Mchale Or Seek Outside Divide For Wonderland Trail

If I end up getting the divide, I’ll use it for 3 season trips and keep the Mchale for winter.

If they are equally comfortable, I don’t see why you would want to carry extra weight. 1.7 lb is real weight, IMO.

Incidentally, 3 lb is 36% less than 4.7 lb. 50% less would be 2.35 lb.

Enjoy your trip!

Yeah my math, rounded, is Mchale 50% more than SO. (1.5 / 3)

I would get the SO pack for 3 season use, and then make the decision about which pack to use on the Wonderland Trail based on how well each carries the loads you expect to carry.

I’ve never had a McHale, but I do have an xpac Divide, and I had a Gila.  The blessing and the curse of these packs is that they are highly adjustable, so it took me a while to dial in the fit.  Once I did, it was the most comfortable pack I had ever put on.  I’ve since found equal comfort with even less weight in SWD’s packs, but they don’t have the degree of adjustability that SOs have (and I’m not a wide dude).

1.7 pounds is a lot, but the minimum weight in SO’s specs is without the anti-barrel stay (which i don’t use), with a single compression strap on each side, and without hipbelt pockets.  If your McHale has these things, or if you need frame extensions or a lumbar pad for the Divide to fit you, the actual gap might be smaller.

I would (and do) use a different methodology.

I would take the total weight of the pack to include everything (food, water, fuel, etc.). Now compare the total weight of each kit. Let’s say 30 lb. with the Seek Outside vs 31.7 lb. with your McHale. The McHale kit in this example would be just under 6% heavier. Plus you know the McHale fits well and it is paid for already.

Perhaps a better method is to compare how much weight your legs will have to carry with everything — your body weight, clothing worn, shoes, items carried not in the pack (such as trekking poles), plus the total weight of the pack. I’m skinny, so for me it would be something like 183 lb. vs 184.7 lb. — less than 1% of the total weight my legs have to support. For someone who might weigh 200 lb. the McHale kit would add even less percentage-wise —— your body won’t notice the difference with the McHale versus the SO.

$500 saved ;-)