No compromises pack… does it exist?

I know what it is, but I'm not telling…

How can we be elitists without keeping the secrets?!?!

There's not a perfect pack for the people
There's a perfect person for every pack

Seek Outside now makes the Divide in 50 and 68L sizes: http://store.seekoutside.com/divide-3000-light-gray-x21rc/ (4200 linked in related products). "Only" $40-50 more than your budget, and might be possible to get a discount if you watch Gear Swap for one.

Since weight wasn't one if your requirements, buy the Fusion 65 for $110 and buy a used external frame on eBay for ~$50. There, you now have a frameless pack (CDT), a light(ish) framed pack, and a heavy hauler. You'd be completely outfitted for less than $200.

The Fusion and external aren't sexy options but they are practical.

Edit – Yes, the fusion can handle the weight. I used it to carry 50lbs for a training hike and it carried well.

Not to derail your thread but have you read member Buck Nelsons Desert Trail thru hike blog? If not you might enjoy it

Desert Trail Thru-Hike: Mexico to Canada

Desert Trail Gear List

Desert Trail Thru-Hike Map

Daniel,
as Jeffs said, no perfect pack and it depends on the person, some carry 45-50# in the same pack that others complain about at 30#

You probably have seen my piece on looking for such a pack (except my upper weight limit was/is abut 40#)

The two you didn’t list in your list is the Katabatic Helios 55 and the ZPacks Arc Haul.

I am sure Matthew at EH would sew the hipbelt on if you want, he really is just about doing custom packs.

There are always compromises, but the Exped Lightning sounds like it's darn close to what you want.

Thanks All for your comments and advice.

Link, Yes I have read about Buck's Desert Trail hike. To my knowledge he's the only person to thru-hike it. There's a section of the ODT through the Steen's and Pueblo's that overlaps with the Desert Trail. I would love to hike it one day. Beautiful country.

K K, that may be what I end up doing. Hard to pass up a pack that meets so many of my criteria for $100.

Alex, I have read your post on your pack search at least a couple of times as well as your thoughts on bivys; good stuff. Thanks for the link and idea to ask about custom work.

I'll check out the exped and the katabtic packs as I haven't looked closely at those.

Arc Haul

At least I hope so… I’ve got one on order, due early Sept.

I have an Arc Blast and it’s fantastic. Just need something I can drag thru the spruce blowdowns in winter.

I'm with Dave, definitely check into the Lightning 60- I use it shoulder seasons/winter and find it pretty comfy with 30-35#s, the waist belt is one of the best I've used, the 210 Dyneema X is pretty tough stuff, it has an adjustable suspension which is really nice to fine tune with (and also to loan someone if need be) and the weight is pretty good @ 40 oz

there was one in Gear Swap a week ago or so, not sure if it's still there

Haven't used this pack, so I'm not sure how nicely this pack would support. Nevertheless, in my experience, packs with only one vertical stay tend to shaping like a log and the gravity distribution is not easy to be pulled toward my body by tightening the compression straps making it not as comfortable as packs with 2 stays especially for heavier load. However, the hip belt looks so strong (probably the comfiest one I've ever seen on a backpack at similar weight). With it, I believe its load capacity for me would still be higher than 40lbs.

BTW, the adjustable torso is a nice feature to add some more comfort.

FULL DISCLOSURE:
I’m one of the founders of HANCHOR brand.
—
Jangtian Shieh(Syoten)
HANCHOR outdoor gear design Co. Ltd.
http://www.HANCHOR.com

Are you sure you need the capability to carry 50 lbs ?

That's really heavy… No pack will make your hip sockets, knees, or ankles happy at that weight. But a bad pack will make your shoulders hurt in addition to them :)

Here's a "worst case" scenario with "standard REI" gear:
4 lb pack
4 lb tent
3 lb sleeping bag
1 lb sleeping pad
1 lb cook kit
1/2 lb accessories
5 lbs of clothes
18.5 lbs total base weight

4.5 lbs of water (2 liters)
14 lbs of food (2 lbs per day for 7 days)
18.5 lbs of consumables

37 lbs total pack weight.

But if you really need to carry 50 lbs, then I'd recommend the lightest Kelty external frame pack you can find. They have the best frames and suspension around for big loads. The heavier versions have pack bags that are over-kill with lots of pockets and super thick "ballistics" cloth. Regular 400 denier pack cloth lasts decades already :)

Internal frame packs balance better and sway less off trail and on steep rocky trails. With an external frame pack, you can get 2/3 of that performance by lowering the pack bag as far as you can for the best balance an less snagging on off-trail or steep and rocky trails. Raise it to allow more upright walking on gently rolling trails.

"Are you sure you need the capability to carry 50 lbs ?
That's really heavy… No pack will make your hip sockets, knees, or ankles happy at that weight. But a bad pack will make your shoulders hurt in addition to them :)"

Agree. But in some occasions, I still want a pack handles about 45~50lbs.
Especially when I go hiking with my wife and a lot of water is needed to be carried.

FULL DISCLOSURE:
I’m one of the founders of HANCHOR brand.
—
Jangtian Shieh(Syoten)
HANCHOR outdoor gear design Co. Ltd.
http://www.HANCHOR.com

You're in luck—there's an Exped Lightning over on Gear Swap right now for a very reasonable price.

"4.5 lbs of water (2 liters)
14 lbs of food (2 lbs per day for 7 days)
18.5 lbs of consumables"

While most of my gear is significantly lighter than your worst-case list, water is the big one. I carry 3 liters on most day hikes and will typically drink 6-7 over 20 miles if it's available. Throw in cooking and any kind of clean up and I can easily use 2.5-3 gals of water in a full day on the trail. Here in the mountains there's usually a reliable source at least once in a day, every 10-15 miles or so, but that's not always the case out in the desert. Around here those few sources are also where you're likely to have high bear and animal traffic so don't always make for the best camps. All that's to say, I'd consider daily water carries of at least 6 liters to be expected. The ODT has a few stretches that water is scarce enough for the guidebook to recommend caching ahead, not a smart place to get caught without water.

I do not like the idea of carrying 50# (get enough of that putting my kids in "the pack") and hope I wouldn't have to for the reasons you list, but it may be a part of the trip for a day or two after re-supply.

you'd be surprised that they show up periodically in washington/oregon for sale. check the various other sales fora. read the how to measure a mchale pack on his web site. If one sounds like it’s going to fit, take a drive and try it on. i bet with some patience you'll find one that fits and is within your budget. if the waist belt doesn't fit you can have one made. on some level i'd feel silly with a new mchale pack, but if the right used one came along i'd be on it. i'm a cilogear fan and for the bulk of my purposes the packs are great. they are also, for the most part part, bullet proof. their 60l will carry well within your range, but you'd have to add water bottle pockets if you wnated them. 70l will carry just about anything, including people, but it's really way too big for what most need and neither pack is probobly what you are looking for. living in oregon, i think you can visit cilogear on wednesday afternoons.

It might not look as flash, but a light weight pack with the holes patched is probably lighter than the heavier pack that never got the holes in the first place.

If you're happy to repair, and pick a pack material that's easy to repair, you can have something that still lasts a long time (which in a way, is what we care about regarding durability).

I'm thinking about my HMG pack as I write this, which has patched holes. Still damned happy I got it.

(I do carry tape, thread, and a sewing awl with me – incase anything breaks.)

"No pack will make your hip sockets, knees, or ankles happy at that weight."

With the right pack and proper training it is possible to carry 50 pounds all day, every day for a week without anything other than general muscle fatigue. It does ask much more from equipment than doing the same with 28 pounds.

Another vote for the Arc Haul. After countless hours of research I've come to the conclusion that the Arc Haul is the perfect pack for me, on paper at least. I have one on order as well and I can hardly wait for it to show up on my doorstep.

"37 lbs total pack weight." Checked the weight of climbing gear from a recent trip, add 20 lbs (helmet, harness, shoes, protection, rope). Substitute this for packraft, PFD, paddle, drysuit, also heavy. For me, it is not as bad as 50 lbs, but I would like more comfort for 30-35 lbs loads. My Jam 50 is making me pretty miserable after 10 miles or so. I don't like to buy packs I have not been able to see in person and none of the "garage" vendors is available in any of the stores. I guess, back to Osprey Exos I go…

"There are always compromises, but the Exped Lightning sounds like it's darn close to what you want." Hey, David, do you have experience with this pack? It looks cool and Campsaver carries it.

Daniel, it's entirely possible to condition your body to drink less water during the day and tank up at night. I can usually go a few miles without drinking water while other hikers are drinking tons while hiking. One of my hiking friends drinks lots of water during the day, I've seen him go through 2 liters in the time it took me to drink 1/2 liter. The difference is I drink about 3 liters of water in the evenings while eating and a full liter in the morning. I met a Russian guy in the emigrant wilderness who literally drank no water all day long. At night he would boil a gallon of tea and drink the whole thing. Give it a try. Try drinking less water during the day until you get to your water source. You can save a lot of weight that way.

I have experience with the Lightning and it's a very solid pack for heavier loads, adjustable frame is nice- you get to dial in the exact torso length you need, the waist belt is the nicest I've ever used You're not going to pack an elk out with this pack, put for longer trips or trips where you're carrying heavier items (water, skis, whathaveyou) this is a really nice, comfortable pack

I've not used one on a trip, but have seen a few in person (and know a number of folks who like it). If I didn't already have quite the pack quiver I'd get one. Great design with few flaws a price which is hard to beat.