Back Pack
Z Packs Arc Haul with the additions
In this edition, we are going to get our collective heads around Packs!
As I have said previously, this is my own opinion and may not reflect what others prefer and / or may have experienced. This is, again, one of the 3 most expensive pieces of equipment that you will invest in so you will want to get it right first time, or you may need to get acquainted with “Market Place”
Back to the Packs, there are a number of questions you will need to ask yourself:
1) How much weight have I allocated to my Big Three? ( Backpack / Shelter/ Sleep System)
2) What features do I need?
a) As you can see below I added a number of items to ensure I that those items that I would need during the day whilst hiking were easily reachable without having to take my pack off i.e. Phone & Wallet
3) What is my total weight in Litres:(How much room do you need?)
a) One of the key hints I found on the web was that “if you buy large you will fill it”, average Joe is carrying 15kgs + this equates to a 60 or 70 Litre pack.
4) The price I am willing to pay ?
My initial purchase was an Osprey Aether 65Ltr ($363.07), all of the research indicated that this was the Pack for me. This is the pack that I used on my 5 days on the Heysen Trail last October (2021) and it lived up to all of the advice I could find on the Web, however as I had ignored a lot of the advice relating to Pack weight, at the end of my Heysen adventure I found that I needed to shed some weight and the Osprey at 2.251kgs was the first victim of this purge.
After some further investigation, yes the Web, as I have said previously I can honestly tell you that the best light weight equipment can be found in the U.S or there abouts.
Just in case you haven’t read my “Shelter” Blog, There are a whole range of manufacturers out there that do not make it to the Retail sector that Kathmandu, Anaconda and the Scout Shop and others fit into to.
I have now settled on the Z Packs Arc Haul Ultra 62Ltr Backpack with additions. This unit is extremely light weight, when it arrived on my door step I thought they had sent me an empty box!
Additions:
Multi Pack – 3oz ($69.95)
Added to the front straps, I’m using this for my electronics
Shoulder Strap Pads – 0.95oz ($29.95) for additional comfort
Lumbar Pad – 0.99oz ($19.95) for additional comfort
Shoulder Pouch – 0.86 oz ($32.95 each) extra storage
Stick-On Key Zip Pouch – 0.22oz ($29.95)
I have stuck this on the inside of my Multi Pack which sits on my chest, something that I thought I would never do. Wear a Multi Pack (Chest Pack that is!)
Tri Fold Minimalist Wallet – 0.43 oz ( $39.95)
Pros
Lightweight (21.86oz)
With additions the total weight is 29.25 oz
Durable
Easy to adjust and fit
Once set up it is easy to get on and off.
The manufacturer Z Packs are very prompt in service and delivery.
Cons
The price ($399 +), you do pay for what you get.
The product is out of America, no quick returns here!
I have used this unit for many short (0 – 3 Hours) and day trips in the field and it worked as expected with plenty of room to organise your gear.