backpacks

[elizabethcook]

any recommendations on backpacks

 

[anniethenurse]

Hello!
there has been discussions on the theme back pack on this forum before. Very important issue to find the right back pack that fits YOU. More or less the best would be if the back pack finds you while you are trying them. Don´t hesitate to listen to all the help you can get, the sailsmen in the sporting stores know everything about how a back pack should fit and match your anatomy.

Some threads from the past:

equipment-questions/topic3277-25.html

equipment-questions/topic5018-25.html

equipment-questions/topic5399.html

equipment-questions/topic6395.html

Buen camino
annie

 

[sillydoll]

Most salespeople in our outdoor stores hear the words - '8ookm hike' - and try to outfit you with a rugged, heavy duty, framed, mountain-backpacker, monster pack that weighs 2kg empty. You don't need it!
If you are only going to be carry a change of clothing (2 of everything), a few toiletries and medication, you could carry it in a slingbag or a bagroll like the medieval pilgrims did.
Buy a pack that is the right torso length - men's packs can be very long and if you are short like me you'll need a short backpack. I use a 32L OMM (Original Mountain Marathon) backpack that weighs about 600g and fits me perfectly. If you decide to buy one, make sure that it is the latest model as the shoulder straps were changed in 2007 to a wider, slightly more padded strap.
Good luck!

 

[Deleted member 397]

Mine is 30lt + 6 Berghaus Freeflow.Don't take more than 7kg

 

[sillydoll]

I looked at the Berghaus and liked the freeflow design but it weighed over 1.5kg. Perhaps that is not so important for a man or a 'big strong girl' but I needed something lighter.

 

[Deleted member 397]

Sil...That's true,mine is about 1.3kg-mostly because the freeflow design incorporates rigid tubing. I've seen other makes with similar designs. Other packs I've used in the past have been very hot on the back and have rubbed away loops on my shorts and discoloured my shirts.
Main thing is.....don't take more than 7kg

 

[anniethenurse]

Sil and Omar

My backpack is Vaude Tour 40 L for women - fits my torso well, it is easy to carry with well- padded straps and the best thing is the air flow system. The weight of 1420 grams doesn´t seem to matter - the positive features are more important. Some pilgrims maybe would think that 40 L is too much but on the other hand I have extra space if needed. I do not pack it full. When I checked it in at the airport on my way to france the total weight was 7.8 kgs. When alking (I was a first- timer) I was suprised how easy it was to carry.
annie

 

[sillydoll]

Annie - 7.8kg is a good weight.
My pack weighed just under 5kg when I left home but it fluctuated on the trail, depending on whether I was wearing the raincoat, or longs and a fleece. Some days I wore my Off-Road Crocs on long straight roads as a change from boots, which I then had to carry so it made the pack heavier.
Some people say that weight isn't important if you have the correct backpack but there are other factors to consider. How tall you are, your body weight, your frame size, age, back strength etc.
I am 62 years old, am under 160cm tall (short!), weigh around 54kg and have a small frame. I don't have a strong back or particularly strong ankles and I've got osteoporosis - so I never carry a too heavy load. Between 10 - 15% of bodyweight is about right for me.

 

[dizzydog]

I have just come home from the Camino and all I can say re backpacks is make it a small one. 25 litres is enough. I saw lots of people with so much gear. Anyone should be able to get along with five or six kg. Other backpack lists here which specify two of everything more or less are good advice.

 

[Tia Valeria]

Is it possible to take your kit with you when you buy your pack? If you also need part of the kit (sleeping bag/hiking towels etc) then the store will probably add them into the pack for you to test capacity and weight as well as fitting it to your size. That way you know you can get what you really need in, and that you can manage it. If it feels heavy in the shop then I expect it will feel even heavier on the road. Try picking it up with one hand, if it feels too heavy it probably is too heavy! (Just my idea as I am still working on my preparations)
Buen Camino
Tia Valeria

 

[Rebekah Scott]

Ultralite packs are the way to go. Good brands are GoLite and GossamerGear. They weigh very little and mine (a GoLite women´s model) has worn like iron over four years. You may need to add a bit of padding here and there, but there´s a noticeable lessening in joint pain at the end of the day.

 

[finnegan]

Hi, I carried a large backpack on my first trip, bad choice!! Go small and only carry a change of clothes and essential toiletries and wet weather jacket. My new pack is a '3day pass' style. Believe me, you don't need much. You can buy yourself some new clothes when you get to Santiago!

 

[gittiharre]

Yes I agree too, keep it small and light, but have the back ventilation system and well upholstered straps and hipbelt, so the weight is distributed. I found it better to have a slightly heavier pack, Deuter, 1.4 kg, 34 ltrs with lots of pockets, good to organise your stuff in and fantastically comfortable straps and belt. It sat really well and nothing pulled on shoulders etc. I used a Vaude first time and the straps were a bit thin and the back ventilation system collapsed. I prefer the Deuter. Gitti

 

[ramble-on]

I'm really a novice at this, but it seems to me that the amount of "stuff" you have to take depends on the time of year you're walking. I will be travelling in April/May and I think it's necessary to take some cold weather gear, a sleeping bag and pad (given it's a Holy Year and the refugios may be quite crowded, meaning sleeping on the floor). So my pack weight is in the 10.5 kg range exclusive of water (I weigh about 97kg so it's a bit over 10% of my body weight). My pack is an Arcteryx Bora 50 and while it's a bit heavier when empty than I would like, it sure is comfortable - it also won't be fully loaded. So I think the best plan is to find a pack that's really comfortable when loaded and that you think will have the capacity for what you really need (but only what you REALLY need).

 

[gittiharre]

Yes I think you got it, comfortable pack, even if the pack itself is a little heavier and really plan well. Use layers of quick drying clothing, include merino wool top, it works well. Gitti