) and Aconcagua (Sth America) but has also been fine for multi-day walks in Australia and NZ. Great pack - durable and comfortable, one compartment plus large lid pocket. Weighs just over 2kg from memory.

I've recently I've been keen to start reducing my pack load to make life easier on my knees. As a consequence of that, favourable reviews on this and other sites, and my love affair with my Go-Lite Ion day pack (awesome lightweight, comfortable and durable 20L daypack), I recently bought a Go-Lite Pinnacle pack (72L, weighs 935g) at the bargain price of $100USD (on sale). Haven't used it yet, but am planning on using it for any multi-day hikes where I can keep my pack load under 14kg (hopefully that will be most of them).

Cheers,

JB

[Rick]

Wow thanks for all the replies, looks like I have some reading to do!!

Keep them coming, it's very much appreciated!

Cheers
Rick

[geoffmallo]

Aarn - feathlite freedom. You should check out the flomo system. I use it on trips up to 14days

I also have a Macpac torre which I rarely use. It's heavy but has a lot of volume that I find I only need on winter trips with my big snow kite etc.

[Tony]

Hi Rick,

I am a user of frameless Golite packs and would never go back to a traditional harnessed pack.

For three season use, I currently use a 50l Golite Jam2 which is by far my most comfortable and favourite pack,
for winter I use a 70+l Golite Pinnacle which at times I have had 17+ kg in it with no problems. (I recently updated my original Golite Trek which I have had for over five years).

I have just purchased a Golite 25l Ion which I plan to use for scrub bashing day trips and UL overnight trips.

These packs bodies are made from Dyneema fabric which is very light and extremely strong, the Dyneema on my packs in all of the years that I have used them and all of the off track bashing that I have thrown at them the Dyneema has not shown any signs of wear and tear, the side pocket which are mode of lighter material have worn a bit.

Tony

[kanangra]

I see there are a couple of other users of the Go Lite Pinnacle here. One problem I have found is that the buckle for the sternum strap is not sewn onto the shoulder strap and can come off! I lost mine in a pool in Kanangra Ck. but fortunately was able to find in time. I like the new model which has a pocket on each hip belt and had a better padding in the back.

K.

[photohiker]

Another Aarn. The Natural Balance from 2006. I've also got a new one coming, the 2010 Aarn Mountain Magic 55. Should be here in March.

The Aarn packs use various unique sliding/interconnection systems that keep the pack securely balanced on your back without restricting movement. So, for instance, you can reach high with one arm without feeling the resistance of a normal pack at your shoulder. These systems are generally not noticed by the casual observer because the front pockets on the pack capture their attention, these being another effective feature on a range of packs designed by a very clever dude in NZ: Aarn Tate.

If you think you need flexibility in your pack, and if water is likely to be a problem (Aarn packs include drybag liners from the factory), then you should at least check them out before going for a traditional pack. Not everyone's cup of tea, but dAarn good design.

[Jellybean]

I see there are a couple of other users of the Go Lite Pinnacle here. One problem I have found is that the buckle for the sternum strap is not sewn onto the shoulder strap and can come off! I lost mine in a pool in Kanangra Ck. but fortunately was able to find in time. I like the new model which has a pocket on each hip belt and had a better padding in the back.

K.

Hi K,

Two friends who bought Go-Lite Ion day packs at the same time as me also had this happen to them (but they both have a habit of leaving the sternum strap dangling undone). I haven't had it happen, but I always tend to use the sternum strap. (I actually cut the hip belt off my Ion as it seemed overkill for the size of the pack/load carried - the belt and buckle were unnecessarily beefy IMHO - and the sternum strap was doing a fine job by itself).

Cheers,

JB

[rucksack]

Aaron, ditto. I finally retired my 16 year old Macpac Cascade after a very hard life. No complaints at all, but the current designs haven't struck a chord with me either and I too went for a One Planet McMillan as a replacement. It's a terrific pack, really well thought out and a great harness. I'm entirely happy with it. I also have a NZ-made Macpac Glissade that's still in fine shape, but the McMillan is very much my preferred pack these days.

rucksack

[isoma]

Had been looking to change my pack for a couple of years now and recently got the Golite Pinnacle that others have mentioned above. Havent had the opportunity to take it on a multiday walk yet but have loaded it to 7 or 8 kg for walks up Drys Bluff and Mt Arthur. It is certainly comfortable at this load and I expect it would remain comfy with considerably more weight. My old pack was a Fairydown which I used for over 10 years but it weighed 3 kg. The Golite weighs about 900g. Other light weight packs that I considered were from Gossamer Gear - anyone have thoughts on these?

[blacksheep]

I'm a bit scheptial of the new macpac designs... why completely redesign, something that was already pretty good to begin with?

Because it showed in repeated field tests to be the better system for carry heavy loads- more comfortable and less fatiguing. have you spoken to someone who has carried one?

[ollster]

Because it showed in repeated field tests to be the better system for carry heavy loads- more comfortable and less fatiguing. have you spoken to someone who has carried one?

Yeah, he does, but the guy who owns it (new Cascade 90L) didn't have a previous Macpac, so it's kinda moot.

I don't like the shape of the current Cascades - WAY too skinny and tall, which is an infuriating design for a) scrub bashing (catching on overhead trees), or b) scrambling (head hits top of pack when trying to look up). Also after seen early wear on my mates, I'm a little sceptical about the fabrics used. They are also too expensive when compared to the OP McMillan. Sorry, but it's all true.

(PS: No, still haven't gotten the Macpac gaiters... I will report back!)

[Lizzy]

Aarn Guiding Light with expedition pockets- brilliant!!! Oh so comfy- the weight really does go on your hips and I like the convenience of the front packs. They also come off and join up to make a daypack which is handy for peak bagging and travelling. Used to trudge around under a Macpac Canyon- certainly tough and no nonsense but the Aarn with lighter gear means no going back! Now to get my hubby a Load Limo so he can carry anything not so lightweight (:

[Xtreme Earth]

Hi Rick,

If you haven't already bought a pack. Xtreme Earth is another great option. Yes I am biased as it's my company but having designed the packs myself for real life use....
The 60 Litre XE60 is only 2.3 Kg and being made from Cordura and High Tensile Nylon, it's very robust. I've had one being used daily in Nepal now for just over a year, even going up Cho Oyu (8201m),and nothing but great feedback! It's expandable with the top pocket to 65 litre. They are only $229.
The 75 Litre pack (XE75) is also expandable to 85 Litres with side and top pockets. Also quite light at only 2.55Kg and retails for $299.
Worth a look! Check them out at http://www.xtremeearth.com.au
Happy hunting. Dave

[sthughes]

I'm yet another One Planet McMillan user. Even with 26kg+ it is fantastic, nothing sore & nothing aching. All in all I couldn't be happier with it. Before I got it I though all packs were uncomfortable with heavy loads - not so!
Best bits (apart from the comfort/harness):
1. The bottle holders almost on your hips. Great spot to keep water, snacks, gps, etc. in easy reach.
2. Big front pouch for lunch,maps and other stuff I might use during the day.
3. Big enough lid to fit all my wet weather gear neatly.
4. Tough construction.
5. Size - genuine 85L so will swallow up all sorts of stuff.
6. Solid zips
7. Simple dependability.

Worst bits/possible improvements:
1. Could have dedicated loops to fix trekking poles at top when they are attached, I find they fall out currently. (Edit: I almost never carry them on the pack anyhow so it's a small thing) (Edit 2: I I had been attaching them properly this wouldn't be an issue!)
2. Shock cord on back looks good (would keep it just for marketability) but I tend to find it a bit useless for attaching most things (did carry a box of shortbread into Frenchmans okay though). Also not the best in scrub. (Edit 2: You can easily remove it altogether so not a problem really)
3. Weight - could be lighter (not sure how though without compromising the 'best bits')
4. Sternum strap would not want to be any higher. (Edit 2: Turns out I almost need a 'large' size harness to solve issue)
Edit: 5. Top compression strap could be a tad longer and a clip together variety like the bottom one, just to make fixing snow shoes on the side a little easier.

[ollster]

2. Shock cord on back looks good (would keep it just for marketability) but I tend to find it a bit useless for attaching most things (did carry a box of shortbread into Frenchmans okay though). Also not the best in scrub.

Yeah, I remove mine (quick and easy) and keep it in the hood. Only really useful for stashing the gaiters or maybe a jacket, and I wouldn't trust it for actual walking situaions. I also agree about the sternum strap being a tad high.

I wish the pack had some decent loops down the chest straps so I could feed my drinking tube through them, but there's not much else to whinge about.

[Ent]

Now to get my hubby a Load Limo so he can carry anything not so lightweight (:

Good point on purpose of a pack. For the mules of the world carrying gear for others a decent harness is a must while the more "solo" types can get away with a systematic lightweight approach of which a pack is major component. A traditional canvas/nylon pack is around three to four kilograms and can survive (or used to in some brands) extreme off track walking. Such beast have or had harness designed to carry loads of over twenty-five kilograms and not baulk at loads over thirty kilograms. The One Planet McMillan is probably the best of that bred of that type of pack. As for lighter alternatives it is tempting to look at packs like the Aarn but to my eyes there are an awful lots of straps and bits and pieces. No doubt with experience it will become automatic and no doubt they have a loyal following.

The question of pack is more one of what you want from a pack related to the type of walking you do. My experience is a bigger pack is easy to pack compared to a smaller one that needs are very structured process to pack, but that is me. Some people have the ability to duplicate perfectly the same neat packing ritual, and I admire and hate them at the same time

The only thing I ask of and pack choice is everything fit within them as hanging bits on the side generally results in stuff being lost and polluting the environment and they have to have materials and construction type that does not snag. Not a fan of mesh pockets so beloved by our USA walkers for Tassie as many of our tracks are narrow with over hanging branches. Tassie is tough on things like packs, gaiters, walking poles, etc, in fact much tougher than many marketers want to believe. The OP Macmillan has a fine reputation with the Tassie walkers.

Cheers Brett

PS

Agree with you Sthughes on the shock cord. Ripped mine off and like the idea to only use it when needed as it does come off. Again on the sternum strap being too high I am glad it is not just me. For the girls it is good it can go up high but for me it is at is lowest setting and still feels a bit of a choker but I have got used to it. Also would prefer it to use the attachment points the Stilletto uses for skies as they are great for storing walking poles when scrambling. Maybe OP a Tassie version of what is a great design.

[photohiker]

Now to get my hubby a Load Limo so he can carry anything not so lightweight (:

Good point on purpose of a pack. For the mules of the world carrying gear for others a decent harness is a must while the more "solo" types can get away with a systematic lightweight approach of which a pack is major component.

Yep. Sometimes you need a big pack for a big load. The "Load Limo" mentioned is another style of Aarn balance pack with the usual Aarn features. It takes upto 90L including front pockets and weighs between 1.75kg and 2.5Kg. depending on how much of it you decide to leave at home. Constructed in 1000D, 500D Cordura, 220D Si ripstop nylon.

[Son of a Beach]

4. Sternum strap would not want to be any higher.

I'm not at home so can't check my Strezlecki (much the same as McMillan), but isn't the sternum strap height adjustable? Maybe my memory is playing tricks on me.