Backpack, Daypack, or Both?

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cottonmountaineering
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Re: Backpack, Daypack, or Both?

Post by cottonmountaineering »

I use a frameless ~50L pack, its small enough to pack down for day trips and has plenty of room for multiday trips. It only begins to suck when carrying a rack/rope as well as overnight gear, or a lot of winter equipment
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polar
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Re: Backpack, Daypack, or Both?

Post by polar »

Tornadoman wrote: Tue Apr 09, 2019 4:49 pm As others have said, there are plenty of packs that you can easily stuff into your overnight pack that weigh only a few ounces. What I haven't seen mentioned is that those packs offer very little back/neck support. Even though lightweight I have found them to be uncomfortable.
I agree that those lightweight summit packs are uncomfortable. I don't necessarily need back/neck support, but the way the sag and carry stuff just annoys me. In fact, I'm trying to sell my Golite Rush 18 (their answer to the REI Flash 18). I'd rather carry a heavier but more comfortable pack, I usually carry a few extra pounds of stuff with me anyway so it's nice to have a comfortable pack. I can never just tie a jacket to my waist, put a couple of bars in my pocket, and set off. But that's just me. My current favorite day pack is the Mountain Hardwear Scrambler 30. If I ever do an overnight trip, I'd just shove it in my main pack and carry it to camp.
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Re: Backpack, Daypack, or Both?

Post by Trotter »

REI flash 18. Takes up almost no room when rolled up.
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Mike Shepherd
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Re: Backpack, Daypack, or Both?

Post by Mike Shepherd »

coclimber2 wrote: Tue Apr 09, 2019 10:55 am Hello 14er Community!

I did a couple of 14er camp trips last year, and am planning a few more this year, and I'm wondering what the general population does regarding backpacks? I have my camping backpack, which is great, but not ideal for class 3+ climbing. Previously, I have packed up my day pack (Osprey Tempest 20L) into my camping pack, and then loaded the day pack for my adventures (leaving my camping pack at my tent site).
There are basically a handful of strategies.

1. Go lighter - a single pack for everything (30 to 35 L range - requires thoughtful selection of your camping gear or different gear than what you have now)
2. Split gear with your buddy and divide up your bulky gear to stay with a single 30 to 35L pack. (Kinda the same as 1 but can bring a little more stuff or bulkier stuff)
3. Pack in a pack
4. Single push style using lighter/smaller pack. (No camping)
5. Single larger pack that compresses well (maybe 45L size - same as 1 but bringing heavier and bulkier items)

The lightest I ever managed to go was 45L for an overnight in winter compete with 70m rope, ice tools, rack of screws, harness, and snowshoes. I had all the climbing stuff and camping in my pack, my partner humped the water and brought his own bag etc. That being said I had dropped some serious coin to get the best and smallest stuff. Lightweight low bulk stuff tends to be expensive.

I've since tended to go for option 4, and make camping days separate days dedicated to good food and just enjoying the outdoors.
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disentangled
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Re: Backpack, Daypack, or Both?

Post by disentangled »

Trotter wrote: Tue Apr 09, 2019 10:31 pm REI flash 18. Takes up almost no room when rolled up.
with a smaller pack, the drawback is that you have to be super organized. if you have layers and food and things piled up, you have to unpack to retrieve anything.
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Re: Backpack, Daypack, or Both?

Post by nsaladin »

shelly+ wrote: Wed Apr 10, 2019 7:30 am
Trotter wrote: Tue Apr 09, 2019 10:31 pm REI flash 18. Takes up almost no room when rolled up.
with a smaller pack, the drawback is that you have to be super organized. if you have layers and food and things piled up, you have to unpack to retrieve anything.
I think he was purely mentioning that REI flash 18 could be rolled up super small and put into a larger pack.
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Re: Backpack, Daypack, or Both?

Post by disentangled »

nsaladin wrote: Wed Apr 10, 2019 8:12 am
shelly+ wrote: Wed Apr 10, 2019 7:30 am
Trotter wrote: Tue Apr 09, 2019 10:31 pm REI flash 18. Takes up almost no room when rolled up.
with a smaller pack, the drawback is that you have to be super organized. if you have layers and food and things piled up, you have to unpack to retrieve anything.
I think he was purely mentioning that REI flash 18 could be rolled up super small and put into a larger pack.
totally agreed. just spiraling ideas. and remembering a few hikes spent unpacking a pack to find things. :)
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Re: Backpack, Daypack, or Both?

Post by Wish I lived in CO »

Trotter wrote: Tue Apr 09, 2019 10:31 pm REI flash 18. Takes up almost no room when rolled up.
Yep, this is the way to go. I have to replace mine though, it's wore out. I have the flash 22, but it has more bulk and padding.
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Re: Backpack, Daypack, or Both?

Post by dwoodward13 »

Like a lot of others on here, I used to pack in an REI Flash type pack for hikes after setting up camp, but changed last year to just bringing along an Osprey Talon 22. The Flash type pack lacked any sort of structure so if was pretty full it would end up 'rounding out' on your back making it awkward. Not to mention there weren't good attach points for an ax, and while I could smash my helmet inside, that would also create pressure points on my back. The Talon adds maybe an extra pound of weight over the Flash style pack, but the comfort far makes up for it and actually has hipbelts that can carry load! And its got really bomber attach points for helmets and axes.
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Re: Backpack, Daypack, or Both?

Post by bbass11 »

I am not an ultra-lighter either, and I think it is redundant to carry a backpack in a backpack. But I will typically carry my smaller backpacking backpack on 14er trips. I haven't ever taken my 80L on anything more than a class 2.

For me it typically depends on how many nights I am going to be out. If I'm out multiple nights, I'm going to want my tripod, night lens, maybe a camp chair, etc... that gets hard to fit in my daypack so I'll take the larger pack. I've never had a problem going for a summit with my Atmos 50; I've used it on peaks like Sneffels SW ridge and Chicago Basin peaks.

On the other hand, if it's just going to be a quick hitter of an overnight trip- For instance, get into camp late in the evening and up and on trail the next morning at 4 am - I'd rather just wear my daypack. In places like Snowmass that require a bear barrel that has forced me to just carry the barrel under my arm the whole way but so be it.

That being said, my daypack is bigger and bulkier than the tempest 20. If I were doing something like a Wilson Traverse or LB-Blanca Traverse, Capitol, etc... and the choice was between a 70L and a tempest 20 I'd probably be packing a pack within my pack too.
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Re: Backpack, Daypack, or Both?

Post by timisimaginary »

TomPierce wrote: Tue Apr 09, 2019 12:53 pm I'll often carry a superlight day pack as my sleeping bag stuff sack, then use it as a summit pack. My recollection is Sea to Summit makes a 20L version which weighs between 2-4oz. Reasonable price, spray with Scotchgard and it's water resistant.

-Tom

Edit: Just saw it's now 18L, and weighs 1 oz. https://seatosummitusa.com/collections/ ... el-daypack
i have the 20L version: https://seatosummitusa.com/products/ultra-sil-day-pack
it's fine for short, easy dayhikes. for longer or more difficult hikes, it lacks a lot as others have mentioned: no structure/padding/support, no breathability for sweaty backs, no external or hip pockets, no bottle holders (you can put a bladder inside but you have to route the hose through the zipper).

there's also a waterproof version, basically a dry sack with straps attached: https://seatosummitusa.com/collections/ ... t-dry-pack
the advantage is it can double as your drysack, but it's pretty expensive for a glorified dry sack if you ask me

lately i've taken to vest-style trail running packs, i've got the 6L and 15L Osprey Duros. they make great scrambling packs. you can store stuff in the chest pockets, like soft flasks, phone, snacks, which can also help counterbalance gear stored in the back, and the vest-style fit keeps everything snug against your body, since they're designed to keep bouncing down during running. the 15L has plenty of room for layers, raingear, bivy, first aid kit, etc. and while it has some structure and padding, it still packs down pretty easily if you needed to fit it into a larger pack.
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Re: Backpack, Daypack, or Both?

Post by easyridertme »

timisimaginary wrote: Wed Apr 10, 2019 10:28 amlately i've taken to vest-style trail running packs, i've got the 6L and 15L Osprey Duros. they make great scrambling packs. you can store stuff in the chest pockets, like soft flasks, phone, snacks, which can also help counterbalance gear stored in the back, and the vest-style fit keeps everything snug against your body, since they're designed to keep bouncing down during running. the 15L has plenty of room for layers, raingear, bivy, first aid kit, etc. and while it has some structure and padding, it still packs down pretty easily if you needed to fit it into a larger pack.
The 15L Duro doesn't seem to have much of a weight advantage over other pack-in-a-pack options at like 26oz, but you make a great point about vest-style packs probably being a lot better for scrambling in terms of balancing gear weight and stability. What kind of climbs have you done with the packs? Do you get into any situation where the bulky front straps became annoying or problematic? (I'm imagining it being awkward in tight spots like chimneys and whatnot...)

I'll bet Justiner could also shed some like on this with the UD vests/packs...
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