What is the biggest backpack?

In the end I used a GoLite Oddysey. With 40kg of food in there it certainly hurt the shoulders – would have been better off with a heavier, more padded pack.

It was a cool trip though: little video here: http://vimeo.com/16580852
Cheers for all the help.

Hi Alistair,
I really enjoyed your video, man that packrafting looks fun! I would definitely recommend the aarn load limo, for your next trip like that. The ability to put weight on the front means you can walk at pretty much an upright position.

What are the plans for your next adventure?

Alistair,

Have you considered an 80 Liter pack in a pulk? I know if I was crossing Iceland I'd be on my 210 cm Norwegian Army (Asnes) skis and climbing skins and pulling my pulk. So much easier and safer than humping a pack all the way. Plus the pulk makes a great windbreak when cooking.

My current large pack is a Dana Designs Terraplane plus Dana side pockets and Wet Rib front pouch/bottle carrier. With the top sleeve all the way up and the pockets and Wet Rib that's well over 8,000 cu. inches, i.e. HUGE. Dana now sells packs under the brand Mystery Ranch. I'd look there and at Kifaru packs, and maybe Gregory. You want durability as well as capacity. Remember, the pack MUST not fail you on a trip like this.

Maybe with this

i used 56#'s of supplies on a 35 day trek. it took 21 days i recall to make the first 120 miles. after that things opened up (no more swamp) and it was fun.
i should have ate the whole 62# i had, but i scimped too much in the opening sections. (was scared)
the problem is.. is that you lose too much mass doing long stints like that. the next bit was only 3 weeks or so, and i devoured pretty much the entire 62 pounds.
sometimes it's better to carry more grub so as to maintain body mass deeper into the trek.
you can see walter has grey hair. when it comes to toting stouter stuff ..
grey hair helps.
—
then comes something form a few years ago. this is insider stuff:

peter was sitting there in his apt with a large green terraplane, a large green mchale, and a large green aarn load beast with front pockets. i;ll type this out, but i got things to do tonight.

the dana worked ok up to maybe 55#, then the belt caves, it just does, maybe 60, at it's best. that's just the way it works on my body, using the 22° women"s belt helps a bit. adds 5#. .. whoopee. still, you can sub one for free, and it carries better. i did the cdt with a dana. it gave me pack sores too.

the aarn did in fact carry the full test load (90#) at the lowest heartrate. yes, the tilt factor matters. BUT, it's got so many straps and widgets and dwinky BS thingles on it, that every time you put it on, you need to pre-flight the dam thing. so ya, it works, but one needs to be very careful WHICH of the several arm holes you shoot the left arm thru or you will be in a big twitter, and probably tear the pack. so, huge dittos for making a viable advancement in carrying, but .. not ready for prime time. aarn really has the belt theory situation in hand. it was built rather crappy, but it did not strip down over my pelvis.

90 pounds gentlemen, is Heavy. it's heavy enough to be quasi dangerous if it gets loose back there during a mounting. it is sufficiently massive to SLAM your face into the rocks if you fall. arms alone will not stop it. it needs to be controlled. you do not want a big load to have a vote in the direction you are going. if you throw it up wrong, it can destroy a mature shoulder.

the mchale (i own two) did fine. the first one from the 90's was not spectacular, but it was durable. the second one circa 2005 is just phenominal in all ways. 21 oz lighter, carries well at all weights, lasts and lasts, never breaks, etc. i love it. and i trust it.
at test weight there was no localized discomfort. it all pushes down equally hard.
so, even though the aarn carries more efficiently, i would be a fool to trust my all to anything but my mchale.

is a mchale a free pass to toting big loads. no. you have to be in shape. and you have to be emotionally ready for it. and you have to WANT to do it. the mchale is a tool, which if used properly, will get the job done.