SUL External Frame / 1-1-2009I started making another SUL External Pack Frame on New Years Day. My goal is a frame similar to the modified Harrier Frame I have been working on but that weighs closer to one pound or less. The old frame was made to carr

Hi Kevin,

First don't worry about "taking over the thread". I am just glad someone else is trying to come up with a better idea for an external – hybrid frame.

Their was a time when I thought a lot about a 660 plus miles unsupported / unsupplied hike. My goal was to be able to hike that distance in 35 days or so and do it without going over about a 65 pound starting pack weight. I have a very big notebook on all my schemes and plans to do something like that.

My biggest problem is that I haven't been able to get past a few medical problems that linger on and on. My physical condition is nowhere near what it would need to be so I could do the miles per day necessary to complete the 660 plus miles in 35 days or less.

If I tried to do the AT and I had the right combination of Frame and Pack Bag I might go for a resupply schedule of 10 days or so. At 1.5 pounds of food per day that would be 15 pounds of food, 4 pounds or so of water at anyone time and 5 to 8 pounds of gear (or less) in my pack. That gives me a pack weight of 25 to 30 pounds or so with 10 days of food.

That weight is real close to your 9 day weight.

I am on a special diet that I can not just walk into any town and buy. I would have to send ahead all my food so a resupply schedule that was made around towns that were real close to the trail would save me a lot of time. I can't eat any real food so I have very little reason to hang around in town.

Bill,
Hoping that 2009 is a better year for you and you are able to get in a few great hikes. I really enjoy reading up on all the great super light weight gear you make and would REALLY like to read some trip reports on how each piece of gear worked out and if they lived up to your expectations.

I think I'm done traveling for a few weeks and have some time to make a few new versions of the carbon stay. I will make one for you in the next few weeks I promise! Would love to see what you can do with one and get some feedback. How it compares the the aluminum frame you have been working on.

I'm going to try and really reduce the weight on this next version and see if it will be worthy of making an additional one for you. Will post the results soon!

Kevin

i would like to recommend testing the load carrying ability with bags of sand or salt instead of the water bucket. It looks like there is a lot of stress on the pack due to the very short and wide load. A 40* bag or rock salt would be taller, and narrower and would carry closer to the back. It also wouldn't slosh around.

my 2cents.

-Tim

Tim,
You are correct … the water sucked for testing… I was just in a hurry to test it out with the heavier load and had the water jug close by. Sand bags on the next go around for testing would be much better.