Ruck Sacks (Advise and Suggestions please?)

[F-Trooper05]

So I'm in the market for a new ruck. I'm a pretty avid backpacker and my current Lowe Alpine is on it's last leg, and I'm going on a five day trip to Denali in a few weeks. My new pack needs to be capable of supporting trips that last two to seven days, so I'd like it to be at least 70 liters. My budget is around $250.

I'm currently looking at the Mountain Hardware "South Col 70" and the Osprey "Aether 70."



The South Col is 4 lbs and very comfortable. My biggest issue with it is that it has no additional pockets other than the lid (including no side mesh for water bottles), and there are no external access points to the main compartment (I.E. if you need something from the bottom of the bag, the only way to get to it is to unload everything from the top).





The Aether is a little over 5 lbs (and feels noticeably heavier than the South Col), however, it is abundant in both external pockets, as well as two additional access points to the main compartment.






The South Col feels a bit more comfortable, but I think the lack of pockets/access points might be a pain in the ass on the trail, so I'm at a crossroads with which one to get.

What do you guys think? And if you have any other suggestions besides these two, feel free to speak up. Remember, my budget is about $250. Thanks in advance!

[randypollock]

If at all possible stick with the old pack until you return from your trip...then get a new one.

I like the second one that you showed.

[SLG]

I know you said $250, but rucks are like guns. I'd buy a Kifaru, and then you'll never have to post "it's on it's last legs."

How much weight do you need to carry?

[F-Trooper05]

I know you said $250, but rucks are like guns. I'd buy a Kifaru, and then you'll never have to post "it's on it's last legs."

How much weight do you need to carry?

I'm a minimalist, so my tent, sleeping pad, and sleeping bag weigh under 6 lbs total. Clothes, food, Jetboil, and miscellaneous account for about another 5 to 10 lbs (depending on the duration of my trip). All that's left is water, and I usually like to have about 4 liters on me (9 lbs). So between 20 to 25 lbs total give or take.

As for spending more, I guess I could, but both Osprey and MHW have lifetime warranties, as well as excellent reputations in the backpacking community, so I'm not too worried about them shitting out on me any time soon. My Lowe Alpine has been with me since 1999, so a new pack every 12 years is something I can live with.

Also, I sort of like to stay away from tactical gear for civilian backpacking purposes. Even though they're often bomber, they also tend to be designed by tactical professionals who add features that don't always translate well on the civilian side.

[SLG]

I agree about the tactical stuff - I use Kifaru tactical stuff for work, and their hunting line for play. Each works well in its role, though there can be some overlap.

I'm not saying that 12 years is bad for a civy ruck, just that Kifaru is tougher still. You know what they say about a guarantee when you're out in the field and your ruck falls apart. However, the main reason I use them is that nothing carries weight like they do. You are carrying very little weight, so it probably just won't matter much one way or the other. I often use an old surplus ruck with no support at all for 20-25#'s.

However, if you are interested, you can get a kifaru that will handle the weight you need for relatively little money. Look at the omnibelt line of military, or the spikecamp or Lateseason in the hunting line. The Lateseason does not use an omni belt, it is a step up, and it is amazing how well it carries weight. Like I said though it is probably overkill for your weights.

[TGS]

I noticed you guys didn't mention Arc'teryx. I'm guessing based on durability because I've seen them break a lot, but at the same time we tend to carry a metric-shit-ton more than 25lbs.

So what's your opinion on Arc'teryx? They sure are comfy, and have very good access points to pull stuff out from the bottom or sides.

[SLG]

Arc'teryx makes nice gear, and I use a lot of it. Their rucks, in my limited experience with them, just don't carry weight as well as Kifaru, or Mystery Ranch. Also, as you noted, the military ones tend to break frequently, no doubt due to trying to adapt a civy ruck to much greater stresses. The Kifaru military line was built from the ground up to handle military requirements, and I have literally, never heard of one failing. BTW, I have NO affiliation with Kifaru whatsoever, I just find their gear, when appropriate, to be the best there is.

[Kyle Reese]

I too can vouch for the awesomeness of Kifaru products.

[Odin Bravo One]

OK, I'll jump on the Kifaru and Mystery Ranch bandwagon. Hands down top notch kit.

I still have a Dana Pack that has been abused that just wont die. I might kill it intentionally while it's out , just to put it out of its misery of looking like it has been around the world 9 times.

[DocGKR]

When I am truly backpacking for multi-week trips with serious weights (70-100 lbs) then I prefer my old Dana Astralplane or the current Mystery Ranch G7000.

If it is just a 20-25 lbs load for a quick under 3 day jaunt, I typically just use an Eagle AIII MOLLE with no waist belt.

The problem area for me is those 3-5 day trips with 35-55 lbs--I still am working on the ideal set-up for those conditions...