Mchale Packs?

Excellent testimonies, there.  Thanks for posting those, and for the excellent pictures!

I just finished a January 2021 trip with my McHale and it hauled alot (too much) food for 21 winter days but it now sits ready to go in March.

On Rocky Top/BMT in Tennessee on Day 10 of the trip.

My buddy Patman meets me on State Line Ridge as we take a sweat/off-layer break.

The big yellow back pocket can re removed if not needed—and holds a tremendous amount of stuff for long trips w/o resupply.  Like tent poles/stakes and pack cover and ground cloth and a big food bag etc.

Another pic showing top lid securing boots for cold water creek crossings—as I get into crocs.  This pic also shows wear patterns on the spectra lid.

Anyone have experience with the standard water bottle pockets vs the larger size? I am kind of strange with my water carrying. I usually carry one nalgene bottle and one smart water bottle. I only use steri pens ( I hate squeeze filters) so i have a smart water bottle bottle for filling up in streams, then use the nalgene to sterilize and drink from

Some thoughts and I don’t have the standard (smaller) water pockets.

When water is plentiful, I often don’t take the water pockets. I like to have a little as possible attached to the main bag. Below is a picture from a trip in the AT. I don’t drink frequently unless I am thirsty. Not uncommon for me to stop once every hour or two, or even longer. If water is plentiful I just keep a single water bottle inside the pack. Helps keep it cool too.

In deserts I carry two 64-ounce Gatorade bottles (one in each pocket). Depending on the trip, I might have another gallon or two inside the pack.

In winter snow hikes I have been using these OR insulators with a Nalgene. They’re probably 35 years old.

Dan is a mountaineer and climber, so of course, this set-up fits perfectly in the large water bottle pocket.

Nowadays I always take a 1/8″ foam pad to protect my Therm-a-rest. Rolled up it fits into the large water pocket along with a 1L Platypus bottle.

If I’m a little short on volume, especially with the Bump, sometimes I’ll put my cook kit and fuel in one of the water bottle pockets, so I don’t have to go to a larger size pack.

The water bottle pockets don’t have to be for water only.

Of course you can buy a pair of each. They don’t take long to change over.

I often use a water bottle pocket to carry my trail tools as I’m hiking—and put the unneeded water bottle in the pack.

Folding saw in action.  I put the saw in a bread bag and place it in the bottle pocket—

As shown here bottom right—

Tipi,

Looks like it is time to wash your pack :)

http://popupbackpacker.com/why-and-how-to-wash-a-backpack/

I love the white packs! I am really attracted to this color combo 

The white would be good for stealth travel in snow.

If you’re Mark Wahlberg hiding in the snow to kill a senator’s criminal associates, white  would be awesome :-)

I would think white would show dirty easily.

I like colors that blend into the surroundings.

What is cool is Dan can dye the white spectra any color you want, thus all the colorful packs on his site. Plus he has a rainbow of choices in webbing.

But really, pick colors that make you happy. Note that Tipi chose colors to make him visible to hunters.

@ngatel I tend to wear bright colored clothing when I hike. I usually look ridiculous as if i was vomited out of a 80’s arcade game. But that’s just my style I guess

I usually look ridiculous as if i was vomited out of a 80’s arcade game.

Thanks for the laugh… totally understood the visual :)

His radness will be that of legend, as depicted here.

@bon-zo hahahahaha! I hate to say it, but this is more accurate than not :P

Remember: parrots are a lifelong commitment.

@bon-zo I actually used to have a parrot LOL

With the bayonets and the top fully cinched, 48l.  Without the bayonets you effectively lose 10cm of from the length, so 42l.   Depoending on your torso length with my bag circumference you may end up +/-  2l on volume.

The pack circumference is ~104cm at the top, ~102cm at the bottom, 72cm to the shoulder harness attach point with the bayonets, 62cm to the shoulder harness attach point without.

@stevet The sarc-casm is only 48L? That should work, I somehow figured it would be bigger than that. I figure with the gear I have I can probably make that size work. And If i ever needed something bigger I could always get accessory pockets. Ive only seen it once, but one guy had a kangaroo pocket and a expedition shovel pocket he could strap ontop of that

How much volume is in the extension top on the Sarc 48?

I have an avalanche/crampon/puffy jacket/wet stuff/dog food/shuriken/caltrops/booze kangaroo pocket that straps through the daisy chains on my Alpine Machine; I don’t really use it, but it’s nice to have and I like the fact that the fabric matches, so you might- actually, wait: matching fabric is not a big concern for you.

How much volume is in the extension top on the Sarc 48?

Keep in mind that a McHale XX is not a volume indicator.

I have: Bump 32, LBP 34, and LBP 36. This means the my pack bags have a circumference of 32, 34, and 36 inches.

Dan doesn’t market his packs by volume, because each is custom built (sized) for each individual. There is a pack volume calculator on his site.

You can probably order any size extension you want.

When I ordered my pack Dan wanted to know the desired bottom circumference and the top circumference and the avg height between the two on a taper.  I ended up with a 50 inch bottom circle and an approx 40-42 inch top—essentially a big duffel bag “with wings”, esp after removing the sleeping bag compartment divider.

Yeah, I know he doesn’t do the volume thing, but I was recalling that he had some basic figures for the size of the extensions; I might be recalling that incorrectly, though.

Fill it to the “brim” or flush with the top of the extension collar add another 12cm or 8l additional volume.

I have a kangaroo pocket of and hip belt pockets so practically speaking, in my typical use case have ~45l volume. The pack never feels over stuffed.

when you get the sample pack be sure to load it up and take it out. You get a much better feel for volume vs your kit and how pockets or choice of top “flap” will enhance or detract from how you like to pack things and have access to them.

@stevet Good call. Can you speak to the double layer sumit flat va the “brain”. I already have a Fanny pack so I’m not sure if the brain would be overkill for me

when you get the sample pack be sure to load it up and take it out. You get a much better feel for volume vs your kit and how pockets or choice of top “flap” will enhance or detract from how you like to pack things and have access to them.

Yes!!

Dan will require you to take pictures or videos of you wearing the pack, so he can verify the fit. He wants to go load it up and hike with it. You will have the pack for a while as Dan always has a backlog of work.

Tipi took the more extreme path, taking several multi-week trips with his demo pack, for a total of something like 80 days. By that time, he was sure a McHale would fit his needs.

Tipi took the more extreme path, taking several multi-week trips with his demo pack, for a total of something like 80 days. By that time, he was sure a McHale would fit his needs.

You are right—and the reason is because my Mystery Ranch G7000 just quit working for me.  A poorly designed hipbelt with stiffeners ate into my hip flesh so I was without a decent pack until the Demo came in.  Why pack makers use ANY kind of plastic “wings” or stiffeners on their hipbelts is anyone’s guess.  McHale does not.

Why pack makers use ANY kind of plastic “wings” or stiffeners on their hipbelts is anyone’s guess. McHale does not.

I hate that kind of design.  My current hip belt is 1/4″-thick foam, and it’s wonderful.

Can someone please post up a pic of their McHale backpack internal frame components and how theyre organised in the backpack? I havent found any pictures online of how they are constructed.