Showing posts with label Backpacks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Backpacks. Show all posts

Thursday 3 February 2022

A plethora of packs....

 My three most used backpacks...

I am a bit of a gear collector and have quite a good selection of outdoor equipment to take on my adventures around the country. While your basic gear load may be the same each trip I believe that individual trips will require some specific gear for a safe and comfortable experience. Items like food, packs, sleeping bags, tents and clothing will vary with the conditions you expect to face. 

My standard day trip load...

I have multiple tents, cookers, sleeping bags and packs which I tailor to a particular trip. When it comes to packs I currently own five decent packs with sizes ranging from 40 liters right up to 75 liters. This gives me the ability to choose a backpack that will best fit the type of trip I am planning. 

Rainbow Reach on the Kepler Track...Atmos AG 50

What I find though is that I keep using three main bags as between them one or the other will fulfill every need I may have. The three packs are the Vaude Brenta 40, the Osprey Atmos 50 AG and the Osprey Volt 75. 


Vaude Brenta 40l: 

Used for: Day trips, overnight trips:

I am a big fan of Vaude products and I currently own three Vaude backpacks ranging in size from 40 liters to 65+10 liters. Vaude is a well regarded German outdoor equipment manufacturer and their tents, sleeping bags and packs are some of the best in the world. 


I also own a Vaude Astra 65+10 pack....

...and a Vaude Brenta 50l pack...


I have one of their lighter backpacks which I use for short overnight trips and as my day tramping bag. This is the Brenta 40l pack and it has all of the features of its bigger 65 and 75 liter cousins. It is really a bit big for day trips unless I need to haul a lot of warm gear, ice axes or crampons. 



Vaude Brenta 40l pack is also red

Here is what I usually carry in the Brenta 40 for a typical day trip...clothing, safety equipment, wet weather gear and water. Added to this would be food for the day including some snacks, lunch and drink powders. 


My Vaude Brenta 40 with a typical day trip load


I have been using the Brenta 40 for four years now and it is an excellent pack. It has a really good harness system and provided you don't overload it it is comfortable for many hours. Ventilation is excellent and it is tough enough to take a few knocks without compromising its structure. 


The Brenta has an integral rain-cover contained in a small pocket on the bottom of the tent although I always carry my gear in a plastic bag to stop water ingress. No pack is totally waterproof despite what outdoor companies tell you and it is awful to need warm dry clothing and open your bag to find it is all soaking wet. 


Atop Mt Herbert in 2021 on a windy day

Break time on the Bealey Valley Track...

Heading for Packhorse Hut with the Brenta

Lunchtime at Bushline Hut, Nelson Lakes NP

I am happy to give the Brenta 40l eight out of ten stars...

It is a stylish, comfortable and well thought out pack and a pleasure to use. After four years of use it still looks good and I do not anticipate any problems with it in the near future. You are certain to see it on my adventures for some time to come.


Osprey Atmos 50 AG:

Used for: Overnight trips to bookable huts, Great Walks, Te Araroa Trail sections

Beside Vaude the other pack brand I favor is Osprey from the United States. Osprey have an excellent name among the outdoor community for high quality gear with a lot of thought going into the set up, materials and technology they use. They are a weight conscious brand and they have probably the best range of lite weight packs on the market bar specific UL manufacturers like ULA, Gossamer Gear & Hyperlite etc. 

An array of Osprey packs in an outdoor store

A lot of my multiday tramping trips over the last 2-3 years have been to bookable huts, remote huts or Great Walk huts. The thing with all three categories of hut is that you are either guaranteed or highly likely to have a bunk for the night. This means you don't have to carry any camping equipment with you saving weight and space. 


...guaranteed bunk for the night on the Great walks...

If you do not need to pack a tent, mat and ground sheet in your pack you can get by with a smaller pack. This is the main reason I brought a Osprey Atmos 50 AG pack. This pack is more than big enough to carry 3-5 days of equipment and I have used it exclusively on all of my Great Walk tramps from 2018 to the present. 



Osprey Atmos 50 AG pack

The primary use of my Osprey Atmos pack is for 2-3 night tramps where I will be staying in a hut. In a pinch I can carry my camping gear with this pack but it is a squeeze so I use my heavy life Volt 75 pack for those trips. 

Here is a typical equipment load for one of these trips...this is without food:


Osprey Atmos with an overnight load...Great Walk or bookable huts


Specifications for the Atmos 50 AG are as follows:



The Atmos 50 has become my 'go to' pack and I use it on around 60% of the tramps I am doing. I has gone to most corners of the South Island and Rakuira now but has yet to see any service in the North Island. 


The Atmos hanging in Lakehead Hut in 2020

A map check stop in the Hawdon Valley....

Atmos 50 on the Rakuira Track back in 2019

The shoulder harnesses on Osprey packs are always good but it is spectacular on this pack. I have carried it for 7-8 hours before and my legs give out way before my back does. It is comfortable and has great ventilation across the back with their patented Anti Gravity system. The waist belt is fantastic and molds around your hips for exceptional weight carrying ability. I have recommended this pack to dozens of people over the last four odd years...


The Atmos is the most comfortable pack I own...

Turkey Flat in the Waimakiriri Valley enroute from Carrington Hut

The Atmos 50 AG gets nine stars out of ten from Jon...only nine because any pack would more or less need to carry itself to get ten stars!!!

I am going to be sad when this pack finally gives up the ghost as it has become a solid companion on many adventures. I almost want to buy another and store it away for later use that is how much I like this wee beast...

 

Osprey Volt 75:

Used for: Heavy loads...longer trips from 3-7 days, camping, Winter trips:


The third pack I would like to talk about is my Volt 75l pack which I purchased back in 2018 as a heavy load replacement for my Vaude Astra. The Volt is basically a big olde sack that I can fill with all the equipment I usually carry as well as a full set of camping gear. With a bigger load carrier all your gear can stay safe on the inside of your pack and not hanging precariously on the outside. 


Osprey Volt 75l pack...heavy load carrier

This is my gear load out with camping equipment included. This includes a tent, sleeping mat, ground sheet and sometimes a small tarp for more living space. 


A full load...gear for a multiday or camping trip

My Volt is the heavy load carrier amongst these packs...it is the one I use if I am carrying a multiday load of food and gear. It has plenty of internal space for my usual load of equipment plus space for a tent, sleeping mat and camping accessories if required. 

Here are some specifications for the Volt 75l.....



This pack has not seen as much use as the other two...my style of trips over the last couple of years have heavily favored Great Walks, day walks and trips to bookable huts. I have used it most notably on my tramp of the Travers-Sabine Circuit and on the Casey-Binser Saddle trip. Now I have finished all the Great Walks I will be looking for more multiday trip ideas with the potential for camping. 


The Volt 75l near Hallelujah Flat in Arthurs Pass NP (2020)

The Volt 75 reminds me of Macpac packs I have seen...it is made from heavier duty materials and will last for a lifetime of tramping. New Zealand outdoor gear was traditionally built tough as we were very limited as to the gear you could get here. You brought a pack and expected it to last you a lifetime which some of them did. It is only over the last 20 years that overseas manufacturers have seen fit to sell their gear here in volume. 

The Macpac Torlese is similar to the Volt 75


The Volt is WAY lighter than any Macpac pack...1.8 kg's as opposed to something like 2.2-2.6 kg. For comparison...the Macpac Torlese pictured above is similar to the Volt but weighs 2.4 kg. That is 600 gm's heavier for less carry space. 


On Howard Saddle enroute to Sabine Hut (2018)

I have found the Volt to be a really comfortable pack and it has just enough technology to make it competitive. Even with a heavy load you arrive at your destination at the end of  the day feeling good. The pack has both excellent shoulder straps and waist belt and it can be adjusted to fit most medium to larger trampers.
 

The Volt 75 is an excellent heavy load carrier...

My one complaint about the Volt is inadequate airflow across my back...you get a bit sweating carrying it. It is a solid form shaped harness so not much air can get to your back. In reality it is not that bad and certainly better than many other brands. I have just been spoiled by the harness setup on the Atmos 50 which is the best I have ever used. 


Lakehead Track on the way to Kerr Bay in 2018


The Volt 75 is a rugged yet comfortable addition to my Gearshed...

I would give the Volt75 seven stars out of ten.

 I think it is a really awesome bit of kit and worth buying if you can find one. I will be using it for many years to come and my next outing with it will probably be a camping trip along the Abel Tasman Coast Track I am contemplating for later this year. 


My other packs:

Vaude Brenta 50

Used for: Overnight trips to bookable huts, day walks in Winter:

Another excellent pack from Vaude this was my main day trip pack from 2014-2018 and filled the roll admirably. I have also used this on a couple of overnight tramps including to Carrington Hut, Packhorse Hut, Nina Hut, Lake Daniell and to Rod Donald Hut. 

The Brenta 30 up the Otira Valley


Karen used this pack on the Abel Tasman Track in 2019 and thought it was good even though it was a little too big for her. Georgia also used it when we went up to Packhorse Hut to act as hut wardens back in 2019.

Karen crossing Awaroa Inlet wearing the Brenta 50

Georgia's feet got hot so into the river she went...

I still have this pack in my gear cupboards and will not dispose of it as it still has plenty of life left in it. I might use this for a short section hike in the Abel Tasman later this year although I now use the Atmos for those type of trips.
 



Vaude Astra 65+10

Used for: Heavy loads...longer trips from 3-7 days, camping, Winter trips:

This was the first new piece of equipment I brought when I started tramping again back in 2012. I brought a stash of new gear including a tent, sleeping bag and mat at that time and it was the start of my current gear shed. My choices at the time were dictated by my army gear and early tramping experiences before I knew anything about UL gear or lightening your load. 

The Astra on the Casey-Binser Circuit back in 2012

The Astra was my main overnight tramping pack from 2012 right up to 2018 when I replaced it in use with the Atmos 50 and Volt 75. It went to many different areas of the South Island such as the Casey-Binser Circuit, Wharfedale Hut, St James Walkway, Queen Charlotte Track, Hawdon Hut, Te Ara Pataka and Fyffe Hut to name a few. It was the pack I used on my first new Great Walk on the Abel Tasman Coastal Track in 2016. 

At the start of the St James Walkway in 2015

I am fond of this pack which is why I haven't sold it on Trade Me as it is a rugged, well designed bit of kit with some really good features. It is still my only 65 liter pack which is a good size for trips of 3-7 days. It also has an excellent harness with the ability to size to a persons torso. This means people other than myself can use it. 

Up the East Hawdon Valley in 2015

The main reason it doesn't get used more is two fold. It is heavy...it started at 2.2 kg's but I managed to get the weigh down to 2 kg by removing some straps etc. The other reason is that I have been visiting a lot of bookable huts and Great Walks and it is too big for these type of trips. 

Astra visits the Abel Tasman Coastal Track

I may sell it or give it away at some stage but I will be sad when I do so...


Future acquisitions?

I am in the market for a suitable 30-35l pack for my day tramps as my current stable are all a little big for this purpose. Ideally I would love to buy either another Vaude or Osprey pack to fill this role but Vaude is not readily available anymore and the price of Osprey packs has rocketed since Covid hit. 


The Osprey Talon 33 retails for NZD $299!!!!!


Ideally I would like a Vaude Brenta 30...Vaude have a whole family of packs in the Brenta range from 25-55 liters and they all have the same harness system. This means you can dial up or down the sizes and they will all be just as comfortable. 

The Vaude Brenta 30l pack


I can buy one overseas but not here in New Zealand which bothers me but that's what its like living at the bottom of the world. I look at this size range every time I'm in an outdoor store but have yet to find one that suits my requirements. 

The search goes on....

Thursday 9 September 2021

Update: Tramping Equipment: Osprey Atmos 50 AG pack, 2018-

More new tramping gear for 2018...


This post was first published back in 2018 but I have recently updated it with some photos of my Atmos 50 pack in use from 2018 till the present...

Here I am heading back from Lake Daniell in July 2021...


This post was originally about more weight lightening going on with the gear I take on my outdoor adventures. Back in early 2018 I brought a new multi-day pack for my short trips of 1-4 nights. I needed something lighter than my 75l Vaude Ascent pack and Osprey 75l Volt but with more capacity than my 50l Vaude Brenta pack. 

My Vaude Brenta 50 on the Nina Hut Track in 2017

 I would love to buy an ultra-lite pack from one of the US based manufacturers (like Z-Packs) but those run to $600-$800 NZD and I just cant afford that. 


Z-Packs Arc Haul: 62L, 700gms but $299 USD ($420 NZD + postage)

After much consideration I went with the American Osprey brand who have a solid niche following in the thru hiking community both here and internationally.

Osprey Atmos 50 AG pack

Osprey have built a good reputation with hikers over the years. While their gear is not ultra-lite they have taken notice of that movement and have begun to gradually lighten all of their packs.

I went with the Osprey Atmos 50 AG, specifications for the pack are:

Weight:1.4-1.6? kg (I have seen three different weights quoted)
Capacity: 53+ litres (I think it is closer to 55-58 myself) 
Harness: Size specific (S/M/L)
Material:210D Nylon, poly coating inside
Cost: $297 NZ dollars in the Bivouac summer sale


Osprey Atmos 50 AG: left hand front view

I heard good things about the harness system on Osprey packs and they were right.  The harness is light, breathable but sturdy. The hip belt is excellent, it is firm around the waist and holds the pack very steady.  The mesh back section dissipates heat more effectively than the more solid/rigid type. 

The backpack looks unusual but the bottom section is actually the generously sized pockets (one on each side). It is shaped almost like a climbers pack (curved), this is a feature of most Osprey packs.



Osprey Atmos 50 AG: view from the side

Osprey packs tend to use size specific harnesses, this bag has a degree of adjustment range but is tailored for people with a long to over long frame like myself. There are also small and medium sized packs in the range. 

Osprey Atmos 50 AG: detail of the harness system

The pack has an orange pack cover, I will probably discard this as I use a pack liner and the pack has a polyurethane coating on the inside.  Your average pack cover can weigh up to 300 gms so this is not an insignificant amount of weight to lose.

Osprey Atmos 50 AG: you can buy pack covers for these packs

The Atmos is only available in two colours the absinthe green and a dark grey colour (graphite). I went with the green as I think it will stand out a bit better than the grey in your typical beech forest.


Osprey Atmos 50 AG: the alternate color- graphite

If required you can remove the top lid compartment and close the bag using a handy integrated fold away flap. This allows you to use the lid as a day pack or to lighten the main bag even further. There is a pouch and a strap for hanging a hydration bladder, the port for the hydration tube is centrally located.


Osprey Atmos 50 AG: view inside the pack

The Atmos 50 AG in use:


In 2018 I took the pack up to Carrington Hut at the head of the Waimakiriri river for an overnight trip and it performed very well. The weight, fit and comfort of the pack are awesome, and I managed to get all my gear into the bag with room to spare.

The Atmos 50 inside Anti Crow Hut, February 2018

The new Osprey on the Carrington Hut veranda, February 2018


If I use it for a multi-day tramp my tent will need to ride on the outside but I see no reason why this bag couldn't easily carry 3-7 days worth of gear.


Me wearing the Atmos while crossing Turkey Flat, Waimakiriri River Valley
 
My Vaude Breta 50 is now being used by folk who come tramping with me like my daughter Georgia or my partner Karen before she brought her own pack. While not perfect for other people it will suffice until they decide to buy a pack specially tailored to there size and frame.


Georgia checking out a side stream while wearing my Vaude Brenta pack

I used the Atmos on the Milford Track in 2018, it is just the right size for a 3-4 day Great Walk because you don't need to carry a tent or sleeping pad internally. Since 2018 I have used it on the Routeburn, Kepler, Rakuira and Paparoa Great Walks. 

The Atmos 50 on the Milford Track, December 2018

I will add some more photos as I use the Atmos over the next couple of years.

An Update from the future: September 2021...


I have been using the Osprey Atmos 50 for nearly four years now and it has become my go to pack for use on short overnighters, Great Walks and any tramp under four nights. I just love this pack...it has all the features you might need, it is lite, well constructed and great to carry. 

Carrying Andy the Atmos on the Kepler Track in March 2021

So far the pack has been to every corner of the South Island, Rakuira/Stewart Island and even up to the North Island for a trip. I should really have brought a second pack and stored it as they are now out of stock here in New Zealand. 

I would absolutely buy this pack again...

The Atmos is my most useful pack...here at Hawdon Hut in 2019

Here are a couple of my most recent outings with the Atmos 50 AG...

Here is Andy up the Hawdon Valley in September 2019


Day two of the Rakuira Track back in early 2020


Up in Abel Tasman NP in August 2020


Outside the Cobb Tent Camp en-route to Fenella Hut in October 2020


Upper Pororairi River Bridge, Paparoa Great Walk in December 2020

Here we are at Rainbow Reach at the end of the Kepler back in March 2021


...Lakehead Track, Nelson Lakes NP in July 2021...

I have trips planned for myself and Andy the Atmos to Kahurangi NP, Able Tasman NP, Angelus Hut, Routeburn Track and Greenstone-Caples Track over the coming year so it is fully in the game as they say...