What pack do you recommend for this gear?

i use some similar gear to what you have listed. i have an MLD super prophet with a large size torso. all up with ext collar, i think its around 40/45L.

could go smaller if you wanted to compress the stuff out of your gear, could go larger for some nice easy packing with room to move if you do some cooler weather trips.

im real happy with what i have got. i use my sleeping mat as padding, dont really have any back issues though, only a stuffd hip. sorry, also dont need to take any anti bear gear, so im not too sure how big ya bear container thing is.

Got it, thanks!

The bearikade is definitely complicating the pack purchase.

"The bearikade is definitely complicating the pack purchase."

I had the same problem last year. I started going out with a local Meetup group and they require bear cans. My 40L GoLite Speedpack was all of a sudden too small. For two trips I tried strapping the canister to the bottom of the bag- it worked, but was clumsy. I bought a used Vapor Trail in the fall for the larger internal volume so I can carry the bear canister inside the pack.

I carry almost the exact same set of gear. I don't have the back issues you mention but still prefer a pack with a little more support when hauling around a heavy bear can especially.

I have used a ULA Circuit and a HMG Porter for my trips and have been happy with both. Of the two, I'd say the Circuit edges out the Porter for overall comfort although the Porter can likely carry a bit more.

I'm sure there's lot of other great packs too. Heard a lot of good things about the MLD Exodus; my main hiking buddy really likes his a lot. You can get it with added suspension/support or without.

(1) Put all your gear (including equivalent in weight and bulk of a week's food) in a box. Take the box to the store. Try a bunch of different packs with the gear loaded inside. Remember that the clothing you wear while hiking (in good weather) and your trekking poles will not be in the pack (unless it's "Naked Hiker Day").

(2) Put all your gear in a box (see above), but be sure the box is rectangular. Pack so the top surface is flat. Use tape measurement to find length, width, height. Calculate the volume by multiplying the three as we learned in school. A liter is approximately 60 cubic inches (not exact, but close enough). Do remember, though, that not all pack volumes are standard, so you will still have to try the gear in the pack. If you are ordering a pack, have the gear ready to put in the pack when it arrives, load it up, adjust and take an hour or two (preferably two) hike around the house. Boring, but helps you decide whether or not the pack is a "keeper."

Weight is also important; most manufacturers show on their websites the maximum weight suggested for their packs. Remember that this is total pack weight, including, fuel, food, water and the pack. IMHO, subtract 5 pounds.

I like Mary's #2 version. It should give a close enough estimate to at least get a starting starting point.

I use Google to do cubic inch/liter conversions. Just type in "convert 2200 cubic inches to liters" and it will caculate for you.

A circuit would be VERY comfortable but also probably a little big for this setup. I would look at the OHM, GG mariposa, mld exodus, and maybe the zpacks arcBlast

my thinking is you could do a 2800-3500 without bear can and 3300-4200 with bear can

I'd get a small zpacks zero with +3 inches added to the roll top. A circuit and all these other packs are super heavy for you setup. You are borderline SUL. Don't mess that up with a 2 pound pack!

Arc blast looks like your best bet, or a zero with carbon stays.

I take it the only way to pack the bearikade in a zpacks pack is vertically?

"my thinking is you could do a 2800-3500 without bear can and 3300-4200 with bear can"
Stupid bears.

This is totally off topic, but why would you bring the hexamid and a bivy?? The hexamid solo plus is a fully enclosed shelter, full on bug protection….

Jennifer – while I'm still undecided on which bivy to get (probably katabatic or zpacks) – I am hoping to sleep under the stars for as many nights as possible.

*pretty sure you and I are planning for a JMT trip around the same time, feel free to make fun of me for over-packing then!

"I take it the only way to pack the bearikade in a zpacks pack is vertically?"

You'll have to pack a bearikade vertically in all (most) ultralight packs.

What i usually do is put my sleeping bag in first horizontally and then bear can with the rest on top

Got it, thanks.

It's looking more and more like the Arc Blast will be a solid option. If I may hijack my own thread rather than create a new one:

I think this would easily fit into an Arc Blast. I have a very similar gear in terms of volume and can fit it into my Arc with a BV450 no problem. The Bearikade is only a couple inches taller than the 450. If you are worried I bet they could make an Arc with an extended top for a bit more room.

The Bearikade Scout is shorter than the Weekender. I used the Scout last Sept on an 8 day solo trip and packed it horizontally in my Ohm 2.0… if you leave the first day's meals out and get the air out of everything and smush hard and don't eat a lot, you can get 7 days of food for one person into the Scout.

I find that packing the Bearikade horizontally makes for a better carry balance wise and feels better against my spine… when packed vertically the canister seems to press against my boney spine… unless you have a heavily padded pack.

Does anyone know if you can get the Scout into the Arc Blast horizontally?

thanks,

Bill

I emailed Joe yesterday about the Bearikades fitting into his Arc Blast horizontally and he 'thinks' the Scout will fit horizontally. (does anyone know for sure that the Bearikade Scout will fit horizontally into the Arc Blast?)

And Joe says he can make an Arc Blast with larger entry at the top to fit a Weekender horizontally.

thanks,

Bill

Bill,

Thanks for the update. Understandable that the Bearikade vertically was a pain with the Ohm – will the structure of the Arc Blast negate this issue? That's one of the most appealing things about it, that the bag will be off the spine.

Below is a picture of a BV450 in my standard sized Arc Blast. It is sitting just on top of the crossbar. The Scout is spec'd at the same length and a 1/4" more diameter. I think it would squeeze in but it will be between the stays and just barely off your back judging from how the BV450 carries. If you carry it higher in the pack there would be plenty of room as the pack bag tapers towards the bottom.

Drew, I really couldn't tell from that pic where the canister is in the Arc Blast… could be on the bottom for all I can make out. Cross bar? I was not aware of a cross bar on the Arc Blast pack… where is the cross bar?

For me, every pack is different and carries a little different, but generally, I like the bear canister at the top of my pack… laying horizontal… I like the heavy things high and near my back, generally. Typically, for me, the bear canister is the last thing to go in (except the things I cram in along side of it after its in)

Horizontal with the longer canisters because then there is more weight higher.
And horizontal with the sorter ones too because these light weight packs don't have much back padding and the curve of the canister tends to put pressure on my bony spine :(

Any way, Drew… so you think the Bearikade Scout will lay horizontal at the top of the Arc Blast? But probably not the Weekender, eh?

I imagine if it fits between the vertical stays then will need some extra padding so it's not so hard on my back… I'm thinking up high near the shoulder strap attachments where the netting is not a factor…

thanks
Bill

Yeah, the perspective is really skewed in that picture… There is a crossbar between the two stays that is 11" up from the bottom of the pack (measured along the curve.) The Bv450 cannot fit below that point because the crossbar cuts into the total diameter of the pack. In the picture I have my quilt, Neoair and shelter under the can which fills up to the crossbar. What you are seeing above the can is the top 6" of the pack plus the open/unrolled collar.

I re-packed my Arc just now with the BV450 at the very top and based on that I think you will have no problem whatsoever fitting the Scout in a standard Arc.

I think the Weekender would work too if Joe built more diameter into the top of the pack bag. There isn't quite enough width/diameter in the stock bag for a 10.5" long can. Also, the stays are spaced 10.5" apart so the bottom of the can will engage them a bit which will further reduce diameter. For the Weekender I would in addition recommend some extra length in the top collar, and also buckles on each side to close the pack (the dry bag style closure reduces available space at the top when closed.) If I were ordering an Arc today the most important change I would make is an extra 2" or so of collar length – with my gear I've had trouble getting it closed on occasion.

Forgot to say – with my BV450 packed horizontally at the very top, the midline/widest point of the can is level with the haul loop, that should help you picture it.

Love the Scout for horizontal packing reasons–much better than the Weekender if you can carry enough food. I get six days without re-packaging–just!
I can "just" get a Weekender horizontal in my GG Mariposa.

I have some lower back issues as well; I'm an outlier on this forum for using an external–only 2 1/2 lbs!–for weight transfer to my hips, off of my shoulders/spine. Also, I find that my "external" (a modified Mariposa) just carries a canister far more comfortably than a lightweight internal. But I'm the minority here in thinking that the weight penalty trade off is worth it.

This might be a stupid question but how come you guys want your canister in your pack. I strap it to the top of GG gorilla(I have the old version)it has an extendable buckle that goes over the top into the back pocket. but having viewed a lot of the packs reconmended I see that they also would have similar capabilities. you would think by attaching your canister to the outside you could get a smaller pack. This would inturn reduce pack weight.

Since I have one and love it I suggest a gorilla. You should have no problem getting the listed gear in that pack.

Thanks Drew… your last post paints a pretty clear picture of the Arc Blast relative to bear canister packing…

But I'm wondering if you could expand a bit on this part of your post:

"For the Weekender I would in addition recommend some extra length in the top collar, and also buckles on each side to close the pack (the dry bag style closure reduces available space at the top when closed.) If I were ordering an Arc today the most important change I would make is an extra 2" or so of collar length – with my gear I've had trouble getting it closed on occasion."

I had already wondered about the amount of space the dry bag style closure would eat up… so thanks for confirming my suspicion. But can you give me a better picture of what you mean by, "buckles on each side to close the pack"?

I'm not sure how that would look… or work. Are you suggesting that after rolling the dry bag style closure the buckles are snapped to a side mounted mate instead of to eachother? And if so, how would this reduce lost space?

Thanks
Bill Davidson

Drew… since you have one of these Arc Blast packs can you tell me,

1) is there any padding in the pack to protect your back from hard objects? I did not notice any in your photo.

2) how is the waist belt? is it comfortable? at what total weight?

3) I have the 'no hips problem'… pack belts tend to slide down past my hips no matter how tight I cinch the belt putting unwanted weight on my shoulders, but some worse than others… with this concern in mind, it looks like both the lumbar area of the pack and the waist belt are made of cuben fiber… which is slick… so seems to me it might be MORE likely than other packs to slide past my hips…. and put weight on my shoulders. What has been your experience Drew?

thanks again,

Bill Davidson