Light Pack for Family Trips? (60L+ and 35 lbs+ capacity)

I bought and have enjoyed the largest seek outside Unaweep for a couple years now. I need all the volume I can get for family trips.  6300 cubic inches is about 100 liters, and with lots of warm gear and food, I use most of that volume.   The pack also shrinks down easily when needed.

Someday I’ll go for a smaller pack for non-kid trips or when the kids can carry meaningful amounts of light but bulky things.  I’ll still appreciate higher weight capacity for when it is required for a bear can and lots of food.  A seek outside divide is a likely candidate.

I’m not surprised the Seek Outside ended up being your choice. I thought hard about going that route but as my kids are a bit older (9/12) and the 12 year old is at 7% of his body weight and the 9 year old is at 5% of hers this opened more possibilities. I really didn’t want the weight of a big pack and I wanted something that would double as my burly pack for off trail trips.

I ended up with a Katabatic Artemis 55. Slightly smaller than your goal but a very comfortable and high quality pack. I use it when I’m bushwhacking solo as it’s the toughest pack I own and carry’s 35lbs in relative comfort. Great pack. With my 2 kids I put our shelter on the outside which leaves a cavern of space for anything they can’t carry (mostly their food). I don’t think I’ve actually had it above 22lbs with the family though as we generally don’t do more than 3 days with the kids but I’m sure I could make it work for up to 5 nights.