Pulling the trigger on a Mchale pack

Good decision. You won’t be disappointed. That hipbelt alone is worth the price of admission.

I’m a new McHale owner so cannot speak to long term durability issues, but also coming from an HMG and MLD background, both with DCF, the DCH is thicker and presumably stronger. It softens with use and some scuffing of the surface can be expected. As for boring right through the fabric at the bottom, unlikely but you can ask him for Spectra. I shied away from the newer fabrics because of unfamiliarity having been happy with DCF in the past.

Unrelated, do ask Dan to make it as small as possible because his packs, even when custom fitted, are capacious. I insisted on getting the smallest pack possible so it now compresses to as small as an MLD Burn for 3 days and expands with attachments to a full sized winter pack for 2+ weeks.

That’s exactly what I’m wanting. Something that’s adjustable to how long I’ll be out or if needed for winter. Thanks for the tip on getting the smallest possible.

Be vigilant with ounce creep and resist the temptation to go for bigger and better. His packs are already so strong that even his lightest buckles, narrowest webbing, thinnest hipbelt padding, and so on are beyond what anyone else is mass producing. All and sundry may quote my name to Dan if they want a daypack-cum-monsterpack factotum that comes in at 1.9 lbs (with additional webbing removed) and hauls with indifference.

…or if needed for winter.

Waterproof fabrics are your friends.  Not having to deal with pack covers, trash bags or precipitation of any sort is incredibly freeing and valuable.  My latest two packs are both made with highly-durable waterproof fabrics, and that’s made a big difference.  Just something to consider.

what waterproof pack fabrics have you found to be durably waterproof?

I have not found such a thing

laminate fabrics are waterproof for a while

200D nylon with PU coating isn’t waterproof.  That is, if it’s hot and my sweaty back is against it then there’s some leakage.

X51 from X-Pac is what I’ve had my last two bags made from; yes, it’s a laminate and it’ll have a lifespan like anything else…but I’ve not had any leakage or seepage or anything else take place over the last two years, and I’m not nice to those packs.  Sure, it’ll de-lam and die eventually; all things do…but my packs are the first line of defense against injury to the rest of my gear, so I accept that they’ll take the worst of the hits, and I allow it.

If it’s hot weather, I just put my polycro groundcloth inside, against my back, and down to the bottom.  That works.  Slightly annoying to place it.

And, same here, a second line of defense is to put stuff like down in a waterproof bag

With this latest pack, I don’t bother with waterproof stuff sacks…especially when it’s cold; often, they’re more trouble than they’re worth.  My latest organizational strategy is a few big, oversized silnylon bags for the larger categories of stuff, and that’s all.  One large sack for the sleeping bag, pad and pillow, one for all the layers and spare socks, and one for food and other stuff that needs to be partitioned.  Shells and poofies get tucked somewhere accessible, sharp things and shelters have their own strategies and aren’t sensitive to water, and I don’t carry much else that would be impacted by dampness.  Seems to be working well, although I do wonder what would happen if I just dropped the entire bag in a river or glacial stream.  I guess I should try that at some point.

Joey,

For context, my McHale is a 32 inch circumference, which is about as small as he goes. You may be hard pressed to get a small pack with a 41. My strategy was keep it small for three-season walks and add the shovel pocket, large water bottle holders, hip belt pockets, and lid for winter and desert hauls. Also, Dan likes to steer people towards the LBP (I think that’s what you meant instead of BPL), which may be harder to get below 2 lbs stripped down.

Agree completely with Bonzo regarding the simplicity of waterproof packs.

I am on my 2nd McHale pack.  1st was an Inex, but once I got past the family sherpa stage I replaced it with a 41” circumference Sarc-chasm.  Mostly dyneema grid fabric except the bottom and shoulder pads are spectra.  The bottom to stem any wear and tear, and the shoulder straps such that critters can’t chew them up for salt.

As for durability I’ve had 17 seasons with it.  The dyneema grid has a couple of pinholes and I’ve replaced buckle that secures the roll top closure (I stepped on it).  A typical season it one 1.5-2 week summertime hike, and 3-4 long weekend hikes throughout the year so not a huge amount of use, but gives you some parameters to compare.

I’ve had this one pack exclusively now for nearly 1/3 of my backpacking years.  It’s been an amazing pack used to haul loads between 15 and 60lbs.  Sometimes I think I should order a 2nd just in case my hiking career lasts another ~20 years, the current pack finally wears out, and Dan is no longer making packs.

Why dont you guys post pictures of your McHale packs….just for gawking:-) Never seen them in the wild!

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This McHale is loaded with a 12 day load. It’s made out of dyneema grid with a heavier weight fabric on the pocket, heavy spectra bottom. Circumference 41 bottom, 42 top it’ll swallow two BV5oo horizontally. It lasted 6 seasons averaging 70 nights a year. The sun got it, deteriorating the fabric on the top above the shoulder straps to the point of failure. Using a lid, which I don’t, would likely help some with that. It weights about 5 lb. and is the most comfortable best riding pack I’ve had for the kind of loads I need to carry to stay out for a couple weeks between resupplies. I went through 6 packs in 10 years, all rejected.

Here it is 6 years later on one of its last big rides. With 8 days on board.

Shrunk into daypack mode with frame extensions removed, bottom clamshelled, compression straps tightened and my stuff in the pocket.

My new McHale. 500 Cordura, spectra bottom and shoulder straps, circumference 38. Weighs about the same. I use a pack liner and basic sil stuff sacks. I think a waterproof pack is bound to fail under heavy conditions and time. My X-pac delaminated. Liners are easily switched out.

A view of the back panel. Carried up to 3 days water, 10 liters.

Dreamer,

I was looking at the Cordura fabric. What made you choose it? I’m imagining that your original failed eventually and your hoping this will last longer. Do you plan on using a pack cover if it rains?

Cordura fan here.

I have a Lowe mountaineering pack in 500/1000 Cordura that I bought in the ’70s. It survived a number of seasons of Alpine and winter climbing and decades of use as a day pack. After many hundreds of days on the hill it’s still perfectly usable. I abuse it without a second thought because I know it will come through.

Does it leak? Sure – but no fabric will remain waterproof for that length of time. I have a simple packing routine that handles the damp and it’s been a non-issue.

I’m very sceptical of these trendy modern laminates – the packs that use them will end up in landfill literally decades before a well-made Cordura pack. Not the McHale style at all!

There’s an old-school pack-maker near me that is popular with serious users like big-wall climbers and rescue teams. Their products simply can’t fail. They use Cordura, exclusively.

https://www.aiguillealpine.co.uk/

Obviously, Dan is the man to advise you – but I would definitely put Cordura on the shortlist.

McHale used the 5oo cordura on the upper of the water bottle pockets of my first pack from him and it held up to the abuse of that location very well compared to the dyneema grid on the pack body. The body was showing a good bit of wear all around and up top the sun just weakened the grid fabric to the point where it can be easily torn by hand after about 400 days out. These are not UL packs and the fabrics physical weight seems a non issue.

For water proofing a pack I’m a fan of pack liners. As long as it’s replaced when at all worn they do an excellent job. Also works well for keeping stuff dry over night in a small single wall shelter where there might well be condensation or some water coming in around the edges.

32 circumference; 4.2 oz Dyneema Composite Hybrid (DCH); Challenge 200 shoulder pads and hip belt exterior; removable lid, expedition shovel pocket, large water bottle holders, and hip belt pockets. Stripped down with extra webbing removed: 1.9 lbs; with all attachments 3.1 lbs.

McHale in 3-season mode next to MLD Burn (main pack volume of 25L):

McHale in winter mode:

McHale in desert crossing mode (water bottle holders optional):

Dan put five patient months into this and I wish to thank him in some small way with this post. Thank you Dan.

Joey, you will not be disappointed with the McHale.  I guarantee it’s unlike anything you’ve ever carried.  I recommend paying a little more for Spectra on the bottom of the pack for peace of mind.  BTW, not sure what you need for volume but a LBP 41 will be cavernous.

He sent me a LBP 40 as the demo bag and it’s pretty big. Probably will end up with a smaller version.

I got one recently; Dan had a full spectra pack the right size for me so I bought it and immediately left on a trip to patagonia for ski mountaineering. It’s a Super Sarc 41.  It carried better than anything I’ve ever owned and seems very tough. Our first outing was a week long with glacier and avalanche gear, and it was nearing 65 pounds while carrying the skis and boots on the approach.  I needed a pack for longer trips with technical gear, where some weight is unavoidable and my HMG packs were undergunned, so McHale seemed like the logical solution.  I found that even at a 41” circumference it was no problem to strip down for day trips within the big trip.  Details I initially wasn’t sure about proved to be very well designed and executed.  Now that my trip is done and I’m back, Dan is going to add a bunch of mods for me to tune it up, so it’ll be even better!

Waterproofness- I agree that sometimes inner liner bags are a practical solution, but read on Dan’s website about Tentsure, by Mcnett.  It can restore the coating of old fabrics, I just got two bottles and I’m going to tune up all my old packs. He makes a strong case for it.

Just got my pack! I went with a front loader, Cordoru 500, full spectra bottom. When I got it, I immediately weighed it and it was 6 lbs. When I remove the top bag thingy, unneeded straps, and frame extenders, it’s 4.6. lbs. Not bad for such a burly bag.