Removing weight from old backpack?

[DownYonder]

I have a 20+ yo Lowe Contour IV pack that fits me perfectly. Unfortunately, it weighs just over 6lbs. So, I started trying to get the weight down.....cut 4"-8" off every strap, removed 8 buckles, removed the very heavy zipper pulls and all the quick cinches from the pull-cords. So far the weight savings is around 12oz. Traveling without the brain gets me down to about 5lbs.

Any recommendations on what else I can remove/change?

[nsherry61]

. . . Any recommendations on what else I can remove/change?

Only a smartass response about polishing a turd or some such thing.

Every part of those old packs was wonderfully stout and durable and heavy. You really need to change out the basic materials that the pack is made of to get anything close to ultra-light. Fabric, pads, frame, etc. Personally, I'd argue that you have already destroyed a wonderful old heavy hauling pack to try and make it into something it will never be. Just use it and love it as is. Then, save up and get what you want when you can afford it later.

Put down the scissors and go outside and play.

[SoaknWet]

I have to agree all you're going to do is ruin a good load pack.

[DownYonder]

I can find them all day long for $35 on ebay. It is a dinosaur that needs it's nails clipped. At 5'9" - 170 lbs I don't need a belt that fits a 48" waist, extra 12" of shoulder adjustment straps, don't need zipper pulls @ 1.5oz each, don't need straps for my cross country skis, sure don't need 90+15L volume and I don't need the 15" straps to accommodate 90L. I guess I could buy a new lighter 50L for $350 and let this one sit in the basement for the next 20 years or display it along side my antique fly fishing rods in the family room. My wife would love it!!

Instead, I will get it down under 4.5lbs. It will still be as functional as a new backpack and it will enjoy many more excursions into the woods. But I will still be weighed down by that $350 in my pocket.....HUM, guess I need to plan a trip to REI to lighten my load!!

Do you guys cry during old Humphrey Bogart movies?

[OCDave]

.... I guess I could buy a new lighter 50L for $350 and let this one sit in the basement for the next 20 years ...

Give the old pack to a Boy Scout. Their initial trips are short and weight is less an issue. Many scouts are new to backpacking and would be appreceative of a free pack. You'll sleep well knowing it served some good. Troop 33 got three of my really nice when new 20 yo packs, including a servicable but unused external frame REI Wonderland.

My replacement is a ULA Catalyst, purchased well below your projected $350.

If you insist on keeping you vintage pack, don't squander time and energy trying to remove weight from the pack. Just pack less when you use it.

Good Luck

[Puddlefish]

How well can you sew? What attributes of the pack do you find "comfortable" that you don't want to give up? Start replacing fabric, until it's a poorly shaped mess that you can't stand? There's not much more that you can do with the old one.

I hiked with a guy on the southern AT. He was a little guy, a bit older than you, he had an enormous 6 lb. pack that he loved, because it was so "comfortable." One day, he picked up my pack (An Osprey Exos 48, $190, might be too small for your needs.) to hand it to me, and he about fell over, because it was so much lighter.

When we got to Franklin, he bought a new pack, and mailed his old one home. He was singing a brand new tune. Four pounds lighter was his new definition of comfortable, and he couldn't believe how uncomfortable his old pack was in comparison. A lot of the new packs have much better back ventilation as well, which is a nice bonus.

Disclaimer: He also bought a lighter, smaller packing tent, and a lighter, smaller packing sleeping bag, to fit all his gear in this new lighter pack.

You don't have to spend the full $350 to get something super lightweight. Medium lightweight is perfectly acceptable, and you can find a lot in a medium price range... or you can stick with what you have and be happy you removed almost a pound from it. I don't think I'd try to remove more from it, which leaves a new pack, or new items to put into it, which always runs into that stupid money limitation.

[Last Call]

Someone on this site has a Jansport 50 liter for sale right now....$50....that's a steal, I'm currently using an older model of the same pack....after whacking a few straps, it probably weighs less than 3 lbs....Highly Recommended....

[Puddlefish]

Someone on this site has a Jansport 50 liter for sale right now....$50....that's a steal, I'm currently using an older model of the same pack....after whacking a few straps, it probably weighs less than 3 lbs....Highly Recommended....

A new one is $100 and 2 lbs, 6 oz. I might have chosen that one had I seen it in 2016.

[Traveler]

I tend to agree with the concept if the pack is holding up well, you like the contours and fit of the pack, and it holds what you need it to, there's is not a lot of reason to change unless you are moving into the UL world, which can translate to "Uncomfortable Lugging" if one isn't careful and overloads the pack design. If you want to keep the pack, cutting it up to save a few ounces of fabric, may not yield the weight savings you want to reach. If you've not started this, looking at what you are putting into the pack, especially how much water you are carrying can make a huge dent in overall pack weight. If you've not done this in a while, you may be surprised what you are toting around that is not being used much. Looking at lightening the pack, new gear (presuming some current gear can use replacement), you may be surprised at the ounces/pounds that can be shed for not a lot of money. On the AT, its pretty rare not to have a water source every few miles, so carrying a minimum amount of water makes sense. Water weighs about 2 lbs per liter, so that alone may help.

[DownYonder]

I tend to agree with the concept if the pack is holding up well, you like the contours and fit of the pack, and it holds what you need it to, there's is not a lot of reason to change unless you are moving into the UL world, which can translate to "Uncomfortable Lugging" if one isn't careful and overloads the pack design. If you want to keep the pack, cutting it up to save a few ounces of fabric, may not yield the weight savings you want to reach. If you've not started this, looking at what you are putting into the pack, especially how much water you are carrying can make a huge dent in overall pack weight. If you've not done this in a while, you may be surprised what you are toting around that is not being used much. Looking at lightening the pack, new gear (presuming some current gear can use replacement), you may be surprised at the ounces/pounds that can be shed for not a lot of money. On the AT, its pretty rare not to have a water source every few miles, so carrying a minimum amount of water makes sense. Water weighs about 2 lbs per liter, so that alone may help.

BINGO!! The pack is super comfortable for me and is in VG conditions. No desire, what so ever, to go ultra or to gamble on a new pack that might feel comfortable in the store but end up being a dog in the woods. Just wanting to get as many ozs off as possible. Currently (including this monster pack) my base is around 23lbs.....21 if my hiking partner shares the tent load. Another 5-6lbs in consumables and I'm still well under 30lbs which is a very comfortable load for me.

So far, I have removed 14ozs without changing the function of the pack in any manner. I've had the pack for over 20yrs and never once used some of the buckles/straps. No idea what some are even for!! Just thought someone here might have some super secret that I had not thought of....I guess not. I am surprised how nostalgic for antique packs some folks are.

[Venchka]

Welcome to the Old Pack Lovers Club.
1974 Rivendell Mountain Works Jensen pack made by Hippies in Victor, Idaho.
1994 Bozeman built Dana Design Terraplane.
If it ain’t broke don’t fix it!
Wayne

[colorado_rob]

Welcome to the Old Pack Lovers Club.
1974 Rivendell Mountain Works Jensen pack made by Hippies in Victor, Idaho.
1994 Bozeman built Dana Design Terraplane.
If it ain’t broke don’t fix it!
Wayne

I've very successfully used an old Dana Design Terraplane on a couple of very long expeditions but I did manage to remove a full pound from it by doing exactly what you did, OP, with no loss of functionality. I wonder if I can find my old ziplock of the removed stuff... I've since passed the pack on to a buddy, who climbed Denali with it (as I did one one of the above long trips). And if you remove the silly lid, you can lose another 10 ounces or so. So yeah, this works!

I've also greatly trimmed something like 12 ounces off an Osprey Aether 85 liter pack, again, no loss in functionality. And again, without the lid, that's another 8 ounces gone.

You really can use old packs and make them a bit lighter. Sure, it is a bit of polishing a turd, but so what.

[Venchka]

I am never giving up the adjustable floating convertible top pocket on the Terraplane. I use it all day long on the trail.
Out of curiosity I pulled out the aluminum stay in the interest of weight savings. I weighed the stay. 4 ounces. I reinstalled the stay. Not worth the trouble.
Cheers!
Wayne

[Gambit McCrae]

Here are 4 nice ULA packs on ebay for well under $350. Its not what the OP asked for but modifying a pack that is 6 lbs to be lighter just isn't feasible.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fro...kpack&_sacat=0

[colorado_rob]

Here are 4 nice ULA packs on ebay for well under $350. Its not what the OP asked for but modifying a pack that is 6 lbs to be lighter just isn't feasible.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fro...kpack&_sacat=0

Sure it's feasible, as said, I've done it.... but finished weight no where near UL, so I agree, getting a good, used ULA backpack on ebay looks like a much better option.