Searching A New Backpack for Heavyweight Carrying

Sounds like a classic external frame pack to me, especially the description of the opening. Watch the inner coating on old used ones– the old Jansports and Kelty's are getting sticky or peeling.

Actually I would prefer an internal frame pack. mostly because it may be used for other trips as well. Do you have any internal-frame packs in mind?? Thanks!

Not trying to derail this thread but have you ever thought that carrying less water equals less pack weight which equals less energy used to carry all that weight which means less water carried.

Do you see what I'm saying? I don't know where you're hiking but I hiked in the 115* degree heat in Southern California with about 4 liters per 20 miles, (If I camel'd up between stretches) with a 6lb base weight.

Just a thought worth visiting. I think any of the Kifaru packs would treat you well with extremely heavy loads like that.

Paradox Unaweep Exposure is the one which comes to mind. Load carriage and zipper are there, bottle pockets will fit narrower 1.5 liter bottles. The Stone Glacier Solo would also fit, but lacks bottle pockets.

Greetings!

Less than a week ago there was a posting for a Dana Design Loadmaster for ~$170. I used this pack when my three girls were all under 5. It is an excellent pack for carrying heavy loads. Best wishes.

Check out the ULA Camino 2. Same basic spec. and 40lb load limit as the Catalyst but with your desired u-shaped panel zipper. Big bottle pockets and 10L front mesh pocket, large hipbelt pockets and bomber robic 210d fabric. Looks good to me! Also designed to compress down to cabin-luggage size for air travel.

Richard Banks – you are not derailing anything, I'm really open minded, thank you!
I'm travelling in the Negev, Israel's desert. Usually I'm carrying 6 liters/day, and this is also water for cooking, but that's the minimum amount of water I'm carrying in the desert for a day.
Sometimes I also carries my friends/girl friend water, so it's more than that..

When you take less than 6 liters/day in the desert you may find yourself without water at all, and that can be really dangerous (there is no reception, there are no water, and you are alone..)

Thank you all for your comments, I'm going to review all those bag right now.

I have seen an old Arc'Teryx Altra which has 2 bottle pockets on the side and a U shaped opening.
What do you think about it?

Regards,
N

I'd go into well stocked store and try some standard packs under your load.
Some packs are heavier than others, but they can be really comfortable.
Like someone told me once – Arcteryx packs are heavy, but if you need to carry 40 kg they're one of the few that can do it well.
It's like boots/shoes – sometimes I prefer heavy boots, based on conditions.
Horses for courses. UL is not always the answer!

Hi,

I have looked through the bags you all mentioned.

Paradox Unaweep Exposure – could not find enough information about it. I'm not sure what it's size and I don't understand all the compartments of it. I also don't like the back small pocket with the zipper because when it's fully loaded you cannot reach the bottom of it. But I'm still looking for more information about it.

Stone Glacier Solo – looks really good!!! I really wanted it and then I saw there are no external bottle pockets :(

Dana Design Loadmaster – I have not found any official information about it, but from the photos it seems like a really heavy model.

ULA Camino 2 – seems really nice. I'm a bit worried that the shoulder straps and the back system won't be comfortable with 20kg or so.. and it also has no outer pocket for small things. (it has only the size small pockets).

Any more information / recommendations are welcome. I'm not familiar with all that lightweight backpacks, so I may have the wrong impressions of these packs.

Thank you all for your help!

The Seekoutside website pretty much blows. I wish they would hire someone to completely redo it.

Anyway, this may be of more use than the product page: Exposure

The Exposure has a small outside zip pocket in the middle of the front pack panel. It also has a (nearly) full clamshell zipper that runs from the top of each bottle pocket up to the top of the pack. So only the bottom of the pack (the “sleeping bag compartment” in traditional pack terms) is not exposed, but is still accessible with a little prodding.

I don't know why but I feel like it's not well-made for being heavy-loaded.
Have you tried to carry 20kg with such a pack or anything similar?
For unknown reason I can't explain I just don't feel right to buy a lightweight backpack to carry heavyweight gear… :
My thinking is wrong??

Leon – in Israel you can get only Gregory, Osprey, Karrimor, etc. Only well branded stuff.. If I will buy any of the packs you mentioned I won't be able to try them.

I'm going to try the arcteryx altra 65 this week. I have seen that the older version has a mesh bottle pockets on the side and I found 2 guys who has it in canada and usa. I hope that I will be happy with it.. because it feels wrong to buy a pack without trying it.

you can easily carry 40kg with the Seek Outside packs/frames. Its what they were designed for, hauling deer and elk carcasses and Kevin Timms decided to try some lighter weight packs. My Unaweep is still my go to pack for anything 10kg to 40kg.