Getting Started Backpacking

[neilether]

A few more thoughts-
If you're fine with used gear, you can get some great deals off of craigslist or at REI garage sales. I'd get a pack from craigslist- they're a lot cheaper than finding one new.

Go with the bigger pack. If you're split between a bigger and smaller pack, buy the big one. There's no problem in most cases using a week long pack for a 1-2 nighter.

That's what I was hoping to hear as my budget will not allow me to purchase two separate packs. I've had experience trying to fit essential stuff in a pack that was too small, but never had a pack that was too big. Thanks for the advice.

[DOSS]

empty weight is not that much? my big pack is a full pound more than my over night pack...

You've proven my point right there for me. Regardless of what anybody else says, 1 pound does not make enough difference to me to justify the cost of an additional pack. It's the same with mountain bikes.......

also if you have the room you get to where you always want to fill it instead of just taking what you need (unless you have serious self control)....

Now this is a good point that I hadn't thought of. I can see myself having a 47 pound pack to do a 4 mile overnight hike.....I'll have to take that into consideration. A follow up question, if the gear weight in the pack is properly distributed, empty space on top shouldn't really be noticeable right? Or am I trying to talk myself into that "truth."

I would argue that 1 lbs makes a difference but everyone packs their own way..

on using the bigger pack for smaller loads you can get it distributed just fine.. you may have to play with how you load stuff but you should be fine :)

[timejinx]

light and strong easy buy mil surplus IMO but then again im used to working with less like not playing cards in my tent but doing it in the guy who brought the 7 lb tent lol this tent is just for putting your stuff in and sleep besides how much time should you really be in your tent

get your self two of the mill spec issue ripstop ponchos
http://www.qm-supply.com/zenstore/in...roducts_id=104
38 dollars each remember you need 2

and 5 bungee cords, any ruckpack thats light doesnt need to be water proof again I like the green army ruck without the frame you can buy a dry bag preferably a light one that has no zipper top just folds makes it cheaper and lighter again mil spec fits perfect in the mil spec ruck. or a trash bag lol it works but take extra in case it rips. besides you should always have some trash bags anyway when you pack
im also a big fan of the mil spec sleeping bags there 3 lay so you can choose between light=(green) warmer=(black) and a waterproof shell=(camo) normally run with the middle layer (black) or both g&b very light if you go with the hole thing and its stuff sacks down quite small also if you wrap all you gear in the shell you dont need a dry bag for light to moderate wet conditions but no river/stream crossing.

anyway back to the tent the
mil issue ponchos=(camo) (dont know about solid green one if it has double sided snaps. anyway snap 3 of the for sides together they are about 5x5 or 6x6 squares i forget snape the two together to make your tent take ductape 3 sides if you want to cut down on wind or leave open for air transfer with your 5 bungees you can connect to each corner 4 of the cords you will see the metal rivited eyelids on the corners work great attach to 4 trees and for the 5th get a tree that you can lean and bend down over the center tie of the hood portion wrap a bungee and hook it to a tree you wont believe how nice this tent is i loved it in the mil and it was light and easy no stupid poles just need trees positioned semi correctly in a square or you can construct with some rocks if your in the southern area of utah also you can make an over hange lean over you bag if you like sleeping out side but dont want to get rained on. very versatile just use your imagination. this is all cheep especially if you go mil surplus store. it will give you an idea whats out there from everyone else while you role dirty and be its all amazingly light tent 1 pound max. sleeping bag maybe the first layer 2 lbs second 3 lb and cover another 2 lbs. o they can all come together for some extremely cold temps. this is how i role its all cheep and a good starter kit because you can slowly add weight and better gear as you feel necessary and your capability improve also it all takes up no space at all i think the tent can fold up in to a 5x5 inch square and the sleeping bags are stuff sacked down to nothing I also really like the army issue tin cup holds the green 1 qrt canteen use for cooking takes up no space.
let me know if this all sounds crazy im a mil man so i love minimalistic camping/hiking you really dont need a lot and if this is all way to confusing i will see if i can find a youtube on it. the only time that this sucks is when you cant find a spot to support the tent but that's just a lack of imagination. thanks for letting me rant

[Don]

neilether
If you're going to try the one pack solution get a top loading pack with a floating lid that can be removed completely. This drops a little weight and eliminates some extra space that makes it easy to overpack.
At 3966 cubic inches the REI Flash 65 is a little smaller than what you're looking for but take a look at it anyway. It's enough for a weekend but might not be big enough for a week on the trail, especially if you're carrying a few days worth of water. And at 170 the price if nice.

[Don]

and timejinx,
Man, I HATE my army ruck. The damn thing was hasn't changed much since world war II. Technology has changed, civilian pack design has begun to affect military hardware; the CFP90 field pack is better but still a bulky heavy pack to carry on a recreational trip.
But the Alice pack? Forgettaboutit. Shit for suspension; no shoulder padding and the hip belt is non-standard (an add-on). The adjustment buckles are oddly placed and steel (heavy) with a quick release that might be useful if someone is shooting at you and you need to lose the pack quick but just adds useless weight to a recreational hiker.
It's oddly wide and short so unless you use the external frame you're forced to wear it low on your back to get any use out of the hip belt (assuming you have one).
Most surplus rucks still use the old closure system which means no buckles; every time you open the pack you have to run the straps back through the cinch down hardware. Unreliable ('cause they're probably older than me) buckles on the outside pockets force you to tie your gear to the pack or risk losing whatever you were foolish enough to put in there (hope it was just your MRE and not your cryptographic control device(which fits nicely in there but will be you're ass if it gets lost)).
I spent a couple hundred bucks mail ordering a tactical pack while in Iraq so I'd never have to carry that stupid piece of shit again.

Or, maybe I'm bitter 'cause it seems like every time I've carried an Alice pack I was carrying an arbitrary list of crap (often including dumb bells) just to add weight.