Newb question- removing stays from backpack

[Dena Kelley]

Hi all- this is probably an incredibly dumb newbie question but here goes: I have a GoLite Speedpack 2400 that has stays that are accessible through a flap inside the pack. I would like to remove them and try the pack without the frame to see what I think. My question is- if I take them out, how hard are they to put back correctly? Or is it better if I don't mess with them if I'm not absolutely sure I want to remove them?

[David Thomas]

Dena,

I haven't tried it with that particular pack but with maybe a dozen others. Two that I owned and the others while teaching Wilderness First Aid (for pratical exams, students bring their pack as packed for a trip and then have to deal with a surprise scenerio using what is on their back. Those stays make great splints for various fractures).

Every pack I've tried it with was easy to remove and easy to insert the stays back. One reason a thoughtful designer should allow that is so the pack can be laundried more easily.

If, somehow, that isn't true for your pack, I'd suggest you modify it so you can. Because of that first aid application, laundrying, and also so you can drop weight when you don't need the added support or when you get your support through, say, a CCF pad packed against your back.

[Dena Kelley]

David-

Thanks for the info, and the idea of using stays for splints is ingenious! I try to think out of the box for things but that was one I'd never thought of or read about. Thanks!

[David Thomas]

Dena, You also may wish to remove them at time to tweak aluminum ones in a particular way and to make sure they match, left & right. Also, if you prefer a different weight/support balance, you can swap in a different thickness stay in the same slot.

Further, for flat aluminum ones, we all realize that you can curve it forward and back for your shoulder blades, the small of your back, etc. But you can also twist them in the other dimension so they lay flatter on your back which is not (I presume) completely flat. Twisting them is a lot easier outside the pack. Two Crescent wrenches work really well to twist them in a very controlled way.

[Kevin Babione]

Save yourself some aggrevation and have a Sharpie on hand to label the stays when you take them out with something like "This side to the back" and put an arrow labeled "Top". If the stays are unbent then it doesn't matter, but if they have a minor bend you'll save yourself a lot of headscratching trying to remember which way they go.

[Andy F]

If they are difficult to put back in (unlikely), dampen the nylon sleeves and wait a few minutes. Nylon stretching when wet is annoying with tarps and tents, but it works well for something like this.

[Art …]

once removed, you can shave 10-20 grams off your pack weight (should you choose to reinsert them) by drilling a few small holes in them.
every little bit helps.

[Dena Kelley]

Thanks for all the tips- I knew if I asked I'd get good info. I especially like the idea of labeling them, so I get them back in the right spot if I put them back in.

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