Updating My Gear and Transitioning from Traditional Thought.

I recently bought a new backpack. I didn't 'intend' to buy a new one but I had been browsing backpacks on Campmor.com ( which is exactly opposite what someone who is not 'intending' to buy a new backpack should be doing ) and they had a great deal on a 60 liter pack. I made another mistake by posting on my Facebook wall about this great deal I had found. One of my friends saw my post and we ended up colluding to buy two packs at the same time to save on shipping costs. So much for intentions.

So I now have a new 60L internal frame pack. It is a Jansport Big Bear 63. ( If you notice, Jansport has the Big Bear 83 pictured on this webpage instead of the 63. It is fairly similar in design. ) I will admit, even though this was on sale for an excellent price, I was hesitant about this purchase.

I consider myself an experienced backpacker.  ( Note: Experienced. Nothing close to expert though. )  I have carried a pack on countless hikes through the woods of Western PA and Southern Ohio. I have hiked part of the Northville-Placid Trail, the part through the Adirondack High Peaks, and I've done a section of the River-to-River Trail in southern Illinois. I first started backpacking as a Boy Scout and my first backpack was a Jansport which I still have. This is possibly why, to me, Jansport is an "entry brand" and I believe this is why I had some trepidation about this new backpack.

Please continue reading after the jump!

Well, once I had this bag in my hands I got over my snobbish attitude. It is a well made bag. I have one major issue with it; the torso adjustment on this backpack is pitifully small.  It will fit a 13" to 16" torso. I'm 5'-7" and with the torso adjustment maxed out the shoulder straps just barely come all the way around my shoulders. It fits a relatively small number of people which is why, I'm guessing, the pack was on sale. It was also another lesson in online shopping for me. ( I have since figured out a way to modify the pack slightly to give me another inch or two of extra torso adjustment. I'll write a post about it when I make the modification. )

This picture speaks volumes. Literally 1400cu. in.

The 'transitioning from traditional thought' part of this post's title ended up coming about when I started transferring gear from my old pack to my new one.  As I mentioned earlier, I have been trying to update and refine my gear, going for lighter, more compact equipment, and I thought I was being successful.  That is until this 60 liter backpack came into my life.  I guess I didn't realize how drastic a difference living out of 3850 cu. in. was going to be.  My old Kelty is a beast, plain and simple.  It holds at least 5200 cu. in. if not more.  Needless to say, when I started putting my gear into the Jansport I quickly ran out of space. The thing is, I'm not really sure I'm that over-packed.

Main Gear List:

• Sleeping Bag: Marmot 15deg Wizard (in a waterproof compression sack)
• Tent: MSR Zoid 1
• Sleeping Pad: An ancient 3/4 length closed cell foam Thermarest
• Clothing: 1 pair each: Socks, undies, lightweight thermals (top & bot), quick dry pants, synthetic shirt, wind shirt, rain jacket and fleece (all in a stuff sack)
• Cooking: 1.5L MSR BlackLite Pot w/lid and handle, MSR Pocket Rocket, LightMyFire Spork, Guyot Designs "Squishy Bowl" and some miscellaneous stuff (soap, salt, pepper, scrubber, etc.) with everything fitting into the pot
•  Fuel: 2- 8oz Fuel Bottles (probably overkill for a three night trip)
•  Water: 1- 3 liter hydration bladder, 1- 2 liter Nalgene bottle
• Sweetwater Water Filter
• Nylon pouch with crushed red pepper, toiletries and 'important papers' ( if you know what I mean )
• External pouch with First Aid supplies
• Hip pouch: Compass, Matchcase, Deet Spray 

Now here's the list of optional things that I normally carry:

• Becker Campanion
• 100ft- 1/4" braided nylon rope
• Garmin eTrex Vista HCX
• 2 Platypus bladders ( 2 liter and 1 liter versions )
• GSI Outdoor insulated cup
• 3 or 4 Plastic ziplock style bags
• A ziplock bag with paper napkins
• A stocking cap ( food cozy / head warmer )
• 2 Carabiners
• 1 pair of Crocs ( for river crossings and camp shoes )
• Hand carved wooden safety whistle
• Custom made pillow

Again, I really don't think this is grossly out of line even though I'm sure someone over at BackpackingLight.com would read this list and deem me 'undesirable'.  The Becker and nylon rope are attached to the bag's side compression straps and the Crocs are attached via the carabiners. Everything else can fit in either the lid or the backpack's outside pouch.  I can leave the Crocs and the Becker at home, those are completely optional.  I'm still mulling that one over. Again, that's the 'transitioning' issue.  In my mind, I *need* them, but in reality, they are not necessary.  I could do just fine without.

While I want to minimize clutter ( no need to look like a tinker ) what I have hanging on the bag or stuffed in the pockets is not really that big of an issue; space in the main compartment is. I had hoped to fit my tent (sans poles), sleeping bag and clothing in the bottom of the pack, leaving my pot and food on top for easy access. Unfortunately once I get my sleeping bag and clothing in there, I have very little space for the cooking pot, food and my hydration bladder ( which ends up seriously compressed ). In order to carry my tent, I need to roll it up in my sleeping pad and attach it to the outside of the backpack using compression straps that snake under the backpack's side compression straps.  There are no other loops for attaching gear to this bag.  It ends up looking rather... unkempt.

Within the next week or so I am going to buy some nylon dry-bags I found ( at Walmart no less ) and see if I can use them to compress my clothing a bit more.  I think I will be leaving my thermals at home for my up coming Cranberry trip ( hopefully ) so that will free up some space even though polyester thermals take up very little room.  The big gain will be leaving the fleece at home.  Once I get closer to the date of my trip I will be able to determine more accurately what the weather is going to be.  At this point though, I'm expecting cold rain and buckets of it.

It looks like I need some more time both playing gear Tetris and reconsidering my gear list.  I am sure I will trim some gear out. I am considering dropping the Nalgene bottle in favor of hauling water in the 1L Platypus, but we'll see. I hope some of you have big plans for adventure this spring, I know I can't wait to get myself out into the woods and test some of the new gear I've aquired.

Good luck and as always, feel free to leave comments.

Take care,

~ Occasional Hyker