External frame backpack

[kingairguy69]

I guess I am still old school but does anyone else use an external? it seems I never see anyone with them anymore. I like it so much more than an internal, like the weight carrying capacity and walking upright. I live in Florida and most trails here are dry so carrying 3 or 4 days worth of water adds tons of weight. Last fall while hiking the AT in GA it was a lifesaver. There was almost no water sources flowing I ended up carrying tons of water. I left Neel Gap with 7 liters and although it took my pack to about 33 lbs I didn't even bat an eyelash. Just wondering if there are any other out there

[Deadeye]

My circa 1969 Kelty A4 still gets some use - especially in hot weather. As long as Campmor still carries replacement belts and shoulder straps, I'll keep it around.

[ChuckT]

Zpacks, I have one.

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[Hatchet_1697]

Zpacks ArcBlast, my favorite for on trail hikes.


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[egilbe]

Seek Outside Unaweep. Great pack.

[HooKooDooKu]

It was only about 4 or 5 years ago that I bought my first internal frame pack. Before that, I had used a Kelty Super Tioga from the 70s-80s

[cmoulder]

'Nuther Arc Hauler here, but I've never had anywhere close to 33 lbs in it. Although I've read that some folks were okay with 40 lbs... lotta food & water.

Pretty good for a pack that weighs a pound and a half, although I wish Zpacks made some smaller bags with Dyneema grid... I rarely need 62L even for multi-day, subzero winter trips.

[Pinnah]

Switched to a Kelty Super Tioga a few years back. My back is so much happier. Trickier on rocky scrambles but I'm not going back to an internal.

[Dan Roper]

I've been using the same model Jansport external frame since 1998. I met another external fram guy last year at Boots Off hostel in Hampton, Tennessee. He was so glad to see a compatriot that he had to have a photo of us together.

The very next day, a strap on that 19-year-old Jansport broke when I slipped. I rigged it and made it 40 miles to Damascus. When I got home, I found an almost new model of the same Jansport on Craig's List and bought it.

I want nothing except my beloved external frame pack.

[DuneElliot]

Another Arc Hauler here. I don't like most internal frames as the way the belts are attached bothers my lower back and pelvis.

[dmax]

Another Arc hauler, and an old Jansport in the closet.

[Tipi Walter]

Anyone who backpacked in the 1970s generally used external frame packs---Kelty, Peak One, Jansport, Camptrails, North Face etc. Then the internal revolution hit with Gregory and other even earlier packs.

Flash forward to today and there's the mentioned Seek Outside pack. I recently returned from a trip on Slickrock Creek where I met my buddy Patman hauling in his Divide pack---see pics. He ended up sending it back with various complaints.

As far as hauling tremendous weights, there are now internal frame packs which outperform externals weightwise.


Patman's Seek Outside Divide pack.


Heavy hauler!!.

[MuddyWaters]

I guess I am still old school but does anyone else use an external? it seems I never see anyone with them anymore. I like it so much more than an internal, like the weight carrying capacity and walking upright. I live in Florida and most trails here are dry so carrying 3 or 4 days worth of water adds tons of weight. Last fall while hiking the AT in GA it was a lifesaver. There was almost no water sources flowing I ended up carrying tons of water. I left Neel Gap with 7 liters and although it took my pack to about 33 lbs I didn't even bat an eyelash. Just wondering if there are any other out there

Yur referrin to old style externals.
Only issue..is that they place wt away from centerline of your body
I.e. they arent narrow
Which makes them more work to control the load on uneven terrain
This is why internals took over
Other than that, they are still great

[cmoulder]

like the weight carrying capacity and walking upright

Only issue..is that they place wt away from centerline of your body

I haven't visited this subject in a long time, but I don't remember the rationale behind the contention that externals promote 'walking upright'. Per Muddy, simple physics suggests otherwise. Perhaps it is because the top lid (I hate the term "brain"!) of some internals interfered with noggin' space, although that is a design issue that was largely corrected long ago.

Many (many!) moons ago when I started hauling mondo mountaineering loads I switched from an old Kelty Tioga to a McHale and it was like night and day. I realize I'm comparing apples and grapefruits but I'd never go back to any kind of 'traditional' external. Those bottom frame corners catching on rocks during scrambly descents is IMO/IME enough reason alone to avoid old-school externals.

[perrymk]

The main reason I prefer an external frame is I don't like anything rubbing all over my back as I get sweaty. I will sweat regardless of temperature or ventilation. I've tried a number of internal frame (and frameless) packs and just didn't like them.

I have two main external frame backpacking packs. An old Camp Trails Adjustable with a water bottle pocket situated so that I can reach my water bottle without removing the pack. I also have a titanium Vargo external. I use an old army alice pack for workout/training hikes on occasion. I even made a frame for my day pack to keep it off my back. It works well for me.

[LoneStranger]

Seek Outside Unaweep. Great pack.

6300 rocks! My Super Tioga never gets to go out and play any more. Took me a while to figure out how to carry my snowshoes, but you can't beat the Unaweep for load hauling. Just got back from a week in Baxter back country carrying a 57lb daddy pack. Fully loaded you don't get great air flow on the back, but I carry the load high enough that I get air from below.

As for being too wide, SO kept the profile narrow so unless you strap a bunch of crap on the outside it doesn't wobble around when bushwhacking or doing duck unders. If I can fit my body between two trees my pack will follow. It does stick up over my head a bit, but I like having everything inside. Sharing a stretch of AT with the thrus a few weeks ago while doing the GLT I noticed how many had stuff hanging all over their packs wobbling around with every step. Seems distracting and a place for branches and rocks to catch.

Darn nice pack for rugged country. Here is a link to my Trailspace review for anyone interested in more details http://www.trailspace.com/gear/seek-...0/#review37689

[Tipi Walter]

Excellent review LoneStranger!!! I'm gonna copy it on my printer and take it out with me on my next backpacking trip to read (. . . . and eventually burn . . . .). You and Patman at Trailspace ought to compare notes, of course he used a different model.

I spent 21 years extensively using an external frame pack---the defunct North Face BackMagic---and I lived out of that pack. Still have it in the garage. Then I went with a Kelty Ultra Tioga (unknown to most backpackers and even Kelty enthusiasts). But I used my NF load hauler for thousands of days hauling huge loads everywhere.

67 old north face pack-L.jpg
Here's my old NF BackMagic now in retirement.

45-35 jb filterng water at the little snaketooth nutbuster-XL.jpg
Here's my backpacking buddy Johnny B on the Nutbuster trail (Upper Slickrock 42) using my Kelty Ultra Tioga.

45-5 day 2 leaving crowders at horn in the west-XL.jpg
Another pic of the Kelty on the left on Fodderstack Ridge in TN.

I finally left the world of external packs when I got a Dana Designs Terraplane (pictured on right in red)---but I missed the convenience of the external frame pack. It sits up nicely and all gear is well organized and easy to get to.

The biggest problem I had with my externals was Sagging with heavy weight; and hip pain. For some reason externals place alot of pressure on the outside of the hip and you'll notice it soon enough with some real world weight---like 80 lbs. But my old NF allowed me to pull thousands of bag nights all thru the mountains of NC, Virginia and the Southeast. Even hitched with it to the Sierras and Yuba River.

[grubbster]

Flash forward to today and there's the mentioned Seek Outside pack. I recently returned from a trip on Slickrock Creek where I met my buddy Patman hauling in his Divide pack---see pics. He ended up sending it back with various complaints.

I have one of these packs showing up on my doorstep today. What were Patman's issues with the pack?

[Starchild]

I still have and use one for heavy loads (30 lbs and up) as it really is more comfortable, but heavier.

[Tipi Walter]

I have one of these packs showing up on my doorstep today. What were Patman's issues with the pack?

He's a WB member so I hope he chimes in on the subject. As far as I can tell he found the torso adjustment problematic and the frame caused a few hot spots on his back/hips.

I still have and use one for heavy loads (30 lbs and up) as it really is more comfortable, but heavier.

My current load hauler internal weighs 8 lbs 6 oz EMPTY but it's the most comfortable pack I have found when hauling 80+ lbs. Much better than any external I have used. Pack comfort is highly subjective as Starchild notes therefore a pack is the hardest piece of equipment to buy.